HANNAH - Author Q&A (Part One)
‘Life is about creating yourself.’
What was the spark that ignited this particular book? There were a few story ideas swirling around my mind over a few years, and when I sat down to put the ideas on paper, the character of Hannah emerged. Once she did, it was clear that that was the story that needed to be told.
If your book were a movie, what genre would it be and who would be in the cast? HANNAH is the story of the title character, and explores her interior landscape and the world she seeks to create both within and outside of herself. The book that I have written, though rich in elements that touch on many different genres, is really a story about the discovery and creation of self. For those reasons, I would be much more inclined to allow the casting to be granted its own process of discovery.
What's the most unexpected place you drew inspiration from for this book? One of the joys of writing is in the discovery of the unknown, and HANNAH mirrors that journey in the story that it tells. I am endlessly surprised by the discoveries I make in the writing process, and very often the inspiration that I draw from comes out of that spontaneity itself.
Did you encounter any unexpected challenges while writing, and how did you overcome them? Much in the same way that I approach the work to deal with the challenges that you know will always present themselves in the writing. That is, I begin with a solid outline and structure, which gives direction to the writing, but also acts as a jumping-off point into the story dynamics that live at the heart of the chaos out of which the creative work is born. That structure allows you to be spontaneous in the moments where you encounter unexpected challenges, and that’s not a bad place to be in the moments when you do.
What's one thing you know now that you wish you'd known when you started writing this book? Had I known what I know now, I never would have written the book. As I said, the joy in the writing comes through the process of discovery, and that is very much the story that lives at the heart of HANNAH.
What's the biggest risk you took in writing this book, and was it worth it? There is always a risk when you do something for the first time, and HANNAH is the first book that I have written. Also, the strength of HANNAH lies in its emotional impact, and as the writer, exploring and living at the heart of those emotions and expressing them creatively, presents risks of its own. I begin with the characters, their circumstances, relationships, and the emotional conflict that exists between those dynamics. So, I am compelled to listen in those places that I otherwise might not have made myself available to before. My favourite artists have always been those who are brave enough to create from those places, and experiencing the work that those artists created in their lives, has been worthwhile to me in mine.
How has writing this book changed your perspective on the world or yourself? The work changes me in that it affords a structure for those changes to take root in myself.
What do you hope readers will take away from your book, and what impact do you hope it will have? My hope always is that the reader will recognize something of themselves in the story, or in the characters, and in that way, they will realize some part of the emotional journey that lives at the heart of the book.
If your book had a motto, what would it be? Find your purpose.
What's the most rewarding part of being a writer, and what's the most challenging? Very often the most rewarding experiences we have are those that come out of challenging circumstances. It’s impossible to predict when and where those circumstances will present themselves to you in life, or in the writing itself—only that they will present themselves to you in time. For me, the writing itself presents both its own challenges and rewards.
“The actor must crave insecurity, the unknown, the uncharted boundaries of imagination, because traveling along that edge leads to the promised land of creativity.” - Kristin Linklater (Freeing the Natural Voice)
How do you envision your ideal reader interacting with your book? I hope in the same way that I did, which is by living at the heart of the circumstances that exist at the moment that Hannah’s selected life begins; and that they too experience the emotional journey that lives at the core of HANNAH.
What's one piece of feedback you received during the writing process that significantly impacted the final product? I was reminded of a quote that came to me a very long time ago from my teacher and mentor that speaks to the emotional journey that Hannah finds herself on: ‘The actor must crave insecurity, the unknown, the uncharted boundaries of imagination, because traveling along that edge leads to the promised land of creativity.’ It reminded me that life isn’t about finding yourself, life is about creating yourself: Find your purpose—your passion—and play!
Have you received any criticism of your work that you found particularly insightful, even if it was difficult to hear? I tend to approach criticism and feedback—good or bad—in much the same way—as an opportunity to learn.
What's one thing you hope readers will remember about your book long after they've finished reading it? One of the themes in HANNAH is to do with memory, and the thing about memory is that every time you remember something, you are creating a new memory of it—so who knows where their memory will lead them! For Hannah, her memories lead her on a journey of healing, and to the place where ‘wild woman sings over the bones.’
If you could have a conversation with one of your readers about your book, what would you want to discuss? Whatever it is that is foremost in the reader’s heart and mind in the moment that we discuss it.
DEBUT NOVEL OUT THIS FALL. AVAILABLE FOR PRE-ORDER NOW.