The following are the words of Tom Tyner, Archway Publishing author of “The Glastonbury Gift.” Download the Archway Publishing free publishing guide for more information on our supported self-publishing services.
There is a Story inside Everyone
As a novice, I can only speak from the heart, not from experience. First and foremost if you feel within you dwells a story then write it. Don’t mimic me and put it off. For years my family and friends encouraged me to write. With a love of history, the gift of a great memory, and a vivid imagination, I finally took their advice. A person once said, “In every person, there lies a story waiting to be told,” this I strongly believe. Writing can be gratifying and aggravating but in the end, it is the most rewarding experience. I started writing not for the monetary factor but for self-satisfaction. Once I started I couldn’t stop, I’m currently working on two books.
For aspiring authors, I can only say there is no way to explain the feeling that comes over you when your readers tell you, “I read your book, when is the movie coming out?” My story deals with war, mysticism, and romance. It’s about a young man raised in the Florida Keys who works with his father on a fishing boat. However, World War II comes along and he ends up in England. There he meets a lovely English Miss and finds a relic that impacts him and all those around him.
Receiving Feedback
A dear friend approached me one evening and said words that truly 
uplifted me. He said, “Tom I enjoyed your book, do you know how long it’s been since I smelled puppy breath?” Me too I replied. That one phase brought back an abundance of memories. The backstory behind the phrase is that it’s what our hero says he’s going to do after the war, can and sell puppy breath as a joke. Many of my readers connected with my story and said, “They could picture what they were reading,” which in my opinion is a very important aspect of writing a great story. I had an emeritus tell me once, “Tom in no way are you a great writer, but you are one hell of a storyteller. You can be a John Steinbeck with the Grapes of Wrath or a James Michener with Hawaii. Go for it and good luck Tom Tyner author of The Glastonbury Gift.”
Advice to Aspiring Authors
Well after I just spent most of the time bragging about my book, here are is some advice for those serious about writing. First, enlist the help of a firm, it will cost but it’s worth it. Archway Publishing was the perfect fit for me and my story. Second, never, ever go anywhere not even to bed without a pad and pen nearby. Don’t come up with a gem just to let it float away to obscurity and drive you crazy trying to remember it.
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