I met Hannah a month or so ago and based upon my first impressions, she seemed a bit...um...looney-toons—in the best possible way of course—so I jumped at the chance to get to know her even better with a game of twenty questions. I'll let you decide if my first impressions were on the mark or not ;-)
ACT ONE – all about you…
In a nutshell, I am a creative crazy bean, living with my lovely husband and a house full of too many animals! I’ve always secretly wished I were a werewolf of some description, but have come to realise that I will have to settle for writing about them instead! I’m happiest in the sun with my head in a good book!
1) Have you always been a writer or is it something you fell into?
Well its funny you should ask! I actually literally fell into it. I was reading through old diary entries one day and I came across one that made me laugh so incredibly hard I literally fell off my chair! I’m not joking, it really hurt! Anyway, I decided that everyone should laugh that hard so I started writing it into a book. The rest, as they say, is history!
2) Do you have a particular writing style or ritual?
My pre-writing ritual is as follows - Coffee making comes first, lord that delicious milky goodness is my writing fuel! I then clear up whatever mess my dogs have made, stare longingly at my bookshelf, read through the last chapter I’ve written, tweet about how much I procrastinate. Then I’ll turn off my internet and wrap myself up in my personal literary world!
3) Is there a book or an author that has influenced you in your writing?
Oh god yes! The most prominent of which is J.R. Ward. Her series about the black dagger brotherhood was the first Urban Fantasy series I picked up! To keep a long story short I will just say that I found her books at an incredibly difficult time in my life, she kept me sane. It was because of her I found my favourite genre. Keri Arthur, Rachel Vincent and P.C. Cast are the authors that kept me there though, without these ladies, I can honestly say I wouldn’t be even remotely as passionate about the genre as I am. They gave me the courage to write.
4) Is there one piece of writing (or life?) advice that has stuck with you, or that you would like to share?
With writing the one piece of advice I was given and will in turn pass on is honestly, write for yourself. I know everyone says this but it is so true. Stick to the genre you love, create characters that excite you and situations you can imagine so clearly it’s almost as if you’re watching it happen before your eyes. And appreciate yourself, don’t be afraid to boast or be proud because you should be!
And with regards to publication, the best bit of advice I received was to be sure to make the opening chapter exciting. I was told when I tried (and failed) to publish my first book that 90% of new authors don’t get published because it takes too long to get into the story! So open with a pulse racing scene and you’ll give yourself a fighting start (no pun intended!)
5) Can you tell us three things about yourself that we probably don’t already know?
Erm, I used to load trucks for a living, in the time of doing anything for money that was a good earner!
I’ve got a Diploma in Animal Behaviour, because I really wanted to work in a zoo (It didn’t work)
I am known to smother almost everything I eat in salad cream. I can live for months on homemade goats cheese and salad cream toast and little else.
6) What five luxury items or gadgets would you hate to be without?
My mac, I couldn’t write without it! My kindle, candles and incense, my house is empty without them! My playstation3 (I am not ashamed to say I am a huge Skyrim nerd!) My oversized crates of wine. And my harpoon gun (Only Joking!)
ACT TWO – all about your new release…
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| Scroll down for excerpt and cool trailer! |
Fate is calling…
After a strange encounter in a dark alley, journalist Tamriel’s life is turned upside down. She’s missing days, developing odd new abilities, and being followed by mysterious Leyth.
Dark, dangerous – and too gorgeous for his own good –Leyth’s determined to teach Tamriel about her new life – as a werewolf! And just as intent on keeping their relationship strictly business.
But as their simmering bond grows, Tamriel and Leyth face a bigger challenge; Tam may be their kind’s strongest weapon against the Circle, a deadly group of paranormal creatures gone rogue. That is, if she’s ready to give into her destiny and put up the fight of her life...
7) Congratulations on your recent release of Silence of the Wolves, what was your inspiration for writing Tamriel and Leyth’s story?
I’ve always loved supernatural, my first (unfinished) book was about Angles, demons and everything in between! When National Novel Writing Month came around, my husband and I had just been given our lovely dog Orbit, who is a Husky X Malamute. When I was trying to find inspiration to write my novel, Orbit sat with his paws on my feet the entire time. Wolves seemed the obvious option! Dark and dangerous, with a ton of action and a smidge of love!
8) Did the story flow from your finger tips or did some scenes take a bit of cajoling?
Most of it just wouldn’t stop coming, I’d sit down and disappear into a literary world of bliss for hours on end! The only difficult bits were what I like to call the ‘scenes in between’- just before a major event in the story line I would find it difficult to fill the gaps.
9) I see Silence of the Wolves is your debut, how long did it take for the initial spark of the story to make it onto the page and then onto the publisher’s desk?
I remember sitting down and staring at the little blinking cursor for a bit struggling to get started. So I started with exactly that, the opening line is Tamriel, the heroine, struggling with what to write for her next story (She’s a journalist) But from the second my fingers hit the keys, it just came. It took me thirty days to write the first draft. I submitted it straight away to Harlequin because I’d heard they were accepting submissions. I spent a month extending and finalising it. Then two months after that I got the terrifying ‘I would like to discuss your novel with you’ email from my editor!
I count myself incredibly lucky for this to have happened so quickly for me!
