Wood Sneaks Its Way Into Flooring Installer-Turned-Author's Books

The installer-turned-author has his sander and edger not far from his mind ... or his writing desk. Courtesy George Steffner

George Steffner put wood floor installation, sanding and finishing behind him when he retired from his business, Atlanta-based Floors by George, to become a writer in 2011—or at least he tried to. The author of the memoir "Through Their Eyes," discovered that details only a wood floor enthusiast would think of tended to find their way into his writing. In one short story, a character fires a 45 automatic during a chase scene and Steffner describes how the bullets ripped up chunks of hardwood floor. "I have used hardwood [in my writing] a number of times because it was in my brain," he says. It's probably on his mind because it's all around him when he writes—he installed wood flooring on the walls of his writing studio, and in the corner sits his old Lägler Hummel and Clarke edger. Steffner is pretty certain that's where they'll stay, though he can't promise they won't make it onto the page.