Author Interview: Tom Tancin

Welcome to my blog Tom Tancin and thank you for taking the time to answer some questions!:)

When did you first begin writing?
 I started writing when I was 13 years old.  I was in 7th grade at the time and we had to read "Where the Red Fern Grows" and then complete a project.  My friend and I wrote, directed, and performed a play based on the book.  Because of the play, our English teacher told us to consider writing a book.  We took the challenge and started developing/writing a story.  It didn't take long for me to realize I loved writing and so I never stopped. 

Where did you get the idea to create a story around the Lost City of Atlantis?
 This is a tough question because I can't pinpoint an exact inspiration for The Atlantis Revolution.  The idea of Atlantis has intrigued me for as long as I can remember.  I'm fascinated by the mysterious island because no one knows if it was real or a myth.  What was the island like?  What were the Atlanteans like?  Why is it thought that the island was so advanced?  What does "advanced" mean?  All of those questions played out in my head for years.  So I figured, why not write a story about it so that I could have an outlet for my fascination.  But I never had the right story in my head.  Then, about three years ago, I finally came up with the idea for The Atlantis Revolution and developed the main character, Trey Atlas.   Once I had the basics, I very quickly outlined the series.  The most important thing is that The Atlantis Revolution is fun to write because I can "go" to Atlantis and be part of the adventures that take place there. 

 As an indieauthor, what is the most important thing you have learned that might benefit other indie authors?
I think that the most important thing  is to have a desire to keep learning.  If you're going to go the independent route, you have to be willing to learn about book design/formatting, cover design/illustration, website design, social networking, promotion/marketing, etc or be willing to get someone to do those things for you.  Building up resources and contacts is crucial.  I know that I can always improve some aspect of my writing/publishing career so I'm always working at it and learning through the process.  So be willing and passionate about learning new things.  Try to enjoy the entire process or have someone else do it if you don't enjoy it.  And be patient.

What are you currently working on, and what do we have to look forward to?I'm writing Echinodea (Book  Two of the Atlantis Revolution).  I plan to finish that book in the near future and then I plan to put it to the side for the summer and work on book three (still untitled) before going back to edit Echinodea in the Fall.  Echinodea should be released in Spring 2013.  Other than that, I just started developing a new story.  It's way too early to know if it will become something that I'll eventually publish but I am working on something else.  And I have 3 other series/stories in my head that I'm trying to ignore so I can focus on The Atlantis Revolution. 

Focusing on Hippocampus, the first book in The Atlantis Revolution will be translated into Indonesian by Mizan (one of the largest Indonesian publishers) and released in late 2013 or early 2014.   I also hope to shop Hippocampus (and The Atlantis Revolution as a series) to other international publishers.    

If you have any questions you would like to ask the author leave them in the comment section. Mr. Tancin has kindly offered to check the comments and answer them!
To find out more about Tom Tancin or Hippocampus visit the Author's Website

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