What’s up my friend?? Today I am SUPER excited because I get to welcome Hannah Wright to the blog! Hannah released her first full-length novel, Hope In The Dark, on MAY 25! Today I will be sharing with you some questions I asked Hannah that’s related to her writing as well as tips for other writers out there, and I also am so excited to share with you a GIVEAWAY! But before we get to that, let me go ahead and introduce the book to you, as well as welcome Hannah Wright to the blog!!
Here is a blurb of Hannah’s novel, Hope in the Dark:
Moving into the great unknown of Featherlight, Idaho, was a huge change for Elizabeth Matthews. But while Asheville, North Carolina was comfortingly familiar, it had left her with a broken heart and a determination to never trust a man again.
Hard working Samuel Bryson is honor bound to provide for his widowed mother and siblings. Determined to live up to his own expectations of being just like his father, he will let nothing get in his way. And that includes marriage.
Serene and cozy Featherlight has taken a turn into something much darker. Newly hired school teacher Elizabeth and Samuel find themselves desperately searching for answers to the suspicious criminal activity around them. They find themselves thrown into facing their worst fears… and each other. In the midst of many unknowns, will they find the courage to do what God is calling them to?
And now some questions I asked Hannah! It was so fun asking these questions and I LOVED her answers!!
When did you first realize you wanted to become a writer?
Ever since I was little I’ve enjoyed writing stories. I loved creating characters and writing about them in their worlds. As I got older I started writing longer things than short stories and I started thinking that it would be fun to write more seriously. A few years ago, I was just feeling really discouraged about the lack of clean and pure fiction and God put a desire in my heart to write books that honor Him and that’s when I really started working on writing more.
What inspires you to write?
God’s Word is such an inspiration to me. The Lord often lays ideas on my heart from His Word about what to write about. I also love going on Pinterest and I also enjoy researching the setting and time period of what I’m working on and can often get ideas from there! Also conversations I have with others or things that I hear people say can often inspire me too!
If you could tell your younger writing self anything, what would it be?
Hmm… I would say never lose the fun of writing. Don’t worry about making a perfect story, just write because you enjoy it!
How long on average does it take you to write a book?
Well, for Hope in the Dark it took me a little over two years because I did not write consistently and I would work on it on and off!
Are you a planner or a panster?
I was definitely more of a panster for Hope in the Dark! I tended to just write as ideas came to me. But for me, I definitely saw how helpful it would be to be more of a planner for my writing so I probably will plan a bit more in the future!
If you had the opportunity to live anywhere in the world for a year while writing a book that took place in that same setting, where would you choose?
Ooh that’s such a fun question! I would love to go to Ireland and stay in one of their castles and maybe write a book about a princess from Ireland, I think that would be so much fun!
How many drafts do your books generally go through before publication?
Hope in the Dark went through about four drafts before it was finished! I went through it a second time after I finished writing it and then my amazing beta readers went through and then my editor!
What was the highlight of writing this book?
I would say one of the highlights of writing this book was getting to research one of my favorite time periods and coming up with the names for all the characters! I also loved when I finally finished writing Hope in the Dark over quarantine last year, it felt so crazy and amazing to finally finish it!
Who is the most supportive person in your life when it comes to your writing?
My parents are definitely both really supportive. They have always encouraged me in my writing and I’m so thankful for them!
Do you have any suggestions to help myself or others become a better writer? If so, what are they?
Well, I definitely need suggestions too! I really like the quote “If there’s a book that you want to read, but it hasn’t been written yet, then you must write it.” If I had one suggestion, I would say pray about your writing and ask God to help you craft the stories that He wants you to tell. Have fun and really enjoy the writing process. Write stories that you would want to read. Also, try not to be too critical of yourself on your first draft, just write!
And now, THE GIVEAWAY!!! The rules to enter are SUPER simple, and don’t forget to let any friends or family know about it so they can have a chance to win too!
Hannah Wright is the author of Hope In The Dark and Keeping Faith. She desires to write pure fiction that glorifies God. She is a graduate of Houston Baptist University, and in her free time, she loves reading, spending time with her family and friends, and listening to music and podcasts. To stay in touch with her, you can visit her blog at https://peaceinthechaos.org or follow her on instagram @_hannahsbooknook_
That’s it for todays post! Don’t forget to head over to Instagram to enter the contest, and just a heads up, because of this post there will be no post Tuesday. But, I’ll be back with another post Tuesday the 8th so keep your eyes peeled, and if you haven’t already, you can subscribe to this blog via email so you can get my posts delievered straight to your inbox the moment it’s published!
ROCK ON,
Five Shekels 