How Bestselling Debut Novelist Andre Hardy Writes

Bestselling crime novelist and former NFL running back Andre Hardy spoke with us about the slim odds of going from professional athlete to published novelist, writing through therapy, and his debut, TEAR THE CITY DOWN.

Andre Hardy is a critically acclaimed debut crime novelist, former NFL running back, and a member of the International Thriller Writers.

Described as a novel for fans of S.A. Cosby and Walter Mosley, TEAR THE CITY DOWN follows Coltrane Davis, a fixer for a crooked political kingmaker who wants out of the life and a chance to be present for his daughter.

New York Times bestselling author Ace Atkins called it, “A kickass debut from a bold new voice in crime fiction…. This novel is the stuff of lean, mean, California dreams."

Andre’s essays, interviews, and critical analysis have been published in L.A. Tribe Magazine, Lunch Ticket, and The Los Angeles Review of Books.

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In this file Andre Hardy, Milena, and I discussed:

How he found writing after his NFL career

Channeling the spirit of John Coltrane

Why writers need to subdue the inner critic

What he learned chasing his debut novel