Tuesday, May 6, 2014

Chatting with Hannah Dennison & Giveaway

I'm so happy to welcome Hannah Dennison to today's blog. Hannah writes the Vicky Hill Mystery series and is about to release Murder at Honeychurch Hall, the first book in a new mystery series.


Kathy: I've always been interested in old buildings, but most of the ones near me date only to the 1700s and 1800s. You grew up around ancient ruins and also have a love of old buildings, yet now live in the western United States. How do you find your current home, where buildings are much younger?

HD: The 1700s and 1800’s are definitely old by Los Angeles standards! Portland, Oregon (where I currently live), has some beautiful Victorian homes but I’ve not seen anything older than the mid 1800s. I definitely miss the sense of history in our six-year old townhouse but at least the plumbing works!


Kathy: Moving from the UK to the US, what do you find is the most difficult "American thing" to get used to? And what do you find odd that most Americans don't get?

HD: I could talk FOREVER about this. We’re definitely divided by a common language. If someone says “call you later,” I expect “later” to be at least on the same day—if not within a few hours. A “what’s up?” really used to make me uncomfortable. If you ask someone “what’s up” in England, it’s like saying, “what’s wrong?” What do I find odd? The English sense of humor can be very self-deprecating and especially what we call “gallows” humor. One time I made a flippant remark that if I didn’t hear from “X” by noon I would throw myself under a train. The woman I said this to was so horrified that she gave me the number of her therapist.


Kathy: It's said that Murder at Honeychurch Hall will appeal to fans of Downton Abbey, Upstairs Downstairs, and other such shows. Are you a fan of these types of shows yourself?

HD: Of course! As a teenager I was besotted with Captain James Bellamy in Upstairs Downstairs. I also adore Downton Abbey. I must point out that I would not have been one of the above-stairs residents had I been born in those days … I would definitely be below stairs. In fact my grandmother was “in service” and it was a very hard life.


Kathy: Kat's mom writes racy bodice rippers. Are you a fan of this genre? (I am!)

HD: I just finished reading E.M. Hull’s The Sheik—really old-school racy stuff that was published in 1921. It’s not as blatant as 50 Shades of Grey but there are a lot of smoldering glances and crushed lips. I’ve never had the courage to pen my own romance novel but writing vicariously through Kat’s mother Iris is so much fun.


Kathy: Honeychurch Hall has some resident ghosts. Are you a believer? Have you ever had a paranormal experience?

HD: I was happy you asked this question because I have seen a ghost. I used to live in a cottage on Chailey Green in East Sussex. It was built in the mid-1600s but the ghost in question died in 1851. His name was Thomas Jeffrey and he was the local butcher who met with a tragic accident when his knife slipped. I only saw him once but it frightened me half to death—and my cat. In fact it was my cat that saw him first. It was in the middle of the night and I was startled by this awful growling and hissing sound coming from my daughter’s bedroom (happily, she was away at the time). The room was icy cold. Standing in the doorway of the walk-in-closet (it used to be an old staircase) was a shadowy, translucent figure with reddish hair. After that, I sensed Thomas around me a lot and things got out of hand—poltergeist stuff. In the end our local church got involved and sent him to the light. I’ll never forget it.


Kathy: What first drew you to cozy mysteries?

HD: I’m drawn to small town stories that could happen to you or me. You are writing about people you know, people down the street, your uncle, your neighbors. By definition, a cozy mystery includes these parameters: the victim and killer are known to each other. It’s not a random killing. The motive is domestic–it’s not a crazy person on a spree. There is little or no onstage violence, cussing or sex. There is no forensics. There is always a satisfying ending. My mother always says “no one knows what goes on behind closed doors” and I think that’s what I find interesting.


Kathy: Do you write in any other genres?

HD: I have a couple of stand-alones I am working on but there will always be an element of suspense because I enjoy creating puzzles.


Kathy: Tell us about your series.

HD: Murder at Honeychurch Hall: the first in the series My protagonist Kat stars in a hit road show called Fakes & Treasures. Weary of being permanently in the public eye, Kat switches careers initially to set up an antique business with her newly widowed mother, Iris. Kat’s mother, however, has other ideas and Kat is horrified to learn that not only has Iris secretly purchased a dilapidated carriage house on a crumbling country estate several hundred miles away from London, she’s actually an internationally best-selling author of erotica, writing under the pseudonym of Krystalle Storm. An upstairs-downstairs backdrop wouldn’t be complete without a feisty, octogenarian countess but I also threw in a precocious seven year old who is obsessed with the famous fighter pilot called Biggles, a treasure trove of antiques, the occasional haunting and of course, the paparazzi, who are always hungry for celebrity news. As you can imagine there are plenty of motives for intrigue … and murder. Yet at the core of my new series is the relationship between a mother and daughter facing new and uncertain beginnings. I’m fascinated by the notion that it’s those who are nearest and dearest to us who are often the most duplicitous of all.

