Check Out T.o. Paine’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to T.o. Paine

Hi T.O., so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
At the turn of the century, my daughter Shawndra lost her battle with neuroblastoma, a brain cancer. She was three years old. Before her passing, she would go to daycare and stand in the corner, watching the other children play without saying a word. When she came home, she would walk in the door, raise her hand in the air, and declare that she had played with kids that day. She said this every day, but much like myself, she was too introverted to socialize.
After Shawndra passed away, my wife and I entered a deep depression for over nine years. The Twin Towers fell that year, and there was no hope, future, or light to live for, but I kept thinking about how Shawndra was so happy every time she raised her hand and said she had played with kids. She never had the chance to overcome her shyness, but one day, I realized I did. To honor her memory, I decided to “play with kids” by running a marathon in each of the fifty united states. Some marathons have as few as fifty people, and others have as many as thirty-five thousand, but we’re all just kids running together for our own reasons. At the finish line of each 26.2-mile endeavor, I raise my hand in the air and shout, “I played with kids today!” Shawndra is my reason.
My tribute to Shawndra and life itself did not stop at running. My deep belief that life is for living pushed me to achieve dreams other than becoming a fifty-state marathon runner. I made a list. I wanted to ride my bicycle over the highest Rocky Mountain peaks, become an IRONMAN triathlete, obtain a Master’s Degree in Information Systems, and return to my love of writing by becoming an author. Having already entered by forties, I didn’t have much time. But, that wasn’t true. Over the past ten years, I’ve learned it is never too late to start.
On February 3rd, 2024, I ran my fiftieth marathon in fifty states. I’ve ridden my bicycle from Denver to Vail, over three Rocky Mountain passes at ten-thousand-foot elevations, multiple times. I became an IRONMAN triathlete in Lake Placid, New York, in 2016, and I have written and published several thriller suspense novels, fulfilling my childhood dream of becoming an author.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Has it been a smooth road? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Living a full life in honor of my daughter was not without its challenges. The universe will put obstacles in the way of any aspirations no matter how noble. Five years after my daughter’s passing, my wife suffered a seizure on the due date of our last child. The seizure killed him in utero. This event deepened our depression and led us to join a supportive family community in the mountains of Arizona. The community turned out to be a semi-destructive cult, and we returned to Colorado after three years. Through these experiences and others, I realized my biggest obstacle to living life to it’s fullest existed entirely inside my mind. Every endeavor from then on was only as hard as I mentally made it. The running, cycling, studying, and writing came easier, working on each small piece one day at a time. By working consistently and dealing with whatever the universe threw at me along the way, my dreams slowly came true. I have lived the life my daughter would have wanted for me.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I am very proud of my writing. Though I’ve worked as a software programmer and IT management leader for most of my career, my passion for writing has remained strong. As of 2024, I’ve written four thriller suspense novels largely based on my life experience, and I have more on the way. My novel, The Teaching, continues many true-life experiences from when my family and I lived in a cult. Another novel, The Excursion, is set in the Rocky Mountains not far from where I live in the Denver metro area. The Excursion and my latest novel, The Delusion, have received literary awards and praise from many readers. The recognition has filled me with gratitude. My daughter would have been proud.

Where do you see things going in the next 5-10 years?
Where do you see your industry going over the next 5-10 years? Any big shifts, changes, trends, etc?
Regarding the fiction book publishing industry, there have been, and will continue to be, many changes. Amazon revolutionized the industry years ago by making self-publishing possible. Self-publishing is now taking over the century-old traditional publishing establishment. At first, self-publishers did not provide the quality to readers that traditional publishing could, but that has changed. Now, artificial intelligence is revolutionizing the way we do everything. Like the self-publishing revolution, writing books with AI does not have the quality readers expect, but someday it might. This could threaten the livelihood of authors. We’ll have to wait and see.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://topaine.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/t.o.paine
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/topaineauthor
• Twitter: https://x.com/topaine