Author Interview with Heather Hansen

Welcome to my blog interview with novelist and children’s author, Heather Hansen, author of Rogue Wave, the first book in the exciting Rogue Wave Series.

Heather is a wife and a mother of two wonderful children. She was a preschool teacher for nearly ten years, before she left to homeschool her kids and begin her journey as an author. She grew up in a small, country town in CA where she still lives today.

When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?

I have written children’s picture books since I was a teenager. I would type them up or write them on a paper and keep them in my drawer, hoping one day I might see them published. I published my first one, No Ants Please, in August 2020. I never knew I would write a novel though. The idea of Rogue Wave came to me one day and I wrote the idea down, several months later I found myself the author of a young adult novel.

What inspired you to write your first book?

My first book I wrote and published was No Ants Please, it is about a little Ostrich who was tired of eating the same thing every day. He found himself on an adventure through the wilds of Africa, discovering new animals and the food they eat. It was inspired by the Ostrich ranch that my family owned when I was little.

How did you come up with the title, Rogue Wave?

My son loves history and is fascinated by pirates and the ocean. He had heard about rogue waves and asked me what they were and why they happened. I had no idea and decided to look it up with him to find the answer. While doing the research, the idea struck me that Rogue Wave would make a wonderful title.

Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?

Not a specific one, no, but I believe that many of us can relate to the main character wanting an adventure and wanting a chance to find herself and discover what more the world has to offer.

How much of the book is realistic?

There are several aspects and details throughout the novel that are historically accurate. During the writing of the novel, I did a lot of research, even for the tiniest of details. My goal was to make it as historically accurate as I could. I learned a great deal and really enjoyed doing the research.

What are your current projects?

I am currently working on the manuscript for the second book in the Rogue Wave Series, as well as waiting for the illustrations from my second children’s picture book, Let Me Sleep, Please.

THIS OR THAT—The Speed Round

Which do you prefer – Reading or writing? Both, I am an avid reader and writer
Writing during the night or writing during the day? During the day
Writing from home or someplace else? From home
Reading a ebook or print? Print
Buy books online or buy in a bookstore? Bookstore
Weather: Hot or Cold? Cold
Music or Silence?   Both
Classic Fairy tales or Fairy tale retellings? Both
Chocolate or Vanilla?   Chocolate
The Beach or The Mountains?   The Mountains
The World being taken over my zombies or sexy blood sucking vampires? Sexy blood sucking vampires, for sure.
Time travel to the future or past?   Past
Facebook or twitter?   Facebook
Being able to fly or being able to go invisible? Fly
Bookmark or Dog eared?   Bookmark
1st character POV or 3rd character POV? 3rd
City or Country?   Country
Pen or Pencil?   Pen
Polk-a-dots or Stripes?   Stripes
Pancakes or Waffles?   Waffles
Books or Movies?    Books
Coffee or Tea?    Tea
Elbows the size of pumpkins or knees the size of watermelons? I suppose the knees??

I hope you enjoyed this interview with this up and coming author. Please take a moment to check out her book on Amazon and add it to your TBR list (link below). If you enjoy the book, the best way to support an author is to write a review.

Thank you for reading.