Tory Gates
So far in life, Tory Gates has proven himself something of a Renaissance man.
The publication of his newest young adult/contemporary fiction novel last fall is only his latest accomplishment of a multi-faceted career.
Besides publishing success in the science fiction genre, Gates, 57, of Harrisburg, also lists credits as a veteran broadcaster, journalist, producer and performing musician.
“Tory has a long career in radio and has worked for many stations in the area over the years,” said his publisher, Lawrence Knorr of Sunbury Press. “He also performed music for many years as a solo guitarist and played at my art gallery in Mechanicsburg when it was in operation.”
Back in 2013, Sunbury published “Searching for Roy Buchanan,” the first of Gates’ ongoing “Sweet Dreams” young adult fiction series. “Call It Love” followed 18 months later. Rounding out the series (so far) is “Shake Hands With The Devil,” published last September.
Gates described the ongoing series as “a trilogy of works that combine time travel, Japanese culture and the power of music.” His work, he said, takes readers to “exotic locales, everyday places, and brings to life characters that are relatable and real while addressing real-life issues.”
Other Sunbury Press titles penned by Gates include the award-winning “A Moment in the Sun” and “Live from The Café.” A premiere novel, “Parasite Girls,” was published by Amazon and Smashmouth.
Sunbury Press took Gates from a self-published author to a trade-published author some years ago, Knorr said.
“We have been publishing his books ever since, about one every 18 months,” he said.
Additionally, Gates assisted Knorr “for several years” in producing the publishing company’s podcasts.
“Tory is a multi-talented person who expresses his creativity in a variety of ways, cares deeply about his stories and his characters, and converts that empathy into engaging and thoughtful interviews of other authors on his podcasts,” Knorr noted.
Gates said that his “Sweet Dreams” series is commonly linked to his personal interests of Japanese culture and music. Aki, a Japanese teenager, is the series’ focal character, and music factors into many of her fictitious time-travel adventures, such as instruction with the late American blues musician, Roy Buchanan.
Make Them Think
A Vermont native, Gates recalled first “bouncing around radio stations in New England” before landing a broadcasting job in Boston. He then worked radio in Maine from 1990 to 2000.
“By 2000, I owed my wife a move,” he said. “She had family living in York, so I got work here.”
With that, he began reporting news in Harrisburg on Radio Pennsylvania Network, a position he maintains today and since has expanded to Maryland News Network. He also reports for “The Brown Posey Press Show,” an interview podcast for independent and self-published authors, and is further renown as “DJ Riff,” host of “The Music Club,” a blues program on the Radio-Airwaves Station based in London.
Gates later moved to Harrisburg “because I needed to be closer to work.”
“I stay here because the news here is old school, just the facts,” he said. “I have never lost the love of being in the studio.”
In the meantime, Gates played guitar with Ahltyrra, a “new age rock band,” performing locally for several years. Afterwards, he played intermittently with Dharma Fools, a local folk rock ensemble.
“Music has always been my inspiration and gives me a reason to go on,” Gates said. “I grew up in the late 1960s, early ‘70s. My two brothers exposed me to music of the day then. I was exposed to music as a DJ in the ‘80s when there was an incredible groundswell of musical styles, but I’ve always turned back to the blues.”
Although Gates said that he’s “been writing all my life” in news and songs, he didn’t try “full-length” storytelling until 2007. Today, he still has two more books in mind for the “Sweet Dreams” series, as well as other unpublished works.
“I hope people who read this find someone in the story that they would like to be friends with. That means they’re really invested in the story,” he said. “I hope my stories entertain people and make them think.”
For more information on Tory Gates, visit www.torygatesmedia.com.
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