Thomas Fellows (author)

Thomas Fellows (born July 22, 1989) is an American author of non-fictional books. He is the son of Hank and Pam Fellows. His father attended Bucknell University, then went onto the Georgetown University Law Center, where he served as an editor of the Georgetown Law Journal. He also is a member of the Carter Center Board of Councilors. Fellows coached the Morehouse Sales Team in 2016. He attended The Westminster Schools in Atlanta, where he made a perfect score on both the SAT/ACT essay sections and would matriculate into Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama for college. He was a member of the Sigma Chi fraternity there. All books interweave biblical scripture, history, literature; "He Spoke with Authority: Get, the Give the Advantage of Confidence","The Criminal: The Power of an Apology", and "Mrs. Dubose's Last Wish: The Art of Embracing Suffering" also feature popular movies and music. While his first book received high praise from newspapers across the Southern United States his following two books did not get nearly as much media attention, with only local papers reviewing them. Fellows credits his bipolar diagnosis for his creativity in his writing. He grew up in Atlanta, Georgia and currently resides in Houston, Texas. He is in technology hardware sales.
Career.
In 2015, Fellows closed a 7-figure deal that originated off a cold-call he made while with a human resources software company.
During his tenure as Sales Competition Coach at Morehouse College, his squad would collect first-place honors at the 3M Sales Competition at Tuskegee University in 2016, and later on that year, two members of his team would go on to beat both University of Georgia and Georgia Southern University in the Case Study competition to become number one in the Peach State.
When asked to comment on his tenure at Morehouse, Fellows remarked, "I’ve thought about going into education and I’ve thought about going into business, and this is something that combines both of my passions. It’s been an honor being at Morehouse, one of the most prestigious colleges in the state, easily."
"Forget Self-Help: Re-Examining the Golden Rule".
Fellows started his first book, "Forget Self-Help: Re-Examining the Golden Rule," at age twenty while he was a counselor at a summer camp in Mentone, Alabama. Based upon the Golden Rule found in Matthew 7:12, the book examines the actions of characters in "To Kill a Mockingbird" and "Uncle Tom's Cabin" as well as the writings of Robert E. Lee and Martin Luther King Jr. It also gives tips for overcoming clinical depression which Fellows has struggled with since he graduated high school. It was named one of twelve self-help books to read in 2018 by the "Atlanta Journal-Constitution."
While the book is grounded in scripture, the author commented in the "Newnan Times Herald" that he "didn't just write it for Christians." Faye Daysen of "The Pilot" writes that "Fellows uses scripture, but doesn't hit readers over the head with it." In an "al.com" article, Fellows claims that reaching out to others with love is lost, quipping that "In the South, People are more focused on staying away from sin rather than doing God's will. The three biggies were save sex for marriage, don't drink, don't cuss. If you did those three things you were a good Christian." In that same interview, Fellows makes the claim that the Golden Rule is lost in modern-day Christianity.
"He Spoke With Authority: Get, then Give the Advantage of Confidence".
Fellows’ second book, "He Spoke with Authority: Get, then Give the Advantage of Confidence", explores the connection between confidence and both humility and empathy. The book's title gets its name from Matthew 7 verses 28 and 29 where the people in the crowd notice that Jesus speaks with authority and not as one of the teachers of the law. Fellows wrote the majority of the first edition of the book in just 45 days, while working at a Walmart store in the midtown neighborhood of Atlanta. By using characters such as Jay Gatsby in "The Great Gatsby", and Jane in "Jane Eyre", Fellows illustrates why confidence is important to have in interpersonal relationships as well as in life. Fellows also uses "To Kill a Mockingbird" as he does in his previous book. From a historical lens, Fellows uses both George Washington and Abraham Lincoln to teach these two lessons. Lastly, the book explores the role that confidence played in the life of Bill McDermott, former CEO of SAP, who Fellows says has "taught (him) more about life than sales." The book also uses the 1997 drama, "Good Will Hunting", to make several points on both confidence and vulnerability. In a "Northside Neighbor" interview with Everett Catts, Fellows said that he wrote the book because, "there’s a misconception about confidence. I think confidence ultimately leads to empathy and security. It leads empathy because people who are secure with themselves won’t attack people who are behind or ahead of them. They deem themselves as fit. Then it leads to humility because you’re humble enough to learn and you’re also accessible.”
