The Comeback Kid: the memoirs of Thomas L. Hay by Thomas L. Hay

12/28/2019

Multi-genre, multi-volume author Thomas Hay introduces us to his memoir, “The Comeback Kid”:
The Comeback Kid is the memoirs of Thomas (Tommy) Hay, written from cradle to senior citizen. Raised in the Golden Valley town of Clinton, Missouri in the 1950's. Experience the people, places and events that influenced his life portrayed through songs. How often a song reminds us of a person, a place or a time in our lives. Follow my journey from Clinton, Missouri to towns and cities around the Globe. From a US Navy sailor to a TWA/American Airline employee. From puppy love to an International playboy. From marriage to divorce. From UFO's to abductions. An adventure filled with mystery, romance, joy and heartbreaks.

As memoirs go, this is pretty darn good! The author is quite optimistic and doesn’t shy away from recounting some of the decisions he made that had less than desired results. The story is full of action and he made me laugh out loud many times.
The author admits to being kind of hard-headed at times, because he reminds me of myself in many ways.
I award a score of 4.6 stars to “The Comeback Kid”! The score would have been higher except for a large handful of spelling errors I found. The author has told me that they are corrected, so your reading experience will be much smoother.

You can buy this book:
https://smile.amazon.com/Comeback-Kid-memoirs-Thomas-Hay
https://www.goodreads.com/-the-comeback-kid
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/the-comeback-kid-thomas-hay

You can follow Thomas:
https://twitter.com/thomaslhay
http://thomaslhay.com/
https://www.facebook.com/Thomas-L-Hay

I have also reviewed two of the author’s novels:
https://www.wordrefiner.com/book-reviews/-an-abduction-revelation-the-comeback-kid-returns-by-thomas-l-hay
https://www.wordrefiner.com/book-reviews/-abduction-revelation-ii-truth-be-told-by-thomas-l-hay

Tags: travel, military, navy, overseas, UFO, abduction, biography, teen, YA

Copyright © 2019 Mark L Schultz except for the author's introduction

33 Comments

Thomas L. Hay link

12/28/2019 10:28:02 pm

Tks Mark. Glad you enjoyed my story. And thanks for pointing out the spelling errors.

Mark

12/29/2019 10:30:40 am

I did enjoy your book, I also enjoyed your novels quite a bit.
You are welcome, I find spelling errors in over 95% of the books I read, unless I proofread them first.
First questions.
Are you a full-time or part-time writer?
Why did you choose this genre, or do you feel the genre chose you?

12/30/2019 11:41:15 am

I would say I am a part time author. "The Comeback Kid" genre chose me. I had thought most of my life that it would be 'cool' to be an author. But I never found the time to write. Too busy with all the other stuff life throws at you. When I retired, all of a sudden I had all this spare time on my hands. The problem then was what to write? Actually, it was my wife who suggested I write my Memoirs. She said, "you have had a unique and interesting life." The more I thought about it, the more it made sense. Most people that pass into the afterlife, take most of their memories with them. By writing my memoirs, I figured I could live forever. At the very least, it would be a history book for my siblings to learn where all their craziness came from.

12/30/2019 12:47:32 pm

Funny thing about retirement, it can really shake your world up, it can even kill you; unless you make plans to use all that time wisely.
You are right, a memoir makes it easier for others to remember us, giving a kind of immortality.
New questions.
Who designed the cover of your book? Feel free to drop a link if appropriate.
What do the elements on the cover represent?

12/30/2019 01:31:52 pm

Createspace designed the book's cover, along with editing and proofreading. When I published back in 2011 they were a separate department of Amazon. Me holding the trophy over my head represents the victorious comebacks in my life.

12/30/2019 02:38:59 pm

Very good. I like the symbolism of the cover. I imagine that Createspace, like most everyone else, relied too much on spell checkers for proofreading. I find spelling errors in almost every book published.
New questions.
Was it hard to come up with the title? What was the process?
You have written two novels and this book. Which came first?
Will you be writing more?

12/30/2019 04:24:11 pm

The title came natural as it fit the bill. Didn't have to think twice. Just had to let the original( Bill Clinton) know that there was a 'new Kid' in town.
The memoir came first. As you know from reading it, my ex-wife had claimed we were abducted by 'beings not of this world' during our short marriage. After writing my memoirs, I got to thinking "What if she was right"? Bingo...The "An Abduction Revelation" story popped into my head like it had been there all along and I just hadn't been aware of it. Consequently, a sequel (Abduction Revelation II) popped up also, making me realize the original story hadn't actually ended. After that, I got the idea to combine both those books into one book (The Abduction Chronicles), because I needed to add some things I left out in the original volumes.
If I will be writing more depends on if and when something else might 'pop' up, be it reality or imagination.

