Search Salon

- - - - - - - - - - - -

Recently in Salon News

Not standing Pat
Buchanan revamps his presidential campaign and image by joining the Reform Party and making "racial reconciliation" a pet issue. But just how warm and fuzzy can the new Pat be?
By Jake Tapper
[10/25/99]

Viva Iowa
Though the state's Latino population makes up less than 2 percent of its voters, the Bush campaign is wooing Iowa Hispanics.
By Anthony York
[10/25/99]

The odd couple
Strange things went down this weekend when Christian firebrand Jerry Falwell and gay religious leader Mel White brought their followers together for a love fest.
By Deb Schwartz
[10/25/99]

Pete Rose steals the show
As baseball honors the team of the century at the World Series, the all-time hits leader banned for gambling proves he can't be exiled forever.
By Steve Kettmann
[10/25/99]

The Jasper myth
As the trial of the last defendant in the dragging death of James Byrd gets under way, these Texas residents are kidding themselves if they think they've conquered racism.
By Ashley Craddock
[10/25/99]

Complete archives for News

- - - - - - - - - - - -

- - - - - - - - - - - -

Hatfield complained that his book had been on the way to becoming a bestseller before the Bush campaign "killed the messenger."

Indeed, at a Fayetteville, Ark., Barnes and Noble, 25 miles south of Hatfield's Bentonville home, a sales clerk said that every copy of Hatfield's book sold out Friday before clerks could yank the books off the shelves. "Something about the author's past is sort of controversial," the clerk confided.

Hatfield's allusions of conspiracy were echoed by his old mentor, local horror writer Ruby Jean Jensen, who charged St. Martin's. "They took him right in," Jensen said. She said the allegations surrounding Hatfield "shock and appall" her. In fact, she doesn't believe them.

"I think he is being framed," Jensen said. "I was worried something like this would happen. The Bushes are playing dirty pool. I figured they would send a hit man rather than assassinate his character. You are dealing with political people with millions of dollars."

Jensen said Hatfield told her it was his publisher who wanted the cocaine allegations in the book. They added the information "after the book was in galleys," said Jensen.

Jensen said Hatfield called her a few years ago and told her he had ideas for some trivia books. She offered Hatfield the names of her editor and agent.

As a teenager, Hatfield spent many of his afternoons and weekends in the Bentonville Public Library where to this day he possesses a library card.

"I know him," said Lynn Eldred, director of the library. "He comes in here by himself to do research. He is very nice, waves, says hello and then leaves quietly when he's finished."

Eldred said it was hard to believe that the man who sat quietly and read in the library could be the same man with a criminal record.

"He always seemed so friendly and sweet," said Eldred. "I guess you never know."

The library stocks five of the eight books Hatfield wrote or co-authored starting in the mid-1990s. In all, Hatfield has written eight books, mostly trivia books on "Star Wars" and "The "X-Files", and unauthorized biographies on celebrities such as "Star Trek's" Patrick Stewart and Ewan McGregor.

The Bush biography was to be Hatfield's attempt at respectability.

In a June 24, 1999 interview with the local newspaper, Hatfield said of the Bush project: "This book was really a labor of love. I like history and find politics fascinating."

Hatfield also said, "George W. is so interesting because, unlike Clinton, he didn't set out for the presidency. He's a product of West Texas, and I spent time in Midland, Texas, where he grew up."

Bentonville High School yearbooks note that writing was always Hatfield's passion. In his junior year, he was winner of the high school's "Published Author Award." His 1976 senior yearbook picture shows a half-smiling Hatfield dressed in a 1970s style wide-color blue suit with a swirl-pattern blue tie and a white shirt. In high school, Hatfield was involved in several extracurricular activities including speech and drama and student council. He was also vice president of the key and library clubs, president of Future Teachers of America and of the school's chapter of an education club; treasurer of the state's Future Farmers of America; and was selected to participate in a statewide mock government project.

There are major holes in what is known of Hatfield's life. It's unclear where he was or what he did between 1976 until 1988, when he pleaded guilty to paying $5,000 for hiring a man to bomb the car of a manager at the financial firm where he had recently quit working.

"He was gone for what seemed like a long time," recalls librarian Eldred. "He moved back, I guess, and started coming back [to the library] in the last few years."

Jensen described Hatfield as a loving and caring man with wife and a newborn baby he would "fiercely protect at all costs." She also said that Jensen loved his dog and was an adamant animal-rights activist.

"You don't have animal rights people going around doing bad things to people," said Jensen. "I just don't believe anything I am hearing."

A marriage license obtained at the Benton County Courthouse shows that Hatfield married Nancy Eileen Bledsoe on Oct. 26, 1996. He was 38; she was 28. The minister who signed Hatfield's marriage license refused to comment about the author, only confirming that he was a minister and that he knew Hatfield.

Court records show the Hatfields bought the house on O Street last September.

Bentonville High School had tentatively scheduled Hatfield to speak in the spring on writing and the Bush book, which had originally been scheduled for a January 2000 publication.

"An offer has been extended and based on the situation that could go on or be canceled. But unless something comes up, that will be the plan, to have him speak," said Larry Roberts, a counselor at the high school.
salon.com | Oct. 25, 1999

- - - - - - - - - - - -

- - - - - - - - - - - -

  Get a printer-friendly version

  E-mail a friend about this article

  Backflip this article to find it again

- - - - - - - - - - - -

Search Salon