Tom’s interest in writing originated after reading the novels of Herman Hesse and Kurt Vonnegut. Coincidentally, one of Vonnegut’s favorite authors was Hesse.

Tom began writing Kafkaesque fantasies and eventually went to graduate school at Iowa State, where he did a study of fantasy literature. This eventually evolved into Hi-doh Hi-dee Ha-Ha, which owes a great debt to the classic fantasies of Carroll, Baum, Tolkien and others.  

While writing Hi-doh, he became interested in the Underground Railroad and his reputation rests on his study of and books about it.