JT: How much planning did you put into the symbols in The Beard?

AP: I never intentionally use symbolism. There are certain images or scenes I have in my head that I know I want to work into a piece. While writing or planning something, I don’t put too much thought into the meaning behind those things. A reader’s or critic’s search for meaning is part of what makes reading a work entertaining. For me, prescribing meaning to something I’m writing would be like poison. I approach each work as kind of a mystery. If I already had the answer to that mystery, it would ruin the actual act of writing.

JT: What was the genesis of The Beard?

AP: I wrote this for NaNoWriMo in 2006. I wanted to write something that had a lot of forward momentum but also allowed the main character to spend a bit of time in ridiculous situations. I also wanted to write something that was a lot of fun to write, something I knew I would want to finish and go back to again and again for revision. So this was written very quickly, mostly late at night, while I was probably sleep deprived. Actually, most of my stuff is written that way. I’m not sure where the actual genesis of the idea came from. I liked the idea of a person giving up as a writer and then having his life become exciting enough to be the subject of a novel.

JT: Why did you post The Beard for free on your blog?

AP: Originally, I uploaded this nightly as I wrote it. I would also include a list of whatever music I listened to while writing. I wanted it to be kind of the live, free jazz version of something people are used to buying as relatively polished, finished products (books).

JT: Was this a Cory Doctorow-esque strategy to build a fan base?

AP: Giving away things for free is a good chance to share something you’ve created. Also it’s an attempt to build a fan base. Since I’m not working with a large publishing house, and I don’t really have a lot of time, this seemed like the easiest way to attract readers. There is a decent amount of interest in my writing but interest doesn’t necessarily mean people will pay ten dollars for a book by an author they’ve never heard of. It would be great if someone read something of mine for free and, if they liked it, they would spread the word or consider buying one of my other books but that’s entirely up to the reader. In the end, I’m just happy to have people read my stuff.

JT: What’s your writing schedule like?

AP: I usually start writing after midnight and quit when I get tired around 2 or 3 AM. Then I get a few hours of sleep before going to the day job. I don’t actually write 4 books a year, but I have been writing seriously for the past ten. So I already had a number of completed books but was only shopping them around to New York agents and publishers. There was enough interest to keep me going and working on the next thing but, in the end, I couldn’t get anyone to publish these things. Finally, I was able to get a few small presses to take an interest in my work.

JT: What’s with the brain burrito?

AP: I don’t know. It was probably late and I was probably hungry.

JT: What’s an Apocalyptic PB&Marshmallow sundae? This sounds better than a “brain burrito.” Where can somebody get one?

AP: An Apocalyptic PB&Marshmallow sundae is something not comprehensible with our current set of knowledge.

JT: Your characters tell lies. Is this a technique of storytelling, or is it more a function of character?

AP: The truth is a really subjective thing. What’s true for one person isn’t necessarily true for another person. Basically, I like it when characters aren’t predictable.

JT: The Nefarions “were everything bad in the world.” Who are they really?

AP: The Nefarions are the quintessential outsiders. Are they really everything bad in the world? Probably not. In fact, maybe it’s the opposite. Also, the three mutants become representative of the whole, which is a typically xenophobic/racist way of looking at things.

JT: What does David’s beard symbolize?

AP: If the beard symbolizes anything, it’s something he can actually accomplish. Also, it’s something mundane, not lofty, that ends up having great importance.

JT: The book ends with what could be a mantra: “We all need a little more harmless nonsense in our lives." Is surreal literature harmless nonsense? Is there more to it?

AP: We do all need a little harmless nonsense in our lives. I don’t know that I feel surreal literature is harmless nonsense. Anything is harmless nonsense until it’s actually read and digested by a person. Then they can decide for themselves whether it’s nonsense or something a little more meaningful. They also have the freedom to decide what that meaning should be. Some things need to be done for the pure pleasure of it. Not all things have to have a point and sometimes end up being the most meaningful. Literature in general, not just surreal literature, helps the reader establish an interior life. That’s not to say it’s a life that is hoarded and not shared. On the contrary, it gives like-minded people something to talk about. But it’s important to have some sense of individuality. Otherwise you’re wearing the same clothes as everyone else, playing the same video games, fucking around on the same social network sites. Many people are comfortable with this, I guess. I never really have been. My brain connects with literature in ways it doesn’t connect with any other art form or entertainment. Maybe this is because the reader brings a tremendous amount of him/herself to a book, and every book read before the present one has a type of cumulative effect.