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Live Chat, TODAY, 4 to 5 p.m. EDT

This live chat has now ended. Replay it, below, to get to know author Tom Sweterltisch and his first novel, Tomorrow and Tomorrow, coming in July (digital review copies available on NetGalley and Edelweiss), which Stewart O’Nan calls, “rich, absorbing, relentlessly inventive.”

To get free galleys of forthcoming books by debut authors, join Penguin’s First Flights program here.

 Live Chat with Thomas Sweterlitsch, TOMORROW AND TOMORROW(05/07/2014) 
3:45
Nora - EarlyWord: 
We will begin our live online chat with Thomas Sweterlitsch, author of TOMORROW AND TOMORROW in about 15 minutes
Wednesday May 7, 2014 3:45 Nora - EarlyWord
3:46
Nora - EarlyWord: 
Here’s the cover of the book…
Wednesday May 7, 2014 3:46 Nora - EarlyWord
3:46
 Nora - EarlyWord
Wednesday May 7, 2014 3:46 
3:47
Nora - EarlyWord: 
Below is a special video message that Thomas recorded for Penguin First Flight members:
Wednesday May 7, 2014 3:47 Nora - EarlyWord
3:47
Nora - EarlyWordNora - EarlyWord
Wednesday May 7, 2014 3:47 
3:49
Nora - EarlyWord: 
A blurb from Stewart O’Nan:

