'Writing - it rarely seems like work'

 

“Thebest thing that can happen to people entering creative professions is thedwindling of all other possibilities.”–  Dennis Lehane
Bornon this day in 1965, Lehane has had striking success with both his novels andscreenplays – but while many of his books have been made into successful films,he has rarely written those scripts himself, noting “I really didn’t have thedesire to operate on my own baby.”   Mostnoteworthy of his books to film are the award-winning Gone, Baby, Gone,  Mystic River and Shutter Island.                               
Many of his own screenplays have been for HBOseries like The Wire and Boardwalk Empire, which won ravereviews for their smartly written scripts. 
Sinceachieving literary success he also has become a noted teacher of writing,giving back some of what first got him started. He taught advanced fiction writing at Harvard and since 2006 has beenwriter-in-residence at Eckerd College (his alma mater) in Florida.  He alsoco-directs the Writers In Paradise conference there each January.  His newest book, released earlier this year, is Small Mercies. 

Lehane said his initial plan was not to be a writer, “But from the moment I took my firstwriting workshop, I was a writer.” Lehane said he loves to write.  "It rarely seems like work even when it gets arduous."