Ellie Shroder: Lord, we thankyou for this day, that everyone is here safe and sound, ready to learn of you, and what Cheryl has to share with us. Please be with us and bless us, that we may learn from each other and more about writing, to glorify your name in all things. Please be with us all this night, keep us all safe and online. In Jesus name we pray, AMEN

Just a protocol reminder:  Please type ? for questions ! for comments and ga when you are through. Wait to be called on in turn so we won't be stepping on each others toes

 Welcome to Cheryl Hodde, "Hannah" of Hannah Alexander, the husband and wife writing team who have wowed many readers with their medical suspense, and now romantic suspense novels. Cheryl, welcome!

Hannah: Thanks!

AZAnnie: Cheryl, please tell us the highlights of the CBA for you and Mel?

Hannah: Seeing friends, hugging in the aisles...hearing bookstore people actually say they had read our books. LOL

Ellie Shroder: For those here who are not familiar with the story, could you tell us again how you and Mel met?

Hannah: LOL. Our interfering pastor set us up on a blind date. I wasn't interested in dating because of a nasty experience, and he didn't listen. One night after church our pastor asked me to join the group for pizza, and I agreed. Little did I know… 

Mel walks in, the pastor shoves the kid out of the chair beside me, and drags Mel to it.

I didn't know what to say, so I blurted the first thing that came to my mind. "You're a doctor? Can you help me paralyze someone?”

Mel freaked. I saw the look on his face and said, "Just temporarily, of course..."

Ellie Shroder: hehe

Heather: lol

* Remade Gold loves it.

Hannah: He wasn't comforted for some reason. So I explained, "I'm writing a novel. I'm trying to paralyze a character...

AZAnnie: heh heh

Hannah: So Mel got interested and started giving me gory details. I lost my appetite...

* Remade Gold snickers again

Hannah: Someday I'll write a nonfiction book for dieters. "Dinner date with a Doc, a dieter's guide to success."

AZAnnie: (rotfl) How did you get Mel started into helping with writing full time?

Hannah: I didn't. He just started downloading at night when he came home from work. It was a natural. Then he started helping me with the details, and editing, and reading aloud for me when I was discouraged. We chose a name that would reflect that we wrote as one person. I'm the writer, he's the doctor, but he does so much more than that.

Ellie Shroder: How do you and Mel work together with writing, especially since Mel is a busy doctor?

Hannah: I do the writing, he edits when he has free time. He does the medical scenes when he has free time. We work around his schedule.

Littlesweetpea: Are you going to write anymore books set in Hideway?

Hannah: Glad you asked!! We're working on one now. It's about a character in Last Resort.

Littlesweetpea: Oh good, I'm glad to hear that.

AZAnnie: Where do you get your ideas for your new stories?

Hannah: Characters. Always characters. That is what inspires me. I can't plot unless I know a character and what they would do in a given situation.

Ellie Shroder: With the first in the Steeple Hill suspense line now released, Note of Peril, how does this book tie in with the others in the Hideaways series?

Hannah: Our main characters are from Hideaway, even though they work in Branson. The towns are close. Actually, Branson is real, but Hideaway is purely my imagination.

Heather: How extreme of a plotter are you?

Hannah: NOT. LOL!  I'm a seat of the pants writer.

Heather: (even better)

AZAnnie: How has your approach to writing changed over the years?

Hannah: Very little, actually, Annie. My first book 21 years ago was based on a friend of mine I worked with. I made up a romance for her. Nothing has changed. I love my characters, and give them what I want them to have.

Ellie Shroder: Readers are inevitably drawn to your characters as if they are people they really know.  How do you make your characters so real?

Hannah: I also make them suffer  LOL I love them. Have found myself praying for them. Yeah, I know, weird. But that is what inspires me.

In Hideaway, I wrote a character based on my stepdaughter who was killed on my 30th birthday. It became so real to me, the grief so honest, I think it showed.

Remade Gold: What do you do when/if you get stuck?

Hannah: Scream, shout, whine, eat chocolate. Then back up and look at everything a different way. Or drop a dead body through the ceiling--the old standby.

* Remade Gold snickers

Hannah: Hey, it works!

AZAnnie: lol

Littlesweetpea:  Are you going to continue to write for Bethany House too? Or are you just going to write for Steeple Hill now?

Hannah: At this point we can't write for both because we're tied up with Steeple Hill for three more books. Then we're hoping to do a MIRA after that, so we don't know when we'll be back with Bethany House. But we MISS them!!

Littlesweetpea: Okay ty,

AZAnnie: What part of writing gives you joy?

