Thanks to many different life experiences, Jefferson City author Tom Ault has had a plethora of topics for his books.
Ault has been an exterminator, surveyor assistant, office and operations manager, credit manager, salesman, sales manager, owned his own company, retired for 11 years then went back to work part time for three years until he left Joe Machen's Ford as a driver in September.
Born in Council Bluffs, Iowa, Ault started writing in high school and continued off and on throughout his life.
"I started with poetry, then in business with a sales manual for my first big sales company, then sales letters and sales training to my salesmen," Ault said.
Ault was married the first time for 45 years to Mary Jo, who died from cancer; he has been married for the past 15 years to Paulette.
It's been during his time with Paulette that Ault began to do serious writing, and he credits a creative writing course he took with helping to focus on how to become an author. His advice to those who think they want to write is to pursue it.
"Too many times, people don't get involved with their mind," Ault said. "Off and on, I have written about various things that struck me at the time. In the class, we each were given something to write on, and we got 10 minutes to write on it. I think that helped me to think and get ideas at a fast pace."
Since 2002, Ault has written 15 self-published books.
Ault has lived in Iowa, Nebraska, Louisiana, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Georgia, Florida, Illinois, Alabama and Jefferson City where he has been since 2014 and will probably remain.
Seven pictorial books introduces kids to animals, birds, insects and other things - "Jake Sez: Your Pet Loves You" being the most recent with suggestions from retired Jefferson City veterinarian Dr. Greg Popp for dog safety. Jake is Ault's 12-year-old schnoodle.
"I write when I feel like it," Ault said. "I may go for two weeks and write every day and then stop for a month. I have other hobbies I like to pursue like woodworking and photography. It's not like I have to sit here and look out the window to get inspiration."
Ault has also written three mysteries, but said his two favorite books are probably about the life of his 1879 Gilbert Kitchen Clock, starting with where it came into being in Massachusetts and Connecticut, and what transpired over the next 20 years or so.
"I don't make any money at it," Ault said. "If I'm lucky, I break even. I like to think that maybe some of the things I write will help other people.'