Enter, Tom Jade

In 2010 I wrote my first novel, Cold Blooded, an action thriller/horror with elements of the supernatural. Some readers seem divided on whether those elements fall into the realms of fantasy or science fiction. I’m happy with either. I don’t worry too much about genre formula. I just write what feels, well, right, and hope that it comes out—you guessed it—right.

The process took it out of me. In a nervous breakdown sort of way. But that’s another story, for another time…

I set out to find a publisher, and/or, agent, with the options before me being simple and twofold. And by simple, I don’t mean easy.

One, land someone in my home country (New Zealand). Two, find someone overseas. At that time I failed to accomplish either, though I did receive some pretty good feedback, of which I was, and always will be, most grateful. I’ve kept hold of those letters and emails, which I still read every now and again whenever the demon appears. The demon of course being doubt.

I urge you to keep those emails and letters handy—the good ones, the encouraging ones—because the demon will appear, even after success. Trust me on that one. And I’m not just talking to writers here either. Encouragement is needed in all walks of life.

So around February of 2011 I began work on a second novel, a straight crime thriller called Harry’s End. I didn’t particularly want to write a book without that unreal or otherworld component, but I felt it would be my best chance of being published. A sort of foot-in-the-door thing. And then I got sick. In a life altering kind of way. But again, that’s another story, for another day.

In 2013, after reading an article on self-publishing, I released Cold Blooded through Amazon in eBook format. With self-promotion and marketing an essential part of the process, I delved into something that up until that point I had no interest in (or knowledge of) whatsoever: Social Media. (I still don’t own a cell phone.) I joined the ones I’d heard most about, Facebook and LinkedIn. Later came Twitter (and a couple of others I still don’t know how to use, let alone see the point of), and now my very own, shiny new Blog.

Feel free to follow the links, and if the urge so takes you, get yourself involved. Ask me anything, and not just about me or my writing (though you are more than welcome to do so). The weather. The economy (or the price of fish, at least). How the U.N., alongside the Middle East, should be tackling the number one menace we face in the world today: Justin Bieber.

Feel free, also, to comment on this and subsequent blogs. In future I’ll cover things such as my process of becoming an author; what I did right (and perhaps, more importantly, what I did wrong); the hows, the whys; my inspiration and motivation for giving up everything to write my first book.   

So in May or June of last year, through mostly good luck, I landed the finest publisher on the planet, Alison Brook of Bay Road Media, and Cold Blooded found its way into print.

Enter, Tom Jade.