Irene Hannon

Apr 17

11 min read ⭑

“Unlike some authors, who say they have file folders full of ideas that they’ll never be able to write in one lifetime, I start with a blank slate for every book. … But in my heart, I know that in his time—not mine—God will give me the idea I need to get me started. It typically takes longer than I’d like, but so far, he’s always come through.”

For a while, Irene Hannon juggled two careers—one as a communications executive at a Fortune 500 company and the other as a burgeoning fiction writer. Winning the prestigious RITA award gave her the push she needed to choose between the two, which has led to her successful career as a bestselling novelist. Nowadays, she spends her days writing romance and romantic suspense novels (70 and counting) and all that entails: editing, researching, checking galleys, responding to publicist requests, and prepping for speaking engagements. The result? Books that allow millions of readers to find hope and encouragement at the end of a long day. Today, we’re getting a peek behind the curtain to see the role faith and the Holy Spirit play in Irene’s writing, the resources that help her grow spiritually, and what’s next for her career.

QUESTION #1: ACQUAINT

There’s much more to food than palate and preference. How does a go-to meal at your favorite hometown restaurant reveal the true you behind the web bio?

I agree that there’s more to food than palate and preference. I grew up in an Irish household (my dad was born in County Cork, and my maternal grandparents were also from Ireland), and food in that culture is about love, sharing, and family. When I was a child, we didn’t have a lot of extra money for restaurant meals, but we always ate dinner together. Some of my happiest memories are sitting around the table for the evening meal with my mom, dad, and brother as we caught each other up on our day, shared a few laughs, commiserated over challenges, and discussed world events. That created both an unbreakable bond and an incredible support system. Those daily family meals were a bedrock of my childhood.

These days, my husband and I generally prefer to eat at home. For many years, we both traveled with our corporate jobs, and that required lots of eating out. But when we do go out, we like to have lunch at an elegant little French bistro that, for an hour or two, transports us away from the Midwest (where we live) to the French countryside. It’s a quiet spot, set apart from daily distractions and conducive to long conversations. Our time there gives us a chance to reconnect and focus on each other. A meal shared with someone you love is one of life’s sweetest blessings, no matter where it’s eaten. That’s a lesson I learned long ago, and it remains one of my cherished childhood legacies.

QUESTION #2: REVEAL

We’ve all got quirky proclivities and out-of-the-way interests. So what are yours? What so-called “nonspiritual” activity (or activities) do you love engaging in, which also help you find essential spiritual renewal?

When I’m not at my keyboard typing away on my next novel, I can often be found singing or gardening. Although these aren’t particularly spiritual activities, both have a definite spiritual component.

In terms of singing, I was a late starter. I always loved music, but for years, the thought of singing in front of an audience intimidated me. Nevertheless, in college, I worked up the courage to take voice lessons, and after a year, I tried out for a musical. My audition song was shaky at best—but passable enough to earn me a spot in the chorus. And I kept plugging away, pushing myself beyond my comfort level to audition and persevere despite rejection after rejection. (Come to think of it, that was excellent preparation for the publishing world!) In time, I started to get parts and then leading roles. Though COVID put an end (for now) to my stage career, I still solo at church almost every week. Giving voice to beautiful music will always feed my soul.

Gardening is an entirely different experience. In the quiet solitude, broken only by the trill of a bird, the splash of our fountain, or the sweet music of our wind chimes, I’m surrounded by the exquisite beauty of God’s creation—color, fragrance, soft petals, and the delicate wings of the butterflies that flit from flower to flower. The hours I spend in my garden refresh my soul and remind me that whenever I need to reassure myself that God is near, I need look no farther than into the heart of a rose.

QUESTION #3: CONFESS

Every superhero has a weakness. Every human, too. We’re just good at faking it. But who are we kidding? We’re broken and in this thing together. So what’s your kryptonite, and how do you hide it?

When I was in grade school, I went through a difficult period of being bullied. For reasons I never understood, the cool, popular crowd decided to make my life miserable. The boys teased me, and the girls shunned me. For a sensitive little girl who always tried her best and liked to be liked, it was a tough time.

Fortunately, I had wonderfully supportive parents who imbued me with a strong sense of self-worth. I never told them about what was happening at school because I knew it would upset them, but their love helped me weather that storm. And I always knew that once I came home each day, I would be safe and loved.

But I never forgot that experience, and to this day, an unkind remark or rudeness distresses me. A critical letter from a reader, for example, will make me second-guess myself even when I know the criticism is unwarranted. And it brings back that sense of rejection I felt so long ago.

