Graphic artist Tom Pappalardo is a pretty well-known name in these parts, thanks in part to the comic strips “Whisky! Tango! Foxtrot!” and “The Optimist” that ran for several years in the Valley Advocate.
But Pappalardo, 43, who moved to Easthampton recently after living many years in Northampton, has also written short stories and has been blogging for some time, and he’s just published “One More Cup of Coffee,” a droll, first-person chronicle of what he encountered during a tour of coffee joints around the Valley.
He says as much as he’s enjoyed creating comics in the past, “I ultimately found the format to be limiting, and drawing felt like a bit of a chore. My favorite parts of the process were creating scenes and characters and honing the language, so it felt right to shift over to full-on prose. No more word balloons!”
“One More Cup of Coffee,” which Pappalardo self-published, is “semi-autobiographical, filled with semi-true things I’ve seen and heard around the Valley. Grouchy old men! Awkward first dates! Post-ironic post-hipsters! Vague recollections and fictional confrontations!”
Hampshire Life: What is your creative process like?
Tom Pappalardo: My writing process involves going out somewhere, grabbing a cup of coffee, sitting, and observing. Sometimes I write about the people around me or the room I’m in, other times I try to pay attention to myself — see where my mind’s wandering, what’s worrying me that day. It leads to a mixture of observational humor and occasional departures from reality.
H.L.: Does is start with a “Eureka!” moment?
T.P.: No, it’s a process. Sometimes I write stream-of-conscious blather, or I scribble down whatever’s going on at the next table. No judgment on content, just capturing stuff. I end up with a couple pages of junk. The nice moment of discovery as a writer is pulling out the one little observation or thought from the mess and shaping it into something worth reading.
H.L.: How do you know you’re on the right track?
T.P.: When a piece feels like it’s all written in the same voice and coheres around the same rhythm. For me, humor is about getting the language right.
H.L.:What do you do when you get stuck?
T.P.: I work on something else. I always have a few short stories in the pipeline, a few song ideas brewing (as half of the guitar/drum duo The Demographic), and graphic design work to do (as Standard Design). I’m a professional plate spinner.
H.L: How do you know when the writing is done?
T.P: When I’ve removed all the adverbs.
H.L:What did you do today (or most recently) that relates to your writing?
T.P.: I begin every day drinking coffee and writing. Whether it’s journal writing, editing fiction, or making lists, I commit to putting pen to paper in the morning. It helps empty my brain and make room for other things. I have insufficient RAM.
H.L.: What are the challenges of self-publishing?
T.P.: I take on a lot of responsibility and wear many hats. For this project I’m the author, illustrator, book designer, marketer, distributor, social media self-promoter — and after all that, I’m still the guy who has to pack the orders and drive them to the post office. I think I’ve got to get a little better at delegating.
– Steve Pfarrer
Anyone looking for more information on Pappalardo’s work can visit his web site, tompappalardo.com, where you can also sign up for his mailing list, MASSTRONAUT.