We recently connected with Hannah Sward and have shared our conversation below.
Hannah , looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Can you tell us a bit about who your hero is and the influence they’ve had on you?
My poet father. He is my hero. From the age of 18, when he went off to the Korean War where he discovered and began writing poetry as the ships Librarian, he kept on writing until last year when he passed months after his 88th birthday.
The life of the poet is not, as anyone can imagine, an easy one. My father has inspired me to never give up. To write no matter what. Despite the hardships, the lack of money, security, rejections my father kept writing. At 88 he had published over 30 books. He wrote because he loved to write. He couldn’t not write. As his daughter, looking back, it was inevitable I too would become a writer. I hope to live as long as he did and to be writing until the end.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
I am the author of STRIP: A Memoir. An International Book Award Finalist, Reader’s Choice Award Finalist, Book Soup (the iconic LA bookstore) Bestseller, and noted book of 2022, I am most proud of never giving up on my dream. Ten years in the making, it was a long journey.
With the support of my wonderful publicist, publisher, and the literary community STRIP has taken on a life of its own. From the launch to now, STRIP has received generous praise from Noble Peace Prize in Literature J.M. Coetzee, award winning author Melissa Broder, NYT bestselling author Caroline Leavitt, and LA’s very own, Ben Stein.
What sets me apart? I never wanted to be a writer.
The daughter of a poet, the late Robert Sward, as much as I tried not to be, I was born a writer. In STRIP I write, ‘the no money, the constant revisions’, I wanted no part of it. But as it goes with a calling, I couldn’t not write.
I think my readers will find that, although STRIP is often referred to as an addiction memoir, as one book reviewer wrote, “that is just one part of it. STRIP is about so much more. It is a book about loss, loneliness, and the yearning for something more.” It is also, as J.M. Coetzee wrote, “Touchingly honest, and written with a light touch.”
For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?
The writing itself. The act of creating. That I have something to turn to, a calling, a higher purpose that drives, that nourishes, that fulfills me and that it’s not contingent on someone or something outside of myself. I can turn to pen and paper anytime, anywhere. It’s rewarding that whatever happens in my life – whether it be a bad date, a dreadful job, or the day to day of life – I can turn it into art.
Equally rewarding…hearing from my readers. Nothing fills my heart more.
Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?
After 100+ query letters, two agents, an offer & choosing to set the book to the side for a while, there were countless times I questioned myself, the words, the process, the dream of bringing a book out into the world. But when I got quiet there was that little voice, an inner knowingness, that one day I would see my memoir on the bookshelf. It took years. Ten. For anyone who is losing faith in their dream keep going. Keep taking the next best indicated step. More will be revealed. And it will be better than you ever imagined. It was for me, and I believe it can be for you too.
STRIP: A Memoir, is a story about resilience. To pull from one readers review….
“From the very first page, I was deeply immersed in Hannah Sward’s “STRIP.”
A visceral, riveting, and raw portrayal of trauma, addiction, and recovery. Hannah has full command of her voice, illustrating beautifully, and albeit, tragically, her childhood traumas, fractured familial relationships, and growing up fast as a sex worker in her early twenties.
Her harrowing descent into addiction exemplifies the horror that arises from the inability to stay stopped, and even when she wanted to stop she couldn’t stay stopped.
A battle was being fought over her soul…
Throughout her memoir, an underlying message of hope — even in the darkest hour — anchored her life in one of recovery… whether she knew it or not; this destiny can be felt, like a guiding hand, walking her through her life until the day she arrived.
And the miracle is that she stayed.
Especially when you take into account that in America, eight people overdose and die per hour every single day.
The wreckage of her past became an illuminating, powerful, and revelatory message at last: one of resilience, redemption, and recovery.
By the time I put “STRIP” down, I found myself deep in thought over her life experiences days after having finished it, how her story not only resonated deeply but also left an indelible impression on my psyche. I wanted for her story to continue, even after the last page.
I hope to read many more books from Hannah Sward.
Hers is a story that must be read; it will change you.”
Contact Info:
- Website: hannahsward.com
- Instagram: hannahswardauthor
- Facebook: hannahswardauthor
- Other: Where to purchase STRIP: A MEMOIR a.co/d/dLQD8rP https://bookshop.org/p/books/strip-a-memoir-hannah-sward/18101649?ean=9781948954679