I am always pleased to receive review requests from new and aspiring authors and when they simply arrive ‘out of the blue’, it is always a nice surprise, especially when an author is as full of enthusiasm and energy as M Thomas Long.
I am also constantly surprised by the diverse and imaginative synopses which authors assign to their books. This one definitely piqued my interest, although when I read past the first couple of lines, the unexpected twist in the story, is certainly going to make for some difficult and thought provoking reading, I’m sure!
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M Thomas Long has been a writer, speaker, trainer, husband, and father for over 25 years. He and his wife live just outside Nashville, TN. He has one daughter, and as of last spring, a new son-in-law.
A genuine love and excitement for life drives him. As an avid reader, he loves a great story. Blue Monday marks his entry into the world of fiction writing, something he will tell you has been on his life list for many years, but he just never took the time to make it happen. During a near fatal incident a few years back, one of the main regrets he felt was that he had never written the books that were inside him wanting to be written.
In Blue Monday, his first fiction novel, he draws from a rich and varied background that includes designing and performing as a concert stage lighting designer with Grammy award winning artists, working alongside many pastors and celebrities, and traveling the country working as a Microsoft technical trainer.
His hobbies include reading, golf, motorcycles, drawing, running, guitar (ok, a little guitar), songwriting with his daughter, and traveling with his wife.
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Take a few moments to stop by the M Thomas Long
website and maybe leave a comment or two, after all, we each of us like to receive them, and a few words of encouragement can go a long way.
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BLUE MONDAY
If I had the winning lottery ticket …. It’s a fun scenario to imagine…unless you are Matt McAllister.
Blue Monday is the story of Matt McAllister. Matt is the pastor of the fifth largest church in his state. After over 20 years in the ministry he is approaching burn out. Every week begins with blue Monday. The clergy’s equivalent of the morning after.
Matt was a vocal, public opponent to the lottery when it came to South Carolina. When he accidentally purchases another person’s lottery ticket, he is surprised at the reaction of himself, his family, and those around him. The situations quickly become funny, introspective and sad simultaneously when the ticket wins $186 million.
Matt learns some important lessons about human nature, both his and the people around him…then he learns that the woman who picked the numbers on his winning ticket has attempted suicide.
When offered part of the winnings, Matt has an opportunity to leave blue Monday behind…but can he?
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If only I had the winning lottery ticket …. how many of us haven’t uttered those words, probably on more than one occasion? If I acquired a ticket by mistake, would I do the right thing, step forward and own up, or I would I be just a little tempted to keep it … just until results day of course, because it can’t possibly be a winner .. can it?
I’m certain that I am about to learn a few ‘home truths’ about having thoughts like that, when I start reading ‘Blue Monday’.
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Yvonne
I have never heard of a pastor reaching burn out. I wonder what that would be like. Blue Monday seems like a interesting spin on a common thought. I can’t wait for your review.
Hi Monique,
Anything to do with the lottery always seems to be an emotive subject in this country, as we seem obsessed with buying tickets and scratch cards. When it first started I used to buy a couple of lines a week, but I have to say that I never bother any more, although hubbie will take part on the odd occasion, if there is a large jackpot.
I too wonder what the storyline is going to roll out like when you add in a pastor with emotional and conscience issues, an interesting spin on things that I haven’t encountered in any novel I have read before, so it is a fairly unique scenario, which is always good for review opportunities.
Thanks for visiting and for taking the time to leave a comment, it is always appreciated.
I agree, it’s always a nice treat to hear from an author with a review request.
Blue Monday sounds like a good read and the subject of winning the lotto is definitely one of those conversations that most of us have. Happy reading and I look forward to your review 🙂
Hi Naida,
Receiving a review request directly from an author always gives me a buzz, especially when it is someone with a debut novel, as it means that I am generally reading something a little different to those bloggers who have a myriad copies of books which are ‘on tour’.
The subject of the lottery is always a very thorny issue as well, so that’s a good start for the synopsis, throw in a pastor who suffers from temptation issues and the added twist of the history of the person who the winning ticket really belongs to and you have the start of a great story.
Thanks for stopping by, I always look forward to reading your comments.
Loving the sound of this, it sounds like a wonderful debut novel. You are right, it’s always exciting to receive a request like this.
Hi Tracy,
It’s a great subject for a debut novel, isn’t it? Given the obsession we seem to have with The Lottery, as a nation, it is also quite topical.
I know that UK winners of the massive Euro Millions, seem to dominate, so I wonder, is that just luck, or is it that per capita, we spend much more on tickets than our European neighbours?
I think that the twist about the ticket being acquired by a member of the clergy, is really going to nicely set the scene for this story.
Thanks for taking the time to read the post and leave your welcome and appreciated comment.