Author Interview: Hannah Gaudette
For this month’s author feature, welcome Hannah Gaudette! She is a multi-genre author with two complete fantasy series (a trilogy and a duology), as well as a standalone dystopian novel and more. She’s given some great answers to the questions I threw at her, so let’s get to it!
Q: You’ve written in various genres: fantasy, dystopian, historical fiction, contemporary. Which is your favorite genre to write?
A: As a writer, I would have to say my favorite is a toss-up between fantasy and dystopian! I love the freedom and anything-is-possible feeling of writing fantasy, but I also love what dystopian brings to the table: a bleak and seemingly hopeless setting where it is up to the characters to change things, even if it’s just in their own sphere of influence, not a large-scale rebellion.
Having said that, I am DYING to write a historical fiction novel someday. Until now, my efforts in that genre have been limited to short stories. So we’ll see, lol.
Q: Some of your books mention God; others don’t. How does your faith influence your writing, even in the books that don’t directly show it?
A: I would say my faith is the biggest driver of my writing--both the stories themselves, and the reason I tell them. But it’s true, not all of my books fall into a Christian genre. Those that don’t still speak from a worldview of faith values: self-sacrifice, courage, loyalty, the sanctity of life, etc.
Q: What made you want to start writing?
A: I always chuckle at this question because, while many authors can answer it, I can’t! I’ve always wanted to write, and I’ve always been a writer. Before I could hold a pen, I was dictating stories for my parents to write down (those stories all had tragic endings, as I recall). At the age of eight, I wrote my first real short story. Two years later, I wrote the short story that would later become my portal fantasy series, the One Light Trilogy.
I suppose I started writing because I had to. There was something inside me that needed to be expressed, and words—stories—were the only way I could express it.
Q: If readers gain one thing from reading your books, a lesson, encouragement, etc, what do you hope it is?
A: Each book is a little different in what I hope readers will take away from it. But in general, what I want readers to take away from my books is this—press on. Ask hard questions. Seek understanding, even when it seems like there’s no reason for the pain. Doubts and questions are not wrong—they are tools to get where you need to be, if you have the courage to use them wisely and seek all the harder after truth.
Q: Characters and stories are often influenced by things in the author’s life. Have any of your experiences inspired your writing?
A: Day-to-day experiences have seeped into my writing a little bit (Katrina, in the One Light Trilogy, grew up on a farm, like I did). Dreams and other stories certainly have influenced my writing (my dystopian thriller, The Sound of Silence, was entirely inspired by a single disturbing dream).
But I would say the biggest personal influence in my writing has come from my walk with God. The things He teaches me, the ways He shapes my heart, spill over into my stories more than anything else. Ironically (or not), it works the other way, too—many times, I’ve found myself writing something I didn’t understand, and God used it to teach me something new.
Q: Of all your characters, who is your favorite?
A: I love this question, because even after nine published books total, my favorite character remains: Cade, from the One Light Trilogy. I feel like he’s one of my more complex characters (morally grey, bitter, seeking vengeance, yet also loyal, passionate, and seeking belonging). He represents a lot to me, and I miss exploring his story now that the trilogy is complete.
Q: Which of your books would you be most likely to survive in?
A: Realistically, Eden (because that one is based in the real world, lol). But I’d love to try surviving in one of my current secret WIPs, because it has a tremendous variety of locations and cultures that would be fun to explore.
Q: If you had a portal that would take you to any fictional world, where would you go?
A: I’m sorely tempted to say Norenth (Flameheart Chronicles), but it would be hard not to say Middle Earth, and specifically the Shire, so . . . yeah, that’s a really hard choice.
Q: What is the one thing that has helped you the most throughout your author journey?
A: My parents. Without their incredible support of my dream, I would absolutely not be where I am today. I don’t know if I’ll ever become a full-time, self-supporting author, but if I do, it will be because of them. Thanks, Mom and Dad!
Q: What’s next? Are there any exciting projects you want readers to know about?
A: YES! My next release is Moonrise, a YA shifter fantasy romance in which a young man is sent to hunt down the dark-bound shifter that is killing his people . . . only to discover the shifter’s true identity: The woman he loved and lost.
Moonrise will be released in 2027.
A big thank you to Hannah Gaudette for being here!
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About the Author
Hannah Gaudette is a home-school graduate living in the hills of New England. She started writing at the age of eight and never stopped. She is passionate about stories that challenge and inspire—stories that don't shy away from the dark, but celebrate the light. She is a life enthusiast, passionate about Jesus, family, and, of course, telling stories.
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