"The Criminal: The Power of An Apology".
"The Criminal: The Power of An Apology", examines the Criminal on the Cross found in Luke 23:29-43 who gives an unprovoked apology next to Jesus before he dies. Specifically, Fellows examines the gratitude, humility, courage, discipline, integrity, and vulnerability displays in that pivotal scene. By using classic works such as "Catcher in the Rye", "A River Runs Through It", "Flowers For Algernon", "A Separate Peace", and "Joy-Luck Club", Fellows encourages the reader to be a man or woman after God's own heart. Fellows also uses popular movies such as "Flight", "He's Just Not That Into You", and popular music featuring Dave Matthews Band, Taylor Swift, and The Eagles to make his case. In a review by South Georgia's largest newspaper, "The Valdosta Daily Times", Dean Poling says, ""The Criminal" looks at the empowerment behind well-known concepts: It takes a big person to apologize. There is power in humility. Less is more." An additional review came from the 5th largest paper in Louisiana, Lake Charles', "American Press". The reviewer, Donna Price, commented that, "It would be difficult to become bored reading a book by Fellows. In fact, just the opposite is true. The reader may want to strap on some sort of literary seat belt as he or she races with Fellows from one idea or point to another." In the book, Fellows says "most people think that admitting their faults would be the weak thing to do, but in actuality, this shows their strength. You'll always get respect for being authentic." The book was also featured by Charleston's "The Post And Courier."
"Mrs. Dubose's Last Wish: The Art of Embracing Suffering".
Fellows' fourth book, "Mrs. Dubose's Last Wish: The Art of Embracing Suffering", was inspired by how the character Mrs. Dubose in "To Kill a Mockingbird" suffers on purpose to rid herself of a morphine addiction and the writing that David Brooks did on suffering in his non-fiction "New York Times" bestselling book, "The Road to Character". Fellows, who looks up to Brooks, met David Brooks at a book talk he gave in April of 2019 at Peachtree Presbyterian Church on his other "New York Times" best-selling book "The Second Mountain." When asked to describe how he goes writing a book, Fellows said, “I (did) exactly what David Brooks writes about in the introduction of his New York Times best-selling book,"The Second Mountain": ‘When speaking of writers, he said, “We are like beggars who try to show other beggars where we found bread. You have to get only a few pages into this book to realize that I quote a lot of people wiser than myself. I mean a lot of people. I’m unapologetic about this. It’s occurred to me many times over the course of writing this book that maybe I’m not really a writer. I’m a teacher or middleman. I take the curriculum of other people’s knowledge and I pass it along.” When they met, Brooks told Fellows that "as a writer, you get to say what you think." This had a profound impact on Fellows considering because according to an article in the Texas newspaper, "The Henderson News," he wasn't taken seriously by family or friends. As with his other books, the book uses biblical scripture, popular movies, music, history, and literature to make his points. The book also focuses on the suffering that mentor, Bill McDermott, a tech CEO, went through to have the success he has ultimately had. Although Fellows never worked for McDermott, he met him virtually via an email Fellows sent to him asking for a job when Fellows was 25-years-old. Fellows did not end up getting the job, but months later, when he found out McDermott had a life-threatening accident during which he lost an eye, Fellows sent an encouraging Thomas Paine quote to him. The two have kept in touch ever since. 
Fellows is donating 100% of the profits from the book to suicide awareness. Nassir Ghaemi, author of "New York Times" bestselling book, "A First-Rate Madness: Uncovering the Links Between Mental Illness and Leadership", wrote the foreword for the book. In the foreword, Ghaemi claims that the more suffering one goes through, the more empathy one can have. 