Simultaneously trippy and hardboiled, Tomorrow and Tomorrow is a rich, absorbing, relentlessly inventive mindfuck, a smart, dark noir... Sweterlisch's debut is a wild mashup of Raymond Chandler, Philip K. Dick and William S. Burroughs, and, like their work, utterly visionary."--Stewart O'Nan author of "The Odds"
Wednesday May 7, 2014 3:49 Nora - EarlyWord
3:58
Nora - EarlyWord: 
We’re glad to see so many chat participants gathering. You can send your questions through at any time. They'll go into a queue, and we'll submit as many of them as we can to Thomas before the end of the chat. Don’t worry about typos – and please ignore any that we commit!
Wednesday May 7, 2014 3:58 Nora - EarlyWord
3:58
Nora - EarlyWord: 
I see that Thomas has joined us -- welcome!
Wednesday May 7, 2014 3:58 Nora - EarlyWord
3:58
Thomas Sweterlitsch: 
Hello!
Wednesday May 7, 2014 3:58 Thomas Sweterlitsch
3:59
Thomas Sweterlitsch: 
And feel free to call me Tom!
Wednesday May 7, 2014 3:59 Thomas Sweterlitsch
4:00
Nora - EarlyWord: 
Say hi again, Thomas!
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:00 Nora - EarlyWord
4:01
Thomas Sweterlitsch: 
Hello!
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:01 Thomas Sweterlitsch
4:01
Thomas Sweterlitsch: 
My avatar looks like I'm standing in a wheat field, even though it's really just a shrub in my side yard...
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:01 Thomas Sweterlitsch
4:02
Thomas Sweterlitsch: 
Also, feel free to call me Tom!
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:02 Thomas Sweterlitsch
4:03
Nora - EarlyWord: 
There you are! I wanted to see your photo so I could note you look a bit different than you do in the video.
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:03 Nora - EarlyWord
4:03
Thomas Sweterlitsch: 
Ah, you must mean the beard. Yep, it comes and goes. For the record--I'm fully bearded right now (hockey playoff season).
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:03 Thomas Sweterlitsch
4:05
Nora - EarlyWord: 
Those of you out there, please say hi to Tom!
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:05 Nora - EarlyWord
4:06
[Comment From Ref. LibrarianRef. Librarian: ] 
Hey, Tom -- loved the book!
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:06 Ref. Librarian
4:06
[Comment From GuestGuest: ] 
Happy Wednesday Tom.
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:06 Guest
4:06
Thomas Sweterlitsch: 
Thanks!
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:06 Thomas Sweterlitsch
4:06
Thomas Sweterlitsch: 
And a happy Wednesday to you, too!
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:06 Thomas Sweterlitsch
4:06
[Comment From PDPD: ] 
Hi Tom! Great book!
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:06 PD
4:06
[Comment From Kids LibrarianKids Librarian: ] 
Hope you've got Spring there, Tom!
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:06 Kids Librarian
4:07
[Comment From LucyLucy: ] 
HI to Tom from the Midwest and personally I like the beard. :-)
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:07 Lucy
4:07
[Comment From Sue DSue D: ] 
Good afternoon from St. Charles, Mo
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:07 Sue D
4:07
Thomas Sweterlitsch: 
Thanks, PD!
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:07 Thomas Sweterlitsch
4:07
Thomas Sweterlitsch: 
Yes, Kids Librarian, it is full-on Spring here in Pittsburgh. Started out with a massive thunderstorm but not the sun's shining. Perfect weather.
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:07 Thomas Sweterlitsch
4:07
Thomas Sweterlitsch: 
All right, Lucy!
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:07 Thomas Sweterlitsch
4:08
Nora - EarlyWord: 
Tell us about the cover – it doesn’t look very science fiction-y. Was the intentional?
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:08 Nora - EarlyWord
4:09
Thomas Sweterlitsch: 
Good question, Nora. That's right--I think the flipped bottom Tomorrow is meant to convey a sort of feeling that there might be a mind-bending mystery at play...
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:09 Thomas Sweterlitsch
4:10
Thomas Sweterlitsch: 
But at the same time, I know Putnam is interested in promoting this book as a mystery/thriller and a "literary" novel as much as a sci-fi book, so they probably stopped short of being "too sci fi"...
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:10 Thomas Sweterlitsch
4:10
Thomas Sweterlitsch: 
I love the cover quite a bit--I like that they used the skyline of Pittsburgh, though a few astute friends noticed that the picture itself is reversed!
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:10 Thomas Sweterlitsch
4:11
Nora - EarlyWord: 
For those that spot the flipped skyline, that could also read as mind-bending.
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:11 Nora - EarlyWord
4:11
Thomas Sweterlitsch: 
Haha, that's right! All part of the plan.
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:11 Thomas Sweterlitsch
4:11
Nora - EarlyWord: 
I'm amused by how different the British cover is.
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:11 Nora - EarlyWord
4:12
 Nora - EarlyWord
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:12 
4:12
Nora - EarlyWord: 
Looks almost like a spy novel!
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:12 Nora - EarlyWord
4:12
Thomas Sweterlitsch: 
Yes, very different. I think the American cover focuses on the "post apocalyptic" moments of the book; the British cover seems to focus on the "man in danger" aspect.
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:12 Thomas Sweterlitsch
4:13
Thomas Sweterlitsch: 
Every time I see that British cover I try to place who that guy is.
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:13 Thomas Sweterlitsch
4:13
[Comment From LauraLaura: ] 
The British cover reminded me of the "Taken" movie posters with Liam Neeson on them.
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:13 Laura
4:13
[Comment From LucyLucy: ] 
Perhaps the Brit cover was trying to present/focus on a noir aspect?
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:13 Lucy
4:14
Thomas Sweterlitsch: 
Laura, oh yeah! I definitely see that!
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:14 Thomas Sweterlitsch
