>> ... Next Generation ...
From Scripts
To Books
Local author leaves Hollywood
B'nai Israel Synagogue
to pursue a career as an author.
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52
August 29 • 2013
or Steven Hartman,
writing was not the
original path he wanted
to take; however, this
journey has led him far, and he
can't imagine his life any other way.
"Once I
realized I wasn't
going to be a
doctor, I thought
about being a
writer," Hartman,
32, said. "I
always liked the
idea of it."
Steven
The
Hartman
Farmington Hills
native attended Columbia College
in Los Angeles where he majored in
film. He landed an internship with
Jerry Bruckheimer Films and worked
in the casting department while
the film company was casting Pearl
Harbor.
Hartman was assistant to the
director of development at Village
Roadshow where he worked on movie
sets, read and developed scripts and
acted as an extra in movies and TV
shows, such as Friends.
"While I was interning at Village
Roadshow, they had six movies
come out," Hartman said. "If one of
the movies the company produced
was No. 1 at the box office, they
would bring in a nice lunch for us.
We had a month full of parties.
"I also got to drive around
Warner Bros., go to movie premiers
and got to see casting sheets with
a list of all the movie stars who
were auditioning."
After living in L.A. for nine years
working in the entertainment
industry, Hartman realized the
glamour life wasn't for him.
"I still love L.A. and the film
industry, but I have more creative
freedom and better feedback being
an author," Hartman explained.
"When I wrote my first novel,
I was doing it as an alternative
to writing screenplays. It was just
something different to try. I love
writing — whether it's a script or
a book."
Hartman started writing his first
novel, The Ten-Day Forecast, when
he was 25. This novel is about a
man who looks back on his life
and reflects on the good and bad
friendships and relationships that
got him to this point.
His second novel, My Funny
Old Soul Mate, was written when
Hartman was 30 and only took five
months to complete. This novel is
about a waitress who begins to
examine her life and relationships.
As she does, she forms unlikely
friendships that lead her down an
unexpected path of self-discovery.
"It's not hard to write a book if
you can get into it," Hartman said.
"If I really enjoy what I'm writing,
it's easy. You just have thoughts
and everything starts to come to
you. That's what happened with
my second novel. I liked where the
story was going so I was able to
finish it quickly."
In November, Hartman will speak
about My Funny Old Soul Mate at
the Local Author Fair, which is part
of the Jewish Community Center's
Jewish Book Fair.
Currently, Hartman works in the
Web development department at
Summit Sports in Bloomfield Hills
as a copywriter. He writes product
descriptions and buying guides to
inform customers what they should
know prior to purchasing the
product, and writes articles, blogs
and updates social media websites
for the company.
Hartman is active in the Jewish
community; he was the liaison for
the Jewish Community Relations
Council, went through the Anti-
Defamation League's leadership
training and taught Sunday school
at Temple Shir Shalom for three
years. He continues to substitute
when they need him. Hartman
resides in Commerce Township with
his wife, Caitlin. Their first child is
on the way. ❑