An Interview with Douglas L. Thomas: Author of The Incompetent Hero

Douglas L. Thomas was born and raised in Richmond, VA where he now lives with his energetic dog, Max.

He’s traveled around the world and visited many places, meeting all kinds of people along the way. His travels stoked a sense of adventure in him that led him to enjoy adventure novels filled with quests and intrigue. With his love of science fiction and fantasy fueling his desire for other worldly adventures, he finally decided to start writing his own books.

Tell us about your book.

An advanced super soldier is summoned to a world at war against a demon threat along with six other heroes. Now they must all grow their power and learn to fight in this new world to save humanity. The only problem, our super soldier no longer has access to the advanced technology and support AI that made him a living weapon. Is he still a soldier? Can he find acceptance in this new world? These are only a couple of the questions he must answer if he wishes to survive.

The story explores his journey to rediscover his worth as a soldier and a member of the human race while also showing the changes the other heroes go through as they become warriors in this new world. The lines between magic and science blur as the main character learns more about himself and this new world. And don’t forget, there’s also a dragon.

Why did you want to write a book?

I’ve always had a love for books. I read everything I could get my hands on and always marveled at how someone could create a vivid world filled with interesting characters and then have the courage to let other people into that world. It was something I admired and wanted to do for myself one day. Well, after putting it off and telling myself I’d never be able to accomplish it, I finally just did it. In the end, the reason I wanted to write my book was because I had a story I wanted to share with people and decided to ignore my own negative thoughts and put it out there.

Why did you choose to self-publish?

I wanted to have complete control over every aspect of my story from the beginning to the end. There’s also a good chance I might be a bit selfish when it comes to the world and characters I created and going the self-publishing route was the best way for me to be selfish. Another driving factor in my decision was the time it would take to go from idea to finished book and I needed to get it out quickly. If I hadn’t pushed myself to speed through the steps, there was a good chance I would have quit halfway through, and I didn’t want that to happen.

Would you self-publish again?

Of course I would! It was painful, but fun. The amount of control and freedom you have to do things your own way is exhilarating. I’ve also enjoyed the boost in confidence I got after finishing that first book. It was addictive and has spurred me to keep going. I feel like I have a lot more stories just waiting to be written and I want to make sure I can create them on my own terms.

What tips can you give other authors looking to self-publish?

Don’t give up. That is the most important tip I can give to other authors looking to self-publish. The amount of work you need to put into doing everything yourself is daunting at first but once you have that finished book in your hands, you’ll realize that it was worth all the pain and long nights. Remember that there have been plenty of other people that have self-published and continue to do so. You can search for them on social media, the internet, magazines, and plenty of other places. There’re also countless groups you can join that will help support you and give you advice along the way. I even have a small group of friends that get together for that very reason. We support and encourage each other with the goal of making our books a reality. So, just remember, help is out there so don’t give up and keep writing!

Tell us about the genre you wrote in, and why you chose to write this sort of book.

I’m a huge fan of science fiction and fantasy. If you wanted me to pick one, I doubt I could. I think that might have led me to writing the book the way I did. It’s a blend of the two genres with no clear lines. Science is magic after all. I mean, who wouldn’t want a futuristic armored battle suit to use in a fantasy setting? Also, dragons. You need to throw a dragon or two into a fantasy story. I wanted all of that in my story and that’s what I did.

I would say that my story leans more toward the fantasy side of the spectrum, but that might change as the story progresses and the world grows larger. I can’t say for sure. I’m making this up as I go.

How do you deal with writer’s block?

There are a few things I tend to do depending on the situation I find myself in when I’m struck with writer’s block. If I’ve gone past my word count goal for the day, I’ll just call it quits and give my brain a rest. Of course, I usually end up thinking about what I’m going to write during the next session and that tends to boost my word count for the next day. If it hits in the middle of my writing session, I’ll take a break and take my dog for a walk or read a book. I might even play a game or two. If it happens at the beginning of my writing session, I just power through it. Usually, after about ten or so minutes of struggling to get a sentence out, the words will just start flowing and refuse to stop. Of course, if I end up writing too long, my dog will bop me with his nose and tell me to take a break, so I don’t end up with another bout of writer’s block. Breaks are important after all.

Who are your biggest writing inspirations and why?

There have been a huge number of writers that I’ve been inspired by. Edgar Allen Poe might be one of the biggest ones though. I had an assignment in high school where I had to write a story from the cat’s point of view from one of his stories. I can’t for the life of me remember which one it was and really should read through his works again, but that’s not what is important here. The part that is important is that we had to read it to the class. I was mortified but did it anyway and people actually liked it. It really surprised me and sparked a desire within me to write my own story. It just took longer than intended.

I’d say that more recently, it would be Brandon Sanderson. I discovered his works by accident and now I’m a huge fan. His characters are incredibly well-written and the worlds he creates are really vivid.

There have been others, but we’d be here all day if I tried to list them all.

Why did you write about this particular subject?

I was soldier and served three tours in Iraq. A part of my decision is based on that. If I’m being honest, a lot of what I write tends to deal with soldiers and how they interact with the world. The military world and the civilian world are two very different places, as hard as that can be to believe. It might be a part of what inspired me to create a different world adventure story. Besides, I thought it would be really cool to have a super soldier fighting in a medieval setting.

What are your plans now your book is published?

I plan to keep writing. I have way too many stories locked away inside my brain to quit now. They just keep popping up in there, cluttering up the place. My only problem is that I can only type so many words a day before I need to take a break. I also need to sleep. If I could write in my sleep, things would be a lot easier.

What did you learn on your journey as an author?

The biggest thing I learned is that I have a lot more to learn. I’m the type of person who is always looking to improve and that drives me to consider how I want to approach my writing every time I sit down to write. What balance of writing to planning is the most effective for me? What’s the best way to approach my characters’ inner conflicts? How can I make the world feel real? These are just some of the questions I ask on a nearly daily basis. It might be a bit excessive, but I want to make the world and characters I’ve created the best I can so I can create something everyone who reads my stories will enjoy.