Wednesday, January 10, 2018

Q&A with Philip Rivera


 


 

1.       What inspired you to write Suburban Luchador: Tales from Burb Side?

My inspiration for writing Suburban Luchador: Tales from the Burb Side was my sister who encouraged me to take my brief, humorous Facebook posts about life as a husband and father and post them to a blog for a greater audience to enjoy.  

 

 

2.       Where did most of the stories come from?

Most of my stories come from comical, slice-of-life scenarios from my misadventures as father, husband, high school teacher and whimsical thinker.

 

3.       In the summary, it is quoted that “[Suburban Luchador is the] everyday, luchador mask-wearing, suburban family man who's anything but common.” Could you please elaborate?

I consider myself a regular suburban man.  I water my lawn, pull the occasional weed, attempt and fail at various DIY home projects, take the kids to the park, and drive a 2014 minivan that I secretly believe is an illegal street racer.  I live in a fairly normal world, but my imagination adds a humorous spectrum to it.

 

 

4.       What are some of the main issues that you explore in this book and why did you explore them?

I explore issues of parenting, marriage and being a high school teacher of migrant students.  I chose these topics because they’re close to my heart and relatable to people from every walk of life.  I also find that misunderstandings between men and women and adults and teenagers are some of the greatest scenarios for humorous writing.

 

 

5.       What was the hardest part about writing this book?

The hardest part about writing this book was finding the time to write.  As a father of 3 young children, as soon I get home and the garage door rises, a Pandora’s box lies awaiting.

 

 

6.       What do you hope readers will gain from your book?

My hope is that my readers will find the joy and humor that is present in our everyday, mundane, life situations.  Because if you can’t laugh about accidentally drinking your son’s urine, what’s the point of living?

 

 

7.       What do you like best and what do you like least about being a writer?

What I like best about being a writer is being able to share the whimsical, offbeat, and hopefully humorous perspective I have on life.  What I like least is performing this one-man sideshow to an empty or unresponsive room.

 

8.       Who are some of your favorite authors?

Some of my favorite authors are Jack Handy and Joel C. Rosenberg.

 

9.       If your book would be turned into a movie, who would you imagine playing the part of the main character? (Actor can be ANYONE, living or dead.)

If my book were to become a movie, the role of Suburban Luchador would be played by Eugenio Derbez.

 

10.   Are you working on anything right now?

 I am currently working on Suburban Luchador 2: Suburban Luchador vs. The Big Gulp, the second round of ringside suburban stories.

 

11.   And, finally, what do you think is in store for the future of Latino literature?

As a Hispanic teacher working with migrant youth, I see the hope, imagination and resilience that lies within the upcoming generation. Although many of them grow up in poverty, what they lack in material wealth they possess in cultural riches.  Their families pass on to them the stories from their homeland; consejos about life, spirituality, family and relationships.  I believe these young people will weave these stories into every vocation they fill.  Ours is a culture of stories passed on from generation to generation, so I believe Latino literature will continue to be passed on through today’s young Latinos as they influence social media, academia, and the business world. Estamos en buenas manos!

 
For more info, visit http://suburbanluchador.com/

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