12/31/2019 10:15:43 am

Bill doesn't mind, he is pretty busy right now.
That is a great story, two little words, "what if-". Those words have been the mother of so many stories and inventions over time.
It's interesting how things pop into our minds. Sometimes, a smell or a sound is all it takes.
My sisters tell me we saw a UFO when were young, I have no recollection of that event. I am very unsure if I have ever seen a UFO.
New questions.
Why did you switch from writing your story to writing science fiction?
Have you ever gone through the query process, seeking an agent or submitting directly to publishers or did you go straight to indie publishing or self-publishing, and why?

12/31/2019 10:44:16 am

That's a good question. Been trying to figure that one out myself. Deciding the genre of the story (The Abduction Chronicles) had me scratching my head. Finally deciding it to be sci-fi is debatable. I wrote it in the same rollicking conversational style as the memoir. I was thinking to blend some of my true life events with the imaginary thoughts that were popping into my head. But after writing the story, what I thought to be some true life events became confused with what I thought to be my imagination. If you remember, in my memoirs my ex-wife said she learned how to melt the memory blocks that were instilled by the 'beings from another world'. That's how she discovered the abductions. I got to wondering if maybe I had some memory blocks instilled and if so, then what part of the story was real and what was my seemingly imagination?
So the real question is.....is my story reality or a vivid imagination. I want to believe that it is a little of both, but like I said, it could be debatable.
As far as the query process I went the self publishing route. Mainly because of the cost. My retirement and wife have me on a strict budget.

12/31/2019 11:44:11 am

I agree, allowing for the possibility of the memory blocks, it is hard to know where a recovered memory ends and imagination takes over. In either case, your sci-fi novels are a lot of fun.
New questions.
Does writing have a spiritual or healing component for you, does it energize you or make you feel tired?
Do you have a favorite book by another author or just favorite authors?
Did you have a favorite book as a child?

12/31/2019 11:55:49 am

Writing my memoirs was an invigorating whirlwind of self-enlightenment and an intense emotional trip. As I typed away, many times I had to step away, as many tears of both joy and sadness were shed. So I would have to say that it was definitely an emotional time reliving my past.
My favorite author varies from time to time. Right now I am enjoying Brad Thor. He is a great writer of thrillers.
My favorite book as a child did not exist. I enjoyed recess and gym much more than reading a silly book.

12/31/2019 12:27:07 pm

I think that process would be very emotional. I have no doubt that my eyes would be sweating a great deal also.
I am not surprised that you didn't read much as a child. I learned to read before I entered school and was immediately enchanted by the wonders of the world and fiction.
New questions.
Why is it important for writers to tap into the emotions of the characters?
Are you an under-writer or an over-writer? When the first draft is done, do you need to add more to it to flesh it out or do you have to cut material because there is too much?

thomas l hay link

12/31/2019 12:41:24 pm

Writing the memoirs was easy. I just went from year to year. But the sci-fi novel was completely different. I did rewrites constantly. Each day I would wake up with different or broader thoughts. Drove my editor nuts. She finally pulled the plug on me. But thanks to E books, it's real easy to work around and sneak in good stuff. But eventually, there has to be a finished product.

12/31/2019 01:27:50 pm

You make writing a memoir sound easy.
Your issues with writing a novel are pretty common. Many authors go through that process and to a great extent that process is necessary to produce a good book. It only takes one person to write the first draft. It takes a number of people to transform the first draft into a marketable book. Beta readers, critique partners or group, editors, proofreaders, cover maker, formatters and maybe more.
New questions.
What is your writing routine when you sit down to write?
Do you write in a straight line or do you write whatever the muse provides for you at a given moment?

1/1/2020 11:43:41 am

You are probably going to find this hard to believe, but it's the honest truth. When I first started writing in 2010, I didn't have computer. I was writing in a notebook. After about 50 pages, numerous corrections, with notes and lines pointing ever which way, I finally decided that wasn't going to work and broke down to get a computer. But then, the computer and I had some serious issues that finally got resolved by me taking a computer class. We still have some issues now and then, but overall, it's much better than the issues with the notebook.
Some of my writings were inspired by dreams. I learned to get up and write them down because if I didn't they would be gone in the morning. Getting up in the middle of the night would often awaken my wife. She would ask, "What's wrong honey?" I'd say, "got a little gas" or "got a cramp. Go back to sleep."

1/1/2020 12:21:46 pm

Learning to use a computer has a huge learning curve. You were wise to take a class.
My first proofreading client was in the late 70s, I think, he sent me a carbon copy, from his typewriter, for his first two books. Then it was hard copies from his dot matrix printer. The march of technology is fun and frustrating at the same time.
I number of authors have mentioned getting their best ideas at night. One author said she is woken up regularly at the same time, each night, at 2:30 am. She writes the ideas down, she says she can decipher her notes most of the time.
New questions.
Did your writing process change much from this book to your later books or did it stay the same?
What else are you writing these days?

