Irene Hannon Interview and Book Giveaway

17 Dec 2011 43 Comments

by Heather H. in 12 Days of Christmas, Book Shelf

Growing up I was forever getting in trouble in school–for reading too much! Or at least for reading at the wrong time-aka Math class, Science class, or any subject that didn’t hold my attention.)  This week at the library while attempting simple addition in my head and missing the mark by .20 cents my coworker quipped, “(That’s why) we work with words, not numbers.” Maybe I should’ve taken my nose out of my fantasy world long enough to learn math….

My friend and fellow bookworm Aliesha told a story at our Bible Study Christmas Party of how as a child whenever she was in trouble her punishment was “no books for a  week.” The book ban was “torture” for her because it meant having to wait to find out what happened next in whatever book she was in the middle of reading.

Her husband was appalled! “Doesn’t that discourage kids from reading?” Aliesha copped to the fact that her reading restriction usually came about when she’d been caught one too many times with a flashlight and a book reading into the wee hours.

I know I’ve found a book for my keeper shelf when I lose track of time and wind up staying up hours past my usual bedtime so I can read “one more chapter.” Or like recently when I was late for work because I couldn’t stop turning the pages of “The Betrayal” by Jerry B. Jenkins. (Click here to read my review.)

Award-winning author Irene Hannon is one of those authors who can make me late for work and whose books fill up my “keeper shelf.” I eagerly anticipate each new release by Irene, whether it’s a heartwarming title from Love Inspired or an edge-of-my-seat romantic suspense novel.

Last summer I discovered ”Against All Odds” and “An Eye For An Eye,” the first two books of Irene’s “Heroes of Quantico” series on sale for $5 each. I was attracted by the summaries (FBI Hostage Team members taking on terrorists and guarding the women they love) and by the covers (hot guys). But what really hooked me was an endorsement of Irene’s books by my favorite author Dee Henderson.

“This is a captivating, fast-paced, well-written romantic suspense destined for my keeper shelf. I loved this book, and highly recommend this author. I found someone who writes romantic suspense better than I do.”
Dee Henderson (author of the O’Malley Family series)

Sold! After devouring the first two books I gladly drove to the next county to the closest bookstore to pay full price for the final book “In Harms Way.” I’m not the only one who adores the series. “In Harms Way” won a RITA Award and “An Eye For an Eye” was RITA Award Finalist.

“Deadly Pursuit,” (book 2 in the Guardians of Justice series), earned the honor of being named to Booklist magazine’s Top 10 inspirational fiction titles for 2011!

Last year my beach vacation came courtesy of Irene’s Lighthouse Lane series which transports visitors to Nantucket island. There I became absorbed in the lives of a feisty female fishing boat Captain and a bullheaded Coastguard Lieutenant; a world-weary cop and shy Tea Room owner; a waitress who’s had plenty of hard knocks and a kind doctor who knows just the prescription to heal her battered heart; and a reformed ex-con who finds a new start rehabbing a worn bed-and-breakfast owned by an overprotective widow and her young son.   (Book 1 “Tides of Hope”, Book 2 “The Hero Next Door”, Book 3 “The Doctor’s Perfect Match”, Book 4 “A Father for Zach.” All four titles are available in ebook format.)

Irene is visiting the blog and she’s giving away a copy of her new book “Seaside Reunion” (Love Inspired, January 2012.) Just leave a comment to enter-that simple. (See end of post for Bonus Entries.) You can enter now through Friday, Dec. 23.

Don’t forget, you can enter each giveaway of the 12 Days of Christmas. Click here to see what (and who) you’ve missed.

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INTERVIEW WITH IRENE HANNON

OA: Irene, Congratulation on “Deadly Pursuit” being named one of the top 10 inspirational fiction titles for 2011 by Booklist! Inspiration fiction has gained a lot of ground over the last few years with readers and publishers. There are so many genres from Amish to suspense that qualify as inspirational. What is it about inspirational fiction that appeals to readers?

IH: I think the growth in inspirational fiction is a reflection of a shift we’re seeing in this country back toward more traditional values. I believe a lot of people are looking for a reaffirmation of things like principle, character, integrity, honor and faith in what they read, and inspirational fiction focuses on those values. I also think many people are turned off by the violence and vulgarity in today’s media, and in inspirational fiction readers can find compelling stories that don’t contain gratuitous violence, explicit sex and four-letter letter words.

OA: Why do you choose to write inspirational versus secular books?

IH: The funny thing is, when I began writing, there really wasn’t a category known as “inspirational” fiction. It only emerged as a unique and distinct genre in the past 10-12 years.  So my original goal was to tell engaging stories that featured traditional values. That remains my objective, but now that there is an official inspirational genre, I’m able to include faith content when appropriate.

 OA: Which comes first when you write a book, the plot or the spiritual journey?

IH: The plot. But it’s always a plot that encourages at least one character to embark on a spiritual journey by presenting them with a moral dilemma of some sort.

OA: How do you choose which Bible verses to include in a book?

IH: I don’t include a lot of Bible verses; when I do, they are ones that flow naturally from whatever action is taking place in the story.

OA: How do you balance showing a character’s spiritual journey without “preaching” to the reader?

