Five Thrilling Finalists - Craig O. Thompson

This is the third in a series of interviews with the other four Best Indie Thriller of 2012 finalists. Each were sent the same questions, each in their answers detail their journey. On Monday we met Rob Lowe, Wednesday it was Stephen Woodfin and today I'm pleased to introduce the formidably accomplished Craig O. Thompson.

Profile

Craig O. Thompson

Craig was the first 18-year old volunteer to be accepted into the U.S. Peace Corps and serve overseas. He graduated out of Northern Arizona University and holds a B.S. and M.A. in Education, with a Minor in Political Science. He is a highly regarded anti-terrorism expert and counter-terrorism consultant, Talk-Show Guest and President of Brightwater Enterprises. Craig has been writing for nearly twenty-five years with some of his major fiction influences listed as Tom Clancy’s earlier novels and Clive Cussler’s Dirk Pitt series. Craig's first published book has already claimed the International Benjamin Franklin Silver Award for Best New Fiction Voice.

Omar

In 1995, CIA/FBI jointly discover secret plans to recover a trove of priceless treasure from deep below the North Atlantic Ice Barrier, aboard RMS Titanic. An ultra-zealous terrorist group competes against other divers, and sets off a complex web of international intrigue and suspense. CIA's Colonel Bramson recruits Dr. Cary Parker, Woods Hole oceanographer / archaeologist, to beat both teams to the ship's grave. And a wave of worldwide terrorism is set into motion at 2077 fathoms, as a rare, priceless book and lost treasure becomes the primary focus of a triadic search. Parker, challenges the terrorists on his own turf, and what follows is an epic adventure of legendary proportions.

JP: You wrote a book. You published it yourself and hoped others would love it in some way, as you do. You read in the press over 250,000 books were independently published in the last year. Then you get an email from Jeff Bennington, founder of the Kindle Book Review - you made the final five for their best Thriller, Mystery books of 2012. Now tell me:

Just how did that feel?

Quite honestly… I felt shocked, but exonerated from the self-doubt that plagues many authors, myself included. There I was, among so many outstanding, accomplished authors who were listed as Thriller/Mystery Semi-finalists (an award in itself).  So, I attempted to put any chance of reaching the Finalist’s level out of my mind.  When the announcement came, there was joy and relief.  Relief brought about by the realization those years of research, lonely toiling at the computer, rejection slips and a decade pushed aside by everyday responsibilities, following 9/11, were not in vain.

We have proof that writing is important to you, tell us what moved you to write in the first place and then how that became writing a book.

Most of my professional positions have involved some type of writing for marketing, promoting and publicizing services or products (from education to the arts to merchandizing).   However, as a young adult, I wrote poetic and lyrical pieces that—for-years, out of a lack of confidence—I never shared.  For me, it was a cathartic escape.  Yet, over time, four persons inspired me to become an author.

First, my mother awakened an interest in writing as she created a series of books tracing the history of Father Junipero Serra’s establishment of church missions, in California (she was not a Catholic).  From her works, a travelling pageant produced by the State of California, was created to celebrate its Bicentennial.
Second, was Lucille Ball, for whom I wrote a series script, while working at Desilu/Paramount Television.  She personally reviewed the script… told me it was not a good script, but wrote a note that encouraged me not to give up writing.

Two others gave me a tremendous boost in confidence.  World-acclaimed pianist, Roger Williams, and Poet Laureate / Pulitzer Prize winner, Gwendolyn Brooks not only took a liking to my poetry, but wrote notes of encouragement.  Both provided critical comments about specific pieces, as well.

Persistence—and a developing awareness that terrorism of the 80’s and 90’s had morphed into an insidious asymmetric horror, that our world would know after the turn of the century—pushed me to get more serious about my writings.  I was fortunate to find and angel and an investor, both of whom allowed me to write for a time, without worrying about “from where the money would come” to feed my family.  And my book – originally slated in my mind to be the “great American novel” – soon became a warning of what was to come.

In crafting this story and the characters, what part of you is reflected in the story creation and these so real fictional people.

