Featuring Hannah Currie – Author of Daughters of Peverell series

Shout Out to Aussie Christian Authors
Featuring Hannah Currie – Author of Daughters of Peverell series

Welcome, Hannah!

What a joy it is to include you in our blog series highlighting Australian Christian authors. I’m a massive fan of the Daughters of Peverell series, so it’s truly a privilege to interview you. Thank you for taking the time to share a bit about your writing life and faith journey with us.

A book nerd from birth, Hannah Currie knows firsthand the difference a good book can make in a person’s life. Even, and especially, fiction. Her dream as a writer is to make people laugh, cry and maybe even swoon a little but mostly to remind them that no matter how dark life may get at times, because of God, there is always hope. 

She and her husband live with their three adorable kids in sunny Queensland, where it really is beautiful one day and perfect the next. Except, maybe, during heatwaves. They’re not so fun. 

Author Interview

1. Can you tell us a little about your latest book—who it’s for, what inspired it, and what you hope readers will take away?

Hold Her Close, my latest release, is a medieval royal romance (yep, think knights and princesses and castles and honor) inspired by Jesus’ Parable of the Pearl. It’s the third book in my Crown of Promise series, and focuses on Lady Rose’s story. She’s the oldest daughter of King Lior, and has what nowadays we know to be endometriosis, but back then was very much unknown. Hence she’s very weak in body, understands herself to be barren, and is constantly feeling like a burden to those around her, despite having an incredibly strong faith in God. When a neighboring prince comes along, instantly sees her worth, and gives up everything he has and is to marry her, she’s understandably nonplussed. Hold Her Close is a story of learning to see ourselves as God does, and finding hope and worth in our weakness. It’s totally appropriate for ages 13+. 

Each of the books in the Crown of Promise series is based on a parable—The Prodigal Son (Daughter), The Good Samaritan, and this, The Parable of the Pearl—but I think this one might be my the closest to my heart. Mostly because it came from my experiences in dealing with a chronic disease and discovering what it means to have joy and sorrow, and faith and doubts, all sit side by side. It doesn’t have all the answers, because I still don’t. I still struggle. But it does have a big serving of hope and faith.

I hope readers come away from it knowing that they, too, are valued for who they are and not what they can offer to the world, and are encouraged wherever they are in life, that they are seen. They are loved. They are held. 

2. How does your Christian faith shape your writing?

I’ve been a Christian all my life, with some of my earliest memories being sitting on a swing in my backyard chatting or singing to God. While my faith has obviously grown with me over the years as I’ve come to understand God in new ways, that closeness is still very much a part of me. I actually tried to write a book without faith in it at first, but it kept slipping in because, like in my life, it’s so much a part of me that I can’t help but share that hope in what I write.

That said, I’ve always been pretty careful not to make my books ‘preachy’. I want faith to be a natural part of them, not something that feels forced. I have a lot of friends who aren’t Christians, and my prayer has always been that they—and other non-Christians—wouldn’t be turned away by my writing but would come away with a greater understanding of who God is.  

3. What’s been one of your biggest challenges as an author—and one joy that’s kept you going?

My biggest challenge currently as an author is not being crushed by comparison. I’m a fairly slow writer—constantly trying to find that balance between family, marketing, writing, and health—and am surrounded (and inspired) by amazing authors writing thousands of words a day. Sometimes tens of thousands. Or I read their brilliant books and wonder why I’m bothering to write when I could never write like them. It’s really hard not to be discouraged by that and feel as if my books aren’t worth writing. It’s a constant thing to come back to God and remember that my stories are important too, and He’s using them—and me—to encourage and bring hope to readers around the world. Even though I’m not [insert amazing author here].

One joy that definitely keeps me going is hearing from readers. Especially how God has encouraged them or brought hope to a situation in their lives through one of my books. I pray over all my books that God will use them to bring hope, so hearing that He is answering that prayer is such a huge joy and encouragement to me.  

4. Do you have a favourite Bible verse or spiritual theme that finds its way into your stories?

Soooo many favorites! But one I’m holding on to currently is Psalm 48:14. For this God is our God forever and ever, He will be our guide even to the end. I love that. The same God who walked with Moses, chatted with David, led Paul through trials, chose and strengthened Esther, who’s been there for my parents and so many others around me—this God is my God too. What He did for them, He’ll do for me. In a world that’s constantly changing, I love the security of that.

God’s faithfulness, and the hope I find in in that—knowing that no matter how dark or crazy life may get, God is still there so there is hope—is the major theme in every one of my books. Mostly because it’s the theme of my life.

5. What was your favourite book as a child—and has it shaped how or what you write today?

I’ve always been a huge reader so picking a favorite is virtually impossible! Early favorites were Enid Blyton’s school-based series, Saddle Club, Narnia, missionary biographies, Jennie McGrady mysteries (Patricia H Rushford), The Reel Kids (Dave Gustaveson), among thousands of others. I was always reading.

But the series/author that had the biggest influence on my teen years and faith, and the reason I wanted to become an author myself, was Robin Jones Gunn’s Christy Miller series (and all its many spinoffs). They had a huge impact on my life, to the point that I occasionally forgot they were fictional characters and talked about them to real people like they were, um, real. It was seeing how God used ‘mere fiction’ to shape my life that made me want to be used in that way too, to share my stories and God’s hope with others and, hopefully, encourage others the way God used Robin’s books to encourage me.

6. What’s one fun or surprising thing readers might not know about you?

My debut novel, Heart of a Royal, came about because my sister and I were both reading The Selection series (Kiera Cass), and had to wait six months for the final book to be released. I jokingly said I should write my own royal series to pass the time, and my sister jumped at the idea. I remembered a dream I’d had ten years prior about this prince and the girl he’d grown up with and thought it would make a fun story and decided to give it a go. I sent a chapter a week to my sister for the next few months until the story was complete.

The characters Ashe and Waitrose? They’re because I was watching the Ashes (cricket) while writing, and Waitrose was the major sponsor the English team.

7. What encouragement would you offer to aspiring Christian writers here in Australia?

Don’t give up. Writing can be a real challenge at times, especially when comparison and discouragement come along, and the actual publishing part of the journey can take forrrrrevvvvverrrrrr… But if this is what you want to do and you know it’s where God wants you, keep going. Your story is important, and you’re the only one who can tell it. Maybe it becomes a bestseller, more likely, it won’t (sorry, truth!), but that doesn’t mean it’s not worth telling. Stick with it. Have (bucketloads of) patience. Persevere. Keep writing.

8. Where can readers find your books and connect with you online?

I love connecting with readers! You can find me and links to my books and socials (Instagram and Facebook), and sign up for my newsletter (where I share stories, updates, and loads of Christian book recommendations) at www.HannahCurrie.com. Send me an email or message! I’d love to hear from you.

On my website, you’ll also find links to where you can find my books. But, short answer, you can find them at Koorong, on Amazon, through WhiteCrown Publishing, and anywhere else you purchase books. If you’re in Australia and wanting a signed copy, I can do that too. Just send me a message.

Thank you so much, Hannah!
It’s been a delight hearing more of your heart and process. Readers—if you haven’t yet discovered Hannah’s books, you’re in for a treat. (My personal favourite is The Heart of a Royal. There’s a tiara on the cover!)

 

 

 

Disclaimer: The thoughts shared in this interview belong to the author and may not reflect the full views of Grace Bell Publishing. We love supporting a wide range of Christian voices and stories, and we trust readers to engage with grace, wisdom, and a heart grounded in Scripture.