1/2/2020 12:22:09 pm

The difference between writing my memoir and a seemingly sci-fi story was like day and night. As you recall, I used songs to remind me of some of my life events. For example, "Puppy Love" brought back the memory of my 'first' love and how 'silly' it was. Another example, "Reunited", when I first met my birth mother at the age of 14. And then there was 'Black Magic Woman' and 'Poison Ivy'. Sorry, but it would be a 'spoiler' to talk about what memories those two songs brought back. You know how authors hate spoilers.
In writing the seemingly sci-fi story, I got to use my wild imagination. But then like I've said before, it's debatable what was imaginable.
I am currently working on my Estate Plan and a Living Will per the advise of my children. For some reason, they don't seem the think that I will live forever.

1/3/2020 11:22:16 am

Some readers hate spoilers also, like me. I want to enjoy the journey the author has planned.
I think the possibility of hidden memories bleeding over into the imagination is real. We don't always know why we do some of the things we do.
I seem to recall hearing a similar admonition from a family member, something about updating the will.
New questions.
What software do you use to write and publish your books, and why do you use those?
Do you listen to music or have the TV on when writing, or do you need quiet?

1/3/2020 12:01:03 pm

I use Microsoft 10. Just got it recently and am still in the learning stage. For someone who still hasn't gotten a Smart phone, I think I'm doing pretty good with it, although at times I need to consult the kids and grand kids.
I need quiet and a rum & coke!

1/3/2020 12:26:33 pm

Computer software always seems to have a steep learning curve. There doesn't appear to be an easy way around that.
I am with you on the quiet. When I am proofreading, I need as few distractions as possible. I wish I could drink a beer while proofreading, but I fear it would dull my edge. So, I abstain.
New questions.
Action, dialogue, or narration; which is easiest to write?
Of the five senses which is the easiest to write and which is the hardest?

1/3/2020 01:11:33 pm

I like action. When I really get into it, better duck, because the shit can 'hit the fan'. There are unlimited ways one can 'kick the bucket', 'bite the dust or bullet', or be 'dead as a door nail'.
For me, the hardest sense is probably touch. How many ways can a touch be described? Maybe 'hold your horses' or 'grasping a straw'. I would say the second hardest are taste and smell, as they seem to go together. How many times can one 'bite off more than they can chew' or 'stop and smell the roses'?
Sight should be easier this year as we'll all have 2020 vision.
Hearing can 'put a bug in your ear' or be 'clear as a bell'.

1/3/2020 01:38:25 pm

That makes a lot of sense, your memoir and novels are full of action. Action is the prime factor to move a story forward.
I agree, touch may be the most under expressed of the physical senses, or else it's smell. Maybe, it's because physically manipulating the environment around a character is so common an experience it doesn't need to be deliberately described. If an author detailed the steps a character took to get out of a chair and open the door, it would likely be very boring.
New questions.
What kind of marketing has worked the best and the least for you for this book?
Speaking of marketing, why did you pick me to help promote your book?

1/4/2020 11:05:36 am

Marketing? &%@! That evil word that appears after publication. With 10,000 new books being published every month, most authors don't stand a chance, no matter what type marketing they are enticed to do. So after spending too much money on everything that didn't work, I have learned to just forget about it and let word of mouth do it's thing.
I picked you because Grizz is so smart and irresistible. What more can I say? Except that we had developed a friendship on Twitter and you helped support my books, so I returned the favor. I also wanted to take you up on your brag about finding misspelled words in 95% of published books. Low and below if you didn't find some and this was even after I had paid good money for a proofreader. Bottom line, you sure did back up your brag.

1/4/2020 12:02:04 pm

I have heard that number is very close to 100,000 books a month, over 1,000,000 books a year are published on Amazon. That is a phenomenal amount of inertia to try and overcome to rise to the top of buyers' consciousness.
A lot of blogs have been written about how to overcome this problem. I have a few on my Guest Blog page and a bunch of links on my Highly Regarded Blogs page. There are many ways to try and increase sales. They all require work, time and money, especially if you are paying others to do the footwork.
One of my favorite ways is to pursue the Local Author angle. Buy small, countertop, cardboard holders for a few books and seek to sell/place them in places tourists are likely to go, such as gift shops, local restaurants, B&Bs and tourist attractions. You can also seek interviews and publicity with local newspapers, cable access, college radio and TV stations, to name a few. There are other opportunities also. You should always have a box of books and holders in your car.
There are libraries, book clubs, independent bookstores as well. It depends on how hard you want to work at it.
Grizz is all that and more, as he tells me nearly every day. I like to support authors anyway I can. We have known each other for quite a long time. You got pretty angry when I found spelling errors in the first book you asked me to promote. My average has held steady for years now. Promoting a book every week, I find one book a year without spelling errors, unless I proofread it ahead of time.
I thank you for your support.
New questions.
I enjoyed the way you used song titles and snippets of lyrics to introduce chapters in your book. Why did you use that method?
Was it easy to choose the songs?
Do you have a favorite song?