4:14
Nora - EarlyWord: 
This is your first book, but not your first published work, right?
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:14 Nora - EarlyWord
4:14
Thomas Sweterlitsch: 
I think you're right, Lucy. Definitely reads more "thriller."
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:14 Thomas Sweterlitsch
4:14
Thomas Sweterlitsch: 
First book, yes. I've published a few short stories, all science fiction, on-line.
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:14 Thomas Sweterlitsch
4:15
Nora - EarlyWord: 
Did you set out to write science fiction, or did that evolve from the story you wanted to tell?
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:15 Nora - EarlyWord
4:15
Thomas Sweterlitsch: 
I think genre should evolve from story--but it just so happens that all the good stories I come up with are science fiction!...
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:15 Thomas Sweterlitsch
4:16
Thomas Sweterlitsch: 
So, yes--all my ideas for future projects have a sci-fi element to them.
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:16 Thomas Sweterlitsch
4:17
Nora - EarlyWord: 
Does all of this talk about genres really matter?
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:17 Nora - EarlyWord
4:18
Thomas Sweterlitsch: 
"Genre" is a strange thing--especially right now. The only time I get frustrated by the genre question is when some people rank certain genres lower in importance than others.
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:18 Thomas Sweterlitsch
4:18
Thomas Sweterlitsch: 
We're living in a moment when "high-art" and "low-art" are mashed together--maybe really starting with Warhol, but also in things like "Superflat" art/Murakami. It's an exciting time to write "genre."
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:18 Thomas Sweterlitsch
4:19
Nora - EarlyWord: 
Ah, and then there's the favorite back-handed compliment -- "rises above genre"!
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:19 Nora - EarlyWord
4:20
Thomas Sweterlitsch: 
That's right!
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:20 Thomas Sweterlitsch
4:20
[Comment From Kids LibrarianKids Librarian: ] 
Have you ever thought about writing a YA book?
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:20 Kids Librarian
4:21
Thomas Sweterlitsch: 
Thanks for the question, Kids Librarian! I've had an idea kicking around in my head about the Homestead Steel Mill Strike that I think could make a good YA book; but honestly, my writing tends to be fairly "R" rated, so I'll probably just stick with adult fiction.
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:21 Thomas Sweterlitsch
4:22
[Comment From Kids LibrarianKids Librarian: ] 
Interesting -- do you find the "R" rated stuff essential?
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:22 Kids Librarian
4:23
Thomas Sweterlitsch: 
I think that material should flow from story/character. So, R rated stuff is never strictly-speaking essential, and some of my short stories are pretty clean.
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:23 Thomas Sweterlitsch
4:23
Nora - EarlyWord: 
You seem adept at online chatting, Tom -- you mentioned to me that you had some background for that. Tell us about it.
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:23 Nora - EarlyWord
4:24
Thomas Sweterlitsch: 
That's right, Nora--a handful of years ago I was the person at our library who manned the "InfoEyes" virtual reference desk. The chat interface was very similar to this one...
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:24 Thomas Sweterlitsch
4:25
Thomas Sweterlitsch: 
We'd have people from all over the country pop up on the screen and ask questions--I'd find myself (in Pittsburgh) trying to track down answers about very local information in other states!
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:25 Thomas Sweterlitsch
4:26
Nora - EarlyWord: 
Did your experience working reference affect how you shaped the story or the character of Dominic?
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:26 Nora - EarlyWord
4:27
Thomas Sweterlitsch: 
Absolutely. I have often thought about getting an MLIS degree specializing as an "archivist." ...And as I started thinking of ways that Dominic could access information he needs, my touchstone was always library work...
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:27 Thomas Sweterlitsch
4:28
[Comment From Sue DSue D: ] 
Those questions still happen at our very regular reference desks. Out of state or snow birds calling.
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:28 Sue D
4:29
Thomas Sweterlitsch: 
In earlier drafts of the novel I had TONS of sections about how exactly the Archive works, how it was connected to the Library of Congress. I was modeling it off the Library for the Blind services, ultimately run by the National Library Service/LOC. I even had an application for the Archive at one point.
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:29 Thomas Sweterlitsch
4:29
Thomas Sweterlitsch: 
That's right, Sue D--even on the phones!
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:29 Thomas Sweterlitsch
4:30
Nora - EarlyWord: 
I enjoyed how you combined the familiar with the futuristic, letting me figure out some things (hey! That taxi doesn’t have a driver!) You really have to trust the reader to do that.
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:30 Nora - EarlyWord
4:31
Thomas Sweterlitsch: 
Driverless Taxi--shout out to Total Recall...
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:31 Thomas Sweterlitsch
4:31
[Comment From PDPD: ] 
Really interesting take on SF. Did you live there? Did you ever eat at Memphis Minnie's :-)?
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:31 PD
4:32
Thomas Sweterlitsch: 
Hi PD! Actually, I've never been to SF. I'm very familiar with Washington DC and Pittsburgh, but when I got to that last section I wanted to explore a city completely virtually (Google Street View), so that I could "flip" it in my mind: Pittsburgh the virtual city that I actually live in; SF the real city in the book that I'm exploring only virtually...
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:32 Thomas Sweterlitsch
 
