An Interview with Tom McEachin

Tom McEachin earned an MFA in Writing from Vermont College of Fine Arts and an MA in Rhetoric and Composition from Texas A&M International University. He also holds a BA in Journalism from Central Michigan University. After fifteen years as a newspaper sportswriter, he made a gradual transition into the world of fiction. He currently resides in Bandera, Texas, ‘The Cowboy Capital of the World.’

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Tell us the story of your book’s title. Was it easy to find, or did it take forever?

Since existential literature was an important part of my novel, I wanted to include the word ‘metamorphosis’ in the title. That gave me both an allusion to Franz Kafka’s classic story The Metamorphosis, and also a sense of the growth—the metamorphosis—the protagonist displayed over the course of the novel.

I also wanted to include the name of my protagonist in the book title. I experimented with several names for my main character. ‘Marna Love’ popped in my head, and I was intrigued by it. I didn’t immediately commit to it but as I progressed, I realized I did indeed have my title.

How did it feel when you first saw your book cover? Or when you first held your book in your hands?

I have no visual artistic talent, so I could never come remotely close to producing a cover the magnitude of the one the Atmosphere designers came up with. Since their cover was considerably different from anything I could create on my own, I wasn’t quite sure how to evaluate it. I posted the cover on Facebook, inviting feedback from friends. The very first response came from a poet who wrote: “Oh hell yeah!!!! Big ups!!! Congrats.” That’s when I knew I had a winner.

But there was a problem.

The word ‘metamorphosis’ has thirteen letters. If designers shrunk the typeface to fit the word on a single line on the cover, the type would be too small to have an impact. So, the art team went in the opposite direction and embraced the length. They increased the font size instead of trying to shrink it and broke the single word into three lines. The result was captivating.

What other professions have you worked in? What’s something about you that your readers wouldn’t know?

I estimated once that I have published more than two million words in my lifetime. The majority of those came from my newspaper sports writing days, when I spent fifteen years covering the Utah Jazz of the NBA. In addition to boxes of newspaper clippings that came from covering a team, I also wrote numerous magazine articles related to basketball, and a biography of a legendary broadcaster. More recently, my focus has switched to fiction, resulting in my new novel and several stories I have published.

If your book had a soundtrack, what are some songs that would be on it?

The Gilmore Girls theme song

Stayin’ Alive, The Bee Gees

Tony, Patty Griffin

Deeper Well, Kacey Musgraves

Into the Mystic, Van Morrison

What is one thing you hope readers take away from reading your book? How do you envision your perfect reader?

It is difficult for me to consider a ‘perfect reader’ because that seems to put the burden on the audience to come up with a ‘perfect story.’

I have no interest in writing something with an agenda, yet I don’t care to write anything that might come across as self-absorbed, either.

There must be a balance, and that comes from writing something I am interested in that I think there is an audience for. Based on early reviews and feedback, I feel like I am finding that balance in this novel.

How was working with Atmosphere Press? What would you tell other writers who want to publish?

I published my novel The Metamorphosis of Marna Love with Atmosphere Press on April 7, 2026. That was a remarkable turnaround considering I first submitted my manuscript to Atmosphere for consideration just eight months earlier, on August 14, 2025.

I’ll do the math for you. The entire process took 236 days from the moment I submitted my manuscript for consideration to the official release date, when my novel was available across the country. After spending years and years querying agents, editors, and publishers and getting nowhere, it was not only exciting to get a signed contract, but a relief as well. I had a deal. I had a commitment. I had a timeline. That allowed me to relax and focus on content instead of worrying about the business aspect.

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