Ask the Author: Tim Tigner
Answered Questions (21)
Tim Tigner
Thanks for your question, Barry.
What we had there were two of the thousands of victims of a scheme coincidentally meeting up because both were seeking the same remedy at the same time. Not much of a stretch since he was the go-to guy for that service in that part of the world. But as you note, helpful for the plot.
Paul Michael is fantastic, and a delight to work with. Glad you appreciate him as well.
Kind regards,
Tim
What we had there were two of the thousands of victims of a scheme coincidentally meeting up because both were seeking the same remedy at the same time. Not much of a stretch since he was the go-to guy for that service in that part of the world. But as you note, helpful for the plot.
Paul Michael is fantastic, and a delight to work with. Glad you appreciate him as well.
Kind regards,
Tim
Tim Tigner
I do look forward to writing the next Kyle Achilles book, but it's not on my writing calendar at the moment.
Tim Tigner
I can't answer your question with a simple yes or no. Kindly allow me to explain.
I spent a lot of time crafting Stolen Thoughts in a way that makes it both a sequel to The Price of Time, and a stand alone novel. Equally satisfying to people who enjoyed and want more of The Price of Time, and to those who did not read it. Here's how.
Like The Price of Time, Stolen Thoughts revolves around the drama and ethical issues of making one of humanity's great breakthroughs. Things we've all mused about without really analyzing. In TPOT that was the consequences of learning how to halt aging, in ST it's learning how to read minds.
The plots are designed to be similarly intellectually and ethically engaging, as well as suspenseful and thrilling. I specifically wanted Stolen Thoughts to be just as appealing to book clubs as The Price of Time has proven to be.
The heroes from The Price of Time (not named her to avoid spoilers) appear in Stolen Thoughts in major roles, but the main character is new.
In short, since you loved TPOT, I'm sure you'll love ST, including spending more time with old friends on fresh but similar escapades.
Thank you for you kind words and attention, Hamza.
Tim
I spent a lot of time crafting Stolen Thoughts in a way that makes it both a sequel to The Price of Time, and a stand alone novel. Equally satisfying to people who enjoyed and want more of The Price of Time, and to those who did not read it. Here's how.
Like The Price of Time, Stolen Thoughts revolves around the drama and ethical issues of making one of humanity's great breakthroughs. Things we've all mused about without really analyzing. In TPOT that was the consequences of learning how to halt aging, in ST it's learning how to read minds.
The plots are designed to be similarly intellectually and ethically engaging, as well as suspenseful and thrilling. I specifically wanted Stolen Thoughts to be just as appealing to book clubs as The Price of Time has proven to be.
The heroes from The Price of Time (not named her to avoid spoilers) appear in Stolen Thoughts in major roles, but the main character is new.
In short, since you loved TPOT, I'm sure you'll love ST, including spending more time with old friends on fresh but similar escapades.
Thank you for you kind words and attention, Hamza.
Tim
Tim Tigner
Richard, I actually have a new book coming out Monday, July 1. LEONARDO AND GABRIEL is different from my others. In fact, it’s different from anything out there. This means it won’t be for everyone, far from it, but for the first time in my life I can say that I have a favorite among my books.
LEONARDO AND GABRIEL is available as an eBook, paperback, and audiobook—expertly narrated by Paul Michael (of DaVinci Code fame.) Normally I don’t like listening to my own work. I’m too self-conscious. But I listened to this one on three occasions and got goosebumps every time.
Go to http://getbook.at/Leonardo to learn about LEONARDO AND GABRIEL. If what you read initially grabs your interest, be sure to read the entire description before buying.
As for the next Kyle Achilles book, I'm hard at work on #5, BOUNDLESS AMBITION, but it doubt I will hit November as planned. (Had to spend 4 months repairing years of work that Amazon broke with algorithm updates, so that may push it to February 2020.)
Thanks for the question,
LEONARDO AND GABRIEL is available as an eBook, paperback, and audiobook—expertly narrated by Paul Michael (of DaVinci Code fame.) Normally I don’t like listening to my own work. I’m too self-conscious. But I listened to this one on three occasions and got goosebumps every time.
Go to http://getbook.at/Leonardo to learn about LEONARDO AND GABRIEL. If what you read initially grabs your interest, be sure to read the entire description before buying.
As for the next Kyle Achilles book, I'm hard at work on #5, BOUNDLESS AMBITION, but it doubt I will hit November as planned. (Had to spend 4 months repairing years of work that Amazon broke with algorithm updates, so that may push it to February 2020.)
