By Jeff Hamlin
Assistant News Director

No one needs to remind best-selling author John Grisham that truth is stranger than fiction.

That’s usually how he gets inspiration for his books. 

Grisham was the guest on the opening night of the North Carolina Literary Festival at Memorial Hall last night. Naturally, the discussion was titled “From Reality to Fiction.” A former attorney and politician, Grisham has written best selling novels like “The Firm,” “The Pelican Brief,” and “The Chamber.” His first book, “A Time to Kill,” was based on the real-life testimony of a rape victim during a case in Mississippi. 

In recent books, Grisham has moved away from courtroom drama and has focused on sports. He got the inspiration for his most recent book during a trip to Italy where he found Italians playing, of all things, American football. Regardless of the subject,

Grisham openly admits that he knows the ending of every book before he starts writing.

He says that comes from having a solid outline.

Grisham is no stranger to Chapel Hill. Not only did his daughter graduate from UNC in May of 2008, but his wife transferred to Carolina from the University of Mississippi after deciding to resume her pursuit of a college degree.