My defensive weapon as a child was to pretend that the taunts of the other children didn’t bother me. These days, I do my best to treat people who behave in less-than-gracious ways with an abundance of graciousness, hoping they will notice the contrast and perhaps mend their ways. I also try hard not to judge them too harshly. Because surely something bad must have happened in their life to make them so unpleasant. Still, whenever I encounter criticism, deep inside, that sensitive little girl wonders why the other children are picking on me.

QUESTION #4: FIRE UP

Tell us about your toil. How are you investing your professional time right now? What’s your current obsession? And why should it be ours?

I’m a novelist, so writing is my focus. At the moment, I’m celebrating the release of Sandcastle Inn, book 10 in my long-running Hope Harbor series, set in a small fictional town on the Oregon coast.

When I started this series, neither my editor nor I knew how readers would react. I am beyond grateful that they embraced and loved my charming little town as much as I do. When the first book came out, Publishers Weekly called Hope Harbor “a place of emotional restoration that readers will yearn to visit,” and that’s exactly what has happened.

While each story has a new main cast, a number of secondary characters appear in every book—the bantering town clerics who pastor the two churches in town, the taco-making artist and town sage, and my seagull couple. But I purposely created the series so there are no hanging plot threads from book to book. I wanted readers to be able to simply drop in at any point.

I also write suspense (where the good guy always wins and love always triumphs), but as I told my husband not long ago, in the end, I think I’ll be most remembered for my beloved town of Hope Harbor, where hearts heal—and love blooms. As one reader recently wrote, visitors to Hope Harbor “can always expect a heartwarming story of restored souls” in “a little town where dreams become reality and anything can happen.”

QUESTION #5: BOOST

Cashiers, CEOs, contractors, or customer service reps, we all need grace flowing into us and back out into the world. How does the Holy Spirit invigorate your work? And how do you know it’s God when it happens?

On my own, I could never come up with the stories I tell. Unlike some authors, who say they have file folders full of ideas that they’ll never be able to write in one lifetime, I start with a blank slate for every book. And that’s scary. Doubts filter in. What if I can’t come up with another compelling idea? What if the well is dry? I angst and agonize and pull my hair out. Every. Single. Time. Just ask my husband.

But in my heart, I know that in his time—not mine—God will give me the idea I need to get me started. It typically takes longer than I’d like, but so far, he’s always come through. And that happens throughout the writing process as the story forms and coalesces.

For example, at a speaking engagement not long ago, someone asked me how I developed the character of Charley in my Hope Harbor series. He’s the taco-making artist I mentioned earlier, who always seems to know a little more than you’d expect about what’s going on in people’s lives. My answer was simple. I didn’t. He just walked onstage in the first chapter of my first book. Even now, 10 books later, I find him as intriguing as readers do. Another reader once commented on the wise things Charley says and how it’s really me saying those things since I’m the author. But truly, when I write Charley’s dialogue, I feel like I’m channeling his thoughts, not creating them. To me, that’s driven by the Holy Spirit, who infuses my work with hope, passion, and purpose.

QUESTION #6: inspire

Scripture and tradition beckon us into the rich and varied habits that open our hearts to the presence of God. So let us in. Which spiritual practice is working best for you right now?

The same two I’ve been using for quite some time. As we all know, once our day gets rolling, it can be a race to the finish, with multiple tasks demanding our time and attention. So before I get out of bed each morning, I close my eyes and spend a few minutes talking to God. I thank him for the blessings I’ve received, ask him to watch over the people I love and comfort those in special need of his care, and ask for guidance with any thorny problems I might be facing. Starting my day like that helps put God front and center before my feet even hit the floor.

My daily walk is also vital to me. I carve 30 minutes out of my hectic schedule every day to be still and listen, and to commune with nature and God. It calms me and reminds me that in the midst of all the clutter in our lives, it’s imperative to silence the noise on a regular basis, restore perspective, and take time to notice beauty—and to remember what really matters.

QUESTION #7: FOCUS

Looking backward, considering the full sweep of your unique faith journey and all you encountered along the way, what top three resources stand out to you? What changed the game and changed your heart? What radically altered your life? What changed your reality?

I’ll give you three resources I suspect wouldn’t be on many people’s lists.

First, a book called The Resurrection of the Son of God by N.T. Wright. This was published about 20 years ago and makes such a convincing historical and fact-based case for the resurrection that even nonbelievers would have a difficult time refuting it. It had a powerful impact on me and solidified what I already believed.

