AW: Tell us about yourself…
David R. Hardiman: Living more
than six decades gives me an interesting perspective on life. It gives even
greater understanding of the important facts of life.
I have a rare medical disorder
that means I should never have thrived, much less excelled, in life, according
to my doctors. They, as I do, give credit to God for my successes in life. I
have been a successful businessman, an entrepreneur and a contributor to my
community. I have been married now for more than 47 years to my first and only
wife, and I have three outstanding daughters and six wonderful grandchildren.
I have been blessed with the
American dream, but it wasn’t supposed to be that way. That’s the incredible
story I have as my life.
AW: What genre do you write and why?
David R. Hardiman: “Bailey’s
Remarkabl
e Plan” is a Christian nonfiction book, and it’s an autobiography of
my life and a biography of Bailey, a shih tzu and my beloved service dog, best
friend and hero. I like stories that discuss real life, and this story is
important because it champions perseverance, triumph and love.
Life experience is the subject
most people know best. In my case, my experience is so varied that I have a
special ability to pull stories together that serve a purpose and entertain. I
enjoy telling life stories that help us all grow.
AW: Tell us about your book…
David R. Hardiman: “Bailey’s
Remarkable Plan” is the story about my unique life and how a miraculous
occurrence brought me an unusual and precious service dog that doesn’t look
like the standard service dog. Since I don’t look disabled, the two elements
combined often present us with special difficulties in public.
My primary congenital and rare
medical condition causes numerous challenges with my health, and the recent onset
of post-traumatic stress disorder presents a life-changing difficulty for me.
Bailey came to my rescue and, literally, saved my life.
My story is uplifting,
entertaining and insightful for today’s society and informative about how
service dogs make us better. My story is family friendly, great for adults and
enjoyable for children as well.
AW: What was your inspiration for this book?
David R. Hardiman: Because of
Bailey, I am able to be out in public life again; and we have been to all kinds
of places. My wife, our adult daughter and I were shopping in a local mall in
2013 and were accosted by a security guard and told to leave the mall with our
pet. He refused to believe Bailey is my service dog. I requested police
response, but the police officers, and even their sergeant, were no help; I was
told to leave or I would be arrested.
I was issued a criminal trespass
ticket as if I was a common shoplifter. All those involved claimed ignorance of
Americans with Disabilities Act regulations; they stated they did not care
about my rights to have her with me.
One morning, a year later, I woke
up and this story was in my mind. I knew I had to write our story.
Many individuals with service
dogs face public responses that are both inhumane and illegal under federal and
state laws, but they do not have an advocate to adequately be heard. I realized
I had a way to both inform and entertain with my story.
AW: Do you have a favorite character and why that one?
David R. Hardiman: Since I am one
of the characters in my book and Bailey is another, it is hard to separate the
two of us under our extraordinary circumstances. I will simply point to the two
of us as a single unit and state we are my favorite as a special character. Bailey
gives me breath and, because of her, I live life again.
AW: Did you find anything particularly difficult in writing
this book?
David R. Hardiman: Some of the
episodes of my life mentioned in “Bailey’s Remarkable Plan” were difficult to
recall because the nature of them was not necessarily happy to relive. Other
episodes were quite exciting and enjoyable to remember. Bailey’s entry into my
life was so miraculous and special that it brought the whole story into a
proper and loving framework. To get the personality of the book I wanted to
express, I had to blend the three in the best way possible to get the most out
of our story. I believe I accomplished that goal.
The most interesting and
mystifying element for me in writing my book was how easy it was to write the
story. It was as if my fingers had their own brain. The words flowed out so
quickly and smoothly, it was as if someone else was writing for me.
AW: What project(s) are you currently working on?
David R. Hardiman: I am presently
writing two prequels to this story and a book for children about Bailey. As far
as my other works, I am writing science fiction stories – one concerning
planetary life and one about time travel; science fiction has always held a
fascination for me, and the escape of reaching out to embrace it is fulfilling
and satisfying.
AW: Do you have any interesting writing quirks you want
to tell us about?
David R. Hardiman: When I sit
down to write, it is as if I am living or reliving the story I am working with
minute by minute. I see every detail in my mind, like I am watching a giant
screen with the story unfolding in front of me. I will take breaks and come
back to the story either in minutes or longer time frames, even days or weeks, only
to feel as if everything had simply been placed on pause with a remote.
AW: What are some important
lessons your book offers readers?
David R. Hardiman: This book and
my life are a testament to God’s power and the blessings he offers. My story
clearly defines by my life why it is so important to never give up, regardless
of the difficulties and barriers that can be placed in the way of success.
Taking the negatives and turning them into momentum can change the future to a
positive.
AW: Do you have any advice for writers out there?
David R. Hardiman: Never give up,
never give up and never give up. Writing is fun, but many obstacles present
themselves and sometimes discouragement is lurking and ready to raise the ugly
head of defeat.
People and organizations will let
you down, and the learning curve is longer than expected. When you persevere,
the reward is worth every challenge.
AW: Where can we find you?
David R. Hardiman: Find “Bailey’s Remarkable Plan” here:
AW: Of course, we have
to know, where can we find your book?
Book Description:
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