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Storylines wake Norman at night, depriving him of sleep until he shapes the original idea, settings, protagonist, and
antagonist into the beginning of his next novel. Often, he roams the house throughout the night, in search of a distraction
to shutout the incessant plots so he can rest. The story always comes back, urging Norman to craft the book trapped in his mind.
Born in Jesup, Georgia, he grew up in Tampa, Florida. Much of his passion for writing evolved during his youth. Norman vividly remembers sitting on the stairs outside Plant High School captivated as he read Day of the Jackal by
Frederick Forsyth. At home, dreams were encouraged and allowed to coexist with expected responsibility. His parents and two
brothers (Bill has published four books) are avid readers connected always by a love of books.
With degrees in
Industrial Management from Georgia Tech and Civil Engineering from University of South Florida, Norman's
education prepared him for a career that includes a brief stint with a military contractor in Clearwater, Florida, several years with a Tampa industrial contractor, and his current role in operations management with a telecommunications manufacturer on the
outskirts of Atlanta. Responsibility first, yet his aspiration to write never released
it's stronghold on his soul. Although not literary in content, his management and engineering experience contribute to Norman's writing by strengthening his organization, problem solving, and completion skills.
Norman spent ten years writing his first manuscript before he finally typed
THE END. After vowing to improve his writing and learn more about the business, Norman says, "Whew, I'd be afraid to read that first manuscript now. I still like the story . . . maybe, I'll RE-write
it."
Juggling his day job and family time, Norman
journeyed a long road to publication. "Without a famous name or Grisham-like results out of the gate, breaking into publishing
takes patience and tenacity. Most writers inch their way forward," the author says. "Go on or give up is the choice
a writer faces time and time again." Norman attributes much of his
growth as a writer to attending writer's conferences and relationships he has established with the editors, agents, publishers,
and particularly, other writers. "The authors I know empathize with the self-doubting lows and ecstatic highs, and are
eager to help a fellow writer move forward."
Norman
resides in Marietta, Georgia with his wife, Ansley,
and two children, who light up his world. He is thankful daily for their love and support. His creativeness vanished during
Ansley's battle with breast cancer in 2003. "Nothing else mattered," he says. "Her courage and faith throughout
rigorous treatment remain a source of inspiration for me. As her strength returns, I seem more focused on what is truly important
. . . health, happiness, and integrity."
What's next? "I'll keep writing. Bottleneck needs more polishing and I plan to submit by 2006. I'm also nearly finished with a corporate mystery-thriller.
Hopefully, you'll see more of my novels on the shelves soon. If not. Well, I could have worse hobbies."
If
you plan to read After the Game, Norman deeply appreciates your support and hopes you enjoy his novel as much as he did writing the story.
For
more on Norman Chastain see hisQuestions
and Answerspage.
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Are you what you read, watch, and listen to? Here are some of Norman's favorite books, movies, and tunes.
BOOKS:
Absolute Power,
David Baldacci; Angels and Demons, Dan Brown; Blood Work, Michael Connelly; Blue Plate Special, Ruth Birmingham;
Day of the Jackal, Frederick Forsyth;
Dead Even, Brad Meltzer; Eagle Has Landed, Jack Higgins; Fast Track, John DeDakis; Go, Dog, Go!, P. D. Eastman; Gods and Generals, Jeff Shaara; Gone for Good, Harlan Coben; Intensity, Dean Koontz; Jaws, Peter
Benchley; Killer Angels, Michael Shaara;
Kiss the Girls, James Patterson; Last of the Breed, Louis L'Amour; On Writing, Stephen King; Presumed Innocent, Scott Turow; Prince of Tides, Pat Conroy; Ransom's Bride, Ginger Hanson; Seabiscuit, Laura Hillenbrand; Tell No One,
Harlan Coben; The Bible; The Da Vinci
Code, Dan Brown; The Lord of the Rings, J. R. R. Tolkien; The Perfect Storm, Sebastian Junger; The Poet, Michael Connelly;
The Streak, Bill Chastain; Time to Kill,
John Grisham; To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee; Without Remorse, Tom Clancy; Wonder Boys, Michael Chabon
MOVIES:
A River Runs Through It, Animal
House, Backdraft, Basic Instinct, Big, Beauty on the Beast, Black Hawk Down,
Body Double, Braveheart, Bronco Billy, Casablanca, Dial M for Murder, Duel, Elf, Field of Dreams, Finding Forrester, Forest
Gump, Ghost, Gone with the Wind, High Noon, How the West was Won, Indian Jones
and the Raiders of the Lost Ark, It's a Wonderful Life, Legends of he Fall, Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, Malice,
M.A.S.H., Miracle on 34th Street, Miss Congeniality, Mr. Deeds, No Way Out, One Fine Day, Pirates of the Caribbean:
The Curse of the Black Pearl, Point Break, Rear Window, Remember the Titans, Saving Private Ryan, Seven Days in May, Sleepless
in Seattle, Somewhere in Time, Stalag 17, Stripes, The Bridge on the River Kwai, The Great Escape, The Magnificent Seven,
The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, The Man Who Would Be King, The Mean Season, The Patriot, The Pelican Brief, The Silence
of the Lambs, The Sixth Sense, The Thomas Crown Affair, To Kill a Mockingbird, We're No Angels, Zulu
TUNES:
"867-5309/Jenny," Tommy Tutone; "A Thousand
Miles," Vanessa Carlton; "Ain't No Mountain High Enough," Dianna Ross, "Ask the Lonely," Journey;
"Bring Me to Life," Evanescence, "Caroline," Jefferson Starship; "Carry On Wayward Son," Kansas;
"Classical Gas," Mason Williams; "Fire and Rain," James Taylor; "Free Bird," Lynard Skynard;
"Green Grass and High Tides," The Outlaws; "Greensleeves"; "Heaven Knows," The Corrs; "Here
I Am Lord"; "I Got You, Babe," Sonny and Cher; "My Happy Ending," Avril Lavigne; "Save Tonight,"
Eagle Eye Cherry; "The Metro," Berlin; "The Way It Is," Bruce Hornsby & the Range; "Until the
Night," Billy Joel; "Violin Fantasy on Puccini's 'Turandot'," Vanessa Mae; "We Danced Anyway," Deanna
Carter; "You're My Home," Billy Joel
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