The Vicky Hill Mysteries: Vicky Hill is based on my own experience as an obituary writer for a small West Country newspaper. Vicky is in her early twenties and aspires to be the next Christiane Amanpour of CNN fame but she’s more like Lucy Ricardo. Her parents are wanted for armed robbery and are hiding out in Spain. Like all of us, Vicky has a nemesis. Hers is Annabel Lake. Annabel is everything that Vicky is not—sexy, worldly and someone who uses her sexual wiles and manipulations to get her own way. Vicky has never even had a boyfriend. She is far more interested in snagging her front-page scoop. Oh – and I always feature an eccentric British hobby as a backdrop. So far I’ve had hedge jumping, hedge cutting, snail racing and Morris Dancing. This series is very quirky.


Kathy: Do you have a favorite character? If so, who and why?

HD: I love all my characters but some are more fun to write than others. In Honeychurch Hall, it’s the protagonist’s mother, Iris Stanford. I’d love to be more like Iris and tell everyone to mind their own business and live my life exactly how I want to live it! In Vicky Hill, it’s the paramedic Steve Burrows who is so besotted with Vicky that he just can’t accept that he’s being rejected. Steve’s eternally optimistic and because of this optimism, Vicky slowly begins to thaw towards him. I like that persistence!


Kathy: What made you decide to publish your work?

HD: I honestly hadn’t considered getting published at all until I started the UCLA Writer’s Program. The instructor talked about us “getting published” and the thought of it gave me an odd thrill and a “Why not me? I’ll have a go!” Of course, the challenge of getting published took most of the thrill away …


Kathy: If you could have a dinner party and invite 4 authors, living or dead, in any genre, who would you invite?

HD: Agatha Christie, Mary Stewart, Anthony Horowitz and Jane Austen.


Kathy: What are you currently reading?

HD: Endless Night by Agatha Christie, Once Upon a Lie by Maggie Barbieri, and a fascinating non-fiction book called Women of Devon by Todd Gray. I often read two or three books at the same time.


Kathy: Will you share any of your hobbies or interests with us?

HD: I have a full-time job as well as a writing career so hobbies are few and far between. I try to walk every day; enjoy Yoga and Pilates and skiing. I’m very interested in British Heritage and in another lifetime would have loved a career in conservation or working for the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings. I’d love to restore my own country house one day.


Kathy: Name 4 items you always have in your fridge or pantry.

HD: Chocolate. Chocolate. Chocolate. Chocolate. (The dark variety-no truffles. I don’t like truffles).


Kathy: Do you have plans for future books either in your current series or a new series?

HD: Yes! The second in the Honeychurch Hall series comes out in May 2015. I have been contracted to write two more. Meanwhile, I am currently writing a fifth Vicky Hill for Constable in the UK.


Kathy: What's your favorite thing about being an author?

HD: All the wonderful people I continue to meet on my journey—amazing writers and generous readers, many of which have become very dear friends.


Hannah has kindly offered a copy of Murder at Honeychurch Hall to one lucky reader. To qualify all you have to do is comment on this post no later than 11:59 pm EST Saturday, May 10th telling us what role you'd have if you were in a manor house. Upstairs? Below? Cook? Governess? Baron? Also be sure to leave your e-mail address so that I can contact you should you win!

For more information on Hannah and her books, check out these links:
Website: http://www.hannahdennison.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/VickyHillMysteries
Twitter: https://twitter.com/HannahLDennison
GoodReads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1165068.Hannah_Dennison

39 comments:

  1. A wonderful giveaway which interests me greatly. To experience life at that time upstairs would be memorable and special. saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com

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  2. This novel sounds captivating and special. My interest in this era and the lifestyle, manners, privilege are fascinating. I watched Downton, Mr. Selfridge, and Upstairs Downstairs as well as The Forsyte Saga. elliotbencan(at)hotmail(dot)com

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  3. I think I would be the governess - very much between stairs, so can be snooty with those below stairs but suffer unrequited love for the unattainable 'master', complete with smouldering but repressed glances ...
    Carole. carole_simpson@outlook.com

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    1. Gotta love those smouldering but repressed glances!