Nora - EarlyWord: 
Now THAT was living through Dominic!
  Nora - EarlyWord
4:33
Thomas Sweterlitsch: 
Plus, SF is where Vertigo takes place, which was one of the earliest and deepest influences on Tomorrow and Tomorrow.
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:33 Thomas Sweterlitsch
4:34
Nora - EarlyWord: 
Several of the authors we’ve had in this program have purposely set their books a bit in the past because they find today’s technology gets in the way of telling their stories -- for instance, communications are speeded up by email and you can find out things via Google, which can make it difficult to introduce tension. Your book does the opposite, with technology leaping ahead.
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:34 Nora - EarlyWord
4:35
[Comment From Joe, MD LibrarianJoe, MD Librarian: ] 
I KNEW you knew D.C. well, but you def. had me fooled about San Fran Cisco!
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:35 Joe, MD Librarian
4:35
Thomas Sweterlitsch: 
Great question, Nora. I often wonder at how common cell phones/the internet are in real life, but how infrequently they appear in fiction...
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:35 Thomas Sweterlitsch
4:36
Thomas Sweterlitsch: 
Hi Joe! That's good to hear!
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:36 Thomas Sweterlitsch
4:36
Thomas Sweterlitsch: 
Re: cell phones: in some ways, I think it's the kind of problem that happens in Shakespeare, where you just want the characters to talk to each other to make all their problems go away...
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:36 Thomas Sweterlitsch
4:37
Thomas Sweterlitsch: 
So the challenge as a writer has to be how to make the dramatic tension fit around current/future technologies. I have Dominic Google a lot of information, and in my plot I have a lot of that information "corrupted" so he can't find it out right away...
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:37 Thomas Sweterlitsch
4:37
Thomas Sweterlitsch: 
Also, funnily enough, I was a very late adapter to smart phones/mobile devices--I didn't have a cell phone until after this book was finished, so I was completely inventing what it's like to live with this stuff.
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:37 Thomas Sweterlitsch
4:38
Thomas Sweterlitsch: 
Re: San Francisco. I just had a couple of close friends move to SF, so hopefully I'll make it out there soon!
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:38 Thomas Sweterlitsch
4:38
Nora - EarlyWord: 
That is so amazing. I've gotten used to avoiding what I call "device zombies" on the streets of NYC.
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:38 Nora - EarlyWord
4:39
Thomas Sweterlitsch: 
Full confession: I was a device zombie a little earlier this afternoon.
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:39 Thomas Sweterlitsch
4:40
Nora - EarlyWord: 
I was struck that Dominic seems to not only mourn his wife, but the city of Pittsburgh itself. As someone who lived in NYC during 9/11, that's very evocative. I remember a news report that astronauts on the space station could see the smoke rising and one sent a message that "I just want the folks in New York to know their city still looks very beautiful from space." — I couldn’t figure out why, but that bought me to tears. (Speaking of technology — I wasn’t sure if I remembered this correctly, so I googled it and got the exact quote!)
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:40 Nora - EarlyWord
4:41
Thomas Sweterlitsch: 
Sense of place is so vital to a good novel (speaking as a reader). So, I wanted Dominic to be as much in love with the past city as he was with his past life...
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:41 Thomas Sweterlitsch
4:42
[Comment From Pam, Kansas Lib.Pam, Kansas Lib.: ] 
It also made med think of how we mourn the old new Orleans.
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:42 Pam, Kansas Lib.
4:43
Thomas Sweterlitsch: 
Interesting, Pam. In Pittsburgh, there is a very, very heavy sense of nostalgia for the way things once were (before the Steel mills left).
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:43 Thomas Sweterlitsch
4:44
[Comment From Pam, Kansas Lib.Pam, Kansas Lib.: ] 
How scary is it to write about your family and your city disappearing?
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:44 Pam, Kansas Lib.
4:45
Thomas Sweterlitsch: 
Good question, Pam. (I should Google this quote, but I'm going to wing it)--I once read a quote where an author suggested that you write about what horrifies you, so the emotion comes through. This book is basically a check list of my personal fears.
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:45 Thomas Sweterlitsch
4:46
Nora - EarlyWord: 
How did TOMORROW AND TOMORROW end up getting published?
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:46 Nora - EarlyWord
4:46
Thomas Sweterlitsch: 
Welp, interesting question. Do you know the author Stewart O'Nan?He's been a favorite of mine for many years--I've read just about ever book he's written. He was born and raised in Pittsburgh but lived much of his life in New England...
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:46 Thomas Sweterlitsch
4:47
Thomas Sweterlitsch: 
A handful of years ago, he moved back to Pittsburgh--and I was struck by thinking this world-famous writer, who is one of my favorites, lives very close to me...(Pittsburgh's a small place)...
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:47 Thomas Sweterlitsch
4:47
Thomas Sweterlitsch: 
So I did something completely out of character and wrote him a fan letter...That letter led to him reading a short story of mine, called The City Lies Within...
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:47 Thomas Sweterlitsch
4:47
Thomas Sweterlitsch: 
He wrote back very enthusiastically about the short story, saying it's only problem is that it should be a novel...
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:47 Thomas Sweterlitsch
4:47
Thomas Sweterlitsch: 
So I made it into the novel that became "Tomorrow and Tomorrow." He got my foot in the door with his agent, but then the agent rejected the book...
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:47 Thomas Sweterlitsch
4:48
Thomas Sweterlitsch: 
So I spent the next full year rewriting the entire book. When I approached the agent again, he accepted! (There were many other bumps and details along the way).
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:48 Thomas Sweterlitsch
4:49
[Comment From Joe, Maryland LibrarianJoe, Maryland Librarian: ] 
You mentioned publishing stories online. Do you think librarians are doing a good job of handling e-material?
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:49 Joe, Maryland Librarian
4:50
Thomas Sweterlitsch: 
Hi Joe, wow--great question. I think libraries are making great strides to work with a format that will either become the core of the library's mission, or put library's out of business...
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:50 Thomas Sweterlitsch
4:51
Thomas Sweterlitsch: 
I know the Carnegie Public Library System here is making e-material a major focus of what the library is. I think that's a smart move. At the Library for the Blind, we reached an interesting point where we could circulate cassette books one at a time, or put almost every title on one flash drive and circulate it once. Interesting times.
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:51 Thomas Sweterlitsch
4:51
Nora - EarlyWord: 
I read the book has been optioned for a movie — that must have been exciting!
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:51 Nora - EarlyWord
4:52
[Comment From LucyLucy: ] 
But to receive such encouragement based from a fan letter, how grand! I can see how that would inspire you to take the leap into writing a novel. Congratulations on it's publication, by the way.
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:52 Lucy
4:52
Thomas Sweterlitsch: 
Hi Lucy--you wouldn't believe how excited I was! I remember my hands shaking as I opened his envelope back to me. We've since met, and he's a truly great, honest and friendly guy.
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:52 Thomas Sweterlitsch
4:53
Thomas Sweterlitsch: 
Hi Nora--that's right! It was optioned for a movie by Sony. I was working the reference desk on a particularly slow afternoon, when my agent called. He basically said, "all right, let me explain what's happening right now..."
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:53 Thomas Sweterlitsch
4:54
Thomas Sweterlitsch: 
Of course, an option doesn't mean that the movie will be made! But, fingers crossed!
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:54 Thomas Sweterlitsch
4:55
Nora - EarlyWord: 
Let us enjoy the fantasy of getting that call at the reference desk! Did you scream!
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:55 Nora - EarlyWord
4:55
Nora - EarlyWord: 
We're getting close to the end, so get your final questions in!
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:55 Nora - EarlyWord
4:55
Nora - EarlyWord: 
Here's a last one from me:
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:55 Nora - EarlyWord
4:55
Nora - EarlyWord: 
Privacy is a big issue in Dominic’s world. Many librarians have told me that they are shocked by how willing the general public is to hand over their information. Have you seen that, too?
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:55 Nora - EarlyWord
4:57
Thomas Sweterlitsch: 
Yeah, I've definitely seen that. I think we're struggling with the idea of privacy, what it means, how it can help/hurt us. Even I admit, that one of my reactions when it was learned the NSA can read my email, was, "welp, they're going to be pretty bored..." That being said, here at CMU they demonstrated facial recognition software that can scan you and find out all sorts of info about you--I find that very creepy.
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:57 Thomas Sweterlitsch
4:58
Nora - EarlyWord: 
If librarians want to contact you for appearances, how can they reach you?
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:58 Nora - EarlyWord
4:58
Thomas Sweterlitsch: 
Best way to contact me--about anything at all--is my email: Letterswitch @ gmail!
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:58 Thomas Sweterlitsch
4:59
Nora - EarlyWord: 
Great handle! Thanks for talking with us, Tom. Looking forward to your book's publication.
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:59 Nora - EarlyWord
4:59
Thomas Sweterlitsch: 
Thanks for chatting, everyone! It was great to "meet" you all!
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:59 Thomas Sweterlitsch
5:00
Nora - EarlyWord: 
Reminder to everyone -- This chat will be archived on the Penguin First Flights page on EarlyWord

