Narayan Radhakrishnan's Interview with
Libby Hughes
Author of
The John Grisham Story

Narayan:
This author, playwright & lyricist is passionate on writing biographies of international heroes and heroines. I recently reviewed her biography, The John Grisham Story. Being a fan of John Grisham & proud owner of all his works, I had the pleasure to conduct this short eInterview with Libby Hughes.

My first question, what prompted you to take up this task of writing about John Grisham?

Libby:
I was asked to write a biography about John Grisham in 1998 by Genesis Press out of Columbus, Mississippi. They wanted me to do ten biographies for young adults & decided to kick off the series with John Grisham, since he comes from Mississippi. However, after I researched & began writing it, they decided not to do it. I always wondered whether Mr. Grisham threatened them not to publish a biography about him because he was so private. Therefore, I put that project aside until a year ago. I didn't want to waste all that time & research, so I revived it on my own. He had done ten books when I first started & seventeen when I resurrected it.

Narayan:
Did you get the chance to meet Grisham in person or conduct an interview with him? I ask because I understand Grisham to be mostly inaccessible to interviewers & the press.

Libby:
In 1998 there was no opportunity to meet & interview him. He stonewalled me all the way -- even told his mother not to talk to me -- she really wanted to, but her son's wishes were enforced. When Grisham's first two novels were published in the 1980s, he was more amenable to the press. The first flush of success was sweet & he enjoyed the attention, but after ten books, he was in his hiding mode. He even moved from Mississippi to Virginia, to escape public exposure. For an author this is very difficult. However, I had a small Van Camper & set out to go all over Mississippi, Arkansas, & Tennessee to see all the places where he grew up & lived in order to describe everything in a colorful way. I interviewed many people who either taught him in school or were friends or were legal & political colleagues.

Narayan:
The biography, rather the story, portrays Grisham as a multi-faceted personality. Which trait, in Grisham did you find most interesting?

Libby:
I do not consider John Grisham a genius. He is “multi-faceted”, in that he studied accountancy, tax law, criminal law, & became a legislator. His writing is functional, but could not be heralded in the genius category. He even admits that it is commercial fiction. He writes what he knows best -- the law. The most fascinating trait he expresses & that I find admirable is his absolute dedication to moral principles. There is rarely any gratuitous sex or bad language in his novels. He is committed to the Baptist religion & would feel it a violation if he did otherwise.

Narayan:
Did you read all of Grisham's works before embarking upon this project? How close, if at all there is, do you feel that the author's background is reflected in his fiction works.

Libby:
Naturally, as a biographer I did read the 17 novels (the 18th The Broker came out after my book went to press) & tried to analyze all of them. The ten I read first before driving to Mississippi, etc., in 1998. My feeling is that his first book A Time to Kill is his best because it is based on a true story. He wrote from the heart & not to formula. A Painted House (semi-autobiographical) & The Last Juror come second & third -- in my opinion. Because of his ten years as a lawyer, he has drawn characters in his novels from real life. Also, he takes an issue that interests him like homelessness or insurance scams or the Vietnam War or racial prejudice or the death penalty & weaves them into his stories. The Client is loosely based on something that happened to him in his boyhood.

Narayan:
Having written about John Grisham, the “king of legal thrillers”, have you ever thought of penning a legal thriller -- I mean, were you inspired to write one?

Libby:
I have no desire to write a legal thriller myself because my knowledge of the law is peripheral. We write best what we know best. I write plays from a fictional viewpoint -- having been a professional actress, drama critic, & playwright. Journalism & playwriting give simplicity to my writing. I do feel that John Grisham's latest novel The Broker was not as powerful because he deviated into the CIA & FBI world with which he is unfamiliar.

Narayan:
I understand that you have also authored other biographies including on Margaret Thatcher & Tiger Woods, etc. What are your upcoming projects? Do you plan to write about other bestselling novelists in the near future?

Libby:
Yes, I've written eleven biographies. Down the road I'd like to write one about Barack O'Bama & perhaps Condoleeza Rice, but right now I'm writing the book & lyrics to a musical. I don't plan to write about another novelist. I'd rather write about international leaders. But I do have a novel -- a thriller -- that I will start this summer. It will not be remotely connected to anything legal.

Narayan:
Thanks Ms. Hughes, for sparing your valuable time with us for this interview, I enjoyed learning The John Grisham Story.

Others by Libby Hughes:
Nelson Mandela: Voice of Freedom
Benazir Bhutto: From Prison to Prime Minister
Ronald Reagan: From Sports to Movies to Politics
Colin Powell: A Man of Quality
Norman Schwartzkopf: Hero With a Hear
Christopher Reeve
Yitzhak Rabin: From Soldier to Peacemaker
George W. Bush: From Texas to the White House.

Do catch the review of Libby Hughes's The John Grisham Story - I hope it makes you go out & buy yourself a copy!

Narayan Radhakrishnan
2005©Narayan Radhakrishnan
Published 08/14/05