So, who's this guy named Thomas Michael Caldwell?

Well, he was born and raised in a place called Connecticut—something he usually doesn't talk about. It's not so much because he's ashamed to be from a U.S. State famous for nuclear ballistic missile submarines, the world's largest casino, and the Bush Family. No, he doesn't talk about it because he knows that H.P. Lovecraft, Ira Levin and Rick Moody were right!

Thomas was a product of the tumultuous 1970s. It was a decade of harsh division in his native land along cultural lines: disco vs hard rock. Whereas the generation before his had violently fought against the Vietnam War in the streets and on the campuses, Thomas' waged war against polyester shirts, the Bee Gees, and men's hair parted down the middle.

After disco, Led Zeppelin, and John Lennon had all died, Thomas began to travel the world and decided to stay. He eventually ended up in Japan where he worked in international trade, computers and public relations. But the real fun began when he started working for United Press International which, at the time, was the finest news organization in the world, albeit the one with the least amount of money.

During his career with UPI, Thomas honed both his survival and media skills. He learned the writing and announcing trade from some of the finest broadcast and print journalists then living on Earth. He also learned not to take anything that goes on in this world, or anyone in it, too seriously. Including himself.

As a journalist, Thomas covered many significant events then occurring in the Far East that included the Kobe Earthquake; the Tokyo Subway Gas Attack; and the Handover of Hong Kong to China in 1997 where he served as UPI's acting Hong Kong Bureau Chief. He eventually left UPI to pursue a career as an independent writer and media producer.

Thomas currently makes his living working on all sorts of writing projects. He can write up everything from CVs to 10-Ks, as well as books (for himself and as a ghost writer), magazine features, multi-media presentations, video documentaries, films, screenplays, narrations, and can do all the related publishing and production work. Thomas also serves as a private writing coach to business executives, achademics and other writers. On occasion, he participates in workshops where he teaches practical written and spoken communication skills.

A  long-time member of the National Writers Union, Thomas has worked as an advisor and consultant on intellectual property issues for individual and institutional clients. He’s also taken the ultimate plunge for someone who loves books: becoming a publisher. He heads up Thelesis Aura Publishing Group; a unique and fast growing media company with operations in the United States, Japan and other counties. TA produces material catering to those interested in the world’s many philosophies, religions, esoteric practices, cultural traditions and related subject matter that makes life more livable, purposful and, most important, meaningful.

Computers are another thing Thomas likes to spend his time on. He's been using email since 1985 (yes, it has been around that long) and believes strongly that the Internet is (with apologies to Lincoln) the Last Best Hope of Earth. The Net also allows Thomas to live in an ancient, green, oxygen-rich part of Kanagawa, Japan while working on projects with clients who are across town or across the globe. He’s proficient in UNIX/Linux and a big fan of the Mac OS X world (which is basically the same thing under the hood)

Besides working and writing, Thomas likes to spend his time alpine mountain climbing, sailing, organic gardening, and a few other hobbies he wishes he had more time for. To keep his mind, body and spirit in shape he also studies Karate, and currently holds a brown belt in a direct branch of the Okinawan Shorin-ryu Shorin-kan tradition.