I was fortunate, as the first and youngest American Peace Corps volunteer (inducted at age 18), to be able to travel and experience many of the realities of the world.  This was during the very early days of what led up to Vietnam and the resulting world and national conflicts that blossomed after.  Following graduation from Northern Arizona University, I worked at the secondary and collegiate levels of education (both in the classroom and at administrative and board levels).   Having been an owner of two successful companies, over the years, my business sense aided in creating characters that reflect similar traits needed in their own fictional settings.  As many authors employ aspects of their own lives, and project them into characters, I’ve been no different.  Writer’s empathy is the key. The fun part: I could take a true-to-life nemesis, from my past, and turn him or her into an antagonist.

How long did it take to write this book? From page one to pressing publish on Amazon? Tell us a little about the process.

In my youth, I grew up watching my best friend’s father peck away on an old Royal typewriter, as he wrote Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis screenplays, among others.  If you picture, in your mind, any writer ripping a page he didn’t like from his typewriter platen (the roller)… crunching it up and throwing it on the floor—that was Mr. King.  My dilemma:  I knew I would never have the patience to write like that. I bought my own self-correcting IBMs, to no avail.  Just had no tolerance for typing one-hundred percent of a scene or chapter, all over again. Thank God for the computer – with cut-and-paste.  When I bought my first Apple in 1984, a IIC with the giant 5 inch discs, it was the most liberating experience of my life.  Soon after my purchase, I took the computer (and my family) on vacation to my aunt’s beach house in North Carolina.  Early mornings, while family slept, I banged out plot ideas, character histories and other plot devices for OMAR: A Novel.  But as many independent authors know, life gets in the way of writing, if we let it.  And I was no exception.  It took me until 1997 before a Limited Edition was published.  Then, the First Edition hit in August, 2001.  Eleven years later… the revised Digital E-book hit the stands.

Did you ever lobby agents, had you been published traditionally, and what did you learn from this if you did?

Like many authors, I first chose the traditional route to find an agent.  A hundred or so query letters, synopsis… and rejection letters later, I continued to pursue the normal channels.  Basically, I followed the rules of the game – as suggested by all the” proper authorities” in the Guide to Literary Agents, Writer’s Digest, the various Writer’s Marketplace sourcebooks, etc.

In 1994-95 I sat on the board of Washington Independent Writers (now The American Independent Writers).  At the time, I was encouraged to submit OMAR: A Novel (then under a different working title), to an international literary agent/attorney based in DC.  I had received impressive notices from several people who worked at or had retired from high levels within the Big-6 publishing industry.

I must admit the book needed tremendous paring down (from a James Michenor-type 900 pages to the current 624).  To achieve that end, a journalist who had retired from Pulliam Newspapers performed a third-draft edit. And the fourth-draft was edited by another retired friend, who had provided services for the Big-6—and who was James Clavell’s editor for “Shogun”—a novel, described at the time, as one “not far off perfection.”

Several meetings with my literary agent, over the span of a year, and respectable and encouraging comments from the primary agency partner, kept me going.  In the final analysis, it was recommended I cut out everything but the “blood and guts”.  Since I was not willing to leave out what I felt were important literary aspects about the  RMS Titanic—and more specifically about the OMAR—as each related to my terrorist plotting, we could not come to an agreement.

At what point did you think: 'I could publish this myself?' And what made you do this?

Ultimately I learned that I had to go with my heart.  To avoid using a vanity press, I created my own publishing company in 1997.  With an investor to help fund the start-up, we published a limited hard and soft cover test-market edition in 1999; revised it; then published formal 1st Editions in August 2001 – a month prior to the Attack on America.

C-SPAN taped my first introductory keynote speech, in Washington DC, where I premiered OMAR: A Novel and spoke about Osama bin Laden, suicide bombers, poor airport security, and of coming attacks on our homeland, where thousands might be killed.  Ironically, my August 9th 2001 speech was broadcast on August 11—exactly one month to the day prior to the Attack.

OMAR: A Novel had already received attention from a number of regional and national radio interviews I booked, in advance, with the help of Radio – Television Interview Report (RTIR).  But, following 9/11—though I had back-cover comments from a U.S. Senator who stated “…. This well-researched fiction is a timely window into potential disasters for unprepared nations.” and from the former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, who in a letter dated September 7, 2001 (four days prior to 9/11), said, “…."Given the terrorist threats both to our homeland and to our citizens abroad...this deep ocean adventure thriller could not be more timely"… book sales stopped.

