Pump Up Chats with Borneo Tom McLaughlin

Borneo Tom

Tom An award winning science teacher, Tom McLaughlin battled a rare neurological disease to a standstill, packed up and moved to Malaysian Borneo. He traveled extensively on the local discount airline, re married and is now the father of a vasectomy failed son. His adventures are shared in his book, Borneo Tom. He teaches English and English Literature at a local international school. He shares his life on his blog at www.borneotom.com and Face Book at Borneo Tom.

Thank you for this interview, TOM.  Do you remember writing stories as a child or did the writing bug come later?  Do you remember your first published piece?

A: In college, I started and edited an anti war newspaper that also supported the ecology movement.

What do you consider as the most frustrating side of becoming a published author and what has been the most rewarding?

A: The most frustrating side has been marketing. I entrusted Author Marketing Experts with $10,000 to build a web site and do magical technical things with the Internet to sell books. I ended up with zero books sold and a 173 Google rating. The adage “All that glitters is not gold” proved true in my case.

The most rewarding has been all the people I have met while performing research.

Are you married or single and how do you combine the writing life with home life?  Do you have support?

A: My wife supports my efforts and I include her in every phase of my writing life. I like working early in the morning before she arises and then share with her my efforts.

Can you tell us about your latest book and why you wrote it?

Borneo Tom

A: Borneo Tom is about the people and places of Tropical Southeast Asia. I wanted to share these individuals with readers and to also break down some of the barriers which exist about those of the Islamic faith.

Can you share an excerpt?

A: On my last day, before the 3pm feeding session, I went to the comfort station. I witnessed Delima, an orangutan, and family reaching in through the bars of the cleaning closet to extract a deep blue gallon jug of Dettol, a disinfectant used to scrub floors.

She then climbed high into the tree tops, opened the jug and poured it over herself. I ran down to the park station and they immediately radioed for help. I watched as she emptied the jug and then began banging on it like a drum. She moved through the trees carrying the deep blue container with her daughter Selima behind, with me following down the path telling the park rangers where she was.

She eventually went to the feeding station, smelling like Lysol, much better than her original odour. The park rangers told me she would not drink it, but everyone seemed to be relieved she was eating the fruit, looking a bit sorry for herself.

Looking down from on high, it must have looked hilarious;  me yelling in my Americanized Malay that the apes had the Dettol, me chasing them while they were high in the trees, Delima beating on the deep blue gallon jug, and Selima wondering what on earth was going on.

Where’s your favorite place to write at home?

A: In front of a large window that overlooks the Sarawak River and a kampung. (village).

What is one thing about your book that makes it different from other books on the market?

A: The book is a series of individual essays coupled with sketches that illustrate the story.

Tables are turned…what is one thing you’d like to say to your audience who might buy your book one day?

A: Welcome to my world of orangutans, pandas and proboscis monkey’s. Join me as I wander through villages, towns, cities and the hinter lands of Tropical Southeast Asia. Feel my love as I reunite with my daughter after a divorce and then, propose and marry my wife, village style and then find out she is with child after my vasectomy fails. Welcome!

Thank you for this interview, Tom. Good luck on your virtual book tour!

A: Thank you


One Response to “Pump Up Chats with Borneo Tom McLaughlin”

  1. John Ames says:

    This sounds like an interesting read. I know the word “Borneo” evokes the exotic for me. Good luck with this, Tom. Your life experiences shame those of us who played it safe.

    However, I think my novel shows that one can have a great adventure in a small venue.

    Find out more about Adventures in Nowhere at my website.

    johnamesauthor.com

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