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  4. Traveler ... yes I agree!
    Petite ... I LOVED The Forsyte Saga. My daughter actually worked at Selfridges and she said that the film crew went into the staff quarters and all those things you see on the walls are still there.
    Miss Carole - ha ha! I love your comment ... I have to say I feel that way too. And of course, the master would be handsome and not some pot-bellied Lord with gout.

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    1. With my luck he would be the pot-bellied Lord with gout!

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  5. I'd love to say I'm in the upstairs portion of the house, but realistically, I think I'd be in the downstairs portion trying to keep doing my job well enough not to get fired.

    carstairs38@gmail.com

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  6. Mark ... I think you'd make a great butler.

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  7. I would love to be upstairs, but in reality I would be downstairs, scrubbing pots.
    momzillasteel@gmail.com

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    1. Then we would be scrubbing pots together ... I see myself as Ruby from Upstairs Downstairs (poor Ruby).

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  8. Lady of the Manor of course. I will start practicing now.
    gibsonbk@hiwaay.net

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    1. Did you ever see Penelope Keith in "To the manor Born" - an old British TV show but very funny.

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    2. Hilarious show—I used to watch it all the time!

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    3. One of my favorite shows! And I love Penelope Keith!

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  9. I would probably be a ladies maid. jenne(dot)turner@unt(dot)edu

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    1. ... but not like Ms Roberts ... I was so glad when she left Downton Abbey!

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  10. I think I'd be the gardener. My hands like to get too dirty to be upstairs.
    suefarrell.farrell@gmail.com

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    1. I wonder if there were many female gardeners in those days? I'm curious now and will need to do some research.

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  11. I most probably would be below stairs but I'd like to think that I would be the head housekeeper—I'm organized, bossy, and like to be in control—LOL!

    skkorman AT bellsouth DOT net

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    1. Did you see Gosford Park? I really liked Helen Mirren's character ... she was pretty bossy :)

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  12. Based on my ancestors I would fit in upstairs & downstairs. My genealogy is quite diverse. Looking forward to this series.
    Scouts579 (at) aol (dot) com

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  13. I am going to say cook...I can make a mean cookie ;) Thanks for the chance to win!
    michelle@destinationamish.com

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    1. Oooh, what type of cookie would you serve at the Manor?

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  14. I would love to be upstairs; however, I find the protocol too restrictive/formal. I would probably be a ladies maid. If I failed at that, I'd be a wench at the local tavern ;)

    ~Layne
    laynebrewster@yahoo.com

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    1. Ha ha.... love the wench at the local tavern ...

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  15. I would hope I would be upstairs but in all reality I would probably be downstairs as a maid. Thank you for the chance to win.
    griperang at embarqmail dot com

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    1. Me too. But I bet it's more fun downstairs than up with the "toffs."

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  16. I'd prefer downstairs, thanks but I think I could perform a double function. I'd be an excellent groundskeeper on sunny day, then when it rained I could tend to the library. Just a salary-and-a-half ought to do nicely. carlscott(at)prodigy(dot)net(dot)mx

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    1. I also like the idea of a cottage on the estate ...

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  17. Carl ... it's interesting that most people seem to think "downstairs" - I like that. Just goes to show that a title isn't all it's cracked up to be!

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  18. upstairs!! I would love to see how the other half lives!! LOL!!!
    thank you for the giveaway!!


    cyn209 at juno dot com

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    1. If I were upstairs I'd love someone to do my hair -- Lady Mary's always looks lovely. I hope she doesn't cut it off in the next season.

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  19. I would be the cook; i like cooking :)
    jslbrown2009(at)aol(dot)com

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    1. You might even have been to the UK but Petworth House in Sussex and Lanhydrock House in Cornwall have the most incredible kitchens. I think you can see them on the Internet. Worth taking a look!

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  20. upstairs

    bn100candg at hotmail dot com

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  21. Thanks for entering - yes, upstairs definitely seems to have more glamor.

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  22. Congratulations Miss Carole-you are our winner! I tried to e-mail you, but it came back saying your mailbox was unavailable. Please e-mail me at cozyupwithkathy @ Gmail dot com with your address so that we can get your prize to you!

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