Check it out here:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01BQL3YT0/
The
Man on the Bench is
your first published book. Do you plan for any follow ups or
additional books?
Absolutely!
I don't think I'll be continuing the story of Sean and John, but I
have already started work on a new series. It’s going to combine
the supernatural, history, philosophy, and religion (quite the
mixture, I know). This one is going to be bigger and better, and I
can’t wait to pull back the curtain when the time comes!
What
do you think makes a great story?
Great
stories need to start with great characters. There are many examples
where writers don’t give their readers enough of an investment in
the characters they are writing about. Why should I care about your
protagonist if you haven’t given me a reason to do so? Nuance and
complexity tend to be critical for fleshing out characters. It’s
so important to make sure that you are making your characters as
unique and relatable as possible, especially during these modern
times when anyone can self-publish. Standing out from the crowd with
strong characters is crucial.
What
inspired you when writing The
Man on the Bench?
My
inspiration stemmed from the people who read parts of or all of my
“in progress” manuscript. Early feedback was very encouraging.
I knew I was onto something when avid readers were telling me that
they were late to work the next day because they stayed up too late
the night before reading my book!
What
are your ambitions for your writing career? Full time? Part time?
Honestly,
I created this story to help other people out. Whether that means
through inspiration or simply entertainment, this book was intended
to make people’s lives a little easier. I hope that it has done so
for everyone who has read it thus far. All I need is for one person
to be positively affected to make it worthwhile to me!
I
do intend to write more (and have already done so), but unless the
Universe deems otherwise, this is simply a part-time gig for me. If
you’d like to read a little more from me (that is completely FREE),
you can check out my short story The
Monster in Blue
on my website www.GregoryTObert.com
When
did you decide to become a writer?
Friends
and family always told me that I had a way with words, which I'm
grateful for. I think all those years of compliments were what
pushed me to consider myself a writer senior year of high school,
which is when I started The
Man on the Bench.
At the time, I had very low self-esteem, so I was hesitant to move
forward with releasing the book. Thankfully though, I’m feeling
much more confident these days and am so pleased with the positive
feedback I’ve received thus far!
When
writing The
Man on the Bench did
anything stand out as particularly challenging?
It
was really difficult to keep the characters consistent. The book
took me about nine years of “on again, off again” writing, so
there were lots of inconsistencies when I would return to the
manuscript after some time off. For example, John was originally
going to be a very sensitive and spiritual character. He was
supposed to counsel Sean in a very serious way, but I found John’s
dialogue to be rather boring after a while. His personality was one
dimensional, so I decided to give him a little more depth. The same
was true for some of the other characters as well. Rewriting
characters is a hard thing to do, especially when you don’t want to
throw out what you already have!
How
did you come up with the story of The
Man on the Bench?
I
was inspired by Mitch Albom (author of Tuesdays
With Morrie)
for the themes and church for the content. I’ve always wanted to
help others, and that can be seen in all of my projects. Mitch and
Morrie showed me the power that a short book can hold, and I knew I
was meant to try my hand at writing one with my own spin.
As
for the content, I was raised in a very Catholic household. One
Sunday at church, I found myself sitting on one end of a pew with an
old man sitting on the other and no one in between us. In that
moment, it struck me that the pew was acting as a timeline of sorts,
with my younger self just beginning life while the older man was
coming to the end of his. The image stuck with me until I decided to
start writing, and the rest is history!
What
do you like to do when not writing?
While
I enjoy things that most other people do, I am an avid gamer and have
been playing since I had a Commodore 64 when I was really little.
I’m working my way through Dark Souls 3 with a friend and am
looking forward to some of the bigger releases this year! Other than
that, I’m always up for a good game of bowling, racquetball, or
trying a new restaurant.
How
can readers discover more about you and your work?
Easy!
My website has it all. www.GregoryTObert.com
is
the best place to learn all about me. From my counseling career to
my blog to my workshops to my podcasts, it’s a one stop shop for
all things related to me. If you prefer social media, you can find
me on Facebook.com/GregoryTObertAuthor, Twitter @thegobert2552, or
Instagram at gregory_t_obert for random pictures. Hope to interact
with you soon!