Interview with Thomas Phillips, Author of the Molech Prophecy

Thomas Phillips is an inspirational person, I admit when we first met I was a bit in awe that I could interview him, but as he opened up I really felt as though we were lifelong friends. Thomas seems to have a way about him that makes others comfortable in his presence. I'm really truly honored and blessed to have had this session with the author and I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed him sharing it.

At what age did you begin writing?

I started writing when I was 14 years old.

Did you always feel or know you would be a writer?

I grew up with a reading disability. It wasn't until seventh grade that I finally read a book, cover to cover. It was S.E. Hinton's The Outsiders. When I found out she was 16 when she wrote that, I was like-man, I'm a storyteller, maybe I can write books? Maybe I can inspire reluctant readers-and from that day forward, yeah, I knew I'd be a writer.

How did you become a writer?

Had the first short-story I ever wrote published in the high school annual magazine. It was called, I Made It, and it was about a bus-boy who always had to scrub pots and pans until one day - he got to bus tables. How funny is that? You write about what you know. At 14, that's about all I knew.

Has writing affected your home/family life?

That's a great question. Yes. No way around it. And not in a good way, I suppose. I wrote for the longest time only during the early morning hours before work, and on weekends when my family slept. Once I sold novels, I was committed to doing well. So I spent many weekends traveling to malls and bookstores. At first my family came with me. (They ended up spending more money on food, toys, and stuff, than I'd ever make back in royalties, lol!) But that got old for them fast. My ex-wife did not appreciate the small amount of fame that started coming along with the writer life. The reporters calling, coming over, TV, radio interviews... The few women that ever came up to me always came up to me when she was around ... so yeah. It affected my home and family life.

You mentioned you use to write under another name, would you care to share that name with others?

Phillip Tomasso III. And I wrote books for kids as Grant R. Philips. These were secular books.

What lead you to the Lord?

Sometime after I got married, my wife asked me to start going to church with her. This was in 1996. I went with her. Every Sunday. She'd found a great church where I actually enjoyed the music, and thought the Pastor was inspiring, and had a dry-witty sense of humor like myself.

I went, religiously, for close to seven years.

I'd sit in the service and get into the message, and enjoy the music, but then when I left, everything was about me.

I'm going to be on the radio. I'm going to do a book signing. I'm going to be in the paper. I'm going to be on TV ...

Me. Me. Me.

One Sunday, the week before Easter, in April 2003-it hit me. Seven years of church, and it finally hit me. I was a sinner. Selfish. And I needed God in my life. Not just on Sundays. Everyday. I needed to put Him first. And at that point, I gave my life over to Christ.

How did becoming a Christian change your life and style of writing?

There was no lightning bolts, or thunder, or anything spectacular, when I gave my life to Christ, but at that instant, I changed.

It wasn't that anyone told me to stop writing, or to change the way I wrote. It was that I realized the books I'd written did nothing to honor God. With sex, bad language and graphic, senseless violence filling my pages, I knew I needed to take a break.

It was bad timing for my then-publisher. My first hardcover had recently been released, and I decided not to do much to promote it. As a New Christian, I was confident that the works I'd written-as I said-did nothing to bring honor and glory to God. At that point, I quit writing, more or less.

Do you feel you are better for it?

No question about it. I'm still human, and I error on the side of sin regularly. My personal life is in constant shambles. My anxieties have tripled. But you know what, I have a relationship with God. How can I not feel better about that?

Do you feel God lead you to write The Molech Prophecy?

Absolutely. See, after I "quit" writing, I eventually began writing weekly devotionals for my church's e-newsletter.

In late 2005, I began a journey into a deep, dark valley. I felt like God was testing me. As time went on, I realized, the valley only got deeper and darker. In the fall of 2006, I was inspired to write a new mystery novel. But this would be a Christian themed work.

I believe that God allowed me to begin to work my way out of the valley through writing. Only this time, He wanted me to write books that glorified Him (and not just feed my own insatiable need for fame).

When I completed the manuscript, I managed to sign with an awesome agent and she placed the work with Whitaker House in just a few months.

See, my earlier works were all released through small presses. Overall sales were small. But, at the time, I was happy to be publishing at all.

The big difference is that for the first time, I've landed a large publisher. An awesome publisher, I might add. And I believe that this happened because I've changed from secular to Christian writing. I like to believe that God is blessing this new ministry I've undertaken, and that, perhaps, He is more pleased with my writing than He has been in the past.

The key, however, will still be visibility. Getting my name out there. There are so many talented suspense writers. Before, for me, it was about competition. Now, it's not. It's about spreading a message. Sharing my faith through my stories in some way. And I've talked with some great writers (James Scott Bell, Mark Mynheir, Eric Wilson) who have been nothing but supportive and helpful.

I want to be sure I answer the questions. There is a difference. It's not about making money. Not this time around. Sure, I'd love to make my living writing full time. What writer wouldn't? But I'm not consumed with that thought - the way I used to be.

And I think my latest works are some of the best stuff I've ever written. You always hear writers say things like, You have to write for you. That was the old me. Now, when I write it is for me, yes, but for others, as well. And although I guarantee my characters are flawed, and like real people, there will always be God's presence in power, and love fit in between the pages. I didn't have that before. Thankfully, I have that now.

Do you think you will publish more books along the lines of The Molech Prophecy?

That is the goal! I have two completed manuscripts with my publisher, am working on a third, and have outlined a fourth ... so, I hope to be a long term Christian fiction novelist.

Do you have any advice for young budding authors?

Advice, hmmm. If you want to write. Read. Read. Read. If you want to write mysteries, read every mystery you can get your hands on. And, equally as important, write. Journal. Blog. Keep a diary, but write.

If you have writing critique or classes available in your area, attend them. I co-lead a critique group at a local Barnes & Noble. It's free, and I believe everyone benefits from it. (It is important to see how other react to what you have written. Lots of times you think what you have written is clear and concise. To readers, it might not be. Feedback-good, bad, whatever-is important).

Develop a thick skin. I have enough rejection letters to wallpaper an entire house ten times, lol. (Wish I were kidding!) Rejection is part of the process!

Stick with it. You can't get anywhere if you quit. Be devoted, dedicated and driven and you'll make it!