10) Do you have a favourite paragraph or sentence from your story that you would like to tantalise us with?
Looking up at her, the wolf’s eyes could only be described as regretful as he let rip a howl that could crack windows. She watched in disbelief, terror freezing her to the ground, as the wolf’s arms and legs started to bow and distort, his entire body beginning to move and writhe. It looked for all the world like his body was breaking down and rebuilding itself. His face started collapsing in on itself, jaw cracking, tail shortening until it was no more, the beautiful black and grey fur that covered him in rippling waves disappearing into his skin until, finally, it was over.
It took only seconds until what was left…
…was a butt-naked man lying on the cold forest floor.
11) Over to you, what can you tell us about Silence of the Wolves, to make us rush out and buy it?
It’s a heated combination of lust, despair and the war between (Sexy manly) Good and (putrid decomposing) Evil. Werewolves dominate the plot with some soul stealing Magi, evil zombieish-Vampires, beautiful Djinn (genies), Minotaur’s and Wiccans thrown in to boot! Honestly, the best I can say is if you like something pulse racing, a little magical and sort of lusty give it a go! You might love it! I know I do, but I wrote it ha!
12) What can we expect from you next? Is there something you are working on right now?
WELL! This is the first in what I’m hoping to be about a ten book series! Song of the Soul, the second book is currently with my editor being edited (Eeek!) – Bite of Vengeance, book three is currently in the making… And the first book in my second series Creatures of the Night is currently undergoing the first stages of being written. It’s all very exciting! I am eternally glued to my laptop! (My poor husband has lost his wife to literature!)
QUICK FIRE ROUND – it’s pop quiz time…
13) Plotter or pantser?
Panster! I just go with it and see where it takes me!
14) Secret Seven or Famous Five? (please tell me you know them!?)
Secret Seven!
15) Digital books or print books?
Hard question! I’m inclined to say print books because I love the smell of them! Mmm!
16) Tea or coffee?
Coffee. Writers fuel!
17) Cats or dogs?
Dogs! Wolves. Dingos. African wild dogs. LOVE THEM ALL!
18) Extrovert or introvert?
Extrovert! Always!
19) Save or spend?
Spend! (Usually on books. Lots and lots of books.)
20) Facebook or Twitter?
Meeting up at the pub. (I’m not good at social media!) But if I had to choose, I’d say facebook. The limit on typing on twitter kills me!
And that’s a wrap!
Thank you so much for taking part, Hannah, I wish you every success with your new release.
To discover even more about Hannah, and to keep up with her latest projects and shenanigans, you can visit her at:
Twitter Facebook Website
Buy it now…
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| Add to Goodreads |
CALL OF THE WILDERNESS: BOOK 1
For fans of Kelly Armstrong
Amazon
Amazon UK
Carina UK
(more links to follow)
I love this giveaway from Hannah, very creative and original...
If you buy the book tweet me a picture of Silence of the Wolves on your phone, kindle, nook, laptop, chalkboard, face, whatever works! Or email it to hp@hannahpole.co.uk and you will get a free signed e-poster!
The funniest pictures will receive an amazon gift card or a signed printed poster!
Also, if you share the book, like my facebook page or follow me on twitter, you will be entered into a draw to win a signed printed poster or an amazon gift card! EXCITING TIMES LADIES AND GENTS!
For fans of Kelly Armstrong
Amazon
Amazon UK
Carina UK
(more links to follow)
Giveaway…
I love this giveaway from Hannah, very creative and original...
If you buy the book tweet me a picture of Silence of the Wolves on your phone, kindle, nook, laptop, chalkboard, face, whatever works! Or email it to hp@hannahpole.co.uk and you will get a free signed e-poster!
The funniest pictures will receive an amazon gift card or a signed printed poster!
Also, if you share the book, like my facebook page or follow me on twitter, you will be entered into a draw to win a signed printed poster or an amazon gift card! EXCITING TIMES LADIES AND GENTS!
Excerpt...
Slowly, carefully, Tam moved. Only an inch as she lowered herself to the ground and, in one painstaking movement, she knelt before the wolf.
Her knife was clipped to the side of her bra and her hands itched to reach for it, but she knew it was a bad idea. Currently the wolf was showing no signs of aggression and she didn’t want to spook him again.
As she looked into those beautiful grey eyes, she saw no anger, no malice. She saw fatigue, pain and confusion. She could read the emotions behind them like a book.
As she watched him, it seemed as though he was being as careful as she to move carefully. It was almost as if it were he who didn’t want to spook her rather than the other way around. He lowered his back end to the ground, shuffling a little awkwardly around his back leg. He then proceeded to lie down completely, resting his head on his paws, keeping his eyes still locked onto hers. It was as if he’d visibly given up.
Tam slowly edged forward. She must be absolutely crazy, knowing this was a vicious wild animal and that it could tear her apart easily. Yet her gut told her the wolf wasn’t going to hurt her.
She must be going mad. She was going to end up being that weird woman that was nearly killed by a wild wolf because she thought she could be friends with it.
And yet, this moment, this intense, terrifying, incredibly special moment, was one she would treasure for the rest of her life; one she would write about and talk of over and over again to friends, family and, maybe, one day her children.
The day mommy made friends with a wolf.
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