John and Miriam discuss what might have happened if he’d followed in his parents’ footsteps and run his own restaurant instead of pursuing a career in physical therapy, before he began writing. Along the way they discuss how waiting tables increases empathy, the ethics of combat sports, and why restaurants are an excellent training ground for authors.John Vercher is a writer on race, identity and social justice currently living in the Philadelphia area with his wife and two sons. He holds a BA in English from the University of Pittsburgh and an MFA in Creative Writing from the Mountainview Master of Fine Arts program. His debut novel, Three-Fifths was shortlisted for the CWA John Creasey (New Blood) Award and was a Sunday Times, Guardian and Financial Times Book of the Year. His new book, After the Lights Go Out, is out now and available in all good bookshops.Make sure to subscribe to hear the rest of Season 3 – in each episode, Miriam Robinson interviews a guest about another path their life might have taken. Together, step by step, they write the stories of their unlived lives. Produced by Neil Mason #MyUnlivedLife Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.