John David Graham

Tell us a little bit about yourself, your hobbies and interests.

I was door-to-door salesman, children's home counselor, fireman, truck driver, building contractor, journalist and minister. Sometimes the road home takes many twists and turn. Now I am the founder and Director of Good Samaritan Home, a reentry housing / mentoring program for ex-offenders coming back from prison. In the past 22 years we have helped more than 2,000 men and women restart their lives.

When and why did you start writing books?

I have been working on this book in my head for 50 years, and writing it for the past 10 years. The story has always been there. It just needed a lot of hard work editing and re-editing to tell it well.

What made you decide to tackle writing as a career?

I believe everyone deserves a second chance. For twenty years I quoted all the statistics to show that, but it seemed few people were listening. Now I am telling that same story in a way that people can understand and connect with.

Which one of your books or characters is your favourite?

Obviously I identify with Daniel Robinson, the main character. But there are so many good people from my past who were resurrected in Daniel's story of redemption. Doc Samuels was probably the most important person in the beginning. But Kate Fitzgerald was ultimately Daniel's salvation.

Which one of your books was the hardest to write and stretched you the most as a writer?

I wrote an academic book on the positive community benefits with mentoring ex-offenders. That was hard. But Running As Fast AS I Can required that I write EMOTIONALLY--and that required a great deal of effort well beyond my experience--and comfort.

Who is your favourite author and book?

That is a hard question, but William Kent Krueger writes about people I can identify with. Larry McMurtry takes me to other worlds, and John Grisham keeps me on the edge of my seat. But I also enjoy David McCullough's history stories that read like a novel.

What book are you reading right now?

Charles Frazier's Nightwoods

Where do you get your inspiration for your books?

I have 4,000 pages of journal observations over the past 50 years to draw on. But there is a story everywhere there are people.

What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?

I still work full time with Good Samaritan Home while writing this novel. Although I still try to spend time hiking in West Texas.

Do you have any new books in the works?

I am considering an anthology of stories by men in prison sharing one event that changed their lives forever.