Tom McKeown
Author Interview - Tom McKeown
Author of This Is Panther Country
The book is a classic underdog story of a high school basketball team's quest for glory and a young man's journey of growth, family, and determination. Set against the vibrant backdrop of mid-1970s Long Island, the story captures the excitement, challenges, and camaraderie of a small-town varsity basketball team and its dreams of triumph.
Author Interview - Tom McKeown
Author I draw inspiration from:
I love books about events in history. I'm a big fan of Ken Follet and his tales of World War II. I advise anyone, regardless of what they like, to read his recent 20th century trilogy (Fall of Giants, Winter of the World, and Edge of Eternity). It's three large books but don't let the size intimidate you as they read fast like all his works. I also love underdog sports stories such as Friday Night Lights by Buzz Bissinger and the more recent Boys In The Boat by Daniel James Brown. They bring me back to my own, lesser acclaimed, athletic career.
Author Interview - Tom McKeown | Author I Draw Inspiration From
Favorite place to read a book:
When at home my favorite place to read is my sun room. It's got a comfortable couch and lots of light. As I also tend to travel a great deal I read a lot on planes. Now that my kids are grown, I get more time and places to read.
Book character I’d like to be stuck in an elevator with:
One of my all-time favorite books is Trinity by Leon Uris. Among the main characters is Conor Larkin who grows up during a tumultuous period in Ireland between the 19th and 20th centuries. I would ask so many questions about growing up and living in Ireland at that time his head might explode.
Author Interview - Tom McKeown | Book Character I’d Like to be Stuck in an Elevator With
The moment I knew I wanted to become an author:
Ever since I graduated from college I wanted to write but initially, I was so caught up in creating a productive career for myself that I rarely found the time. The idea for my current book came about when I saw the movie, Hoosiers. It was such a great story and I believed that I had been witness to one as great and had been formulating the story in my head for years before finally putting it down in print.
Hardback, paperback, ebook or audiobook:
I like ebooks because they are very easy to procure and read in the gym, so I tend to buy a lot that way. However, I do feel more in touch with the author and the history when I read a hard copy. If I really love the book in ebook I will usually end up buying the hardback for my home collection.
The last book I read:
It's been out for a few years but I recently read, A Gentleman In Moscow by Amor Towles, and really enjoyed it. This sophisticated man is trapped as a guest/employee inside a luxury hotel as epic and bloody Soviet history occurs outside the walls where he is never witness.
Author Interview - Tom McKeown | The Last Book I Read
Pen & paper or computer:
I have a very laborious handwriting so I never write in long hand. I have a rather good memory which I think was partly developed by having to remember what teachers in school said because I could not take notes fast enough. Writing on a computer makes it much easier to edit as you go and return to insert additional details and subplots.
Book character I think I’d be best friends with:
That would be James Bond hands down. My brother and would always try and read the books before the movies came out. His cool lifestyle and the way he faces down evil bullies really strikes a chord with me.
Author Interview - Tom McKeown | Book Character I’d be Best Friends With
If I weren’t an author, I’d be a:
I had a forty year career in the software and technology industry highlighted in my last episode where I founded, grew and sold my own company. But in my heart, I always saw myself as a sportscaster calling games and interviewing legends of basketball and other sports.
Favorite decade in fashion history:
The 1980's had some crazy dress due to the punk influence, but for me I felt the world returned then to the original suit and tie from the leisure suit. I loved when everyone in a business meeting was dressed to the nines and looking sharp. We lost it for good in the late ninety's when technology and most industries went to casual work attire.
Place I’d most like to travel:
My family and I recently went to Asia where we visited South Korea and Japan which was high on my list. The people were wonderful and the culture and architecture were fascinating. Next, we have been trying to get to Turkey, and in particular Istanbul. It's the cross section between eastern and western cultures and religion and have heard from many it's a fascinating place.
My signature drink:
I'll give you one in every category. My favorite wine is a Malbec, my favorite cocktail is something with Bourbon like an Old Fashion, and my favorite beers are wheat beers. As for nonalcoholic choices I like a good lemonade or an Arnold Palmer (Half Lemonade and Half Iced Tea.)
Favorite artist:
In art it would have to be DaVinci. I love his paintings, but it’s more about his ideas in regards to the future such as inventing the helicopter and robotics. My wife and I often argue about who was the greatest musical act of all time. I go with the Beatles and she with Elvis.
Number one on my bucket list:
I want to travel more. In addition to Turkey, I have a personal goal of visiting six of the seven continents (I've ruled out Antarctica). The one I have left is Australia. I wanted to sky dive when I was younger but the appeal left me once I became a father.
Anything else you'd like to add:
Part of why I write is to achieve a degree of immortality. I think it is great today how easily we can leave videos of ourselves behind for our families. I write in hopes of providing more context for family and others as to who I really am. I'm not sure I even know that.
Find more from the author:
https://www.facebook.com/tom.mckeown.33/
instagram and tikton are tmckeown61
https://www.linkedin.com/in/tommmckeown
twitter is @tommckeown
About Tom McKeown:
Tom McKeown
Author Tom McKeown was born in Queens, New York, but currently resides in Plano, Texas, where he met his wife Ann and they raised their two children Kelly Ann and Brian. He is a successful technology entrepreneur who co-founded and ran software provider TrenData before selling the company in 2021. He has also written numerous articles that have been published in various trade magazines. McKeown grew up on Long Island where he attended Babylon High School and was an avid fan and participant in the school's basketball program. He later graduated from Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut, where among other activities he broadcast the school basketball games both in person and on the local radio station. McKeown has remained close with family and friends from his hometown and visits several times a year. He remembers fondly the mid-1970s when his high school basketball team was a regional power and the envy of many surrounding schools.
