Irene Hannon Interview

Today, I am pleased to welcome author Irene Hannon to Interviews & Reviews. Irene is the bestselling and award-winning author of more than fifty novels, including Buried Secrets, Thin Ice, and Tangled Webs, as well as the Heroes of Quantico, Guardians of Justice, and Private Justice series. In addition to many other honors, she is a seven-time finalist for and three-time winner of the prestigious RITA Award from Romance Writers of America. She is also a member of RWA’s elite Hall of Fame and has received a Career Achievement Award from RT Book Reviews.

Irene, welcome to Interviews & Reviews!

For those who aren't familiar with your work, can you tell us a little about your writing career?

Sure! I’ve been writing for as long as I can remember. In fact, I like to say I made my fiction debut at age 10, when I was one of the honorees in a complete-the-story contest conducted by a national children’s magazine. These days I write in two genres—romantic suspense and contemporary romance. For many years I juggled my fiction writing with my executive-level communications career in a Fortune 500 company, but I left that world behind to focus on fiction a number of years ago. I don’t miss the corporate politics or rush-hour commute one bit!

How many books have you written?

Dangerous Illusions is my 53rd published novel. My very first manuscript remains unpublished. It was a novella-length romantic suspense—and it was really, really bad. It’s buried in the deepest, darkest corner of my closet, where it shall forever remain.

What inspired you to write this book?

I was intrigued by the notion of featuring three childhood friends whose bond is strengthened by time…and danger. That was the genesis of the Code of Honor series. They all grow up to fulfill their childhood vow of making the world a better place, beginning with Colin Flynn in Dangerous Illusions, who’s a police homicide detective.

Do you have any other books in the works?

Always! I’ll have a new contemporary romance out in April (Pelican Point), which is set in my charming Oregon seaside town of Hope Harbor, where hearts heal…and love blooms. The second book in the Code of Honor series will be out in October 2018.

You sound so very busy. I wonder, when is your favourite time of day to write?

As a full-time professional writer who makes a living at this job, I write all day. The time of day doesn’t matter as long as I have a block of uninterrupted time—though I usually start to fade by 10 p.m. if I’m still at that keyboard that late. (Which I try not to be these days!)

Oh, my! I can't imagine writing for that long! What is something most people don’t know about you?

I love to sing and enjoy performing in community musical theater productions. I’ve been fortunate to play the leading roles in many classic musicals, including Oklahoma, The King and I, South Pacific, Brigadoon, and Anything Goes, among others.

Wow! That is so neat! What are your favourite types of movies?

Old ones! The movies I’ve watched most often star Cary Grant. Makes sense, since he was known for being the leading man in both romantic suspense and
romance flicks—the very genres in which I write.

You can't go wrong with a Cary Grant movie! On a final note, what is your favourite Scripture verse and why?

Matthew 6:21—“For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” I love this verse because it reminds me to keep things in perspective and to remember what really matters.

​Amen to that! Thank you Irene for dropping by today. If you would like to know when Irene's next book comes out visit her website at www.irenehannon.com.