Hannah: Digging into that ripe, juicy character that reveals so much about himself/herself when I'm typing the words. That gives me joy. Sharing with other writers. That gives me joy. Having written a book and sent it in. That gives me joy.

Ellie Shroder: With your novels being so popular now, how has life changed for you and Mel, compared to life together before publication?

Hannah: We're busier LOL. The deadlines are tighter, and sometimes we're recognized. Not often. Unfortunately, sometimes we meet people who think we're rich and successful and they can take advantage. Since we're such dupes, it does happen.

Littlesweetpea: I love the suspense and I'm glad to know there will be more of them, but I also enjoyed the books you wrote for Bethany and hope there will be more of them in the future too.

Hannah: Thanks, Jeanie. We loved those, too.

KC: I want to write. It's a passion. But sometimes I'm afraid I never will do anything noteworthy. I sing, and I often come across people who say "I wish I could sing like you. I love to sing, but I can't." I'm afraid I'm like that: "I'd love to write like you. I love to write, but I can't.' How do I know I'm really a writer?

Hannah: KC, when it's a passion you can't deny. You just have to keep writing. That says you're a writer. You can't let the dream go.

AZAnnie: Do you hope to write in different genres to what you have written so far? ga

Hannah: I would love to, Annie, but I'm afraid we're branded now. That would probably not work. Our publishers want suspense, mystery, medical.

Ellie Shroder: What advice do you have for the writer who is struggling to continue on with their craft in the face of many setbacks?

Hannah: I wrote for fourteen years without a publication except articles in periodicals. I had thirteen books written before I sold. Afterward, I sold most of those books, but not all. When you have the passion to keep on writing whether you're ever published or not, it means you're a writer. God called me to write 21 years ago, and I answered the call. It was as powerful to me as my salvation experience. So when I didn't sell, I kept writing for God, not publication. That was the reason for the call.

AZAnnie: Just so you know, I'd buy whatever genre you wrote.

Hannah: LOL! Thanks, Annie

AZAnnie: Will you ever set your stories outside of Missouri, like maybe in Arizona? hint, hint.

Hannah: I have a book set in Arizona, actually. Navajo country, about Navajo skinwalker. It won't sell.

Littlesweetpea: I think all of us that are your fans would. But I have to admit, I'm partial to the medical suspense. Ty for that thought, it helps us to know that we are writers as long as we are writing for our Savior and answering His call no matter how long it takes us to be published.

Hannah: Exactly. It's all for HIM, not for us.

Ellie Shroder: What is the most encouraging feedback you’ve received from readers?  And how has reader interaction impacted you personally?

Hannah: Well, we heard about a reader who was reading in the tub, and read Sacred Trust all the way through, until 5:00 in the morning. That was fun!!! Hi Tracey!!! Welcome! Oh, reader reaction?

I'm still waiting to hear from a reader who was led to Christ by reading one of our books. That hasn't happened.

AZAnnie: For those new to the writing world, could you explain about branding and why it's there?

Hannah: Branding is something that just seems to happen after you've had a few published. We wrote medical with some mystery and romance, and that branded us. Now that's what readers expect from us. We don't have that much medical in all of our books now, but we try to put some.

Littlesweetpea: I'm sure your books have planted a lot of seeds and one of these days it will happen. They all have a strong salvation message. Hi Tracey.

AZAnnie: Is it that the readers expect just medical/mystery/romance/suspense, or is it the publishers?

Hannah: The publishers have found that the readers come to expect a certain type of writing from certain writers. To change that and surprise them can make them irritable.

Think of John Grisham with The Painted House. Totally different from his legal stuff. He got a lot of complaints.

Littlesweetpea: I would read anything you write. But I know I expect them to have at least some medical and suspense, which is what I like to read.

Hannah: Exactly. Even a biggie like Dean Koontz gets in trouble when he writes spiritual themes.

Tbateman: Do you want to write something else and are prevented by your brand? :) If so, what? Hi everyone, BTW.

Ellie Shroder: LOL

Hannah: Tracey, I would love to write a strictly relationship novel, but it seems that won't happen. I don't think my writing is strong enough for that without a lot of excitement thrown in.  Not asking for compliments, either, just saying it as it is.

Tbateman: We never see our writing the way others do. :)

Hannah: NO, we don't. I never like my writing. I love yours, by the way LOL but not mine.

AZAnnie: What’s the hardest part of writing for you?

Hannah: LOL!! Good question. Gluing the rear to the seat and just doing it. I have all kinds of distractions, constantly.

AZAnnie: How do you find balance so that your suspense pulls the reader along, but you don't bog them down?