Thanks for the question,
Tim Tigner
Update June 2020: The Price of Mind is now available for preorder on Amazon. It publishes November 1, 2020.
I designed The Price of Time with a series in mind, but whether or not it takes that route will depend on reader demand. There's already a lot of demand for me to write Achilles novels faster, so it's a competition of sorts with readers as the judge.
Thanks for your thoughtful question, Linda.
I designed The Price of Time with a series in mind, but whether or not it takes that route will depend on reader demand. There's already a lot of demand for me to write Achilles novels faster, so it's a competition of sorts with readers as the judge.
Thanks for your thoughtful question, Linda.
Tim Tigner
To add a twist to the plot, I was Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb's classmate and fraternity brother in college. In any case, I'm glad you found my books : )
Tim Tigner
Hi Tuyen,
My books are aimed at adults. They are very low on profanity and sex for the genre (I get a lot of thank you notes in that regard) and the violence is not gratuitous, so I don't think there would be issues for mature middle schoolers, but the plots are probably too sophisticated to hold their interest.
Thank you for asking,
Tim
My books are aimed at adults. They are very low on profanity and sex for the genre (I get a lot of thank you notes in that regard) and the violence is not gratuitous, so I don't think there would be issues for mature middle schoolers, but the plots are probably too sophisticated to hold their interest.
Thank you for asking,
Tim
Tim Tigner
I'm working hard to have Achilles #4 out by the end of 2018, hopefully in November, which is the month the last two Achilles novels came out.
Thanks for the question and your kind patronage.
Thanks for the question and your kind patronage.
Tim Tigner
You're very kind, Bill. And you hit the nail on the head. My books do usually derive from a central idea, an invention that leads to a dastardly plan. Those often pop into my head at odd hours. I keep a file of them which is now longer than my lifetime ability to write. It's not that easy, however. The trick is finding ideas that fit my series characters, and/or are meaty and suspenseful enough to keep readers engaged for a hundred chapters. I outline extensively to determine that before diving in.
Tim Tigner
Hi Rif,
Falling Stars will be available within 2 weeks--if there are no glitches. On that front, Audible is unpredictable. A glitch would add weeks to the timeline. Thank you for asking.
You might find the economics of audiobooks interesting. As an author, I write a book. Edit a book. Prepare a cover and marketing materials. Then I pay a narrator to read the book, and I pay a sound technician to edit and format the recordings. After all that, Audible keeps 60% of the profit--if I list it exclusively with them, or 75% if I want to distribute through competing channels as well. On top of that, they get complete control over pricing. Amazon now owns Audible. Wish I did ; )
Falling Stars will be available within 2 weeks--if there are no glitches. On that front, Audible is unpredictable. A glitch would add weeks to the timeline. Thank you for asking.
You might find the economics of audiobooks interesting. As an author, I write a book. Edit a book. Prepare a cover and marketing materials. Then I pay a narrator to read the book, and I pay a sound technician to edit and format the recordings. After all that, Audible keeps 60% of the profit--if I list it exclusively with them, or 75% if I want to distribute through competing channels as well. On top of that, they get complete control over pricing. Amazon now owns Audible. Wish I did ; )
Tim Tigner
If it helps me reach more readers, I'm all for it!
I have been blessed with an interesting life, and I do continue to seek out adventurous opportunities. And now I get to do it professionally and full-time, albeit on the page.
Thanks for your kind words and wonderful review of my latest novel, Falling Stars. Much appreciated : )
I have been blessed with an interesting life, and I do continue to seek out adventurous opportunities. And now I get to do it professionally and full-time, albeit on the page.
Thanks for your kind words and wonderful review of my latest novel, Falling Stars. Much appreciated : )
Tim Tigner
The heart of Philosophy is attempting to understand the big questions. I find that analysis fascinating. I use the same comprehensive analytical methods to develop my plots, which in addition to original I attempt to make serpentine yet sensible and logically air tight.
Philosophy also inspired me to get the most out of my +/- 80 years. To begin with the end in mind so I could look back without regret. That boils down to experiencing and accomplishing as much as possible. That perspective remains a driver for me, and fortunately my wife.
Thanks for the thoughtful question, Kelly.
Philosophy also inspired me to get the most out of my +/- 80 years. To begin with the end in mind so I could look back without regret. That boils down to experiencing and accomplishing as much as possible. That perspective remains a driver for me, and fortunately my wife.
Thanks for the thoughtful question, Kelly.
