Dr. Tim Mounce was born in rural Pontotoc County, Mississippi. Following graduation from the University of Mississippi, he taught mathematics, physical education, health, adult education and continuing education topics. During his tenure in Mississippi public schools, he also coached multiple sports (basketball, tennis, baseball, soccer and golf), drove school bus routes and taught night classes for a local college. In 2006, he was invited to participate in the Mississippi State University Writing and Thinking Project. While there, he wrote the short story “Run For Your Life,” which was broadcast on Rural Voices Radio.
Since 2010, Dr. Mounce has lived in Chatham County, where he ascended to associate professor on the collegiate level.
In 2019, he released “Squatching By Woods on a Snowy Evening (A Squatching Classics Book),” a well-received children’s book about adventure and discovery. This month, he released “Let’s Play Tennis! (A Baby Bigfoot and Baby Yeti Book),” aimed at helping children cultivate imagination and grow their love of reading. In it, Dr. Mounce says, a “silly band of sasquatches is learning through creative play and not letting the typical rules guide them on their way.”
Besides being active in Chatham County activities, Dr. Mounce’s hobbies include hiking, tennis and sand volleyball.
Here, he discusses the challenges he’s faced as a writer during COVID-19 quarantine.
Has the additional time of isolation been helpful to your creativity or hindered it?
Isolation for a writer, or for a lot of people, can be a very useful event for their creativity. I always think about Albert Einstein, who used to take long walks and spend extended periods of time by himself to explore his inner mind, and the infamous author from “The Shining,” who traveled to an isolated hotel shut down from the winter in order to finish his next novel.
Indeed, my period of isolation has been much more the Stephen King character than the genius physicist. Not only am I stuck at home, but my wife, who is a physician, is working a lot more from home. My 5-year-old son is finishing kindergarten at home, and my 3-year-old daughter — while inspiring — is not exactly amused by me spending extended periods of time on the keyboard.
Then there is the cocker spaniel who barks relentlessly at everyone and everything that goes by.
Not only that, but I also have a full-time job as a college professor. So, at any given time here, there is a great juggling act going on, and finding where my creative side fits into that is not an easy task.
How has COVID affected the promotion of your upcoming work?
Promotion of my new work during COVID has really had two fronts. First was the time at the beginning of this all. For me, this all began on a night like any other. I was casually watching television while playing around on Twitter. I noticed that people were posting about a hectic scene from an NBA game. The arena was packed with people, the players had been warming up, the game was about to tip, it was delayed, players were rushed off the court and some poor guy was given the task of announcing to the crowd that the game had been canceled and they must all leave.
“No one is in any danger,” he said.
That was scary. It seemed like only moments later that the NBA season was canceled. That was one of those movie moments where the camera zooms in slowly on someone’s face — wow, this just got real.
This phase of COVID was marked by so many unprecedented events — schools closing, businesses shuttered, stay-at-home orders issued. While I did keep plodding along on my upcoming creative work as I was able, it just wasn’t the right time to do any self-promotion. It was the right time to make sure your children are OK and that you are helping take care of your fellow humans.
Second, a new phase has emerged for myself, and many others I think. I have spent weeks on end with my family and in my neighborhood. I have developed a heightened appreciation for small things: fishing, hiking, the weather, my garden, my yard, riding my bike, throwing a Frisbee, etc. I have taken to ordering much of what I need or want online, and I have been craving new things to fuel my library both for myself and my children. Many parents and children are in a unique situation of co-existence, where the parents are simultaneously working, teaching and entertaining while also trying to maintain a sense of normalcy for their children without being too foreboding or morose in the process.
Right now, people have shown — over and over again — a genuine desire to support and help each other as well as for something that will make them smile, something that will bring a little joy to their day. My newest book that I have decided to officially debut this month is a feel-good book, written to bring smiles and laughter. It feels like the time is right to release it now.
You’re planning a “virtual” debut announcement for your latest title. How have social distancing limitations impacted the promotion of your upcoming book?
One thing COVID has brought to my life is a plethora of new virtual meeting skills. My life has been full of Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Facebook Live, Instagram Live, Twitter, Twitch and countless other ways to successfully manage life without actually interacting face-to-face. People have been creative and broken down barriers to make almost any type of event happen, from teaching, to exercising, to comic book auctions (a personal favorite), to conferences and even birthday parties (yes, I participated in an online birthday party for a coworker via Microsoft Teams). I have noticed authors signing books inside of closed bookstores for pickup by customers waiting outside, and yes, I am officially debuting my new book at an event called Quaranween Con, which you can find at www.facebook.com/quaranweencon. I am still working out the exact details of how I will produce my segment (it could be via Zoom or Facebook Live, for example), but people are finding ways to help each other out and make things happen.
Just as shelter-in-place situations of the past have led to innovation, I am seeing much innovation arise from this pandemic. Some of these have created unique opportunities out of a bad situation and they could be successful enough to continue being a normal part of society from now on. For example, before COVID, writers and other entrepreneurs attending traditional conventions, expos and festivals were limited in their reach to whatever percentage of the crowd happened to wander by their space and take notice. However, with virtual gatherings using an online meeting space, the potential audience is literally unlimited. This is creating exciting new ways on a daily basis for entrepreneurs to creatively engage with their audiences. Some of these types of virtual gatherings will be so successful and wanted by consumers that they are bound to become a mainstay even after COVID.
What else can you tell us about your new book?
My new book, available everywhere in May 2020, is called “Let’s Play Tennis! (A Baby Bigfoot and Baby Yeti Book).” It helps children cultivate imagination and grow their love of reading. In it, a silly band of sasquatches is learning through creative play and not letting the typical rules guide them on their way. Perfect for reading to toddlers as young as 3 and for fostering development of young readers through the 3rd grade, it’s unique characters teach us all about cooperative play and the art of having fun together!
In “Let’s Play Tennis!,” Baby Bigfoot is looking for a game of tennis. Baby Yeti just wants to have a great day. Baby Bigfoot and Baby Yeti are BFFFs: big-footed friends forever. Baby Bigfoot can’t wait to play a game with Baby Yeti, but will an epic smash ruin the fun?
It is currently available for purchase online wherever books are sold (Amazon, Barnes and Noble, etc.), and at it’s Quaranween Con debut on May 24th I will unveil the official “Let’s Play Tennis!” book trailer as well as lots of other fun things. Follow me on my website (www.squatching.com), Facebook (www.facebook.com/dr.mounce), Instagram (www.instagram.com/dr.mounce), and Twitter (@drmounce1) for more details of the book debut and lots more bigfoot fun. “Let’s Play Tennis!” is the follow up to my acclaimed children’s book “Squatching By Woods on a Snowy Evening (A Squatching Classics Book),” also available online wherever books are sold.