Andre Hardy: There Are No Shortcuts
In this interview, author Andre Hardy discusses how Toni Morrison’s inspiration helped him write his debut novel, Tear The City Down.
From NFL running back to author, educator, and business leader, Andre Hardy embodies reinvention and resilience. A two-time Hall of Fame inductee and crime novelist with an MFA from Antioch University, he writes with a noir sensibility, probing identity, morality, and redemption with sharp insight and unflinching depth.
Hardy has written across multiple literary forms, including creative nonfiction, essays and short stories, screenwriting, and long-form narrative. His essays, interviews, and critical analysis have been published in L.A. Tribe Magazine, Lunch Ticket (Antioch University’s literary magazine), and The Los Angeles Review of Books. His short story, “Negro in a Hot Tub,” is featured in Made in L.A.: An Anthology of Stories Rooted in the City of Angels.
Selected by the Philadelphia Eagles in the 1984 NFL Draft, Andre Hardy went on to play for the San Francisco 49ers and Seattle Seahawks, carving a successful career in professional football. His achievements on the field earned him induction into both the Hoover High School and St. Mary’s College Sports Halls of Fame. He is a member of the NFL Retired Players Association and the NFL Legends Community, and he earned his MFA through the NFL Players Trust tuition reimbursement program.
A committed educator and advocate for social justice, Andre also develops creative writing workshops and curricula that inspire new voices while integrating narratives of historical and cultural importance. His impact extends to mentoring student athletes and advising small business owners, reflecting his belief in empowering others through knowledge and support.
Andre resides in Los Angeles with his wife, renowned Buddhist meditation teacher JoAnna Hardy. Follow him on Twitter, TikTok, Facebook, and Instagram.
In this interview, author Andre Hardy discusses how Toni Morrison's inspiration helped him write his debut novel, Tear The City Down, his hope for readers, and more.
Name: Andre Hardy
Literary agent: Simon Lipskar
Book title: Tear The City Down
Publisher: Grand Central
Release date: September 1, 2026
Genre/category: Noir
Elevator pitch: This debut novel from a former NFL player is a hard-hitting, heart wrenching crime novel that brilliantly blends elements of jazz, football, and a gritty portrait of a city divided―perfect for fans of S.A. Cosby and Walter Mosley.
What prompted you to write this book?
Toni Morrison’s quote, “If there's a book that you want to read, but it hasn't been written yet, then you must write it.”
How long did it take to go from idea to publication? And did the idea change during the process?
I had always been an avid reader—mostly books on psychology, spirituality, and philosophy. Everything changed when I got hold of Walter Mosley’s Devil in a Blue Dress somewhere around 1995. I was so inspired by the book that I thought I would write something similar.
Shortly thereafter, I signed up for a writing class at De Anza College. I went to the first session and was so intimidated that I walked out and never went back. The idea for the book, however, stuck around. Always there in the back of my mind, gnawing at me.
Ten years later, I signed up for another class, and my journey began in earnest. Over the next 10 years, I drove from San Diego to UC Irvine for workshops once a week, then to Santa Monica for screenwriting classes, before eventually moving to Los Angeles to take classes at UCLA’s Writers’ Program, finally landing in Antioch’s MFA Program in 2017. All the while, the idea for Tear the City Down never changed. There were a number of times when instructors would make suggestions for changes and I would explain, “That’s not the kind of book I’m trying to write.”
So, I guess it could be said that the idea came in 1995, and it took me 30 years to develop the skill to get it on the page. I would add that the majority of that time was spent in workshops where I learned the craft of writing 25 masterful pages. My problem was that a novel is 350 pages. Once I accepted that I wasn’t getting any better at sustaining a narrative and decided on an MFA, everything changed. So, maybe 2017 is when I truly started?
Were there any surprises or learning moments in the publishing process for this title?
I’ve had a long professional career across multiple industries, ranging from entry-level positions to the CEO’s chair. Publishing, by eons, is the most mysterious thing I’ve ever seen. At every turn, there have been surprises. The biggest surprise was how long it took the book to be acquired, and why.
Paula Hawkins said of Tear the City Down, “A distinctive new voice in American noir, Andre Hardy’s Tear the City Down is violent, visceral, furiously fast-paced, and surprisingly tender.” Interestingly, she read a version of the manuscript that was tame compared to the one that went out for submission. The story of how the manuscript was ultimately acquired is another tale full of twists and turns that would make one dizzy, so I’ll leave that right here.
The learning, however, has come slowly, steadily, and is twofold. First off, publishers were passing on the novel because it was too violent—but not one of them actually said as much, which is surprising. In my experience, both in athletics and the business world, talent is evaluated by its upside. Had someone simply said, “Andre, your book is too violent,” I would have happily made changes. This is ultimately what has happened to the draft that will be published in September.
Were there any surprises in the writing process for this book?
I don’t plot, so the entire process was a daily surprise. Beyond that, the biggest surprise came in the wake of Paula Hawkins’ blurb. Her description of the novel as violent jumped off the page. By then, I had received blurbs from S.A. Cosby, Ace Atkins, Tod Goldberg, and Eli Cranor. Not one had characterized the novel as violent. And I had only considered the novel’s attempt to turn the genre on its head, its exploration of spirituality and love, and its socioracial commentary.
Paula’s observation led me on a week-long journey to understand my relationship to violence. Something I had never once considered. It turned out to be quite the lesson. So much so, I emailed my therapist and said we need to talk!
What do you hope readers will get out of your book?
I hope that Tear the City Down fosters proximity and, subsequently, a kind of empathy that disturbs the myriad Black male stereotypes so deeply embedded in the zeitgeist. Instead of knee-jerk reactions rooted in misunderstanding, hopefully, one might pause and wonder, "Maybe he’s like Coltrane?"
If you could share one piece of advice with other writers, what would it be?
There are no shortcuts. Trust me, I’ve spent valuable time looking for them. Keep writing. It may not seem like it, but every word in every session is progress toward the end goal. And lastly, stick to your vision. No matter what.