Ironically, I was known as an “expert on terrorism” and became a regular talk-show guest on show’s around the globe.  Unfortunately, I had also received subtle threats from a few listeners who suggested my publishing company was attempting to make money off the victims of 9/11.  Though my book had been out long before the event, and the Big-6 publishers continued to push Tom Clancy’s and related novels extra hard, it was difficult to publicize OMAR: A Novel without stirring up controversy… as I was the new kid on the block.
The good side:  I became communications director for the International Association for Counterterrorism and Security Professionals; my speaking engagements picked up; and back-of-room book sales picked up with it.  Clients began to call me… some even from just hearing me on the radio.  And it began a nearly 10-year unintentional diversion from writing, as consulting took up nearly all my time.

In 2011, I began to slow down client work and reconsidered the e-publishing route.  The e-book stats were impressive.  Impressive enough to push me back into editing and reformatting OMAR: A Novel, on my own.  With help from some great people on the Kindle Discussion boards, I eventually got the format down; pushed the publish button; and voilå!

Once you made the leap, what drove you to produce a book of this quality? Tell me about typos, grammar, synopsis and the book's cover.

I always felt bad, during personal editing of early drafts, that I had made so many misteaks (sic) ;)  It was usually OMG!  How could I have been so stupid to miss that one?  I used to really beat myself up.  After all, I had professors who would role over in their graves if they thought I had written anything! But following all the professional edits and final publication of the 1st Editions, I still said OMG!  How could all of us have missed these misteaks (sic).

The best part about all the time between editions… all that wonderful software came along to level the spelling and grammar field just a little bit more.  Nothing’s perfect.  I’ve learned to accept that.   I just continue to strive.

For the synopsis:  I can’t begin to tell you how many times I wrote, rewrote, then, rewrote again… and again.  It basically boiled down to what is called “The Elevator Speech”.  If OMAR could not be explained to someone, on an elevator, in just thirty seconds—it was too long. Oh, I did produce a very long Chapter-by-Chapter version (just to have one on hand).  But the synopsis has been honed down to a short version and a very short version (for specifically short character/word requirements on e-forms).

The cover:  Well, I was very fortunate to meet a professional graphic artist who, for a very reasonable fee, took my concept of the actual Omar illuminated binding sitting on the bottom of the cold North Atlantic—and ran with it.  After Mark Victor Hansen, co-author of the “Chicken Soup” series, praised my cover at the Chicago BookExpo, I felt I had come a long way. The only regret, for the cover text, is that it does not say “A Novel” on the front (where a potential reader might think it is non-fiction).  That is why we changed the title page, in 2001, to read OMAR: A Novel… and why we emphasize it at every turn, for promotional purposes.

Do you publish outside of Amazon and what are your thoughts on the Amazon select program?

I have not yet published outside of Amazon, though I had begun the process with Smashwords, B&N and iTunes.  It’s really a question of having the time or, perhaps, paying someone else to reformat and do it for me.  There just has not been enough time in my day to accomplish this.
Regarding Amazon Select:  With a publish date of January 20, 2012, I chose the program for the first 90 days, to see what type of response it would garner.  Under an “Introductory Price” of $3.99, the sales were respectable whenever I spent a huge amount of time on Meet Our Author boards.  The question then became “How much momentum would there be if I didn’t spend as much time in the MOAs?”  I experimented and it seemed to remain steady.

However, after watching the overall numbers for the Select program, I decided to conclude it at 90 days.  Select loans never reached very high, for me.  It may be the nature of my book.  But it worked out, as the introductory price ended and the $5.99 regular price began.  Readers who invest in OMAR: A Novel seem to be secure in their knowledge that they will get their money’s worth.  And I believe that most, who pick up OMAR: A Novel, will eventually read it.

A journey that started a long time ago has led you to these characters and this book. You're already a finalist, tell me what it would mean to have your book named as the Kindle Book Review's Best Indie Thriller 2012?

I have a great deal of respect for any author who takes the time to research and write a story that “grabs the reader from the first sentence,” then makes them hold on for the duration.  That is the nature of the company I’ve been honored to keep—with other members of the Top 5 Thriller Finalists.

To be named as a Kindle Book Review Top 5 Finalist is an honor in itself.  To receive the top honor, as Best Indie Thriller 2012, would be a privilege not taken lightly.  In my mind, it would become a tribute to those innocents lost aboard the Titanic—about whom I have written from a different perspective.
I truly appreciate the time you gave me for this interview.

JP: It's been so interesting, thank you. 

Omar on Amazon US

Omar on Amazon UK

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