The Official Go Play in the Traffic FAQ
This is your first published work?
Yes, unless you count the essay the library put in their anthology one year. I never actually saw it and considering the way they calculate fines, it might have never made it.
Why did you write this book?
I had to. Not in the legal sense like Pete Townshend; I mean there was nothing found in my browsing history, but I have been calling myself a writer for fifteen years. At some point you have to follow through. Actually, I was just having fun, at first. I like stories in written form. When we speak, we try to make long stories short. When you write, you can make short stories long by examining details, which is where I find the most humor. A man asked me for a quarter. Okay, so what? A middle-aged man holding a plastic bottle of McCormick’s wearing Richard Simmons shorts and an LA Gear headband asked for a quarter to buy a Blizzard. Now, we’re talking.
How long is the book?
It depends on the version. The fun thing about e-books is you can reformat them to your tastes. You can make the really large print to where it runs like, 5000 pages or really small and cut it down to two. It’s around 70,000 words, though. No hidden tracks or bonus for a certain format.
There’s a rumor it contains language.
Yes, two, actually. Mostly English, but a bit of Spanish.
Strong Language?
Oh, yes. There are certain language intensifiers, as George Carlin called them. Realize, these stories actually happened and when I was growing up, I didn’t exactly have the most mature vocabulary. Then there was my dad. He worked in profanity the way other artists might work in oils or clay. You know, like Ralphie’s dad. My feeling is that profanity has a place in literature. If you choose your spots, it can be very effective. It’s like when my mom cursed that one time. It was shocking. It’s the same thing in writing. Certain words grab your attention, but not if you use them in every sentence.
Was writing this book therapeutic?
In a way, I guess it was. My childhood was fine, but writing this book was like being in therapy every day for two years. Yes, I cherry-picked the funny stuff, but I had to take a lot of things head-on to get there. Mostly, it was just a lot of fun to recall this stuff and write it down.
Regrets?
The whole idea of regret takes a turn into deep philosophical territory. I’ve always been of the opinion you have to accept the past exactly as it was to deliver you to the present and I can’t complain about that. Obviously, knowledge, wisdom, maturity would have dictated I handle certain situations differently, but I don’t think I’d use the word regret.
What is the overall message?
I would refer to Twain in the preface to Huck Finn.
Print copies will be available?
During our week delay, we discovered that we could print through Barnes and Noble economically. Of course that meant more work, so the print version will be a couple of weeks behind the download, but I’m glad we were able to pull it off. A physical book just feels more legitimate to me.
How can we get a copy?
You can start with our website, TuesdayNightPublishing.com. That will link you to the various places—Amazon, Barnes and Noble, the print version and even a PDF. Apple is being Apple, so that route won’t be available immediately. The first round of print copies will be personally delivered, within reason. I hope to sell a lot in Cabo.