Tim Tigner
My answer (and advice) is that I never shied away from pursuing a dream.
Often that pursuit appeared risky if not outright crazy to those closest to me, but I only leapt after thorough analysis.
Often that pursuit appeared risky if not outright crazy to those closest to me, but I only leapt after thorough analysis.
Tim Tigner
My novels always have strong male and female leads: Alex and Anna in Coercion, Odi and Cassi in Betrayal, Troy and Emmy in Flash, etc. I think male-female teams work best, because they bring an extra level of tension and naturally mixed perspectives. They also work particularly well for me, as they allow me to 'spend more time with my wife' who is the basis for my female protagonists.
To answer the question directly, my favorite fictional couple is always the team in the novel I'm writing, as they're the couple that's closest to my heart at that moment.
To answer the question directly, my favorite fictional couple is always the team in the novel I'm writing, as they're the couple that's closest to my heart at that moment.
Tim Tigner
My novels revolve around placing clever inventions in devious hands. I begin by dreaming up the invention, and then look for the most interesting person to use it.
The idea for Falling Stars, Kyle Achilles #3, came in a flash during a conversation with my brother Robert. We were talking about X, and a "What if" scenario arose, and boom! I knew I had my next novel.
The idea for Falling Stars, Kyle Achilles #3, came in a flash during a conversation with my brother Robert. We were talking about X, and a "What if" scenario arose, and boom! I knew I had my next novel.
Tim Tigner
Thanks for the kind words, Layne. I'm currently having a lot of fun with Achilles #3, Falling Stars, which picks up where Chasing Ivan left off. It will be out later this year.
Tim Tigner
Thanks for the kind words, RIc!
Particularly glad to hear that you enjoyed Pushing Brilliance, as that launches the series (Kyle Achilles) that I'll be writing for the foreseeable future. I'm finishing up Achilles #2, The Lies Of Spies, now and will get it out later this year with Achilles #3 following mid 2017.
Particularly glad to hear that you enjoyed Pushing Brilliance, as that launches the series (Kyle Achilles) that I'll be writing for the foreseeable future. I'm finishing up Achilles #2, The Lies Of Spies, now and will get it out later this year with Achilles #3 following mid 2017.
Tim Tigner
I'll give you the long answer. I have quite a history with languages. I love them, but they don't love me. My brain is naturally more skewed toward math and science.
The language I took in high school was Latin, but then I spent half my Jr. year of HS in Lisbon Portugal, going to the American School. That included studying Portuguese, where my kind teacher wrote on my report card "Tim is doing fine with Portuguese, but he has problems with his reading, writing, and speaking." A good summary of my talent.
I spent the summer after my sophomore year in college backing through Greece on a philosophy scholarship from the Richter Foundation, but didn't pick up any Greek in the process.
After those experiences abroad, I wanted to work abroad, but was worried about my language deficiency. That, in large part, contributed to my decision to join the Army to work in Soviet Counterintelligence in Green Berets, as the training would include a year of intense Russian at the Defense Language Institute in Monterey CA. DLI has very high attrition rates, and I had to work like never before to graduate, but I did.
A few years later, I went on to get a MA in International Studies a the University of Pennsylvania, with focus on Russia. That included two summers in Moscow. (Rather than the ivy league education, i must admit that It was chasing Russian women that finally made me fluent.) I ultimately lived a total of seven years in Moscow.
As part of my first job out of graduate school, I spent a summer in Germany. I then went on to run a German company in Russia for three years. During that time I became mildly conversant in German, enough to chair meetings in that language. Later in my career, I lived in Belgium for a few years, during which I became very mildly conversant in French, enough to crank out one speech before my team in France. But now I remember very little German or French.
By tackling my weakest link head on, I've come to love language, and I think that intense struggle helped to round-out my brain. I speak Russian at home in California. My wife is Russian -- a math professor, and the basis for the Katya character in the Achilles series -- and my daughters are both bilingual. My mother-in-law also lives with us. I'm hoping to begin spending summers abroad, giving my daughters (now 5 and 11) the opportunity to absorb additional languages and cultures, and gain a deep-seated understanding of just how privileged we are to be living where we do, when we do.
All that said, as a writer I still constantly struggle with grammar. I think with my ears, and misspell and mis-punctuate accordingly. Fortunately, I have lots of friends kindly willing to correct me.
Thanks for your interest, Gail.
The language I took in high school was Latin, but then I spent half my Jr. year of HS in Lisbon Portugal, going to the American School. That included studying Portuguese, where my kind teacher wrote on my report card "Tim is doing fine with Portuguese, but he has problems with his reading, writing, and speaking." A good summary of my talent.
