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Hamptons.com
January 11, 2022

NYT Bestselling Author Tom Clavin Talks Newest Book and Success as an Author

Shay Siegelby Shay Siegel
in Featured
Home Featured
Tom Clavin, the author of the newly released book “Wild Bill: The True Story of the American Frontier’s First Gunfighter”
Gordon M. Grant Photo

Tom Clavin is the bestselling author of more than 20 books in multiple genres from American and military history, sports, and entertainment. Several of his books have been #1 New York Times bestsellers.

 

A native to the East End of Long Island, Tom resides in Sag Harbor where he has made his home for decades. He enjoys the quality of life that the East End has to offer, and after previously working as a newspaper editor and writer for the New York Times, he writes for the Sag Harbor Express.

 

Tom’s newest release Lightning Down is available now online and from local Hamptons bookstores. Tom spoke about the inspiration behind the story, his writing process, and the evolution of his career as an author.

 

Congratulations on your latest book Lightning Down! Can you tell us about it? Where did the idea and inspiration come from to write this story?

 

TC: This is a true story about Joe Moser who is shot down over occupied France in August 1944, is captured by the Germans, and winds up in Buchenwald. He discovers he is one of 168 Allied pilots sent there to die, and the rest of the book is about the struggle to survive in Buchenwald and beyond. In December 2015, I stumbled across an obituary of one of the pilots who survived and wanted to find out more . . . and I discovered much more than I expected.

 

For those who are unfamiliar with your books, what would you say is most important to know about your work?

 

TC: I tell stories based on facts that can be as intriguing, if not more so, than stories that have been embellished or even fabricated. Readers might be surprised and say, “This can’t be true.” In my books, at least, it is. 

 

When did you know that you wanted to be an author? And what drew you specifically to your chosen genres?

 

TC: It chose me. I can’t recall not wanting to be a writer. I just wish I’d been more talented or fortunate to have begun to write full-time earlier in life. 

 

You have written and published more than 20 books. Does it ever get easier? Is every release different or surprising in some way?

 

TC: With experience comes the ability to know how to dig out and relate stories in a more efficient way. I think with any craft, you know what you’re doing more often. However, each book is different. Once I had enough research, Dodge City practically wrote itself. Blood and Treasure was also fun because there is a combination of tons of information about 18th-century America and Bob Drury’s brilliant writing. Lightning Down was a very hard book to write yet I almost hoped it would never be finished.

 

How has your writing style evolved over time? Has your writing changed as your experiences and the world around you have changed?

 

TC: I try to be less convoluted and more spare in the writing. And when the story is really good, don’t get in the way of it, let there be a direct connection between story and reader because the book is not about me. For good or bad, I’ve found that over the last few years between our political situation and a needlessly long pandemic, my writing has been more of a refuge. With Tombstone, for example, I was much happier in Arizona in 1881 then America in 2020.

 

What is your process? Do you have a set writing schedule each day?

 

TC: I am a creature of habit and I adhere to a schedule every day, with 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. devoted to writing and related tasks six days a week (a half-day on Sunday). This may seem like I’m good at self-discipline, but I think it’s more about obsession. One of my favorite quotes is from Gustav Flaubert: “Be regular and orderly in your life, so you may be violent and original in your work.”

 

How does the local area influence your creative process?

 

TC: Sag Harbor has been my full-time home for decades but I’m still not sure how to answer that. I believe I could write anywhere, so my surroundings might have less to do about my work and more to do with trying to have quality of life outside of work. 

 

What’s your favorite pastime in the Hamptons?

 

TC: Except for July and August, I enjoy taking drives, which can include the North Fork too. Almost every day I park on a main street (usually Sag Harbor’s) to read and observe people. During summer, nothing beats picnics at Long Beach, marveling at the sunsets and recalling my children being taught to swim there as soon as they were old enough. 

 

How do you define success as a writer?

 

TC: The ability to write full-time. With the exception of already having money, this means being published and reaching and being appreciated by enough readers that I don’t have to do other work to fund a writing life. Bestsellers are a bonus. For me, let me write and whatever happens, happens.

 

Are there any authors or other creatives who have influenced you in a significant way?

 

TC: In any field, people who are the best at their craft—Derek Jeter or Serena Williams in sports and Stevie Nicks in music are examples—have inspired me.  Authors whose work I’ve kept coming back to over the years are a diverse lot, ranging from John Steinbeck, James Lee Burke, and C.S. Forester to Flannery O’Connor, Laura Hillenbrand, and Graham Greene, with tons of writers in between. I’m no snob. I could be reading Hemingway one day and C.J. Box the next.

 

What do you think is the hardest thing about writing? What is the easiest?

 

TC: The hardest is doing it every day while ignoring reasons not to, especially the painful self-doubts that the work simply is not good enough. Some days, you’re right. The goal is to arrive at those days being the exception, and unless you’re a Mozart of the keyboard, writing every day is the only way to get there. For me, the easiest is writing every day. The rest of life is the nerves-rattling challenge.

 

Do you have any advice for aspiring authors?

