Bob Thurber -- whose story "Shipwrecked" was a reader favorite in the Hint Fiction anthology -- has a new novel out and I asked him a few questions about it.
RS: So what is Paperboy: A Dysfunctional Novel about (and how does the "dysfunctional" play in)?
BT: Paperboy is an odd little book, dysfunctional in content, themes, and form. The 262 pages contain 157 short chapters, each one narrated by Jack Fisher, a 14 year old paperboy. His gritty coming-of-age story takes place during the summer of 1969, the year of the first moon landing.
Many of the chapters could stand alone as vignettes or short self-contained fictions, which makes them easy for the reader to digest. And makes for an easy read, which is a good thing considering some of the things that Jack reveals about himself and his family. As one reviewer said, “These vignettes build upon, echo, reflect, and shatter each other.” Overall, they create the illusion of a complete novel while resisting to be “a novel in fragments.” The good news is, I’m told, it’s a page turner.
RS: This is your debut novel, but is it your true first novel? If not, how many other novels have you written before this?
BT: Yes. It’s my true first novel. Paperboy was drafted in 2002, though it’s been reworked quite a bit since then.
RS: Your story in the Hint Fiction anthology -- "Shipwrecked" -- was a favorite of many readers. Have you written any hint fiction stories since then?
BT: Sure. Dozens of them. So I’m well prepared for your next Hint Fiction anthology. And thank you again for making me a part of that neat little book.
RS: What else are you working on?
BT: Right now I’m finishing up another novel titled “April Fish,” which my agent is eagerly waiting for. And then I’ll get to work on another project that I've been outlining for about three decades.
To learn more about Paperboy: A Dysfunctional Novel, click here.