Today we’d like to introduce you to Hannah Sward.
Hi Hannah, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I started by getting sober. If I hadn’t gotten sober, I would not be where I am today. Sobriety gave me the opportunity to realize my dreams. One of my dreams was to write a book. And to write a book, I needed to be able to sit with myself. To turn inward. To stop running away. I was someone who never thought it was possible. I was wrong. It was, and it is possible.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It was incredibly challenging and at times, it still is. As I was saying before, in order to realize my dream of writing a book, I needed to get sober. That was the hardest thing I’ve ever done. It wasn’t until I was two years clean that I began writing my memoir. That was a struggle in itself. Its own struggle. Then came the struggle to find a literary agent and a publisher. From writing the book to seeing it on the shelves in bookstores took ten years. But I never gave up. I kept at it. And since then, the opportunities presented have been abundant. From TV appearances to participating on panels, podcasts, and radio shows – the hard work has paid off. In part, I share this to give hope to anyone who is struggling to see their dreams come to fruition. It is possible.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I’m known for and most proud of my debut memoir, STRIP. I’m proud that STRIP made the bestseller list at the iconic Los Angeles bookstore Book Soup and that it was a noted book of 2022. I’m also incredibly proud and still quite blown away that one of my favorite authors, JM Coetzee (awarded the Noble Prize in Literature), wrote an endorsement for my book among many other celebrated authors.
What sets me apart from others?
My story itself…
BORN IN THE BOHEMIAN SEVENTIES, Hannah Sward was abandoned by her mother and lived with her poet father on an island with no stores or cars. Kidnapped and molested by a stranger at age six, she grew up to be a stripper and a prostitute with a taste for crystal meth—which seemed to be a sure-fire way to lose weight—with stops along the way for silent gurus, sugar daddies, and drinking in the CVS bathroom before therapy sessions. Painstakingly honest, often humorous, Strip is a heartfelt memoir revealing a woman’s journey from innocence to a dark existence and beyond it to a world of empowerment.
Can you talk to us a bit about happiness and what makes you happy?
When I feel connected. Connection is everything. And what makes me feel connected? Time in nature, with loved ones, with my fellows in recovery, writing, pancakes, Harry Styles. So many things make me happy. Seeing my book out in the world and hearing from readers how it has made them feel less alone, feel seen, feel heard, that makes me happy.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.hannahsward.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hannahswardauthor/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hannahswardauthor/
- Other: https://a.co/d/dLQD8rP