 

TC: If you have writing heroes, keep reading their work. There is a reason their works of fiction or nonfiction speak to you. When writing has left you despondent, exhausted, or flummoxed, they will help pick you back up.

 

To learn more about Tom and his books, including his latest release Lightning Down, visit him at www.tomclavin.com.

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Sag Harbor Cinema: Rare Screening of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars

Sag Harbor Cinema: Rare Screening of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars

  • So many fun events this weekend! ⁠
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Check out the top Hamptons events this weekend!⁠
⁠
🎸 22nd Annual Battle of the Bands⁠
📅 Friday, June 6 | 8PM–11:30PM⁠
📍 Ponquogue Beach, 280 Dune Rd, Hampton Bays⁠
🎶 Five local high school bands compete for great prizes!⁠
📸 Photo: Rob Rich/SocietyAllure.com ©2024⁠
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🛋️ Decorators-Designers-Dealers (D-D-D) Sale & Auction Benefit Gala⁠
📅 Saturday, June 7 | 4PM⁠
📍 36 Barkers Island Rd, Southampton⁠
✨ Silent & wine auctions + high-end home furnishings amid a summer cocktail party.⁠
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🎨 Magical Thinking Exhibition⁠
📅 Saturday, June 7 | 6PM⁠
📍 Keyes Art, 45 Main St, Sag Harbor⁠
🌌 A stunning show exploring the extraordinary through realism.⁠
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🌅 Second Annual Sunset Soirée for Brain Cancer⁠
📅 Saturday, June 7 | 5PM–9PM⁠
📍 Private Estate, East Hampton⁠
💜 Enjoy sunset views and raise awareness for an important cause.⁠
⁠
🐋 Mini-Whale Workshop with UpSculpt⁠
📅 Saturday, June 7 | 12PM–4PM⁠
📍 Bridgehampton Museum, 2539 Montauk Hwy⁠
♻️ Transform marine debris into art while learning about conservation and local history.⁠
⁠
🎧 Amalfi’s Waterfront Party Series⁠
📅 Saturday, June 7 | 3PM–10PM⁠
📍 Amalfi, 32 Lighthouse Rd, Hampton Bays⁠
🍸 Food, cocktails, and DJ sets with a waterfront view.⁠
⁠
🎬 Tony Gilroy In Conversation⁠
📅 Sunday, June 8 | 2PM⁠
📍 Southampton Playhouse, 43 Hill St⁠
🎥 A deep dive into the filmmaker’s suspenseful storytelling—including Andor.⁠
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💃 Gipsy Kings Live at Canoe Place⁠
📅 Sunday, June 8 | 7PM⁠
📍 Canoe Place Inn, 239 E Montauk Hwy, Hampton Bays⁠
🎶 End your weekend with legendary music and energy!⁠
⁠
🌟 Tony Awards Screening & Red Carpet at Guild Hall⁠
📅 Sunday, June 8 | 8PM⁠
📍 Guild Hall, 158 Main St, East Hampton⁠
🎭 Watch the 78th Tony Awards LIVE from Radio City in red carpet style!⁠
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#hamptonsevents #battleofthebands #tonyawards #eastendart #hamptonssummer2025 #livemusic #artexhibition #fundraiserevent #guildhall #canoeplace #sagharbor #easthampton #southampton #hamptonbays
  • 7 Lee Lane, Wainscott, NY 11975⁠
Saunders Exclusive: $8,875,000⁠
@hamptonsrealestate⁠
@vinceinthehamptons⁠
@paramountdevelopmentgroup⁠
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Ready for immediate occupancy and fully furnished. Stunning new construction from renowned Hamptons Paramount Development Group, South of the Highway in Wainscott.⁠
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Sited on a flag lot off the end of a cul-de-sac and surrounded by scenic easement, this brand-new home has 7,366 +/- sq. ft. of living space on 3 levels with 7 bedrooms, 7.5 baths, an attached 2-car garage, and heated saltwater pool with an optional pool house.⁠
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Seamless luxury inside and out is woven together for enviable entertaining and everyday, effortless comfort. Interiors are bright and inviting, filled with natural light throughout the contemporary open-concept floorplan.⁠
⁠
The elevated primary suite has its own private balcony and a luxe bath. Additional bedrooms are spacious and comfortable, sure to impress your friends and guests.⁠
⁠
Ready for everyday luxury living, the finished lower level includes a home gym, 2 bedrooms, a full bath, a recreation room, and sauna.⁠
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Easy indoor-outdoor living awaits as you dine al fresco in the backyard with an outdoor kitchen, lounge in the sun by the 20’x40′ heated, saltwater pool and wash off after a day at the beach with an outdoor shower.⁠
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Positioned perfectly just off the iconic Georgica Pond and surrounding estates, plus the world-class ocean beaches and the countless charms of Wainscott Village.⁠