http://penguindebutauthors....
Wednesday May 7, 2014 5:00 Nora - EarlyWord
5:01
Nora - EarlyWord: 
The book is coming out on July 10

If you’re a librarian and aren’t yet a First Flights member, you can still access digital readers copies until publication day on Edelweiss and NetGalley.
Wednesday May 7, 2014 5:01 Nora - EarlyWord
5:01
Nora - EarlyWord: 
Click below to join the Penguin First Flights program:

http://penguindebutauthors....
Wednesday May 7, 2014 5:01 Nora - EarlyWord
5:02
Nora - EarlyWord: 
Goodbye, everyone, and thanks for your questions!
Wednesday May 7, 2014 5:02 Nora - EarlyWord
 
 
 Live Chat with Thomas Sweterlitsch, TOMORROW AND TOMORROW(05/07/2014) 
3:45
Nora - EarlyWord: 
We will begin our live online chat with Thomas Sweterlitsch, author of TOMORROW AND TOMORROW in about 15 minutes
Wednesday May 7, 2014 3:45 Nora - EarlyWord
3:46
Nora - EarlyWord: 
Here’s the cover of the book…
Wednesday May 7, 2014 3:46 Nora - EarlyWord
3:46
 Nora - EarlyWord
Wednesday May 7, 2014 3:46 
3:47
Nora - EarlyWord: 
Below is a special video message that Thomas recorded for Penguin First Flight members:
Wednesday May 7, 2014 3:47 Nora - EarlyWord
3:47
Nora - EarlyWordNora - EarlyWord
Wednesday May 7, 2014 3:47 
3:49
Nora - EarlyWord: 
A blurb from Stewart O’Nan:

Simultaneously trippy and hardboiled, Tomorrow and Tomorrow is a rich, absorbing, relentlessly inventive mindfuck, a smart, dark noir... Sweterlisch's debut is a wild mashup of Raymond Chandler, Philip K. Dick and William S. Burroughs, and, like their work, utterly visionary."--Stewart O'Nan author of "The Odds"
Wednesday May 7, 2014 3:49 Nora - EarlyWord
3:58
Nora - EarlyWord: 
We’re glad to see so many chat participants gathering. You can send your questions through at any time. They'll go into a queue, and we'll submit as many of them as we can to Thomas before the end of the chat. Don’t worry about typos – and please ignore any that we commit!
Wednesday May 7, 2014 3:58 Nora - EarlyWord
3:58
Nora - EarlyWord: 
I see that Thomas has joined us -- welcome!
Wednesday May 7, 2014 3:58 Nora - EarlyWord
3:58
Thomas Sweterlitsch: 
Hello!
Wednesday May 7, 2014 3:58 Thomas Sweterlitsch
3:59
Thomas Sweterlitsch: 
And feel free to call me Tom!
Wednesday May 7, 2014 3:59 Thomas Sweterlitsch
4:00
Nora - EarlyWord: 
Say hi again, Thomas!
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:00 Nora - EarlyWord
4:01
Thomas Sweterlitsch: 
Hello!
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:01 Thomas Sweterlitsch
4:01
Thomas Sweterlitsch: 
My avatar looks like I'm standing in a wheat field, even though it's really just a shrub in my side yard...
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:01 Thomas Sweterlitsch
4:02
Thomas Sweterlitsch: 
Also, feel free to call me Tom!
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:02 Thomas Sweterlitsch
4:03
Nora - EarlyWord: 
There you are! I wanted to see your photo so I could note you look a bit different than you do in the video.
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:03 Nora - EarlyWord
4:03
Thomas Sweterlitsch: 
Ah, you must mean the beard. Yep, it comes and goes. For the record--I'm fully bearded right now (hockey playoff season).
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:03 Thomas Sweterlitsch
4:05
Nora - EarlyWord: 
Those of you out there, please say hi to Tom!
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:05 Nora - EarlyWord
4:06
[Comment From Ref. LibrarianRef. Librarian: ] 
Hey, Tom -- loved the book!
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:06 Ref. Librarian
4:06
[Comment From GuestGuest: ] 
Happy Wednesday Tom.
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:06 Guest
4:06
Thomas Sweterlitsch: 
Thanks!
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:06 Thomas Sweterlitsch
4:06
Thomas Sweterlitsch: 
And a happy Wednesday to you, too!
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:06 Thomas Sweterlitsch
4:06
[Comment From PDPD: ] 
Hi Tom! Great book!
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:06 PD
4:06
[Comment From Kids LibrarianKids Librarian: ] 
Hope you've got Spring there, Tom!
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:06 Kids Librarian
4:07
[Comment From LucyLucy: ] 
HI to Tom from the Midwest and personally I like the beard. :-)
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:07 Lucy
4:07
[Comment From Sue DSue D: ] 
Good afternoon from St. Charles, Mo
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:07 Sue D
4:07
Thomas Sweterlitsch: 
Thanks, PD!
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:07 Thomas Sweterlitsch
4:07
Thomas Sweterlitsch: 
Yes, Kids Librarian, it is full-on Spring here in Pittsburgh. Started out with a massive thunderstorm but not the sun's shining. Perfect weather.
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:07 Thomas Sweterlitsch
4:07
Thomas Sweterlitsch: 
All right, Lucy!
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:07 Thomas Sweterlitsch
4:08
Nora - EarlyWord: 
Tell us about the cover – it doesn’t look very science fiction-y. Was the intentional?
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:08 Nora - EarlyWord
4:09
Thomas Sweterlitsch: 
Good question, Nora. That's right--I think the flipped bottom Tomorrow is meant to convey a sort of feeling that there might be a mind-bending mystery at play...
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:09 Thomas Sweterlitsch
4:10
Thomas Sweterlitsch: 
But at the same time, I know Putnam is interested in promoting this book as a mystery/thriller and a "literary" novel as much as a sci-fi book, so they probably stopped short of being "too sci fi"...
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:10 Thomas Sweterlitsch
4:10
Thomas Sweterlitsch: 
I love the cover quite a bit--I like that they used the skyline of Pittsburgh, though a few astute friends noticed that the picture itself is reversed!
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:10 Thomas Sweterlitsch
4:11
Nora - EarlyWord: 
For those that spot the flipped skyline, that could also read as mind-bending.
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:11 Nora - EarlyWord
4:11
Thomas Sweterlitsch: 
Haha, that's right! All part of the plan.
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:11 Thomas Sweterlitsch
4:11
Nora - EarlyWord: 
I'm amused by how different the British cover is.
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:11 Nora - EarlyWord
4:12
 Nora - EarlyWord
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:12 
4:12
Nora - EarlyWord: 
Looks almost like a spy novel!
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:12 Nora - EarlyWord
4:12
Thomas Sweterlitsch: 
Yes, very different. I think the American cover focuses on the "post apocalyptic" moments of the book; the British cover seems to focus on the "man in danger" aspect.
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:12 Thomas Sweterlitsch
4:13
Thomas Sweterlitsch: 
Every time I see that British cover I try to place who that guy is.
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:13 Thomas Sweterlitsch
4:13
[Comment From LauraLaura: ] 
The British cover reminded me of the "Taken" movie posters with Liam Neeson on them.
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:13 Laura
4:13
[Comment From LucyLucy: ] 
Perhaps the Brit cover was trying to present/focus on a noir aspect?
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:13 Lucy
4:14
Thomas Sweterlitsch: 
Laura, oh yeah! I definitely see that!
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:14 Thomas Sweterlitsch
