John Hart biography

Interview

In a letter to his readers, John Hart talks about becoming a writer and the challenges he faced in writing The Last Child.

Dear Reader,

I never thought that I would be fortunate enough to make a living as a writer. I dreamed of it, fantasized about it, but even as I walked away from a law practice to write my first novel, the decision was based on an undeniable need to at least try. To aspire. That kind of need is very different from the conviction that it would actually work. I often think of it as a kind of desperation - one that is probably known by a lot of working writers – an urge to do something different, to make something from nothing: a compelling story, unforgettable characters, a message, maybe. I knew the odds of getting published were small and that the odds of becoming a bestseller were even smaller, but I never much cared for being an attorney. I guess it had something to do with all of those guilty clients.

My wife never doubted. When I told her that I wanted to quit my job to pursue the only dream I’ve ever had, she said, “Of course you should quit.” We had a newborn at the time and serious plans for another. She was not working. “It’ll work out,” she said, and I love her for that. That total trust.

I walked away from the law and never looked back. We lived lean while I wrote: no dinners ...