IH: Preaching is the kiss of death for any novel, in my opinion. Most people read commercial fiction to be entertained. In my books, the spiritual, or faith, content is organic to the story and typically very subtle. I like to show my characters living their faith rather than talking about it. And I think that’s true for the majority of inspirational fiction being published today. Unfortunately, the genre has a reputation in the general market as being preachy and very heavy-handed evangelical. That’s a shame, because I think many general readers looking for “clean,” wholesome, uplifting stories would enjoy inspirational fiction if they gave it a try.

OA: This may be like asking you to choose a favorite child but do you have a favorite character or book that you’ve written?

IH: You’re right, this is a tough question. I’ve loved all the books I’ve written. But a few, for various reasons, do stand out in my mind. Never Say Goodbye (RITA-Award winner), Rainbow’s End (RITA-Award finalist), Against All Odds (Daphne du Maurier and RT Book Reviews Reviewers’ Choice Award winner), In Harm’s Way (RITA-Award winner) and Deadly Pursuit (Booklist Top 10 2011)  are among those. As you can see by the awards and honor, they resonated with readers as well!  I’m also REALLY excited about my next suspense book, Lethal Legacy!

OA: Your Heroes of Quantico and Guardians of Justice series in particular combine suspense with romance. How do you balance to the two elements? Do you hope your books will appeal to men as well as women?

IH: Balancing the romance and suspense has never been difficult for me. In fact, the heightened tension in a suspense novel is conducive to the development of strong feelings in an accelerated time frame, so the romance and suspense feed into each other very well. As for my suspense books appealing to both men and women…that was a bonus. Prior to 2009, I wrote only contemporary romance, where my readership was primarily female. Much to my surprise, I gained many male readers as I branched into suspense. My first romantic suspense novel, Against All Odds,  attracted a lot of male readers with its two-continent setting and an inside look at the FBI’s elite Hostage Rescue Team, and that male readership has been growing with every book

OH: You’ve written several shorter novels for Love Inspired as well as longer ones such as your Heroes of Quantico series. Do you finding it more challenging to write shorter or longer novels?

IH: Each has its own challenges. When writing shorter romances, the focus has to stay on the hero and heroine; there’s just not enough space to delve into other characters. The writing has to be very, very tight and focused on the main action. With my longer suspense books, I have the luxury of using more points of view and letting readers get to know more people—including the villain. I can also more fully develop subplots, so there’s more complexity in the stories. At the same time, though, they take a lot longer to write.

OA: I first picked up one of your books because of that recommendation from Dee Henderson. Who are some of the authors who’ve inspired you?

IH: Many, many readers have told me they read my first suspense novel because of the Dee Henderson quote on the cover. I’ll be forever grateful for that stellar endorsement! As for authors who’ve inspired me—Dee is high on the list. Early on, a writer from the 1940s, Emilie Loring, was a great influence on my romance writing. I also admire Nora Roberts’ ability to tell a good story. But I try to learn something from every book I read, so even when reading for pleasure, I’m usually also analyzing the book!

 OA: What is your favorite and least favorite parts of writing a novel?

IH: The early stage, where I’m developing the basic plot and doing lots of research, is my least favorite part. Even though that step is necessary, I’m not actually putting words on paper, so it feels less productive. My favorite part is how I start each writing day—going over the text I wrote the day before and polishing it to make every word sparkle. I love that process!

 OA: Do you have advice for writers aspiring to be published?

IH: Yes, but it’s too long to publish here. I’d suggest checking out the article I wrote on this subject, which is available on my website, http://www.irenehannon.com/extras.html.

 OA: How many books have you published?

IH: My January 2012 book (Seaside Reunion) is number 37 and will release around December 20. (Just in time to use as a stocking stuffer!)  It’s book 1 in my Starfish Bay series, which is set on the gorgeous northern California coast.

OA: Do you have any special traditions that you and your family do each year at Christmas?

IH: We have several. One of the most beloved  is our White Christmas night. My extended family (parents, brother, sister-in-law, nieces) always gathers in the week before the holiday to eat goodies and watch White Christmas. We’ve seen it so many times, we can recite the lines and sing along with the actors, but it wouldn’t be Christmas without that movie!

 OA: What do you have in the works for 2012?

IH: Next year promises to be very busy! In addition to the launch of my Starfish Bay series, I’ll be concluding my Guardians of Justice romantic suspense series in August with “Lethal Legacy.” I’m already at work on my next suspense series, which will feature three former law-enforcement operatives who band together to create a private investigation firm.  Let’s just say they will be handling some very interesting cases!

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HOW TO ENTER THE BOOK GIVEAWAY

But First the Rules. Please read over them, they’ll likely answer any questions you have about the giveaway-if not, ask away.

This giveaway is open to US Residents, with the book mailed to the winner by the author. (Sorry international friends, postage is expensive!)

Here’s how you can enter to win a free copy of “Seaside Reunion.”

1. Simply leave a comment under this post, with your name and email address (so I can contact you if you win! Email addresses are used for this contest only. I don’t collect or sell email addresses.)
   

BONUS ENTRIES (Leave a Separate Comment for each action you complete stating what you did along with your name and email.)

• Share your favorite book by Irene Hannon
• Visit Irene’s website
• Follow Irene on Twitter
• Subscribe to Irene’s Newsletter New Book Alert (via her website.)
• Visit the website(s) of Irene’s publisher(s)
  Revell
  Love Inspired

The giveaway closes on Friday, Dec. 23 at 11:59pm. Winners will be announced on Saturday, Dec. 24 at 2p.m. Please check back every day through Dec. 23 for a different giveaway and interviews with authors. You can enter all of the giveaways but you can only win once.

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