By Shirley Shuman
Hannah Linder has written 17 books including a book of poetry. Five have been published with a traditional publishing house. Linger, one of the authors scheduled for the book-signing during Gassaway Library’s Souper Bowl Saturday event, wrote her first book when she was 12. This young writer will be 25 later this month.
She explained what triggered her writing that first book and its influence on her. “I first discovered my passion for writing when I was 12,” Linder explained. “My mom had received a Christmas letter from family, and she told me, ‘Your second cousin is writing a novel.’ I shrugged, thought about it for a minute, and said, ‘I think I’ll do that.’ The first chapter in, I was hooked. I’ve never wanted to stop writing stories since.”
This young woman, obviously a prolific writer, published her only non-fiction work, Bygone, in 2023. Linder noted that, in addition to poetry, the book contains her general thoughts, often taken from her journal. The poetry is “not in the style of older poetry,” but it is in four-line stanzas and the rhyme scheme varies from poem to poem. Most of Linder’s writing is set in England during the Regency Era, with which she is fascinated.
Her latest two published books came out in 2023. Published April 1 and set in 1800 London, When Tomorrow Comes takes two street urchins apparently abandoned by their father to adulthood, While they are still on the street, the brother tells his sister, “He’ll come back tomorrow.” When the father does return, he’s not at all what they expect. Linder noted that the theme of this book is “Tomorrow may not be what you want. Live today.”
Linder originally wrote Garden of the Midnight when she was 19. “Years later,” she commented, “after I had a publishing house, I looked at it and decided it needed to be rewritten.” The result was published Oct. 1, 2023. The main character of this book is an English gentleman, raised in an English manor by his aunt and a cousin. It involves murder and a great deal more intrigue along with a romance.
Her latest book will come out May 1. The Girl from the Hidden Forest is another Regency suspense novel in which the main character, a young woman, has remained hidden in the forest all her life. She has only the trees, her dog, and her father, who warns her against the outside world, which he calls “cruel.” However, a handsome stranger enters her haven and takes her away. Again, intrigue abounds and danger, including attempts to kill her, mounts.
It is of note that Hannah Linder not only has written 17 books but also has a thriving business designing book covers for other writers. She explains that she writes during the early morning and uses the rest of the day for her book-designing. One can only wonder when she will publish yet another novel.