Website: Alaskan Mysteries
Author's Blog: AlaskanNovelist
Blog: AlaskanNovelist
Twitter: @AlaskanNovelist
E-Mail: seanethomas@hotmail.com
Goodreads: Check Out Goodreads
Facebook: Check Out Facebook
Author Description: A longtime Alaska resident with a Native American-Finnish heritage, Sean E. Thomas graduated in 1970 from Alaska Methodist University with a bachelor of arts in chemistry. He attended graduate school at the University of Idaho for two years studying organic chemistry, then served eight years as an Army officer, working with missiles and laser weapon systems. He later went into federal service, working in different endeavors, and retired in 2006. He published four novels between 2002 and 2003.
After recovering from congestive heart failure, he started writing again. His three newest novels are being published fall 2011 through spring 2012. An avid boater, he has been a Coast Guard Auxiliary volunteer for more than 35 years, teaching boating safety and supporting search and rescue programs.
Sean is the Alaska Professional Communicator Fiction Award Winner for 2012.
SPOTLIGHT Questions and Answers with the Author
First of all, can you share with us your upcoming novels? I hear that you have two more Robert Sable Mysteries coming our way.
Deadly Rites is now out in multi format. Number ten, Frozen Treasure, will be out June 2013. I'm currently working on a novel about the Iditarod tentatively called Blood on the Moon (approximately half done). I have cursory outlines for another five and about another 100 plotlines.
Your story is one of inspiration. Can you tell us if your heart problems and the recovery changed the way you write? Does being retired give you more time to be creative or like I have found, I find more things to do?
Cardioversions use electricity similar to electroshock therapy used on mental patients of the 50s, 60s, and 70s. I was cardioverted 8 times (16 times being shocked). The heart had to be stable for repair. Mine eliminated 8 months of short term memory. A couple of my bosses thought I was lying that I couldn't remember certain incidents. One thing that hurt me was my writing ability and stringing words together in sequence. It took me five years to recover my inspiration and ability to write descent prose. I just hope I never have to go through that again.
Yes being retired gives me more time and ideas. Many of my novels/ideas have come from dreams and nightmares. It also gives me time to edit and strengthen my prose. Of course, I belong to the Coast Guard Auxiliary (35 years), Alaska Professional Communicators, an Friends of Nike Site Summit (trying to save, restore, and preserve a Cold War Nike Hercules missile site). These and other groups believe you should give all your retired time to them.
You are one of the rare authors that have bridged the gap from the traditional paper book world to the digital age. Can you tell us how that changed your approach to marketing? Do you do book signings and personal appearances?
I use my website, Twitter, Facebook, my blog and newspapers. (See references above) Also I use Amazon Authors Central, Tumblr and Book Buzzr.
I have included several samples:
Silent Killer in the Anchorage Daily News' Reading the North,
Stalker in the Anchorage Daily News Reading the North for Website,
Alaska Dutchman made it into the Anchorage Daily News ‘Reading the North.’
I am a Member of SinC, Pacific Northwest Writers Assoc, Alaska Professional Communicators, NFPW, Alaska49 Writers, AlaskaWriters’ Guild, Alaska Association of Authors and The Alaskan Writer’s Directory.
In 2002 and 2003. Most my stories just want signed copies. I do sign at conferences. In the future, I do plan several this winter. However, I was in and out of the hospital in August and part September from Bronchitis and edema in the legs. Still walking on crutches. When I'm walking without them, I will arrange the signings.
Going along the same line, how does social media (twitter - excess of 15K followers) fit into your marketing plans? Are you building a group of readers by forming relationships?
Twitter helps sell a number of books, Facebook is my inner circle of writers, family and friends and is a support network. I also have a close friend who is also a mentor. I've also been on blogs before which have lasted a week. During the blog, I've had to check it several times a day to respond to questions.
Back to friends--I have another set who I consider as acquaintances. They are out for themselves and don't care about helping other authors. I used to belong to several writers' critique groups and found them more a hindrance and a lot of hard work. You find yourself editing and reworking a number of neophyte authors' MSS and you don't have time for yours.
You live and write about a beautiful part of our country. Does the Alaskan setting ever get in the way of your plot? Do you plan on using more of the scenery there in your cover art? Have you ever considered creating a book trailer using pictures of the area?
It enhances it. There are lots of places to hide bodies and the animals will obliterate the remains leaving virtually nothing. However, when switching from one wilderness scene to another it's hard to write about different forests, streams and rivers, etc. My publisher provides the artist. I give advice but the artist usually wins.
For example, Lost Legions gold coins in the 'Os" are Julius Caesar. In the draft, they were Eisenhower coins. They're supposed to be Augustus Caesar. The scenery on the cover is salt water with breakers. The boats are fiberglass. They're supposed to be aluminum jet boats on the Yukon....
On Stalker my artist had the hunter sticking out of the trees with a pistol--in the book he used a crossbow. That one I won in part. I lost on Deadly Rites--priest were crucified on inverted crosses.
No I have not created a book trailer, but it's an idea.
I noticed while doing my research, you belong to various groups and associations. I especially zeroed in on the Alaskan Writers Directory. Do you find belonging helps you in finding new readers or do use them for support?
Belonging to these groups gives me inspiration. Alaska Professional Communicators (local NFPW) has been a great help with inspiration, comradelier and friend support.
Your books appear in many online retail sites. Do you find being available in many locations adds to your sales? Is it more time consuming to have multiple locations or do you get results from just a few?
Yes....It's like a shotgun. I'm trying to get my name and my books out to the public. Twitter seems the best.