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#newconstruction #hamptons #luxuryrealestate #wainscott #hamptonsrealestate
  • The reopening of the Sunset Theater marks a new chapter for a historically cherished cultural venue in Westhampton Beach, originally built in 1927. After what Founder and Managing Director Inge Debyser described as an extensive three-year renovation, the beloved movie theater officially reopened its doors at 2 Brook Road on Friday, April 25.⁠
@sunset.theater.whb⁠
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Read the full article at Hamptons.com (Link in Bio)⁠
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#sunsettheater #hamptons #westhamptonbeach #movies #film
  • Kicking off Memorial Day weekend, The HUB—short for Health, Unity, and Beauty—launched its summer season with an impressive soirée on Friday. ⁠
⁠
Founders Michael Catalano and Toni DeMauro, along with creative and event leads Alex Vinash and Billy Folchetti, welcomed 300 Hamptonites into the magic of their bold new project.⁠
@hub_hamptons⁠
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Check out the full gallery at Hamptons.com (Link in Bio)⁠
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📸: Rob Rich/SocietyAllure.com⁠
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#hamptons #thehub #fashion #recreation #bridgehampton
  • Check out the Top Hamptons Events This Weekend!⁠
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🍻 Back to the Bays x Kidd Squid: Brew for the Bay Release Party!⁠
📅 Friday, May 30, 2025⁠
🕓 5pm
📍 Kidd Squid Brewery, 11 Spring St, Sag Harbor, NY⁠
⁠
Join us as we toast to conservation! 🌊🍺 Proceeds support marine restoration through @ccemarine Back to the Bays Initiative.⁠
⁠
🔗 [Click Link in Bio for Event Info]⁠
⁠
🎶 Sunset Serenades: A Hamptons Summer Celebration⁠
📅 Fri, May 30th -31st
🕖 7pm⁠
📍 Various Hamptons Venues⁠
⁠
An intimate concert featuring TH·FM’s Salon Orchestra, soprano Greer Lyle & more — conducted by Logan Souther. 🌅🎻⁠
⁠
🔗 [Click Link in Bio for Event Info]⁠
⁠
🏆 Celebrate Local Legends: Howard & Kenny Wood⁠
📅 Fri, May 30, 2025⁠
🕔 5pm⁠
📍 The Clubhouse, 174 Daniels Hole Rd, East Hampton, NY⁠
⁠
Join the party honoring Suffolk County Hall of Fame icons! 🎉⁠
⁠
🔗 [Click Link in Bio for Event Info]⁠
⁠
🍍 Talkhouse Encore Launch Party⁠
📅 Sat, May 31, 2025⁠
🕒 3pm – 6pm⁠
📍 The Stephen Talkhouse, Amagansett, NY⁠
⁠
FREE entry, tequila pineapple cocktails, music, bites & giveaways! 🍹🎶⁠
⁠
🔗 [Click Link in Bio for Event Info]⁠
⁠
🧱 CMEE’s 8th Annual Block Party⁠
📅 Sat, May 31, 2025⁠
🕙 10am – 12pm⁠
📍 CMEE, Bridgehampton, NY⁠
⁠
A FREE morning of crafts, rockets, chalk art & summer camp samplings! 👧🧒🎨⁠
⁠
🔗 [Click Link in Bio for Event Info]⁠
⁠
😂 Saturday Night Comedy at Sticks X Stones⁠
📅 Sat, May 31, 2025⁠
🕗 8pm⁠
📍 Sticks and Stones Comedy Club, Southampton, NY⁠
⁠
NYC’s top comedy club talent hits the Hamptons! 🎤🤣⁠
⁠
🔗 [Click Link in Bio for Event Info]⁠
⁠
🎬 Sunset Theater: Karate Kid: Legends⁠
📅 Opens Fri, May 30, 2025⁠
🕐 Various Times⁠
📍 Sunset Theater, Westhampton Beach, NY⁠
⁠
Don’t miss the latest chapter in the Karate Kid saga! 🥋⁠
⁠
🔗 [Click Link in Bio for Event Info]⁠
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🍰 Afternoon Tea at The Baker House 1650⁠
📅 Sun, June 1, 2025⁠
🕝 1:30pm – 4pm⁠
📍 181 Main St, East Hampton, NY⁠
⁠
Enjoy champagne, sweets & elegant tea service in a historic setting. ☕🍾⁠
⁠
🔗 [Click Link in Bio for Event Info]⁠
⁠
Check out more events at Hamptons.com⁠
⁠
#hamptons #weekend⁠
  • Nearly two years after its debut, El Verano offers a taste of upscale Mexican cuisine in a setting inspired by the charm of vacation summer homes in Mexico. Customers enter a vibrant space filled with beautiful greenery and colorful decor as they enjoy dishes rooted in the heritage of acclaimed chef Julian Medina.⁠
⁠
Medina grew up in Mexico City, where his love for cooking first began. In pursuit of his career, he moved to New York City, where he graduated from the French Culinary Institute. Noticing a lack of refined Mexican dining in Southampton, Medina created El Verano to bring the bold flavors of his roots to the area. Blending Mexican coastal charm with rich culinary traditions, El Verano brings something new to the Southampton dining scene.⁠
⁠
Medina shared some of his signature dishes, journey through the cooking field, and highlighted El Verano’s fresh and locally sourced ingredients that shape each creation.⁠
⁠
Read the interview at Hamptons.com (Link in Bio)⁠
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#elverano #dining #southampton #mexicancuisine
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