4:14
Nora - EarlyWord: 
This is your first book, but not your first published work, right?
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:14 Nora - EarlyWord
4:14
Thomas Sweterlitsch: 
I think you're right, Lucy. Definitely reads more "thriller."
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:14 Thomas Sweterlitsch
4:14
Thomas Sweterlitsch: 
First book, yes. I've published a few short stories, all science fiction, on-line.
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:14 Thomas Sweterlitsch
4:15
Nora - EarlyWord: 
Did you set out to write science fiction, or did that evolve from the story you wanted to tell?
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:15 Nora - EarlyWord
4:15
Thomas Sweterlitsch: 
I think genre should evolve from story--but it just so happens that all the good stories I come up with are science fiction!...
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:15 Thomas Sweterlitsch
4:16
Thomas Sweterlitsch: 
So, yes--all my ideas for future projects have a sci-fi element to them.
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:16 Thomas Sweterlitsch
4:17
Nora - EarlyWord: 
Does all of this talk about genres really matter?
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:17 Nora - EarlyWord
4:18
Thomas Sweterlitsch: 
"Genre" is a strange thing--especially right now. The only time I get frustrated by the genre question is when some people rank certain genres lower in importance than others.
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:18 Thomas Sweterlitsch
4:18
Thomas Sweterlitsch: 
We're living in a moment when "high-art" and "low-art" are mashed together--maybe really starting with Warhol, but also in things like "Superflat" art/Murakami. It's an exciting time to write "genre."
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:18 Thomas Sweterlitsch
4:19
Nora - EarlyWord: 
Ah, and then there's the favorite back-handed compliment -- "rises above genre"!
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:19 Nora - EarlyWord
4:20
Thomas Sweterlitsch: 
That's right!
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:20 Thomas Sweterlitsch
4:20
[Comment From Kids LibrarianKids Librarian: ] 
Have you ever thought about writing a YA book?
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:20 Kids Librarian
4:21
Thomas Sweterlitsch: 
Thanks for the question, Kids Librarian! I've had an idea kicking around in my head about the Homestead Steel Mill Strike that I think could make a good YA book; but honestly, my writing tends to be fairly "R" rated, so I'll probably just stick with adult fiction.
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:21 Thomas Sweterlitsch
4:22
[Comment From Kids LibrarianKids Librarian: ] 
Interesting -- do you find the "R" rated stuff essential?
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:22 Kids Librarian
4:23
Thomas Sweterlitsch: 
I think that material should flow from story/character. So, R rated stuff is never strictly-speaking essential, and some of my short stories are pretty clean.
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:23 Thomas Sweterlitsch
4:23
Nora - EarlyWord: 
You seem adept at online chatting, Tom -- you mentioned to me that you had some background for that. Tell us about it.
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:23 Nora - EarlyWord
4:24
Thomas Sweterlitsch: 
That's right, Nora--a handful of years ago I was the person at our library who manned the "InfoEyes" virtual reference desk. The chat interface was very similar to this one...
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:24 Thomas Sweterlitsch
4:25
Thomas Sweterlitsch: 
We'd have people from all over the country pop up on the screen and ask questions--I'd find myself (in Pittsburgh) trying to track down answers about very local information in other states!
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:25 Thomas Sweterlitsch
4:26
Nora - EarlyWord: 
Did your experience working reference affect how you shaped the story or the character of Dominic?
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:26 Nora - EarlyWord
4:27
Thomas Sweterlitsch: 
Absolutely. I have often thought about getting an MLIS degree specializing as an "archivist." ...And as I started thinking of ways that Dominic could access information he needs, my touchstone was always library work...
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:27 Thomas Sweterlitsch
4:28
[Comment From Sue DSue D: ] 
Those questions still happen at our very regular reference desks. Out of state or snow birds calling.
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:28 Sue D
4:29
Thomas Sweterlitsch: 
In earlier drafts of the novel I had TONS of sections about how exactly the Archive works, how it was connected to the Library of Congress. I was modeling it off the Library for the Blind services, ultimately run by the National Library Service/LOC. I even had an application for the Archive at one point.
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:29 Thomas Sweterlitsch
4:29
Thomas Sweterlitsch: 
That's right, Sue D--even on the phones!
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:29 Thomas Sweterlitsch
4:30
Nora - EarlyWord: 
I enjoyed how you combined the familiar with the futuristic, letting me figure out some things (hey! That taxi doesn’t have a driver!) You really have to trust the reader to do that.
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:30 Nora - EarlyWord
4:31
Thomas Sweterlitsch: 
Driverless Taxi--shout out to Total Recall...
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:31 Thomas Sweterlitsch
4:31
[Comment From PDPD: ] 
Really interesting take on SF. Did you live there? Did you ever eat at Memphis Minnie's :-)?
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:31 PD
4:32
Thomas Sweterlitsch: 
Hi PD! Actually, I've never been to SF. I'm very familiar with Washington DC and Pittsburgh, but when I got to that last section I wanted to explore a city completely virtually (Google Street View), so that I could "flip" it in my mind: Pittsburgh the virtual city that I actually live in; SF the real city in the book that I'm exploring only virtually...
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:32 Thomas Sweterlitsch
 
