Thomas Henry Pope

Thomas Henry Pope gives the landscapes in his novels as much agency to influence events as he does to his characters. His narrative style draws on his passions of journalism, theater, songwriting and teaching. And his world travels provide grist for his characters and stories.

After dropping out of Stanford, he worked in California’s vineyards and then in Hollywood. He has written for HuffPost, built timber frame houses and barns, repaired motorcycles, run a real estate company, and served as an EMT. He knows the freedom and trials of living off the grid and growing his own food. The counterbalance to his peripatetic adventures is his home in Vermont, which has his heart.

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https://thomashenrypope.com/
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Award Category
Book Award 2023
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2023 Best Book Cover
Golden Writer
Imperfect Burials
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Comments

Stuart Wakefield Thu, 31/08/2023 - 15:12

I loved the final exchange between Finn and Dabrowski. It was a great way to introduce a key plot point and set up the tension for the rest of the story. You also did a great job of conveying the stakes of the conversation and the stakes of the mission that Finn has been given. It's a great start to the story that left me looking forward to seeing where it went!

Thomas Henry Pope Sun, 08/10/2023 - 17:40

Stuart,

That you see the building blocks of a story as they appear leads me to suspect that you are an author as well, or one very skilled reader, As an author, I love the task of casting the net of which information gets revealed, and when and how. I hope you get to find this story someday and follow Finn's journey through . . . to the bitter (kind of) end.

Jennifer Bisbing Sun, 03/09/2023 - 18:59

A clear look into oppression on many levels. Dark smokey rooms, and puff-up egos in all directions. The generational levels of how that power has affected the characters is well played.

Thomas Henry Pope Sun, 08/10/2023 - 17:44

Hi Jennifer,

It seems as if you have read the whole story to make the various points in your comments. I confess to not really know how much of the text is made available and to whom, but if you have gotten this much from the first few pages, I am very pleased.

Thomas Henry Pope Sun, 08/10/2023 - 17:50

Hi Pramudith,

You raise one of the pivotal arguments in modern fiction. And though like you, I appreciate showing over telling (let's face it, narratives require some telling) there are some who prefer a different balance. And yes, my becoming enthralled with writing a story involves rich seeing of the places. Then the rest of the scenes are must easier to write. They become little movies.

Nadine Matheson Sat, 23/09/2023 - 14:08

I immediately felt that this piece had a 'Bridge of Spies' feel to it. It was quite cinematic in that it didn't take much for me to visualise the scene. It was enjoyable and kept me engaged. There was a good pace and you did a good job of creating intrigue.

Thomas Henry Pope Sun, 08/10/2023 - 17:53

Hi Nadine,

Pacing is such a difficult thing to gauge when at the writing desk. It takes lots of experimentation with narrative, inner monologue and dialogue. My ultimate test is if I can't feel the emotion of the scene as I read it aloud, I've got more work to do.

And of course, intrigue is the heart of thriller. So glad you liked the piece.

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