Author's Book List
Deadly RitesA Robert Sable Mystery
Priests are being crucified on inverted crosses in Alaskan churches. On the surface, it appears priests are killing priests. As Sergeant Robert Sable starts his investigation, he finds a similar trend across the lower forty-eight states heading straight for Alaska. It seems that Alaska now has another serial killer. Sable must sort out the suspects and clues to find the killer
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Amazon Buy Page
-- Barnes and Noble Buy Page
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alaska DutchmanA Robert Sable Mystery
A prospector’s body is found near the railroad tracks south of Fairbanks. At the miner’s cabin, Tlingit Alaska State Trooper Sergeant Robert Sable finds two bodies slumped over a table in pools of blood. While investigating the crime scene, he finds hidden under the base of the prospector’s fireplace several hundred thousand dollars in gold nuggets the killers missed. Rumors fly that the prospector had found the Dutchman, a mine of myth, legend and a curse. Over the last hundred years, men have died trying to find the mine. If they found it, the curse would kill them and the mine would be lost again. Bennett’s killers are closing on the mine’s location and as Sable follows the clues, they lead him closer to the killers and mortal danger.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Amazon Buy Page
-- Barnes and Noble Buy Page
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
StalkerA Robert Sable Mystery
More dangerous than Theodore Bundy and Robert Hansen combined, a serial killer calling himself Anubis stalks the cities and highways of Alaska. This killer leaves no fingerprints, fibers or DNA. He hides behind numerous stolen identities. Now, the stalker has murdered a Seattle police detective. Alaska State Trooper Robert Sable and his team must find the killer before he strikes again.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Amazon Buy Page
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Silent KillerA Robert Sable Mystery
Tlingit Alaska State Trooper Robert Sable investigates a serial killer who uses stealth and carbon monoxide to kill alumni from the Chugach High School class of 2000 and their families. So far, all the deaths have been ruled accidental. It appears the killer is exacting revenge for bullying and abuse in high school. The killer leaves minimal evidence, only a tiny smiley face with the number 2000. Since Sable’s wife is a 2000 graduate, she may be next on the killer’s list. Sable and his team must catch the killer before he strikes again.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Amazon Buy Page
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Lost LegionA Robert Sable Mystery
Pulled from his honeymoon, Tlingit Alaska State Trooper Robert Sable investigates the murders of the governor’s brother and the brother’s friends. Clutched in the dead men’s hands are gold coins imprinted with the likeness of Augustus Caesar. As Sable follows the clues, he realizes a myth Roman soldiers settled in Alaska more than 2,000 years ago may be true. Closing in, he comes face to face with the architect of the murders, a village chieftain who is a descendent of the Romans. The descendents have set into motion a plot to take over the halls of power in Washington, D.C. Even the current Alaskan governor unknowingly is being used as a pawn to achieve this aim. It is up to Sable to foil the plot and put the chief and his fellow conspirators behind bars.
Rated one of the top 5 best sellers at Whiskey Creek Press.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Amazon Buy Page
-- Barnes and Noble Buy Page
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dark ShamanGripping mystery set in the Alaskan wilderness where children are being kidnapped and murdered. To stop these depraved killings, State Trooper Sable must discover the identity of his elusive adversary.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Amazon Buy Page
-- Barnes and Noble Buy Page
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dark SoulAlaska State Trooper Robert Sable, a man with a troubled past, watched his wife and son die at the hands of his enemies. He has one mission in life--to even the score. When his investigation gets him into trouble with the Troopers, his chief assigns him to a Fish and Game stakeout in the Alaskan wilderness. Intent on stopping the mob boss responsible for the hit on his family, Sable invites him for a final confrontation. When the meeting goes wrong, Sable must run for his life with the mob boss's men close behind.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Amazon Buy Page
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dark ProjectAs Alaska State Trooper Robert Sable investigates the strange disappearance of six scientists from Fort Greely, he discovers a secret Army project. Scientists have gathered under the leadership of a ruthless general, Charles Dean to create the ultimate soldier. During a catastrophe, an experimental virus escapes from the project. Thinking the virus is deadly, Dean tracks a scientist exposed to the virus to a local Tlingit village. To contain the virus and protect his secrets, Dean decides to destroy the village and all its inhabitants. Sable must find a way to save the Indians and bring the general to justice.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Amazon Buy Page
-- Barnes and Noble Buy Page
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dark GoldAlaska State Trooper Robert Sable, a man with a troubled past, investigates the strange appearance of a frozen aviator on an iceberg in Prince William Sound. The dead aviator was the copilot of a plane carrying a shipment of gold worth millions destined for Russia. Next to the aviator lay the body of a mob henchman. The pilot's son, Phillip Frost, is an Anchorage mob boss who kills Sable's partner. Sable later discovers the key to his partner's death. As Sable investigates his partner's murder and assembles the clues, he finds that anyone with knowledge of the gold dies.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Amazon Buy Page
-- Barnes and Noble Buy Page
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Coming SOON
When Montezuma saw the Spanish coming, he sent an army of warriors with most of his treasure north to the home of their ancestors (Alaska). An archeology professor, Edward Stone, and a friend stumble onto Aztec tablets that have the potential to lead to vast treasure. They pay for it with their lives. Sable and his team are assigned the case, which becomes dangerous immediately. Sable finds corrupt elements of the Mexican government who will use any method to get to the gold first, killing anyone in their path. Sable and his team must bend the law by using extraordinary measures to stop the killers.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Author Recommended by: HBSystems Publications
Publisher of ebooks, writing industry blogger and the sponsor of the HBS Author's Spotlight plus the blog: eBook Author’s Corner. Check out the index of other Spotlight authors. Spotlight Index.
No comments:
Post a Comment