There are two things Tom Wascoe wants readers to take away from his book Child of the Dust: love conquers all and the importance of the Vietnam War. The story is inspired by Wascoe’s service in the army as well as his Corporate Officer career at a Fortune 100 company. He once told someone that he would write a book about the war, and accomplished his goal forty years later.
Child of the Dust tells the story of a soldier, Richie, who falls in love and procreates with a native, though he is forbidden to marry her. Richie is obligated to leave the army and returns to life in America. Two decades later, however, they reunite, along with his son.
“The whole Vietnam experience was very important to me, the struggles and the people that we left behind,” the author told So Booking Cool.
Prior to penning Child of the Dust, Wascoe was not a reader of romance—he typically reads historical fiction. But when chatting with him, his passion for the story’s message that “love is overriding” is palpable. Listen to the full interview to learn more about the Chicago resident.
We discuss his thoughts on a film or television adaptation of Child of the Dust; his perspective on book reviews; how many books he reads a year; his debut book, Backseat, which is also partly derived from a personal event in his life; his experience with Bookstand Publishing; and his upcoming work. For more information, visit Wascoe’s official website.