We recently connected with Tom McCaffrey and have shared our conversation below.
Tom, first a big thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts and insights with us today. I’m sure many of our readers will benefit from your wisdom, and one of the areas where we think your insight might be most helpful is related to imposter syndrome. Imposter syndrome is holding so many people back from reaching their true and highest potential and so we’d love to hear about your journey and how you overcame imposter syndrome.
I am a lawyer and a writer. In the past, I have suffered the imposter syndrome in both professions until I came to the conclusion that I should stop worrying about what others told me I should be doing in those roles and just follow my gut. It took me a decade of working at the profession before I overcame this as an attorney. It took me almost four decades, until my first book, The Wise Ass, was published, before I overcame it as a writer.
Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
My day job for about four decades has been working as a litigator in the entertainment industry. It has been challenging and rewarding, and has allowed me to meet a number of major league entertainers along the way. It has also satisfied my competitive side, as I like to win. My all-other-times job, which I did not succeed at until I was 63 years old, is as the author of the Amazon best selling sci-fi/fantasy series called The Claire Saga. While I get great satisfaction from my day job, my passion is being a writer. And you have not truly lived until you have succeeded at something that gives you passion. However, my day job taught me how to write in way that can make even the most preposterous story idea seem plausible, so none of that time was wasted. Since February 2021, I have published the first four novels in The Claire Saga: The Wise Ass; An Alien Appeal; Kissing My Ass Goodbye and Finding Jimmy Moran. Think Good Fellas’s meets The Wizard Of Oz meets Mr. Ed meets The Craft meets My Favorite Martian meets Yellowstone. I know, sounds mad but it works seamlessly. On April 16, 2024, the final book in the series, Where The Ley Lines Meet, hits the market. Think Guardians of the Galaxy meets Return of the Magnificent Seven. It is available now for pre-order.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
Three qualities I have had since I was young that have been most impactful in my journey as a lawyer and a writer are (1) a broad curiosity; (2) love of reading; and (3) empathy for other people. My natural curiosity has led me to accumulate an expansive knowledge about many different things. I never truly master all of the areas I may engage, but I try to learn enough about what interests me to ask the right questions of those that are experts. My love of reading has allowed me to pursue any area of knowledge. If you can read, you can learn. My empathy for other people has allowed me to put myself in the shoes of those with whom I come in daily contact, from those clients that I may provide assistance to as an attorney, as well as allowing me to understand what is driving my adversaries as a litigator. I have made it my practice not to win at any cost, but to seek a fair result. Empathy has also allowed me to fully understand my characters as a writer, and covey that information to my readers. My advice to others looking to succeed in life is to be open to new experiences, read whenever you get a moment, and treat everyone you meet as you wish to be treated. There really is two sides to every story. One final thing, never, ever give up. While you breath, there is hope.
How can folks who want to work with you connect?
Now that I have successfully completed the five volume epic series, The Claire Saga, I am looking to collaborate with a legitimate production company who can take this best selling, sci-fi/fantasy story to the big screen and/or to major on-line distributors such as Netflix, Amazon or Apple. This is LOTR meets Harry Potter with a little Star Trek for adults, with lots of dark humor. It is all about family, the one you are born into and the one you build over the rest of your life. It is a love story on many different levels and has a diverse and inclusive set of fully-developed characters. And the star of the series is a talking-psychic mule named Claire, who has many mystical qualities and a wicked sense of humor. I can be reached on my webpage, where you can learn more about me and my books, and reach me: TheWiseNovelist.com
Contact Info:
- Website: TheWiseNovelist.com
- Instagram: Tom McCaffrey
- Facebook: Tom Mc Caffrey
- Linkedin: Tom McCaffrey
- Twitter: Wisecelt
Image Credits
All images are my own.
