Irene Hannon Interview

Q: How long have you been writing and what other careers or jobs have you had?

A. I’ve been writing for as long as I can remember—but I like to tell people I made my professional debut at the age of 10 when I was one of the honorees in a complete-the-story contest sponsored by a national children’s magazine! Before I made fiction my full-time career, I was the senior group director of corporate communications for a Fortune 500 company. In that job, I was responsible for three departments, served as managing editor of our global magazine, wrote speeches for key executives (including the CEO and chairman of the board) and oversaw the company’s annual report. I had some amazing experiences in my corporate career, so making the decision to walk away was a huge leap of faith. But I’m happy to say I never had a single regret.

Q: Do you write in only one genre and if so which one and why? If not, which ones and why?

A. I write both contemporary romance and romantic suspense. My first 26 books were all contemporary romance, but ever since my Nancy Drew days I’ve had a hankering to write suspense. I finally took the plunge in 2009—and I’m so glad I did! Reader response has been fabulous. Now I write in both genres.

Q: How does your faith play into your writing?

A. The faith element in my novels is organic; that is, it arises naturally out of the story. It’s also on the subtle side. In my personal life, I live rather than talk about my faith, and my characters tend to do the same. There’s a famous quote attributed to Francis of Assisi (which he never actually said, but it captures the essence of his message) and it reflects my philosophy about faith in fiction: Preach the gospel at all times. Use words if necessary.

Q: How do you choose your settings for your books?

A. In cases where the setting is immaterial to my story, I tend to use one that is familiar to me to reduce my research time. If I’m writing a romance and want a particularly romantic setting, I’ll pick a place I think is very romantic (like Nantucket Island or the Northern California coast) and then make a research trip there. It’s very difficult to accurately portray a setting without visiting it. That’s why, in my nearly 40 books, I’ve only once written about a setting I haven’t visited—Afghanistan. I’m dedicated to research…but not dedicated enough to put my life on the line! However, I did a huge amount of research on that country and also consulted with an acquaintance who makes under-the-radar humanitarian aid visits there, so I did have an expert vet what I’d written about the country.

Q: Do you base your characters on people you know or are they totally made up?

A. Some are complete fabrications. Others have characteristics of people I’ve met or read about.

Q: Would you tell us about your current book release?

A. Lethal Legacy is Book 3 in my Guardians of Justice series—but as with all my series books, it can be read as a stand-alone title. I never carry plot points from book to book. Here’s the blurb: The police say her father’s death was suicide. Kelly Warren says it was murder—and she has new evidence to prove it. Detective Cole Taylor doesn’t put much credence in her claim, and nothing in his case review suggests foul play. But when he digs deeper and discovers startling information linking her to a long-buried secret, the danger escalates. Is history repeating itself? And who wants Kelly silenced?

Q: Where did you get your inspiration for Lethal Legacy?

A. If I answer this, I’ll give the plot away! Suffice it to say, the book has a very intriguing premise and some twists that will surprise readers.

Q: What is the main thing you hope readers remember from this story?

A. My Guardians of Justice series focuses on three siblings—two brothers and a sister—who are all involved in justice-related professions. I love the family dynamic in these books. The three siblings don’t always agree, and they sometimes get on each other’s nerves, but they are one-hundred percent there for each other at all times. So I hope readers get a sense in this series of the importance—and value—of close family relationships. For this book in particular, I hope they also have a better understanding of how much the past can influence our lives and how so many of our choices can be shaped—rightly or wrongly—by our family history.

Q: Tell us what you like about the main characters of this book.

A. My heroine is loyal, loving and strong, and she fights for what she believes in. My hero has great integrity, honor and a well-developed sense of responsibility. Plus, both character have a sense of humor. I couldn’t write a book without some moments of laughter!

Q: Would you share with us what you are working on now?

A. My next series, Private Justice, will launch in January with Vanished. This series focuses on three ex-law enforcement operatives—police detective, undercover ATF agent and Secret Service agent—who’ve joined forces to form a private investigation firm. They handle some very interesting cases, many of which have fallen through the cracks of traditional law enforcement. Vanished is in final production, and I’m hard at work on the rest of the series.

Q: If money were no object what vacation would you like to take and why?

A. I’ve been very, very blessed to travel all over the world for both business and pleasure, so I’ve been to many fascinating places. While I’m always up for a new adventure, after logging so many miles around the globe I enjoy just bumming around with my husband in quiet, off-the-beaten-path spots—preferably near the ocean. Places like Molokai in Hawaii or Inishbofin (a remote island off the west coast of Ireland) or a peaceful village in Tuscany (not too far from the Amalfi coast) or a cottage on Orcas Islands in the San Juan islands are among my favorite kinds of vacation spots. The less nightlife and bright lights and noise and crowds, the better.

Q: What is the silliest thing you have ever done?

A. As the oldest child, I was born with the responsibility gene—so I truthfully can’t think of anything I’ve ever done that could be called silly. Silly isn’t in my DNA. (But I do like to have fun!)

Q: What is the hardest thing you have ever done?

A. Auditioning for the first musical I was in as an adult. I’d always loved theater and took dance lessons for years, but my secret goal was to sing. So in college I signed up for voice lessons. After a year, I worked up the courage to audition for a community theater musical. I was in the chorus of that show—and many subsequent shows—until I eventually worked my way up to leading roles. I still do theater when time permits, most recently playing the leading role in Cole Porter’s “Anything Goes.” And I’m in rehearsal right now for a musical review. But taking the plunge at that first audition…wow. That was hard—and scary.

Q: Anything else you’d like to tell or share with us?

A. Two exciting pieces of news. First, Book 2 in my Guardians of Justice series, Deadly Pursuit, has been named a Carol Award finalist by American Christian Fiction Writers and has just won the Retailers Choice Award from Christian Retailing magazine. Second, I’m very excited about the new look that’s been created for my next romantic suspense series. The people-less cover for Vanished is quite a departure from the typical covers for this genre (and from my past covers), but I love it! As my little nine-year-old niece said when she saw it, “Oooh… that’s scary!” I agree—and I’d love to hear what readers think, too. Here’s a preview.