Nebraska Avenue follows a lonely Brooklyn boy in 1976 Long Island as he joins a crew of paperboys whose neighborhood adventures, comic rituals, and risky scheme to clear their boss’s name teach him about courage, loyalty, friendship, and home. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?

The inspiration for the story was my own experience moving from Brooklyn to Long Island in the 1970s, leaving behind my school, friends, and “block”, and needing to start over. My twin sisters, two years older than me, had a much easier time adjusting to our new environment. I was indeed a paperboy for Newsday, and most of the “shenanigans” depicted in the book actually happened.

Vinny’s world feels rich with period details, from paper routes to banana-seat bikes. Were these drawn from personal memory, research, or a mix of both?

I have vivid memories of that time period, which I supported with research to make sure my memory knew what it was talking about! I only wish I had kept my Royce Union bicycle all these years – although I’m pretty sure I still have the milk crate I used to deliver newspapers,

The novel treats childhood like its own small society with rules, rituals, and economies. Was that perspective central to the story from the beginning?

An examination of childhood societal rules and rituals was not at all planned. My intention was just to tell a story about paperboys (and one girl paperboy). But by Chapter 2 – beginning with Wally’s sister becoming annoyed at Artie’s immaturity – it became apparent that some of the most interesting things about growing up happen “between the lines.” Recounting the manner in which interactions between the characters were conducted became fun for me. For example, the frequent punches in the arm were essentially the way the paperboys kept order, with each of them having the authority to render judgment when someone stepped out of line. I recall receiving my fair share of (well-deserved) punches, all in good fun and with no lasting damage.

How did you balance nostalgia with the more tender emotional undercurrent of Vinny’s homesickness and need to belong?

I think most everyone is nostalgic for their formative years and could write a story about it if they put their mind to it. My eyes would sometimes tear up when I was writing about Mr. R’s struggles or the loneliness I felt after moving to Long Island. It would have been a very sad story if I remained in that space, so I tried to concentrate on the lighter moments. Fortunately, my summers as a paperboy were filled with those lighter moments – and way too many fireworks.

Being a paperboy gave me friends and confidence, not to mention the best financial lessons an early teen could hope to learn. Best of all, I remain good friends with some of the “characters” depicted in the book. I only wish today’s children could experience what my friends and I did fifty years ago.

Author Links: GoodReads | Amazon