Tom Formaro is a writer, drummer, and dad. He lives in Des Moines, Iowa with his wife, beautiful daughter, and their rescue dog, Evie. Tom is the son of a Sicilian immigrant and a first-generation Italian-American. His family is in the restaurant business and prior to his professional communications career, he worked in restaurants as everything from a dishwasher to a cook. His debut novel, The Broken Heart Diet, is largely based on Tom’s kitchen experience. He has published short stories in Spoilage, Akkadian, and SoMa Literary Review. He is also the co-author (with his lovely wife, Rachel) of a children’s book, Alfonso, the Christmas Pumpkin.
Tom’s debut poetry collection, Advice and Other Absurdities for My Daughter, is forthcoming in late 2026 from Bridge House Publishing. He has poems in Janus Head, e·ratio, Otoliths, Indefinite Space, Utriculi, dadakuku, M58, Exacting Clam and TrashLight.