Nora - EarlyWord: 
Now THAT was living through Dominic!
  Nora - EarlyWord
4:33
Thomas Sweterlitsch: 
Plus, SF is where Vertigo takes place, which was one of the earliest and deepest influences on Tomorrow and Tomorrow.
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:33 Thomas Sweterlitsch
4:34
Nora - EarlyWord: 
Several of the authors we’ve had in this program have purposely set their books a bit in the past because they find today’s technology gets in the way of telling their stories -- for instance, communications are speeded up by email and you can find out things via Google, which can make it difficult to introduce tension. Your book does the opposite, with technology leaping ahead.
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:34 Nora - EarlyWord
4:35
[Comment From Joe, MD LibrarianJoe, MD Librarian: ] 
I KNEW you knew D.C. well, but you def. had me fooled about San Fran Cisco!
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:35 Joe, MD Librarian
4:35
Thomas Sweterlitsch: 
Great question, Nora. I often wonder at how common cell phones/the internet are in real life, but how infrequently they appear in fiction...
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:35 Thomas Sweterlitsch
4:36
Thomas Sweterlitsch: 
Hi Joe! That's good to hear!
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:36 Thomas Sweterlitsch
4:36
Thomas Sweterlitsch: 
Re: cell phones: in some ways, I think it's the kind of problem that happens in Shakespeare, where you just want the characters to talk to each other to make all their problems go away...
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:36 Thomas Sweterlitsch
4:37
Thomas Sweterlitsch: 
So the challenge as a writer has to be how to make the dramatic tension fit around current/future technologies. I have Dominic Google a lot of information, and in my plot I have a lot of that information "corrupted" so he can't find it out right away...
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:37 Thomas Sweterlitsch
4:37
Thomas Sweterlitsch: 
Also, funnily enough, I was a very late adapter to smart phones/mobile devices--I didn't have a cell phone until after this book was finished, so I was completely inventing what it's like to live with this stuff.
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:37 Thomas Sweterlitsch
4:38
Thomas Sweterlitsch: 
Re: San Francisco. I just had a couple of close friends move to SF, so hopefully I'll make it out there soon!
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:38 Thomas Sweterlitsch
4:38
Nora - EarlyWord: 
That is so amazing. I've gotten used to avoiding what I call "device zombies" on the streets of NYC.
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:38 Nora - EarlyWord
4:39
Thomas Sweterlitsch: 
Full confession: I was a device zombie a little earlier this afternoon.
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:39 Thomas Sweterlitsch
4:40
Nora - EarlyWord: 
I was struck that Dominic seems to not only mourn his wife, but the city of Pittsburgh itself. As someone who lived in NYC during 9/11, that's very evocative. I remember a news report that astronauts on the space station could see the smoke rising and one sent a message that "I just want the folks in New York to know their city still looks very beautiful from space." — I couldn’t figure out why, but that bought me to tears. (Speaking of technology — I wasn’t sure if I remembered this correctly, so I googled it and got the exact quote!)
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:40 Nora - EarlyWord
4:41
Thomas Sweterlitsch: 
Sense of place is so vital to a good novel (speaking as a reader). So, I wanted Dominic to be as much in love with the past city as he was with his past life...
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:41 Thomas Sweterlitsch
4:42
[Comment From Pam, Kansas Lib.Pam, Kansas Lib.: ] 
It also made med think of how we mourn the old new Orleans.
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:42 Pam, Kansas Lib.
4:43
Thomas Sweterlitsch: 
Interesting, Pam. In Pittsburgh, there is a very, very heavy sense of nostalgia for the way things once were (before the Steel mills left).
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:43 Thomas Sweterlitsch
4:44
[Comment From Pam, Kansas Lib.Pam, Kansas Lib.: ] 
How scary is it to write about your family and your city disappearing?
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:44 Pam, Kansas Lib.
4:45
Thomas Sweterlitsch: 
Good question, Pam. (I should Google this quote, but I'm going to wing it)--I once read a quote where an author suggested that you write about what horrifies you, so the emotion comes through. This book is basically a check list of my personal fears.
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:45 Thomas Sweterlitsch
4:46
Nora - EarlyWord: 
How did TOMORROW AND TOMORROW end up getting published?
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:46 Nora - EarlyWord
4:46
Thomas Sweterlitsch: 
Welp, interesting question. Do you know the author Stewart O'Nan?He's been a favorite of mine for many years--I've read just about ever book he's written. He was born and raised in Pittsburgh but lived much of his life in New England...
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:46 Thomas Sweterlitsch
4:47
Thomas Sweterlitsch: 
A handful of years ago, he moved back to Pittsburgh--and I was struck by thinking this world-famous writer, who is one of my favorites, lives very close to me...(Pittsburgh's a small place)...
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:47 Thomas Sweterlitsch
4:47
Thomas Sweterlitsch: 
So I did something completely out of character and wrote him a fan letter...That letter led to him reading a short story of mine, called The City Lies Within...
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:47 Thomas Sweterlitsch
4:47
Thomas Sweterlitsch: 
He wrote back very enthusiastically about the short story, saying it's only problem is that it should be a novel...
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:47 Thomas Sweterlitsch
4:47
Thomas Sweterlitsch: 
So I made it into the novel that became "Tomorrow and Tomorrow." He got my foot in the door with his agent, but then the agent rejected the book...
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:47 Thomas Sweterlitsch
4:48
Thomas Sweterlitsch: 
So I spent the next full year rewriting the entire book. When I approached the agent again, he accepted! (There were many other bumps and details along the way).
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:48 Thomas Sweterlitsch
4:49
[Comment From Joe, Maryland LibrarianJoe, Maryland Librarian: ] 
You mentioned publishing stories online. Do you think librarians are doing a good job of handling e-material?
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:49 Joe, Maryland Librarian
4:50
Thomas Sweterlitsch: 
Hi Joe, wow--great question. I think libraries are making great strides to work with a format that will either become the core of the library's mission, or put library's out of business...
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:50 Thomas Sweterlitsch
4:51
Thomas Sweterlitsch: 
I know the Carnegie Public Library System here is making e-material a major focus of what the library is. I think that's a smart move. At the Library for the Blind, we reached an interesting point where we could circulate cassette books one at a time, or put almost every title on one flash drive and circulate it once. Interesting times.
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:51 Thomas Sweterlitsch
4:51
Nora - EarlyWord: 
I read the book has been optioned for a movie — that must have been exciting!
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:51 Nora - EarlyWord
4:52
[Comment From LucyLucy: ] 
But to receive such encouragement based from a fan letter, how grand! I can see how that would inspire you to take the leap into writing a novel. Congratulations on it's publication, by the way.
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:52 Lucy
4:52
Thomas Sweterlitsch: 
Hi Lucy--you wouldn't believe how excited I was! I remember my hands shaking as I opened his envelope back to me. We've since met, and he's a truly great, honest and friendly guy.
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:52 Thomas Sweterlitsch
4:53
Thomas Sweterlitsch: 
Hi Nora--that's right! It was optioned for a movie by Sony. I was working the reference desk on a particularly slow afternoon, when my agent called. He basically said, "all right, let me explain what's happening right now..."
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:53 Thomas Sweterlitsch
4:54
Thomas Sweterlitsch: 
Of course, an option doesn't mean that the movie will be made! But, fingers crossed!
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:54 Thomas Sweterlitsch
4:55
Nora - EarlyWord: 
Let us enjoy the fantasy of getting that call at the reference desk! Did you scream!
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:55 Nora - EarlyWord
4:55
Nora - EarlyWord: 
We're getting close to the end, so get your final questions in!
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:55 Nora - EarlyWord
4:55
Nora - EarlyWord: 
Here's a last one from me:
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:55 Nora - EarlyWord
4:55
Nora - EarlyWord: 
Privacy is a big issue in Dominic’s world. Many librarians have told me that they are shocked by how willing the general public is to hand over their information. Have you seen that, too?
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:55 Nora - EarlyWord
4:57
Thomas Sweterlitsch: 
Yeah, I've definitely seen that. I think we're struggling with the idea of privacy, what it means, how it can help/hurt us. Even I admit, that one of my reactions when it was learned the NSA can read my email, was, "welp, they're going to be pretty bored..." That being said, here at CMU they demonstrated facial recognition software that can scan you and find out all sorts of info about you--I find that very creepy.
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:57 Thomas Sweterlitsch
4:58
Nora - EarlyWord: 
If librarians want to contact you for appearances, how can they reach you?
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:58 Nora - EarlyWord
4:58
Thomas Sweterlitsch: 
Best way to contact me--about anything at all--is my email: Letterswitch @ gmail!
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:58 Thomas Sweterlitsch
4:59
Nora - EarlyWord: 
Great handle! Thanks for talking with us, Tom. Looking forward to your book's publication.
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:59 Nora - EarlyWord
4:59
Thomas Sweterlitsch: 
Thanks for chatting, everyone! It was great to "meet" you all!
Wednesday May 7, 2014 4:59 Thomas Sweterlitsch
5:00
Nora - EarlyWord: 
Reminder to everyone -- This chat will be archived on the Penguin First Flights page on EarlyWord

http://penguindebutauthors....
Wednesday May 7, 2014 5:00 Nora - EarlyWord
5:01
Nora - EarlyWord: 
The book is coming out on July 10

If you’re a librarian and aren’t yet a First Flights member, you can still access digital readers copies until publication day on Edelweiss and NetGalley.
Wednesday May 7, 2014 5:01 Nora - EarlyWord
5:01
Nora - EarlyWord: 
Click below to join the Penguin First Flights program:

http://penguindebutauthors....
Wednesday May 7, 2014 5:01 Nora - EarlyWord
5:02
Nora - EarlyWord: 
Goodbye, everyone, and thanks for your questions!
Wednesday May 7, 2014 5:02 Nora - EarlyWord
 
 

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