Oct 23

Meet Tom Gahan

Tom Gahan has written for decades covering a wide variety of areas including journalism, speechwriting, and commercial corporate and freelance writing. He prefers to write historical fiction. Tom’s commercial writing helped launch a startup company to be an international industry leader within two years. His well-received historical fiction novel, Harmony Bay: An adventurous slice of waterfront life where mystery surrounds history became required reading at several high schools. Tom Gahan has often lectured on the craft of writing and has been a welcome guest at schools, universities, libraries, and book clubs. Tom was named the Civic Leader of the Year and was awarded the prestigious Gold Key Award from his hometown Chamber of Commerce. He is the recipient of several awards plus two citations from the U.S. Congress. Tom Gahan is President Emeritus and a founding member of the Long Island Authors and Writers Society. He is a happily married grandfather, enjoys travel, fishing, wildlife, nature, and woodworking. He lives on eastern Long Island in New York.

Please share a brief synopsis of your new book, Christmas Pieces.

Christmas Pieces – 24 Historical Fiction Short Stories Surrounding Christmas is a compilation of stories that take place across America and offers the reader a view of various ethnic cultures and how they celebrate Christmas. Although they are stories that include Christmas holiday traditions, they can also be read throughout the year and enjoyed for their historical content. Tom Gahan wrote one story for each of the twenty-four days of Advent leading up to Christmas. Various stories are fun and whimsical, others are more serious. Some have an element of romance, others do not. Christmas Pieces is written for a wide audience. It is wholesome and family-friendly with secular and Christian themes alike. The content is free of violence, profanity, or disturbing themes and is suitable for children and sensitive readers.

Christmas Pieces is a book of historical short stories each with a backdrop of Christmas. Your first book, Harmony Bay is a mix of small-town charm, history, and mystery rolled into a cozy novel. What inspired you to take the leap from novelist to short story author?

A few years ago, I was awarded a place along with international authors to write a short story for a compilation that was being published, BestsellerBound Short Story Anthology Volume 2 - A collection of short stories written by authors from the BestsellerBound group. I enjoyed doing a piece titled Beyond the Green Hills. It was well received by the editor and others. As a former newspaper columnist, it wasn’t too far of a leap to write shorter pieces. The short story game doesn’t allow you the same amount of word space as a novel. Therefore, character development has to be quick, and description has to be concise. It is almost a separate craft. It is interesting to note that some of the greatest authors have used short stories throughout their careers. Prolific short story writer William Sydney Porter, better known as O. Henry, comes to mind. He has been an influence on me, and you can see that in several of the stories in Christmas Pieces.

Photo Credit: Longyear Museum

The stories in Christmas Pieces are filled with descriptions that transport the reader into each era and location. The inclusion of specific lingo, products, songs, and the landscape of each city is impressive. How much research went into each story, and did you draw on personal experience or memories as well?

Yes, there was extensive research not only for historic events that are in the stories, but also for the apparel worn, customs, and slang used at those times. Some stories were a little trickier based on the time period. For example, a Christmas tree couldn’t be mentioned in a piece occurring in the 1700s because Christmas trees didn’t become a holiday tradition in America until the late 19th century. There were all sorts of rabbit holes just like that. Over the course of my life, I’ve had the opportunity to visit all of the locations, except for three where the pieces take place. That made visualization easy. Locales such as Williamsburg, Savannah, and Charleston, and a few others, were easier to do because they were already brimming with history. I pulled snippets from family stories and personal interests. Some of those are mentioned in the Story Notes. For example, as a kid I was fascinated by Jack London’s Call of the Wild, and White Fang. That influence came through in the Nome, Alaska story. My wife and I watched a movie about a sheep station in Australia, and a documentary about bread. Those points turn up in the San Francisco piece. I’ve traveled a lot and have met many characters along the way. Those, and others, led to the creation of many of the composite characters. It was fun for me to take someone I know and move them to a place in time decades, or centuries, ago.

There are Christmas song references or phrases throughout the stories which were kind of cool and welcoming. How did you decide to fit those in? Did you make a list you wanted to incorporate or did each one come to you as you drafted a story?

Every Christmas song tells a story or evokes an emotion. Again, the time period of the story dictated what could be included. For example. Bing Crosby singing White Christmas wouldn’t work in a 19th or early 20th century story. That’s a strong example, but nonetheless, research had to be done about when a song was written, published and performed. I produced a Christmas show for our church. It included a little history of each song read by a narrator before it was presented by the choir. Folks said they appreciated learning the song’s origins. I didn’t work from a list. I used whatever piece was appropriate for the time, or how I wanted it to complement a scene. For example, I used Handels’ Messiah for a scene where I wanted a strong finish that moved the character. In another, O Holy Night takes on a life of its own and is central to the theme. I used it because it was my mother’s favorite Christmas carol.

Photo Credit: Amelia Lawrence

I love the nostalgic photos included in the beginning of each new story. What prompted you to add those and where did you obtain the photos? Did their inclusion require permission?

The graphics came as a complete surprise. They were put in by my publisher First Edition Design Publishing, which I’ve had a long relation with. I did ask to move a few of them around where I felt the image better matched a story. They were willing and able to do so. FEDP is very on top of copyrights, public domain content, etc., so permission wasn’t an issue. The cover art is original and was painted by my father about 40 years ago. It’s from a series of hand painted personalized Christmas cards he would do every year for family and friends. That painting depicts Grandpa and Grandma Gahan walking my nephew, their first grandchild, to church.

