About Me
DANIELLE HANNA, NOVELIST
Have you ever had that feeling that you simply knew you were meant to do something?
I learned how to read and write at age four and knew I wanted to be an author by the time I was seven. I stuck to that notion until my early twenties, when, intimidated by outside voices, I put writing on the back burner and went about life more conventionally.
Thus began the most miserable era of my life.
I recall frequent, long walks through the hills with my dog, asking God what I was doing wrong.
Two words kept coming back. Every time.
“Just write.”
I’ve finally deafened my ears to the outside voices and decided to be obedient to the One Voice. And now, while I spend my days writing, editing, marketing, and networking with no guarantee that my efforts will reward me, I have what I was lacking before. I have absolute peace about what I’m doing with my life. This is my calling.
I write crime fiction, but not because I think guts and guns are exciting. Rather, I feel compelled to be true to the experiences of real people who have survived traumatic events and are looking for answers.
My own trauma was the death of my father when I was only two. I’ve spent the rest of my life looking for someone to call “Daddy”–a mission that wasn’t successfully accomplished until I turned twenty-six. I’m now researching the father/daughter relationship and why it’s so important–and yes, writing about it in my novels.
Family and firestorm exist side-by-side in my books, hence my author tagline, “Hearth & Homicide.” As much as you can expect shadows in the night, the echoes of gunfire, and the flashing reds-and-blues, you can also expect the porch light to be on and a warm cup of cocoa awaiting you at the fireside.
Other Places You Can Find Me:
Indie Plot Twist – Hatching the Plot for Indie Publishing Success. If you’re a writer, this is where my friend Carrie Lynn Lewis and I post writing advice and record our experiences in indie publishing.
- Twitter: @IndiePlotTwist
May 23, 2015 at 10:09 PM
This resonates so strongly with me, Danielle. We, humans, would be a much happier bunch if we followed our hearts and pursued our calling. I’m glad that you have managed to tune out the noisy world and focus on writing.
Bianca.
May 26, 2015 at 2:42 PM
Thanks, Bianca! I agree that we would be happier if we learned to listen to ourselves, and had the nerve and the dedication to follow our hearts.