Robert Tomas, Author
Bio
Born during the baby boom in New Haven, CT to parents of Polish descent, Robert followed the traditional lifestyle associated with the baby boomer. After finishing high school in Hamden, CT, he went on to earn a BA from UCONN. Since he married and started having children while at UCONN, he dashed his dream of going to law school and instead embraced technology that was at that time limited to large companies. The PC had not yet been invented.... While working, he earned an MBA, and completed all of his work on a DBA (Doctor of Business Administration). He has to date worked for a number of technology companies and protected the cyber security for major financial institutions. Robert is retired and devotes his time to writing and spending as much time as possible on the water. On his father's side, he is a second generation American and a third generation American on his mother's side. For his father's eightieth birthday he took him to visit relatives in a small town south of Krakow. What he encountered there was the inspiration for his first novel, My FatherLand. This is his fifth novel.
Interview
What do your fans mean to you?
I am most interested in bringing joy, entertainment, and maybe enlightening information to the reader. If the reader is a fan, that means the world to me. It tells me that someone truly enjoys what I write.
What are you working on next?
I'm working on a book about alternate realities had I made just one change in my past. How would my life differed? What would the end result have been on those around me?
Who are your favorite authors?
I'm having a very hard time answering this as I have so many authors that I admire for their ability to enlighten me and capture my attention.
What inspires you to get out of bed each day?
Well, there are a number of reasons I want to get out of bed daily:
- I am retired, but have responsibilities related to my home and significant other
- to see the smile on the face of my significant other
- to contribute something, no matter how small, to better society
- to possibly find the time to be on the water for an hour or two
When you're not writing, how do you spend your time?
I enjoy spending time with my significant other. Movies are high on my list.... Living through COVID19 in the year 2020 and 2021 has taught me to occupy myself in a very secluded environment
How do you discover the ebooks you read?
Scouring the web and reading the synopsis. Sometimes the synopsis is accurate and either confirms that I made the right choice, or surprises me that the eBook is even better than I anticipated, or surprises me that the eBook was not quite as good as the synopsis.
Do you remember the first story you ever wrote?
I remember writing a story in a competition in middle school and winning an award for it. The topic has escaped my memory though. The accolades still remain.
What is your writing process?
I take an event in my life and research everything I can find about the event, then put a twist to it. After doing this, I layout a general outline and then begin to add the words to it. Many times, the outline ends up being deviated from significantly but it helps me to get moving.
Do you remember the first story you ever read, and the impact it had on you?
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn had a profound effect on me. When I read it, I was moved. From that moment on, I dreamed of being able to write that well.
How do you approach cover design?
There is always a theme or twist in my work. I look for the predominant theme or twist and model the cover based on that.
What do you read for pleasure?
I like to read work from new authors. Of course I still read the classics, but new works give me an insight into innovative ways to reach the reader. I also listen to classical music and new indie music as well.