Photo Credit: Hobbycraft

Christmas Pieces follows the method of the Advent calendar that counts the days in December down to Christmas, hence the 24 short stories. Where did the idea come from to follow the Advent calendar?

At first, I thought about doing twelve stories – following a twelve days of Christmas theme (which I may do later in a slightly different format). Anyway, I’ve always been a huge fan of Christmas. A little treat for each day leading up to Christmas seemed like a good fit and sort of like an Advent calendar. With all of the ugliness going on in the world I thought folks might appreciate some Christmas cheer and have a pleasant distraction from the holiday rush. The book is structured just like that. A little bit of something interesting to read for each day leading up to Christmas. It is best read in sequential order.

Please share how you came up with some of the Christmas story ideas.

As I mentioned earlier, some were pulled from a mosaic of my past experiences, others from family traditions, or traditions of friends with different ethnic backgrounds. Some of the content was merely a reflection of what was going on at that time in the area the story takes place. Quite a few of the story prompts were offered by friends and acquaintances. Those contributors are acknowledged in the Story Notes. Often it was … “Give me a place and a time more than 100 years ago.” That created the foundation, and I built from there. Some stories are more character centric while others are more location driven.

Which of the 24 stories is your favorite and why?

Tough question. I have come to love, or be amused by, all of the characters. These are stories about some of the places I’ve enjoyed visiting and characters based on people who I have a deep personal respect for plus some special times in my life. I think it’s best to let the reader pick their favorite story. They will see many characters and places from a different perspective than I do. I wouldn’t want to put my thumb on the scale.

The author notes after each story were enjoyable to read. It’s a great way to help connect readers with you on a more personal level. Was this something you set out to do or did this notion evolve as you drafted the book? Please share your thoughts.

It certainly evolved. It started on a suggestion from my wife. She was curious about the leading lady in Louisiana and wanted the back story. The stories weren’t written in the order they were published, so Barataria was early on in the writing process. Some were even added long after the piece was finished. I sort of now see the Story Notes as Director’s Cuts.

Building characters is fun, but sometimes difficult to get right. How did you come up with so many unique characters for each of your stories?

I people watch. We are surrounded by characters: on the checkout line at the grocery store, the mechanic who fixes your car, the bank teller, your doctor, the guy in the hardware store, and so on. Human expressions and habits are universal. It’s about applying the right traits to the correct character. It’s a process to make them memorable. I’m a student of Charles Dickens and Samuel Clemens, better known as Mark Twain. That helps.

Please tell us about your novel, Harmony Bay.

Harmony Bay is an adventurous slice of waterfront life where mystery surrounds history. A sweet story with likeable characters. If you're looking for a pleasant read about a single mom and her son discovering the charm of a small town, mixed with bits of history, romance and adventure, this one's for you! Gahan uses vivid descriptions of the details of boating, fishing and aquatic life, as well as the physical and psychological makeup of this fictional bayside community. Relationships combine with places to play a part in James' life story. James' character is forged by events and his adventures in Harmony Bay. From harrowing life and death experiences on the water to forays into the surrounding hills, each day dawns with a new lesson about life.

The boy encounters many wonderful individuals in his new hometown. Among them are a magnificent Newfoundland retriever dog named Angus--and Chloe, a beautiful white mare. Angus' master Billy is a kindly closet intellectual and philosophizer who is a physically powerful man strong enough to split firewood with a single blow of his ancient axe. His snowy white beard and recluse nature causes speculation about his identity. Marine biologist Jake Kane is the local hero who sweeps Dory off her feet, adding an element of romance to the story. James learns a great deal from Jake and the dozens of other colorful inhabitants of this amazing waterfront community. Harmony Bay, written for a wide audience that appeals to many levels, examines a slice of small-town life. A modern-day mystery, drawn from covert events of the American Revolution, weaves through the story.

Many aspiring authors are torn between finding a traditional publisher or agent and self-publishing. Did you self-publish on Amazon or employ a hybrid publisher to help with the publication of Harmony Bay and Christmas Pieces? If so, how did you find the experience?

When I finished writing Harmony Bay, I was seriously ill. I knew that trying to get published is most often fruitless. I wasn’t sure how long I was going to be around and couldn’t have endured the process, so I decided on a hybrid publisher. As I mentioned earlier, it was First Edition Design Publishing. They have never disappointed me, and their work and effort is always 100%. I am completely satisfied with the company and often recommended them to other authors.

Do you have any other projects in the works? Can you share a tidbit?

I do. It’s a sequel novel to Harmony Bay, although with a bit more of an edge. I started it a while ago and put it aside to write Christmas Pieces. It is historical fiction. The story begins in the deep south and winds its way north. Like Harmony Bay, it has some history and mystery.

What advice can you share with aspiring authors?

Read as much as you write. Read a variety of well-written books by many different authors. Write about what you like. It will make writing more enjoyable and not seem so much like work. For people to enjoy your writing, and for a better chance of long-term success, your writing must educate and entertain. Know your audience. Write in a language and terminology they understand. Write something every day.