Hannah: Hmmm...I'm not sure. I just make is as suspenseful as I can, then rewrite. Those rewrites are life savers for me.

KC: I'm just encouraged to know someone else doesn't like their own writing :) and that you have distractions. LOL.

Ellie Shroder: LOL

Hannah: That's the best kind of writing to do..the kind you don't like. Because that means you'll keep striving to get better.

AZAnnie: What advice do you have for writers needing to revise their works, but are wanting to hold onto "pet" scenes?

Hannah: Be vicious. Honestly. Put the book away for a while if you can, then come back to it and see if that scene works. If it doesn't cut it. You can save it for later if you can't bear to part with it. But the best thing to do is let it go.

Ellie Shroder: Which of the novels you have published is your favourite, and why?

Hannah: I love Hideaway. It's the book of my heart, because of the tragedies that inspired it. I lost two loved ones before that book could be written, and their stories are in there--or at least, the stories I wanted for them.

Littlesweetpea: I think as writers that's why we keep editing. Everytime we read it over we find something we feel needs changing.

Hannah: Exactly. And we need to fix and fix and fix. Rewrites are a must. Dean Koontz rewrites each page about 30 to 35 times.

AZAnnie: Is there ever a point that a writer can over edit and ruin a story?

Hannah: I've never had that experience. I do hear that it happens, though. I have rewritten after sending in the manuscript, then had to back off. lol

Ellie Shroder: How many books do you have planned for the Hideaway series? Or is it open-ended?

Hannah: Six at this point. And our short romantic suspenses are also connected. So I guess that makes nine. I'm not sure if there will be more or not.

Tbateman: WOW, I'm so happy to hear that! (I love your writing too btw)

Ellie Shroder: I love the Hideaway books, I really feel like I know the town and the people personally.

Hannah: Thanks, Ellie. I feel that way too. LOL!

Littlesweetpea:  Me too. I love the characters and I love sequels. :-)

Hannah: Thanks, sweetpea!

AZAnnie: I'd like to see more stories on your characters from the medical series.

Hannah: I would like to write those, too. They're harder, though...

Ellie Shroder: (Ditto what Annie said!)

Hannah: Mel has to have a lot more input, and wouldn't you know, just about the time I’m ready for him to help me, something happens at work and he can't do it. ACK!

Littlesweetpea: You're welcome Cheryl. I agree with Annie and Ellie. :-)

Hannah: The one we're working on now has more medical.

AZAnnie: I'd like to see what happens with Clarence!

Tbateman: DITTO

Ellie Shroder: Ditto me too!

Hannah: Oh, I love Clarence. I based him on my cousin Mark, who died a few years ago. He didn't lose the weight the way Clarence did.

AZAnnie: (Remmie's you'll have to keep reading to find Clarence)

* Remade_Gold smiles and awaits the suspense.

Littlesweetpea: Me too, I 'm so proud of him. He really worked hard to lose the weight.

Hannah: I've had other cousins who were overweight and had the surgery.

Remade Gold: I've read about Clarence.  The one with the sister, correct?

Hannah: Yes, that's Clarence.

AZAnnie:  We're breaking to do the drawing….  Tonight’s winner is......Lisa. Congratulations.

Lisa: What book did I win? I'm reading Safe Haven, at the moment and love it!

Ellie Shroder: Note of Peril is the book you have won :-)

* AZAnnie leads the applause

Ellie Shroder: yay Lisa! Congrats!

Hannah: Yay, Lisa!!

Lisa: YAY LOL, thanks

Pammer: Yay

Tbateman: (I'm jealous)

Heather: (Me too)

KC: ditto

AZAnnie: (It's very good, btw)

Remade Gold: Aye, it is good. I finished it Tuesday.

Hannah: If I had enough copies I'd send you each one...

Pammer: I just had a quick question about the book signing tomorrow. I wanted to make sure it is tomorrow in Olathe.

Hannah: Yes, Olathe from 6-8. I'm not expecting anyone to come LOL No one ever does.

Pammer: I'll be there and I'll chomp gum again

Hannah: Yay! We'll have one!

AZAnnie: (I wish I could be there)

Remade Gold: Come to Texas, within an hour of me. I'll drive. :P

Hannah: LOL!! Book signings don't bring out the readers, believe me. I've tried too many times.

KC: It should

Tbateman: I'm on deadline as usual. I never get to go anywhere. GRR

Hannah: Deadlines are just what they say. Dead.

AZAnnie: lol

Ellie Shroder: LOL Great chat, Cheryl. Thank you!

Hannah: Thanks, guys. This was a wonderful chat!