Episode 83

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Published on:

6th Sep 2024

Tom Colgan - Editor of Great Books

Tom Colgan, senior editor at Penguin Publishing, discusses his role as an editorial director and the process of acquiring and editing books. He explains that as an editorial director, he supervises other editors and works on science fiction, fantasy, and mystery/thriller books. Tom shares how he got into publishing and the joy he finds in working with authors to discuss their books and ideas. He also talks about the importance of catching factual errors and maintaining credibility in books. In this conversation, Tom Colgan and Travis Davis discuss the world of publishing and offer advice for aspiring authors. They talk about the enduring popularity of certain books, the importance of writing from the heart, and the various publishing options available today. Tom emphasizes the need to write what you love and not chase market trends, while Travis highlights the importance of marketing and brand awareness. They also touch on the role of agents and the benefits and challenges of self-publishing. Overall, the conversation encourages writers to stay true to their passion and find their own path in the publishing industry.

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About the Podcast

Author Ecke
Tell Us Your Story
Have you ever thought about writing your first book? After writing my first novel, I wanted to uncover how other authors went from an idea to a published book. Hopefully, you can find the motivation to take your idea to a printed book. We are here to motivate you; once you publish it, we can have you on the Author Eche. Tell Us Your Story.

About your host

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Travis Davis

Travis is the author of thrillers Flames of Deception and Cobalt: The Rise and Fall of the Great Reset. He is also the author of One of Four: World War One Through the Eyes of an Unknown Soldier. Travis is An Air Force Brat who grew up in Arkansas, Spain, New York, and California. He joined the US Army at 17 years old as an Armored Reconnaissance Specialist and was stationed in the various forts in the United States and Germany, where he met his beautiful wife. During his three tours in Germany, he conducted hundreds of border patrols along the East-West German border and Czechoslovakia-West German border. Where he saw first-hand communism and its oppression of its citizens, he retired from the US Army, where his last duty assignment was as Assistant Operations Sergeant of the 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment, Fort Polk, Louisiana. He is a lifetime member of the Sergeant Morales Club and received multiple awards, including the Meritorious Service Medal.
When he is not writing or working, Travis enjoys exercising, traveling (he loves a good road trip), baking different loaves of bread, and just relaxing in his backyard with friends and family while having a cold beer. He currently lives in Allen, Texas, with his wife of 36 years; he has three adult children: two daughters living in Arkansas, one son living in Northern Virginia, and eight wonderful grandchildren.

“Travis never met a stranger,” his wife always says.