Q1. Hello, can you please introduce yourself? Readers would love to know more about you.
A1. My name is M Thomas Apple. I’m originally from Troy, New York, but my family moved around a lot when I was a kid. We ended up in a small village in the Adirondack Mountains, and I still have a strong love of forests and mountains, hiking and camping, everything Nature. After college, I also moved around a lot, trying to find my way (Michigan, Indiana, Massachusetts…). I ended up teaching English in Japan, where I fell in love and started a family and living, you guessed it, in the mountains.
Q2. What were the key challenges you faced while writing your book “Bringer of Light”?
A2. Trying to stay motivated despite a busy work schedule! I’m not a full time writer, but a full time teacher. Also, the original story idea and concepts came from a friend whose background was much more science-oriented than mine. So I had to do a lot of research to make sure things made sense.
Q3. What books or authors have most influenced your own writing?
A3. I’ve read most of the work by the “Big Three” of science fiction (Isaac Asimov, Arthur C. Clarke, Robert Heinlein), but Ray Bradbury’s Martian Chronicles and Frank Herbert’s Dune are probably the most influential.
Q4. What’s your favourite spot to visit in your own country? And what makes it so special to you?
A4. I love taking my family to visit Natural Stone Bridge & Caves, in Pottersville, New York. It’s a massive natural cavern with a walking trail along a small creek with loads of outdoor activities for kids. And the handmade ice cream store nearby is the proverbial icing on the cake!
Q5. What inspired you to write the book ‘Bringer of Light’?
A5. An old friend of mine and I came up with the idea after reading about the possibilities of mining asteroids for rare and valuable metals. But we wondered what would happen to the people who actually went looking for the asteroids, how others would react to changes to the way they viewed the universe and their place in it. And naturally how this would affect the politics that inevitably wind up tangled together with space exploration and settlement.
Q6. How long did it take you to write your book ‘Bringer of Light’?
A6. From start to finish, nearly ten years! It was slow going in the beginning, since it was originally a joint project, and when my friend gave me everything, I needed to start over to make the characters my own.
Q7. On what platforms can readers buy your books?
A7. Nearly everywhere! It’s of course on Amazon, in paperback/hardcover and Kindle, and the ePub is available through multiple online platforms such as Smashwords and the Apple Store. Just visit Books2Read.com (https://books2read.com/b/bp1yqE)
Q8. Tell us about the process of coming up with the book cover and the title ‘Bringer of Light’?
A8. I went through many iterations of the book cover — most of them way too complicated — before settling on a simple photo of Mars, which, after all, is where most of the characters end up and whose water needs to drive the plot. The book title is a reference to the Greek god Apollo, who brings both light and pestilence. However, many other mythologies feature a light bringer and thus the title draws together beliefs from multiple cultures.
Q9. When writing a book how do you keep things fresh, for both your readers and also yourself?
A9. I read constantly — especially things of a mythical, mystical, and scientific nature. Keeping up to date with NASA, ESA, JAXA etc discoveries means I can make sure my writing stays as accurate as possible, and maintaining a mystical connection to nature means (I hope) I can continue to maintain a sense of wonder in my writing.
Q10. What is the most valuable piece of advice you’ve been given about writing?
A10. “Just do it.” At some point, more outline or plotting or character backgrounds just keeps you from doing what is necessary — just write, and let the words flow.
Book is available on Amazon
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