Author Q & A with Tom Navratil
Tom Navratil is a novelist and humor writer who grew up in Illinois and Wisconsin. After graduating from Haverford College, he joined the U.S. Department of State as a foreign service officer. Over a 29-year diplomatic career, he served at our embassies in Santo Domingo, Tokyo (twice), Moscow, and Skopje, as well as in Washington, DC. Tom’s debut novel is Dog’s Breakfast, a comedy of international intrigue. It was published in 2025 by a small press in Minnesota. His comedy writing has appeared in Points in Case, Weekly Humorist, Robot Butt, Slackjaw, and many other publications. Meet Tom:
You are an author, but is it your day job? This question reminds me of a Soviet-era Russian joke about communism: “We pretend to work, and they pretend to pay us.” Storytelling is my primary vocation now, but I don’t think of it as a job. And it would take quite a bit of pretending to construe the royalties, at least so far, as anything other than humorous. Writing is my passion, which I pursue for my own amusement and gratification, firstly, and then for putting smiles on readers’ faces. And there’s no price tag on that.
Did you always want to be an author? Reading American literary classics in high school sparked a dream, which I nourished throughout the years of diplomatic work and raising children. Seeing Dog’s Breakfast emerge into the world last year provided a profound joy that is difficult to compare to other forms of happiness I have been fortunate to experience, and I will always be grateful to Willow River Press/Between the Lines Publishing.
What is your most recent book, and what inspired you to write it?
When I left the State Department, I had been a foreign service officer for well over half my time on the planet. I took pride in having spent my entire adult life in the service of American diplomacy, essentially, but it’s also fair to say I spotted a foible or two along the way. Dog’s Breakfast is the story of a conniving number two at an embassy who goes rogue to create chaos and undermine the ambassador, in furtherance of his own career ambitions. The primary hindrance to his scheme is an idealistic junior officer who, in her own way, is just as wily. It’s a madcap, insider’s tale with multiple plotlines that shine a satirical light on the various facets of conducting America’s international relations. It adds up to a teasing farewell love letter to the State Department
How do you hope your book uplifts those who read it? I aimed to produce a funny, entertaining, and ultimately satisfying read. For those not personally familiar with the ins and outs of diplomacy, the story offers easily digestible fictional insights into a unique workplace culture. Dog’s Breakfast is a satire with a happy ending, which you don’t see every day. A number of my former colleagues have told me how much they enjoyed my take on the absurdities of embassy life. My hope going forward is that none of them declare me persona non grata.
How do you handle setbacks and criticism? What matters most is not letting the inevitable setbacks and rejections deter you from doing your best to create what you want to make. That’s what you control, as the author. So far, I haven’t faced much criticism. Yay for obscurity!
Being an author today is like running a business. How do you manage your publicity and social media and maintain engagement with readers? Even though it’s not a job, it’s not a job, it’s not a job, I try, I really do. I keep my website updated. I work to create publicity opportunities, and I say yes to each one that comes along, which has included television interviews and in-person readings, with more on the horizon. The Foreign Service Journal ran a warm review. I appeared in a promotional video created by my son, Justin, who works in the film industry. Dog’s Breakfast is on the shelves of a couple of DC-area bookstores, and not on the shelves of numerous others. Competition for attention is very dog-eat-dog, but every so often, I pick up a scrap. Whenever a humor magazine publishes one of my contributions, I post links on social media. My bio mentions my novel, so maybe that helps? A tiny bit? Again, for me, it’s the satisfaction of creating and the joy of sharing.
How do you hold yourself accountable and achieve the goals that you set forth? My writing practice stems from inspiration rather than accountability. In addition to my debut novel, I have completed two other books and am midway through the third. When I am seized with the impetus for a story, I plunge in. I aim to create a captivating, beguiling work. It takes as long as it takes. With my short humor pieces, typically weighing in at under a thousand words, when something strikes me as funny, and I spot an angle, I go. The specifics and the theme develop. In an immersive state, I lose track of time until I have a complete draft.
Anything else you’d like to share with your readers? I strive to be a good literary citizen. I have written book reviews and conducted author interviews to highlight other people’s work. I appear on panels, attend readings, and other literary events in the DC area, where I live. And, of course, I am a reader, too. As readers, we are a precious and essential component of the literary ecosystem. One simple yet powerful way to make an impact is to post brief comments or reviews on Goodreads, Amazon, and elsewhere. That feedback fertilizes our culture.
Learn more about Tom and his books via his website.