I spent the summer after my sophomore year in college backing through Greece on a philosophy scholarship from the Richter Foundation, but didn't pick up any Greek in the process.
After those experiences abroad, I wanted to work abroad, but was worried about my language deficiency. That, in large part, contributed to my decision to join the Army to work in Soviet Counterintelligence in Green Berets, as the training would include a year of intense Russian at the Defense Language Institute in Monterey CA. DLI has very high attrition rates, and I had to work like never before to graduate, but I did.
A few years later, I went on to get a MA in International Studies a the University of Pennsylvania, with focus on Russia. That included two summers in Moscow. (Rather than the ivy league education, i must admit that It was chasing Russian women that finally made me fluent.) I ultimately lived a total of seven years in Moscow.
As part of my first job out of graduate school, I spent a summer in Germany. I then went on to run a German company in Russia for three years. During that time I became mildly conversant in German, enough to chair meetings in that language. Later in my career, I lived in Belgium for a few years, during which I became very mildly conversant in French, enough to crank out one speech before my team in France. But now I remember very little German or French.
By tackling my weakest link head on, I've come to love language, and I think that intense struggle helped to round-out my brain. I speak Russian at home in California. My wife is Russian -- a math professor, and the basis for the Katya character in the Achilles series -- and my daughters are both bilingual. My mother-in-law also lives with us. I'm hoping to begin spending summers abroad, giving my daughters (now 5 and 11) the opportunity to absorb additional languages and cultures, and gain a deep-seated understanding of just how privileged we are to be living where we do, when we do.
All that said, as a writer I still constantly struggle with grammar. I think with my ears, and misspell and mis-punctuate accordingly. Fortunately, I have lots of friends kindly willing to correct me.
Thanks for your interest, Gail.
Tim Tigner
Hi Larry,
Good question. It's all about economics. Hardbacks have to be produced in large quantities, and are traditionally sold through brick-and-mortar stores. Amazon's specialty is internet distribution and POD (Print On Demand) paperbacks. (Picture a big fancy Xerox machine.) That way they hold no inventory.
FYI with POD, for books sized like mine, Amazon gets the first $9 or so, half of which is production cost, half of which is their profit. Thus the author just gets $1 on a $10 paperback. This is why most POD paperbacks are priced in the teens, so the author can make at least a few bucks off the sale. With Mass-Market paperbacks, the ones you find in grocery stores and airports, per-unit production costs are much lower, but then you've got distribution costs, which are antithetical to Amazon's business model.
There is no Print-on-Demand machine for hardbacks.
Thank you for your question,
Tim
Good question. It's all about economics. Hardbacks have to be produced in large quantities, and are traditionally sold through brick-and-mortar stores. Amazon's specialty is internet distribution and POD (Print On Demand) paperbacks. (Picture a big fancy Xerox machine.) That way they hold no inventory.
FYI with POD, for books sized like mine, Amazon gets the first $9 or so, half of which is production cost, half of which is their profit. Thus the author just gets $1 on a $10 paperback. This is why most POD paperbacks are priced in the teens, so the author can make at least a few bucks off the sale. With Mass-Market paperbacks, the ones you find in grocery stores and airports, per-unit production costs are much lower, but then you've got distribution costs, which are antithetical to Amazon's business model.
There is no Print-on-Demand machine for hardbacks.
Thank you for your question,
Tim
Tim Tigner
Hi Carol,
You're right of course. Des Moines is a fine city. That was a bit of an inside joke. I grew up in Toledo Ohio, about which John Denver wrote a song.
You ask how I know of Toledo, Ohio
Well I spent a week there one day ...
So when I was looking for something non cliche, that came to mind, but then I needed a D to go with dull. Apologies if I offended.
I spent a lot of time in ER's while working in the medical industry, and have a great appreciation for the people who work there and the unbelievable forces in play that you deal with evey day. My hat's off to you.
All my best,
Tim
You're right of course. Des Moines is a fine city. That was a bit of an inside joke. I grew up in Toledo Ohio, about which John Denver wrote a song.
You ask how I know of Toledo, Ohio
Well I spent a week there one day ...
So when I was looking for something non cliche, that came to mind, but then I needed a D to go with dull. Apologies if I offended.
I spent a lot of time in ER's while working in the medical industry, and have a great appreciation for the people who work there and the unbelievable forces in play that you deal with evey day. My hat's off to you.
All my best,
Tim
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