Being a dad is the most important job I have had in my life and being a stay at home dad is a full-time gig that only stops once all three of girls are successfully asleep.  That being said, I know that SAHDs are looked at a bit curiously in our society today, so I can't even imagine being a stay at home dad in the mid 80's. That's exactly what Ben Fountain did--after quiting his job at a law firm.  Why would he quit a high paying job at a law firm you may ask?  Well, to pursue his life long passion of writing of course. 

"...in January 1988 when his wife, Sharon, made partner at Thompson & Knight. Fountain quit to stay home with his son but also to free up time to write. He realized he would never have any peace in his life without making a go at his lifelong dream of being a writer."

Many years went by for Ben with little to show for his efforts, until,

"...nearly 20 years elapsed between quitting his day job and publishing his first book in 2006, "Brief Encounters With Che Guevara," a Hemingway-esque short-story collection.

In early 2009, Ecco, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers, will release Fountain's first published novel, titled "The Texas Itch," which is set in Dallas."

Ben's story itself is captivating with all of its ups and downs.   For more of his interview, check out what Ben has to say on writing and being a dad at Lawjobs.com.  Do you find yourself going against the grain with the choices you have made?  Do you think that stay at home dads have changed in perception over the last 10 years? 20?