Thomas Jobling, a Larne based, now retired business man, describes himself as a ‘nautical novelist’ as all of his books thus far have featured a strong maritime backdrop.
Born by the sea, boats and boating were always destined to feature in his writing and although his books are of course fiction, much of their content is based on Tom’s personal experiences; afloat, and ashore. Always gifted with an eye and an ear to pick up on the life journeys of folk he has met this latest novel ‘A Letter to a Lucky Man’ builds on this background and takes it to new levels of authenticity and detail.
‘Curtis Cardinali, Italian heritage, Northern Ireland born and bred, engineer and amateur sailor, his has been an intriguing life. From council house beginnings to leadership of industry, from the shop floors of hard-line unions to luxury spa hotel breaks with a growing family, throughout it all he had been lucky. Even a letter which broke his teenage heart turned out to be a blessing in disguise. It was only ever ‘a letter to a lucky man’. But when the luck runs out Curtis’s life is rocked in a way he could never have foreseen…’
Dave Selby, a columnist with the UK’s leading nautical magazine Practical Boat Owner said of it: ‘A Letter to a Lucky Man is not merely a deftly plotted read-at-at-one-sitting thriller, but a warm and human rite of passage… Uplifting throughout.’ Tony Kennedy, chair of the John Hewitt Society, said in his review; ‘Thomas uses his experience of industry and his knowledge of the sea and dramatic headlands of the Antrim coast to spin a fascinating tale.’
As well as his novel writing, Thomas Jobling has been involved in a number of local literary projects. With the Larne Writers Group (now re-titled East Antrim Writers) he contributed to the production ‒ a book of short stories ‒ titled ‘13’. The print run sold out with all proceeds donated to Marie Curie. A recent project Shaped by the Sea is an anthology of creative writing past and present, driven by another Larne author, Angeline King. Thomas’s contributions were a [very] short poem which found its way onto the front cover and a story titled A Leap of Faith which recalled the voyages of the legendary Islandmagee ferry… Hosted by Mid & East Antrim council as part of their St.Art programme Shaped by the Sea was funded by the European Union’s Peace IV initiative. Copies are still available.
Before his creative writing took him into the world of novels he, as a member of the international Yachting Journalist’s Association, covered yachting events and dinghy sailing championship for boating’s leading journals of the day such as: Yachting & Boating Weekly, Yachts & Yachting and Ireland Afloat. He also wrote a weekly column for Larne Times and Belfast’s Sunday News.
However, with a growing family the need for ‘real’ work beckoned, and thus the young Jobling found himself thrust into the world of plastics manufacturing. He became a member of the build-team producing Ruffian racing yachts out of Portaferry then GP14 class sailboats near Bangor as well as distributing DIY plastic materials to schools and thereafter into Ireland’s manufacturing industries. Later, with the local manufacturer and exporter Brett Martin, his blossoming career took him into the construction industry. The sales of plastic building products raised him ultimately to the position of their national sales manager for Ireland. But still his need to write continued. Alongside the managing of an all-Ireland sales team, he also found time to feature write for Northern Ireland’s building journal of the time, Specify.
Unfortunately because of the current Covid 19 restrictions Thomas Jobling’s new novel has been forced to forgo a formal book launch.
‘A Letter to a Lucky Man’ is however available on various platforms. Published by Leschenault Press (Book Reality Experience Imprint) it can be purchased (RRP: £9.99/ €12 +P&P) through book stores using its Paperback ISBN: 978-0-6489496-1-9. The book is also available in an alternate E-book format from all major online providers world-wide.
… ‘A Letter to a Lucky Man’ is released on Thursday 5th November.
A limited edition of signed copies is currently available. To order your copy of ‘A Letter to a Lucky Man’ by Thomas Jobling (a perfect gift), go to sales@bookreality.com
All other enquiries should be directed to jasmine@leschenaultpress.com.
The third book from nautical novelist, THOMAS JOBLING
A Letter to a Lucky Man is the latest thriller with a nautical twist from the pen of Thomas Jobling, author of the acclaimed Chasing Shadows and Arthur’s Dead.
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