Andre Hardy's deep connection with football inspired him to create and publish his debut novel, “Tear the City Down.” A former NFL player, Hardy's relationship with the sport has had its ups and downs, but the experience was fertile literary ground he mined for the book, which he began writing while taking UCLA Extension courses.

“It was at UCLA Extension that I was able to get my author journey started,” he said. “It was an incredible program, and even now I could see myself going back and learning something new.”

“Tear the City Down” is about a man who “fixes” problems for the wealthy. As someone who used to be a part of the underworld, he seems to be the perfect man for the job, except for the fact that he left that life behind to raise his daughter. The opening sequence of this crime thriller follows the main character as he is sent to find a missing star football player.

“With this book, the story was like a metaphor,” Hardy said. “It was a cautionary tale of what it means to exist in the skin of a black man. I took inspiration from some of my experiences and it gave me the opportunity to play with those ideas.”

Hardy played tennis and football growing up, and had aspirations of becoming a professional athlete. A running back, he ended up choosing football because of all the opportunities it offered, and went to Saint Mary’s College before being drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles. His career also included stops with the Seattle Seahawks and San Francisco 49ers. A knee injury eventually led him to retire. Finding his next professional chapter took time.

Hardy had earned his bachelor's degree in communications. After football, he found work at several nonprofits. He was the director of a recreational program. Then he transitioned to the automobile industry. He matched mentors with at-risk youth.

Later, he became the president of Optelec, a company that specializes in devices that help people with low vision do daily tasks. That is when he began his writing journey, working on ideas when he was off the clock.

“It would be around 4 a.m. and I would be at my computer typing,” he said. “And it wasn’t long before I realized that I could improve my skills by taking courses.”

Hardy took several writing classes at UC Irvine before discovering UCLA Extension. He even ended up moving to Los Angeles to be closer to campus.

“I ended up leaving my job,” he said. “But ultimately, I thought that writing was more important. It just made sense.”

Hardy started with screenwriting courses, and eventually transitioned to novel writing. He met his mentor, Mark Sarvas. He drafted the beginning of “Tear the City Down” in the Novel Writing Three course.

“Over time, I became a good screenwriter.” he said. “Good enough that I ended up on the Warner Bros. lot meeting with a producer who liked my script. But screenplays are sparse and I love words. So I decided to try a novel.”

UCLA Extension helped improve and polish his writing. His instructors were always prepared for whatever questions their students had and that assurance made Hardy all the more comfortable to try new techniques and experiment with different tones.

Hardy wrote the first 25 pages of “Tear the City Down” at UCLA Extension and departed at the end of the course to finish his novel. Sarvas introduced him to an agent, and his book was pitched to Grand Central Publishing, where it was acquired in a two-book deal. Writing as a career takes heart and Hardy put his all into his novel.

“To me, writing and publishing a book has to be more than a hobby. The discipline and dedication that is needed is a lot, and you have to make time to focus as a writer,” Hardy said. “You can’t say, ‘I don’t have time to write.’ You make the time.”

He is currently on a book tour, showcasing his words in different cities to various audiences. UCLA Extension helped unlock a new form of success. While he has successfully completed his first story, Hardy plans to write many more. He writes wherever he can and whenever he can.

“Even now, I am far from finished. In the middle of the podcasts, signings and events for my book tour, I always make time to write,” he said. “My mindset for staying focused hasn’t changed and I know I still have so much to say.”