Second, as a Catholic, I have always found the Stations of the Cross to be a moving and spiritually enriching experience. There are many versions of this, but the one that touches me most deeply and never fails to bring tears to my eyes is called Everyone’s Way of the Cross by Clarence Enzler. I believe this was first published about 50 years ago.

And finally, moving far afield to Hollywood, the 1947 movie with Cary Grant called The Bishop’s Wife always touches my heart and reminds me about the importance of keeping perspective and remembering what really matters. I won’t weigh in on its theological accuracy, but the message is wonderful. It’s a Christmas classic we watch year after year.

In addition, my faith has been enriched by my husband’s vocation as a permanent deacon in the Catholic Church. Many years ago, when he told me he wanted to start down the path to ordination, I was a bit uncertain about how this would impact our lives. It was a lifetime commitment, after all. But as a result of all I’ve been exposed to because of his work, my own faith has taken on a new and deeper dimension.

We all have things we cling to to survive (or even thrive) in tough times—times like these! Name one resource you’re savoring and/or finding indispensable in this current season, and tell us what it’s doing for you.

The past few years have been difficult for me on the personal front. I lost both of my beloved parents, which has left a huge gap in my life. In addition, there is a disruptive outside force that has been wreaking havoc in our lives (my husband’s and mine) over this same period. There are days when it dominates our thoughts and creates huge amounts of stress. We know in time the situation will resolve, but maintaining perspective can be tough.

In addition to individual prayers for guidance and fortitude plus Scripture reading, we have both found that taking quiet time on the bench at the lake in our neighborhood helps to calm the storm within and lets us hear God’s still, small voice—like Elijah did.

We’ve also begun taking time before our evening meal to together present to God our desire for his help and direction, and to mention any particular needs of that moment. Praying together has a power that individual prayer lacks, uniting hearts in a common desire to feel the presence of God. And we do. For where two or three are gathered in his name…

QUESTION #8: dream

God is continually stirring new things in each of us. So give us the scoop! What’s beginning to stir in you but not yet fully awakened? What can we expect from you in the future?

On the immediate horizon, I’ll have a new suspense book out this fall—Over the Edge—which is filled with psychological twists. Next spring, I’ll take readers back to Hope Harbor. And in the fall of 2025, the final book in my current suspense series will be released.

Those books will fulfill my current six-book contract, so I’m beginning to think about what comes next. All my life, I’ve lived with deadlines, both in my corporate career and in my writing life, and I’m re-evaluating that. We shall see where prayer and discernment lead.

Words will always be my passion, so writing will remain an integral part of my life. Even after 70 books, I continue to be awed by the power of words to touch hearts and open minds. I love creating stories that pull people into the lives of the characters, immerse them in a different world, and perhaps offer insights that will help them deal with real-life challenges. There’s a wonder in that and a magic that never grows old.

So as for the future, I like the response Piglet gave when Winnie the Pooh asked him what he said to himself first thing every morning: “I wonder what’s going to happen exciting today.” I love the notion of awakening every day filled with anticipation. With the belief that each new day brims with wonderful possibilities.

How that will translate for me remains to be seen as I ponder my options going forward. But I do know that my main goal will be to focus more on the eternal deadline—and make sure that when it arrives, the life story I turn in is the best one I can make it.

When asked what she hopes people take away from her books, Irene writes:

“People need wholesome ways to unwind in today’s stressful, fast-paced world, and I do my best to write books that help them put aside their cares for a few hours. Second, I want to leave people with hope; with a belief that no matter how tough life gets, a happy ending is always possible.”

Irene appears to be onto something.

Foul language, inappropriate scenes, and gratuitous violence have turned today’s entertainment into tough terrain for the heavenly-minded. Is it any wonder Christian entertainment (especially films) are gaining traction? People are hungry for books, films, and TV shows that remind them that this world isn’t hopeless—that biblical values like redemption and sacrificial love can still transform our own hearts and the broken world around us.

Irene Hannon is the bestselling, award-winning author of more than 65 contemporary romance and romantic suspense novels. She is a three-time winner of the RITA award—the “Oscar” of romance fiction—from Romance Writers of America and is a member of that organization’s elite Hall of Fame. Millions of her books have been sold worldwide, and her novels have been translated into multiple languages. Irene, who holds a B.A. in psychology and an M.A. in journalism, juggled two careers for many years until she gave up her executive corporate communications position with a Fortune 500 company to write full time.

Justin Camp