Exclusive Author Interview: Tom James

Buy books written by Tom James: Amazon

Today I share my exclusive author interview with Tom James- enjoy!

Tell us a little about yourself...
I am an attorney in private practice in Minnesota, focusing on Internet
law, copyright and trademark. In my spare time, I like to research,
read, write, run marathons, and grow garlic.

When did you know you wanted to be a writer?
In fifth grade. I was a humorist then, and the teacher read my stories
to the class on Fridays. Laughing together brought unity. I liked that.

Can you share your journey to becoming a published author?
I began by submitting short pieces to literary and small press 'zines. I
requested sample copies first. The more of them I read, the better
equipped I became to select and edit my things to fit what they seemed
to like. Eventually, it got to the point where nearly everything I sent
out was accepted. It was fun, but kind of a dead end, except as a way of
building publication credits. Circulation was low and payment was
usually only in copies. After I began practicing law, I wrote articles
for bar journals and occasionally other publications.

What do you find to be the biggest challenge, as an author?
Indexing and formatting.

What do you find most rewarding, as an author?
The opportunity to learn new things.

Share with us a daily habit of yours, that helps you reach your goals.
I've written out a plan for each of my projects, with specific tasks set
out in a list format. Each day, I go through each plan, crossing off
completed tasks and doing one or more of the remaining ones.

What is one piece of advice you would share with an aspiring author?
Find out what's already available, and then do something different.

Finish these sentences:_
> I am most grateful for...
Friends.

> If I could give my 18 year-old self one piece of advice it would be...
Don't settle.

> My favorite thing about being a writer is...
the opportunity to imagine.

> My least favorite thing about being a writer is...
formatting.

> My goals for the future are...
to write more books.

> I love living a creative life because...
I wish I knew.

> The last book I read was...
"Iceland."

> My favorite book, ever, is...
a toss-up between "The Sound and the Fury" and "One Flew Over the
Cuckoo's Nest."

> Outside of writing, my favorite hobby is...
long-distance running.

> The most important thing to do if you want to achieve your goals is...
rebel against the "can't" voice in your head.

A few more questions...

Tell us about your books (genre, where we can find them, etc.)
I write nonfiction books. They are available at Amazon, Barnes and
Noble, Smashwords and other online booksellers. The three most recent
ones are available as downloadabe e-books at www.EchionBooks.com, as
well as in paperback and ebook formats at Amazon and other places. They
are:

1. Website Law: the legal guide for website owners & bloggers (Echion,
2017)
2. Copyright Protection for Websites (Echion, 2016)
3. The History of Custody Law (self-published, 2014)

I also have two older books that I no longer actively promote: (1)
Domestic Violence: The 12 Things You Aren't Supposed To Know (Aventine,
2003); and (2) Wheelchair Ponies (Writers Club 2001), which is a
collection of my 'zine poems. The DV book is a critical analysis of
research studies. It is out of date now, but I don't have the time it
would take to compile a second edition. The 'zine poems are also
outdated, and some are, well, really bad.

Where can readers find you (i.e. website, social media, etc.)?
Website: www.tomjameslaw.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/tomjamesMN
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/tom-james-b2b7a311
Twitter: @TomBJames
Blog: http://www.tomjameslaw.com/blog
Smashwords: http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/TomJamesJD

You can also contact me through my publisher: info@EchionBooks.com

---

Stacey Ritz is a bestselling author and award winning writer. An empathetic and compassionate storyteller, Ritz wrote for a plethora of local and national news outlets, magazines, blogs, and websites (copywriter), prior to becoming a novelist. Her book, Covered in Pet Fur  has gained attention from RIVA Media and Animal Planet. She is the Executive Director and co-founder of Advocates 4 Animals, Inc. – a 501(c)3 non-profit animal welfare organization that has saved more than 11,000 lives (and counting). She currently resides in Ohio. Ritz is published through Rockville Publishing. You can interact with Stacey online via Stacey's Book Blog, on Pinterest, andInstagram.

Ritz writes the following genres:
Non-Fiction:
Motivation/Inspiration
Writing/Publishing
Animal Welfare
Fiction:
Love Stories

Click here to view Stacey's fiction books.

Click here to view Stacey's non-fiction books