1/4/2020 04:38:36 pm

Neil Diamond sang "Song Sung Blue, everybody knows one". Well, I just happen to know some too. Fact is, I love to sing. I sing in the shower, in the car, and just about anywhere else where I'm alone. In fact, I DJ Karaoke parties. Especially love doing them in the 'Assisted Living Facilities'. The folks there love to sing and dance to the 'oldies' but goodies.
As far as using songs in conjunction with my chapter titles, I wanted to do something totally different. I had never seen any Authors title their book chapters to songs. As I thought about my life events, it just came natural that they be tied to an appropriate song. After the first few chapters, I really got into it. Examples: The Introduction was "Welcome to my World". How appropriate! The first chapter was titled Namesake, so I used the song " Family Affair". Chapter Two was titled 'Childhood', so I used the Eagles song "A New Kid in Town". I could go on and on, but needless to say, I had a ball relating songs to my life events. It was really a blast and challenge to come up with the songs that related to the next chapter. Without bragging, I thought I did a excellent job in selecting the appropriate songs.
My favorite song is the Righteous Brothers "Unchained Melody". It was the song that trapped my current wife into my spinning spider web.

1/4/2020 05:09:54 pm

I think you made a great mashup with the chapters and song titles. It was very entertaining. Being an old fuddy-duddy, I listened to most of the rock songs when they were new.
I love the idea of you being a DJ in the AL facilities, music certainly keeps the heart young, even if the mind is losing touch with reality.
New questions.
How long did it take you to choose the music referenced in the book?
Did anything in the book come as a surprise while you were writing your auto-biography?
How much time passed from when you got the idea to write your book; then actually starting to write the book?

1/5/2020 11:22:31 am

It didn't take long at all to choose the proper song. Once I named the chapter, the appropriate song would come to mind in a New York Minute.
One surprise that comes to mind while I was writing was when I broke up with one of my girl friends, she suddenly passed away a couple years later. Hearing the news broke my heart. Writing that life event made me realize that my feelings for her were much stronger than I had realized at the time of the breakup. Another surprise was how well I remembered some things. Almost sixty-six years of recall, not counting the first four years of my life. It was a challenge to remember that very first memory. I think I was around four years old, as I recalled running away from home.
When I finally decided what to write (my memoirs) I started writing right away. It took about two years from the notebook scribbles to the actual publication.

1/5/2020 12:13:29 pm

Emotions are very powerful, they can be overwhelming if we are not prepared for the intensity.
New questions.
How many drafts did you go through to have a ready-to-publish manuscript?

Going back in time, did you do any kind of creative writing, even back in grade school?

How early was it that you realized how powerful words can be?

1/5/2020 01:45:34 pm

For my memoirs, I would say I probably went through at least four drafts before publishing. After the first completed draft, I had it proofread. Then I had it edited. The editing took at least two drafts. Then I had a Beta reader go through it.
The first creative writing I did that comes to mind was a theme paper in High School. Can't remember what it was about, but I do remember copying it almost word for work from an encyclopedia. Remember what an Encyclopedia was? Dinosaurs now. Thinking about it now, I wonder how I ever got away with that. But I do remember getting an A+ on the paper.
I was in the 6th or 7th grade when I realized how powerful words can be. I was being bullied about being a four-eyed sissy when I decided to fight back. I had had enough! "Stop saying that!" I shouted at the bully, as I jumped on him and started pounding away. It was to be the one and only physical fight I was to have in my entire life where I got mad enough to actually want to hurt someone really bad.

1/6/2020 12:26:09 pm

That brings back memories of copying from encyclopedias, as well as magazines and newspapers.
Good for you putting the bully in their place. It's necessary.
Last questions.
What are three things, that you wish you knew before you wrote your first book?
What is the most important thing you learned from publishing your latest book?
What is the most valuable piece of advice you have ever received from another writer?

1/6/2020 03:28:11 pm

I really can't think of an answer for the first two questions. As for the most valuable piece of advice I have ever received from another writer. That would be, "Don't quit your day job"!

1/6/2020 03:46:55 pm

That actually is good advice for a writer. It takes time to build up a body of work. Between licensing, alternate book forms, and audio books the income can grow slowly but surely.
Thank you, Tom, for the chat. I have enjoyed talking with you. I have a new promotion that starts tomorrow. Until next time, I will see you around Twitter.

1/6/2020 03:50:15 pm

Thanks for having me on and for your continuing support of authors like myself. It was fun and a pretty good bang for the buck!

The Comeback Kid: the memoirs of Thomas L. Hay by Thomas L. Hay

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