One of the many joys of my career as a Romance author is getting to create books about diverse people falling in love. I also get the chance to watch others come into this space and do the same.

Hannah Rose has been one of my dear friends that I met on Twitter, and I got to see her go from writing fanfic into finally accomplishing her dream of becoming a published author. Her debut sapphic novel Why Do You Like Me dropped in June, and I am so excited.

Hannah is a former investigative journalist who now writes about neurodivergent LGBTQ+ romance that explores themes such as self-discovery and found family. And I was lucky that she agreed to sit down and do this interview.

So without further ado, let’s get started.

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Tell me a little about yourself.

Hi. I’m Hannah Rose. I love bad reality dating shows, Diet Coke, my dogs, my kid, and earning money for tattoos, not in that order. I’m a late – in-life lesbian as of recently, so ignore that bisexual you might see on my bio. I’m passionate about a lot of causes, including land back, free Palestine, and workers’ rights.

How did you start writing?

I’ve been writing since I was a kid. Used to make elaborate stories about my dolls, my Dad tried to sneak video taping me but I’d just be quiet. My She-ra dolls were a favorite. So much drama between She-ra and Catra fighting over bot. I can recall some of the story lines vaguely, but bot is very unmemorable in the stories. Should have been a sign, I think. In high school, I wrote poetry and started working toward journalism. I was a reporter through college and into my early career. Writing fiction came later, through the fun practice of fan fiction. I spiraled from there right into novel writing.

What books or authors influenced you as a writer?

Ray Bradbury and Jane Austen lit up my brain first. Once I started writing again, Ashley Poston’s The Dead Romantics lit up my brain about speculative writing in romance books. Truly influenced me to write the stories I did. Since then, so many queer authors I can’t name them all.

What made you want to be a published author?

In some ways, it feels nebulous. Like it was always there soon as I started writing. Perhaps having been a journalist, I would tend toward publishing anyway. But fanfic showed me I love sharing stories. Best way to do so is to publish it in some form. The pie-in-the-sky dream is I can make a career of it because I love writing so much.

What gave you the idea for ‘Why Do I Like You’?

Mae was a side character in my first book. I wanted to do NaNoWriMo(RIP), and her voice seemed so clear. And Mae spoke soon as I started writing her; she let me know what was up. I also loved the idea of a non binary love interest and learning at 22 what you are becoming. A very transitional part of life that is interesting to write.

How many drafts did you go through before you finally published it?

I think technically 3 full drafts? But so many partials and chapter changes, etc, you’ve got to love your book; you will read it so many times. You do have to let it go and let it be at some point. I’ve seen parts in my published book I would love to change, but the laugh is, I can’t. Moving on to the next one is an excellent metaphor for life.

How did your personal experiences shape this book?

Coming into a new understanding of attraction and your identity felt very close to home. Mae was on the side going, “hey, you’ll come around soon too.” And then, in some ways, part of her experience became mine. I’m a prophet in my own life, so maybe I shouldn’t consider horror novels. Joking, but it’s a little odd when patterns line up.

But I really feel that Mae taking her time to learn about herself, and not resisting the change in the end, is what I try to embrace.

Is there a particular scene or passage you’re incredibly proud of? I think I’m proudest of the scene that is the penultimate moment when Mae finally gets it in her head that it’s not happening with Amber. That full realization that what she wanted isn’t it. I wrote it one way all the way up to submission. I changed it, and it hits so much harder. Then the next is the realization with Blaise. Always love a first kiss.

What do you hope readers will take away from your book?

I hope they take away that queer experiences with love look very individual and yet universal. There’s a lot of repair and space for others to come into themselves with no need to fit a mold right away. That queer found family is special and just as important as romance. Whatever parameters and rules you put on yourself, they can be thrown off. So be curious. Sometimes it’s way better than what you could imagine.

How long did it take you to achieve your dream of becoming a published author?

My whole life to about 5 years, I think? I said I would be published before 45. I beat it by a year.

Do you plan on only writing sapphic romance, or do you have plans to branch out? I have some horror story ideas; I’ll write under another pen name. But they will have sapphic characters for sure, possibly love stories. I think it will always be sapphic for me. Coming into my lesbian identity has sealed that for me. But I can’t say never; it will always be queer.

What story do you wish you had the courage to write?

I have this vampire novel. It’s got 15k into it. Vampires and immortals in it, but it’s very urban fantasy. Vampires aren’t all-powerful. They just believe their own myths, some of them, and others let them. It causes issues. There is a lot of straight-up allegory to white supremacy in it. I still think it’s in me, but maybe 5 years from now.

What are your fears when it comes to writing? That it sucks? I think I fear being misunderstood. My neurodivergence plays a part in my style. Also not growing as an author and getting better with each piece. I know I will, but I’m afraid it will have a limit.

Are you a planner or a plotter?

Plantser. Got big concepts, but really the characters just do stuff and I record it.

Do your characters come first or the plot? Characters are always first. I have to hear their voice.

How do you come up with your ideas for your books? The first book that birthed Mae as a character was a fanfic I reworked entirely and still am. Music influences scenes also, often because of the immediate emotional access. The horror story I have an idea for came from an abandoned church.

Do you have a favorite writing book? I love love love the Emotion thesaurus books. Easy for an ADHD writer to access what they specifically want to do. But also starting Ursula K Le Guin’s Steering the Craft which will be some heady work. I think I’m gonna love what it teaches me.

What books are you currently reading right now?

Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid, Funeral Song For Dying Girls by Cherie Dimaline, Outdrawn is by Deanna Grey

Do you have a favorite sub-genre of romance or trope? I love a grumpy/sunshine. Pride and Prejudice set that love in motion. Sub-genre? I do love a romance-suspense where they are both smart and a whole lot of reckless dumb. Like The Mummy. Not something I see myself writing, but I love it.

What is your reading pet peeve?

That buying books and reading are separate hobbies.

What do you wish you could see more of in books?

Representation always. More BIPOC authors getting as much hype if not more, than white authors. I want more weird, genre-bending. More genre appreciation. Respect for genre writing, not just the money it makes for people. And more of that money going to the authors.

Is there a genre or format you haven’t tried yet but would like to?

Horror all the way. I read more horror than romancs at times.

After finishing this manuscript, did you immediately start something new or spend three weeks staring at a wall?

3 weeks and wall and christmas time.

What are you writing right now?

Rewrites for the first book and cutting it down. But starting Amber, the false love interest in Why Do You Like Me?, is telling me her story and you all will feel bad for hating her. She’s got a fun concept as she goes back to school for piano. Much more rivals to lovers dark academia level and I’m ready to play in that sand box. Making notes for the horror story and considering a novella length for it.

Where can we find you? 

www.hrosewrite.com

@hrosewrite at all social media sites

Universal link for eBook and paperback for Why Do You Like Me?

https://books2read.com/u/38qzqr

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