AUTHOR INTERVIEW - RACHEL HANNA

A LITTLE ABOUT THE AUTHOR FIRST

Rachel Hanna is a best-selling author of romance novellas and novels. She lives outside of Atlanta with her husband, three cool kids, two crazy dogs and one very snooty outdoor cat. She loves to write, read, spend time with family and embarrass her kids as much as possible.

AND NOW THE AUTHOR INTERVIEW

Did you always want to be a writer? If not what did you want to be?

 I always wanted to be a Journalist, and I worked in that field for several years. I was always a writer at heart, even writing stories and short novels at seven years old. Writing is something I could never give up!

Did it take a long time to get your first book published?

 Because I use self-publishing on Amazon, it didn't take long at all. Once I wrote my first novella, I was able to get it up on Amazon within 24 hours. That is the great thing about the digital age we live in – authors are able to concentrate on putting out good stories instead of trying to find a publisher.

Do you work another job as well as your writing work?

No, I am a full-time writer now! It's exciting to think that my main job each day (in addition to being a wife and mother) is creating stories out of thin air for my readers.

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What is the name of your latest book, and if you had to summarise it in less than 20 words what would you say?

My latest book is “Broken”, and I would describe it this way: What happens when a woman lives a seedy, secretive life for two years and then has to come home and change everything about herself overnight?

Who is your publisher? or do you self publish?

 I self publish and love it!

How long does it usually take you to write a book, from the original idea to finishing writing it?

That really depends on the book. Some books are so exciting to me that I can get them going and finished within a few weeks. Others are great ideas but require more research or life gets in the way too often. I've finished novellas within 2-3 weeks, but others have taken 2 months or more.

Which of your books were easier/harder to write than the others?

“Love In The Falls” was probably the easiest because it was based loosely on a life event, and I had a great ability to visualize it in my mind.

What can we expect from you in the future?  ie More books of the same genre? Books of a different genre?

I love to write contemporary romance novels and novellas that touch the hearts of my readers. I love emotionally charged romances, so you can expect more of that in the future. I have a new series started set in a fictional town called January Cove, and I will also have more stand alone novels too!

What genre would you place your books into?

Contemporary romance

What made you decide to write that genre of book?

I love to write about love! I think we can all relate to love stories as most of us have been in love, had a crush or had our heart broken at some point. It's part of the human condition, and we can all relate.

Do you have a favourite character from your books? and why are they your favourite?

 I love Sam from “Love In The Falls” as well as Grant from “Broken”.

How do you come up with the Title and Cover Designs for your book/books?Who designed the Cover of your books?

I have a freelance graphic designer who designs my covers based on the images I provide.

Do you choose a title first, or write the book then choose the title?

I always write first and title later.

Are character names and place names decided after their creation? or do you pick a character/place name and then invent them?

I choose character and place names while writing.

Do you basic plot/plan for your book, before you actually begin writing it out? Or do you let the writing flow and see where it takes the story?

I have a general idea, but I rarely plot it out because that zaps my creativity. Sometimes I start writing and have NO idea where I'm going!

How do you market/promote your books?

I do some free days here and there, talk to my readers on Facebook, hang out on Goodreads.

What do you do to unwind and relax? Do you have a hobby?

I love to read, actually! Not only does it help me become a better writer, but it allows me to escape without leaving home. :)

Have you ever based characters on people you know or based events on things that have happened to you?

The beginning situation in “Love In The Falls” really happened to me, and I talk about that at the beginning of that book.

Is there a certain Author that influenced you in writing?

I really enjoy Barbara Freethy's books as they are realistic with characters that a person can relate to.

(my mum reads and loves Barbara Freethy books!)

Where can readers follow you?

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rachelhannaromance

Twitter: @RachelHannaBook

Website: www.RachelHannaRomance.com

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/rachelhanna