About Tom Leihbacher:
Tom Leihbacher has lived in Briarcliff Manor for most of his life. After graduating from Briarcliff High School and then the University of Florida, he returned home, started a career in the media sales business, married and became a father. He and his family enjoy a rich life filled with church and community involvements and great friendships. After 35+ years in the corporate world, this is his first novel. A summer sequel is nearing completion.
What inspires you to write?
The longer I live, the more I just want to live a life that honors God and helps to point others to the Christian faith. With that in mind, I focus on Christian Fiction.
What authors do you read when you aren’t writing?
Jan Karon is so much fun! I also love C.S. Lewis. Jamie Malanowski's writing is delicious to me. David McCullough, Jeff Shaara and Peggy Noon too!
Tell us about your writing process.
Once I begin a new chapter or an edit of an existing chapter, I kind of allow myself to get fully submerged in the scene.
While in that mode, I try to put anything I can think of down on paper. The more I have to work with, the better.
Almost all of my writing is done on my daily commuter train in and out of Grand Central Station in New York, which provides about two hours each day of quiet, uninterrupted time to focus and write.
I also do some writing on nights and on weekends whenever I can carve out time.
Keeping a pen and notepad on the dresser near my bed is also key. There are many times when I’d wake up with a notion about something to include in the story – which I’d quickly jot down, then go back to sleep!
Some of the key things that I try to do include: exaggerating the good – or bad qualities of my main characters; the use of foreshadowing to help set the stage for major turns of fate later in the story and of course, it's important to “Show, don’t Tell.”
For Fiction Writers: Do you listen (or talk to) to your characters?
For sure! It's especially fun to take long walks while working out dialogue in my imagination. Each character has a distinct voice and personality, so it's not hard to hear them speaking with each other.
What advice would you give other writers?
If you have an inkling for a story – have at it! Don't delay! Start with a prologue so that you can sort out the general tone and direction of the story in your own mind – then develop a working list of ideas for chapters. That list will grow and evolve – sometimes, the order will even change. Whatever the case, just get started!
How did you decide how to publish your books?
I submitted my manuscript to a handful of publishers. Many of them took a pass, but several expressed interest. From there, it was just a matter of spending time, getting to know each publisher and deciding which one I was most compatible with.
What do you think about the future of book publishing?
I'm excited about how accessible it's become for authors to get published. I also like the array of options for readers to select from on how they prefer to read/consume the book.
What genres do you write?: Christian Fiction
What formats are your books in?: Both eBook and Print
Website(s)
Tom Leihbacher Home Page Link
Your Social Media Links
Facebook
All information in this post is presented “as is” supplied by the author. We don’t edit to allow you the reader to hear the author in their own voice.
