Thomas Phillips is the author of The Molech Prophecy, a novel that blends elements of mystery, suspense and religion. In this interview, Phillips talks about this his latest novel, his unexpected success, and the craft of writing, among other things. His story is intriguing—though he had published five mystery novels in the past, it was not until he became a full Christian that success really knocked on his door. Read how he began writing his novel in August, finished it in December, signed with an agent in February, and sold it to a large publisher in September.
Thanks for being my guest today, Thomas. Why don’t you begin by telling us a little about yourself?
A little about me, huh? Well, I work full time as an employment law paralegal. Always wanted to be a police officer. Went to college for a criminal justice degree. Turns out, my eye sight was so bad, there was no way I would ever pass the police physical. (So writing mysteries is a way for me to fulfill that dream).
I was married for fifteen years and have three awesome kids (two boys, and a girl). My kids are my life. No way around it. I live for them. My goal is to write full time. It may take years and years, and to be honest, it may never happen, but it is what I strive for. Aside from my kids, writing, and work, I enjoy playing guitar. I have a few acoustics. I sing when I play. You’d never want to hear me sing though, really. It’s that bad. But I have fun, regardless!
When did you decide you wanted to become an author?
I grew up with a reading disability. It wasn’t until seventh grade that I finally read a book, cover to cover. It was S.E. Hinton’s The Outsiders. When I found out she was 16 when she wrote that, I was like — man, I’m a storyteller, maybe I can write books? Maybe I can inspire reluctant readers — and from that day forward, yeah, I knew I’d be a writer.
I had the first short-story I ever wrote published in the high school annual magazine. It was called, "I Made It," and it was about a bus-boy who always had to scrub pots and pans until one day – he got to bus tables. How funny is that? You write about what you know. At 14, that’s about all I knew.
Tell us a bit about your latest book, and what inspired you to write such a story.
I am very excited about The Molech Prophecy. The back cover summary reads:
Former gang member Tommy Cucinelle thought he had left his old life behind when he became a Christian. That's why he's surprised when his pastor asks him to use his old "skills"—finding people who don't want to be found—to locate the church secretary after she mysteriously disappears and the church is vandalized. The police don't have any leads.
Tommy's investigation brings him face-to-face with the unpleasant memories from the past that threaten his new identity, but turmoil is soon the least of his worries. A local Wiccan church is at the heart of the mystery, and Tommy's search uncovers a startling prophecy about child sacrifice to the pagan god Molech. When the missing woman's sister--Tommy's newfound romantic interest--disappears as well, the quest becomes personal.
To explain the inspiration … well, this is a long-winded answer. Bear with me …
In 1995 I began my professional writing career with the sale of my first short story. From there, I went on to sell more than 70 short stories and articles until in mid-2000, my first secular novels were published.
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