BLIND PONY
By Samantha Hart
When I came upon a journal in my attic where at twelve years old, I penned the words, “This is a story about me, nobody special.” Intuitively, I knew I had a responsibility to my younger self to write this book, a memoir—a coming-of-age narrative intersecting rebellion, recovery, forgiveness, and redemption. Ultimately, I wrote the book so that I could reconcile the demons of my past, and in doing so, move forward with my life.
I named the book after a pony I was given by my grandfather named Princess, who was blind in one eye. That pony became a metaphor for the way I felt—damaged. My grandfather began abusing me when I was five years old and continued to do so until I ran away at age fourteen. When I look back on my life, I don’t know how I found the grace and grit to survive. If I had told my 14-year-old self that I would go from mucking horse stables to photographing Hugh Grant for the Four Weddings and A Funeral marketing campaign or that I would own and run a company with over 40 employees, I wouldn’t have believed it. But through it all, I found the fortitude within myself to thrive.
I went from being a teenage runaway to an underage barmaid to a backgammon hustler, a nude model, and a photo stylist. Fueled by the mantra, “I’ve got nothing to lose,” I traveled around the world, all before turning twenty years old.
For me, the most challenging part of my past to reconcile was the idea that my mother didn’t love me in the same way that I feel about my three children. When I ran away at age fourteen, my mother never tried to find me. It scarred my heart for a long time. When I had my daughter, I made a solemn promise the abuse I endured stopped with me. My children would be loved and valued. I know this sounds very heavy and sad, but I hope you will also enjoy the humorous moments in the book, as there are many.
I never dreamt that what began as a catharsis for me would end up touching so many people. I have learned that I’m not alone in some of the painful experiences that have happened to me, and that makes me proud I dared to tell my story. If I can help one person have the courage to step out of their comfort zone and strive to live a better life, it was worth writing it.
In her debut memoir, entrepreneur and Hollywood executive Samantha Hart reveals the abuses and traumas that she overcame to build a creative, successful, and love-
filled life. BLIND PONY As True A Story As I Can Tell (Wild Bill Publishing) was released on March 15, 2021, and is a 2021 Los Angeles Book Festival award winner.
BLIND PONY As True A Story As I Can Tell illuminates Sam’s remarkable ability to be honest and vulnerable about horrific experiences while infusing her unique brand of humor and being relentlessly hopeful. Her story starts with a heart-wrenching childhood of abuse that she endured by her grandfather, which led to her life as a runaway teen and landed her in 1970s Los Angeles. She navigates various abusive relationships, toxic Hollywood characters, a search for her father, “Wild Bill,” and ultimately finds her North Star.
“Almost no one in my life, including long-time friends and colleagues, knew about the trauma I experienced as a young girl. I always managed to overcome adversity throughout my life, maintain a positive outlook, and do well for myself. But deep inside, I felt damaged. In telling my story now and hearing from readers, I realize there are a lot of “blind ponies” out there. If my story resonates for even one person and helps to provide some hope for healing, it was worth writing,” says Sam.
Sam is currently working on adapting BLIND PONY As True A Story As I Can Tell for TV/film while writing her next book, a novel entitled Starcrossed, and a collection of drawings and stories called When I Was A Muse.
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Samantha Hart’s career has spanned music, film, and advertising, earning her a reputation as an award-winning Creative Director. Early in her career, Hart worked with top artists at Geffen, including Cher, Aerosmith, Nirvana, and Guns N’ Roses. In the film industry, her marketing campaigns brought prominence and Academy Awards to Fargo, Dead Man Walking, and Boys Don’t Cry while earning cult status for independent features Four Weddings and A Funeral, Priscilla Queen of the Desert, and Dazed and Confused. With her partner, Samantha built a multi-million dollar company in the advertising industry, Foundation, with over forty employees and offices in Chicago and Los Angeles. Under her leadership, Foundation earned distinction as an early disrupter of the traditional production and post-production models, combining the two under one roof. Samantha currently lives in Los Angeles with her husband, director James Lipetzky, and their teenage sons. Her daughter and granddaughters reside in Massachusetts.
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