Tom Mach wrote his first novel The Boss’s Son when he was 17 and a junior in high school. Although there was little interest among mainstream publishers for that first novel, Tom practiced his writing skills, spurred on by the encouragement given his high school and college instructors. Later he went on to become a part-time stringer for a California newspaper chain, writing an article a week for $25 per story. Then he went into writing articles for magazines such as Women’s Day, Jack & Jill, PSA, and others, including Writer’s Digest, where he made the front cover with a feature article on the stress of writing.
Tom also experimented with poetry and, one day, a check for $35 came in the mail for a poem he had written. During all this time, he changed jobs and locations, moving to St. Paul, St. Louis, Columbus, Fresno, San Jose, and finally Lawrence, Kansas — this experience giving him invaluable experiences as a writer. After having won several awards for poetry as well as publication in books and newspapers, Tom feels his three greatest achievements are having won the Nelson Poetry Book Award for his book The Uni Verse, having been a finalist in a Writer’s Digest competition, and being published in Tallgrass Voices.
He became editor of Software Supermarket and South Bay Accent magazines. And, in the process, learned how an editor interrelates with writers.
Tom has taught creative writing at Piqua College, San Jose State, a California Writers Convention, the Kansas Authors Club Convention, Kansas University’s Continuing Education program, and Emporia State University.
Tom Mach presented many lectures, conducted several writing workshops, and visited members of book clubs, volunteer organizations, and women’s clubs. However, he especially enjoys his work with children by teaching and encouraging them to write. Here is a photo of him evaluating writing samples from grade school kids in his “Writing as an Adventure” course for the Lawrence Parks & Recreation District. He also tutored third graders in California and volunteers in helping first graders at St. John’s school. “After all,” Tom says, “children are our future.”
