Page Turning Books: Author Interview

Author Interview – Thomas Sullivan

What inspired you to write your first book? My first book just came to me. I was a Behind-The-Wheel instructor for a driving school, and the things that happened were just too funny not to write about. My employer was the head of what I called a “disorganized crime family”, but the kids were always gracious and patient whenever the cars broke down or the lesson scheduling went awry. So it was a strange and funny story that I thought needed to be told.

What do you consider the most challenging thing about writing a novel, or about writing in general? At the start, it’s believing that people will want to read what you write. There’s that little voice in your head saying “no one wants to read about strange things that happen at fast-food restaurants.” The challenge is to ignore that voice and just push on. Because things catch on that the literary luminaries never see coming, like the Fifty Shades books. I love seeing that happen.

Did writing this book teach you anything and what was it? The essays in So Much Time, So Little Change are fairly short. But I found that a shorter length didn’t mean less revision and reworking was required. I’ve found that to get a piece just right, you need to go over and over and over it until it’s spot-on. And that requires that you get feedback from readers as well.

Have you developed a specific writing style? I like to have surprises in essays. I want the reader to not expect certain things to happen for a given topic. So I try to write in a way where things jump out at you, like snakes on a plane!

Have you ever had writer’s block? If so, what do you do about it? I just avoid writing when the slate is blank and wait. I’ll read a newspaper or stroll about, waiting for something to show up. I think requiring yourself to write a certain amount in a given time period is actually counterproductive. It just yields frustration. But I always cart around a little note pad.

Can you share a little of your current work with us? These essays are about those strange and awkward situations that are seemingly designed to annoy us. I approach them as a source of humor and wisdom. I cover a range of topics like trying to get myself off the Terrorist Watch List, surviving encounters at the DMV, and having fun with the Honeybucket line at a concert.

How did you come up with the title? So Much Time, So Little Change alludes to the fact that it’s been a long time since we were primitives, but in many ways we’re still primitive. I mean that in a lighthearted way. The fact that we haven’t become super-rational beings is a good thing, because our “flaws” are what make us funny and endearing.

Who designed the cover? I found the image from a group of photos that my publisher sent, and then we worked on a title that fit. My publisher connected with a graphic artist who put it all together. I love the way it came out.