Interview with C. Thomas Cox, Author of Memories Never Die

Good afternoon,

Today’s interview is with C. Thomas Cox, author of Memories Never Die.

Please enjoy!

Best,

Vincent Lowry

Interview:

1) What is your author name and in what state do you live (or country if not in the US)?
I write as C. Thomas Cox, and I live in Maryland.

2) What is the title of your newest book and what is the genre?
MEMORIES NEVER DIE is my recently released debut novel. It straddles the fine line between suspense and thriller.

3) What is the book about? 
MEMORIES NEVER DIE is, at its core, a story about redemption. As is the case for most of us, though, redemption is hard to find when one is haunted by the soberingly-bad decisions of his or her past.
For most of his adult life, Jim Richmond, an aging Vietnam War vet, has attempted to forget the memories of his time on the front lines. His PTSD doesn’t help.
He won’t admit how much the flashbacks and related anxiety control his life and fracture his relationships — particularly his marriage. When the Vietnamese farmer he murdered shows up and threatens him, however, he’s forced to confront his past.
As Jim races to protect his family from the farmer’s thirst for vengeance, he must finally deal with the memories that have never stopped haunting him.

4) Where did you come up with the idea?
I came up with the idea for the beginning of MEMORIES NEVER DIE from my time watching my sons play youth baseball. After seeing one too many overzealous parents yell at the umpires, I thought, what if one of those parents took things too far. That idea became the first chapter of the story.
When I started to write the book, I wasn’t sure what would happen after that initial scene. As I wrote, though, I uncovered more and more about the characters and where their journeys would take them.

5) How long did it take you to write it?
I completed the book in about nine months, with the final three months dedicated to fixing the mistakes I made when I wrote the first draft.

6) Did you learn anything from the project?
While writing about a character with PTSD, I felt his struggle with his awful memories…his memories that truly would never die, regardless of what he did.
I also realized that every human being makes bad decisions, but we cannot let such decisions define us. Instead, we must learn from them and, in turn, become better people.

7) Do you have an author website and/or blog? How about a book video?
You can find me and my works at https://ctcox20.wixsite.com/cthomascox/.

8) Do you have any success tips to pass on to fellow authors? How about any great editors/cover artists? 
I created my own cover on Canva and edit my own books, so I don’t have any suggestions from that perspective.
As for success, I’m still working on that part!

9) What genres do you like to read? Are you open to reading new authors and reviewing their work?
I love reading suspense and thrillers, and often I find those with a religious bent particularly interesting.
I’m definitely open to reading and reviewing new authors, particularly if they write in those genres. 

10) What is your favorite book of all time and why? 
The HUNGER GAMES by Suzanne Collins is my favorite book because reading it rekindled my love of reading, and it reignited my desire to write.

11) Fun Question: Do you have any pets? If so, what kind?
My family has a golden retriever named Scout. He’s seven-years-old and slowing down, but he still has much more energy than me!

12) Fun Question 2: Do you own an electronic reading device? If so, what kind and how do you like it?
I read on my iPhone whenever I read eBooks. I’m too cheap to purchase a separate reading device!

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