Hannah Alexander Answers The Faithful Fifteen
November 2003
1. FR: What kind of testimony to your faith are you demonstrating in this book? If you are writing fiction, do you write fiction that is based upon your faith or that has a message for the reader? Is your goal to demonstrate your faith in your writing?
HA: First of all, you need to understand that Hannah Alexander is the pen name for my husband and myself, Mel and Cheryl Hodde. We chose that name to reflect the fact that we write together as a team. When researching for a name that would fit who we are, we found Hannah described as "her hope is in the Lord," and Alexander was described as "servant of mankind." Since we have no children I identify with Hannah in the Bible, and since Mel is a physician, he'd like to think he is a servant of mankind in that way.
Since I'm the main writer on our team --- Mel gives me medical scenes, helps plot, edits, encourages and supports, and has a stressful "day" job --- I'll be answering these questions for both of us.
When we write a novel, we don't set out to write a message or to reflect our faith --- we set out to tell a story about something that fascinates us. Because of our faith, however, and our desire to walk daily with Christ, we hope the message of faith in our novels naturally reflects who we are.
2. FR: When did you come to a saving knowledge of Jesus? Where are you today in your walk? Is your faith an important part of what you do?
HA: Mel and I both were raised in church, and so we came to Christ at young ages. I was six and Mel was ten. I don't think we'll ever be as far along in our spiritual walk as we would like, but as we seek God's blessing on everything we do, our faith becomes more a part of what and who we are.
That isn't to say we've walked perfectly. I'm somewhat of a rebel and spent several of my young adult years in conflict with the lifestyle I should have lived and the Christian I should have been. I seem to need to learn my lessons the hard way, and I suffered for some wrong choices --- that's called sin. I use those experiences in our writing in order to develop a richer, more provocative story that might help other Christians who have strayed from the mark the first time.
Mel, on the other hand, made mostly good choices all the way through and was dedicated to learning his profession. Because of this, we have an interesting mix of experiences from which to choose for new characters we bring on board.
3. FR: Tell us about your church experiences --- how you grew up (or maybe didn't grow up) in the church, where you attend now, your involvement in your local assembly, etc.
HA: As I said, we both grew up in church. We attend a local Southern Baptist church, where we are active in the music program.
4. FR: Tell us about your current church family/fellowship. How does it influence your work?
HA: Our church family is a very important part of our lives. As for the influence on our work, they support us emotionally and they know we write. When our church is struggling through a difficult time, it seems my writing days don't flow as smoothly, and so it's definitely a symbiotic relationship.
5. FR: Who are your spiritual mentors? Your professional mentors?
HA: I tend not to look to others for mentoring because, any time I do that, I put them on pedestals and will always be disappointed. My faith is in Christ alone --- and my husband is a wonderful support for that faith. I think Mel feels the same way about me.
Professionally, we belong to a couple of email loops of novelists who are Christians, and we mentor one another often.
6. FR: Discuss your calling/mission --- as a writer and as a Christian.
HA: When I was writing my first novel, nearly twenty years ago, I received my call from God to write for Him always. For me, it was as powerful as my salvation experience, and it was the spirit that fueled fourteen years of writing without publication. I can look back now on that time of frustration and doubt and see why it had to be that way. At the time, I could only hold onto that day in the woods when I heard the call and dedicated my writing to Him.
7. FR: What are your Scripture reading habits?
HA: I'm currently reading through the Bible with the handbook entitled HARD SAYINGS OF THE BIBLE, which Mel gave me for Christmas a couple of years ago. It's a big, thick book and exactly what I need when I have questions about what I'm reading. I've already read through the New Testament with this book and am now in Joshua. I've found that this section of the Bible can test my faith and that testing has never let me down. I always come away with a deeper understanding of God's love and power, and a deeper awareness of my desperate need to know Him more completely.
8. FR: What books have most influenced your work?
HA: I know Mel's answer will be the Bible. That's a given. I've read so many books on novel writing over the years and all have been helpful. Sol Stein wrote STEIN ON WRITING, which was a very helpful book I read recently. Also, reading excellent novels by other writers gets my creativity juices flowing.
9. FR: Do you read secular fiction at all? If so, who are your favorite authors and why?
HA: I read Mary Higgins Clark, Diane Mott Davidson and Dean Koontz in secular fiction, though all three of them have some sort of faith message in their work. Dean Koontz has developed his craft so much over the years that he has become a first-class novelist, possibly my favorite in the secular genres. His characterization, attention to detail, his exquisite turns of phrase and enticing dialogue always keep his readers entertained on several levels at once. I want to write like that when I grow up.
10. FR: What are your other media habits --- television, movies, music, etc.?
HA: We have a television, but it's seldom on. We can get two channels and prefer not to even see those most of the time. We do like to watch movies here at home, and Mel loves his Christian music. I prefer instrumental classical, soft and slow when I'm writing --- better yet, I love the birds and crickets outside the sunroom when I'm writing.
11. FR: Do you and your family have any special faith-based traditions?
HA: You mean like Christmas celebrations or Thanksgiving? We don't always get the opportunity to celebrate those days, since Mel works in an ER and gets to work those holidays quite often.
Mel and I have a faith-based tradition that most people would think was a little wacky. When we want to get close to God, we go hiking. I'm a little more pumped about that than Mel is. Hiking in the woods is like attending the most glorious cathedral, and the worship is wonderful! To think the creator of this beautiful world has the time to listen to me! How great is that!
12. FR: Tell us about your prayer life and habits.
HA: I like to stay in constant contact with God, and I know Mel does also. We call out to Him often, especially on stressful days, and He's always there. I do also have my morning devotions, with Bible reading and prayer. It keeps me going.
13. FR: Describe what you believe the role of writing in religion is.
HA: The role of writing for Christ is the role of minister. Those other writers with whom we remain in contact daily also feel called by God to be ministers in their writing. We wish to be open to the Holy Spirit's guidance in everything we do, but especially with our stories, because that's who we are and it's how we touch the world.
14. FR: Tell us about one or more of your favorite encounters with readers.
HA: I received an email from a young lady from New Zealand about three years ago. She was enthusiastic and supportive. We developed a friendship and we stay in contact. She has introduced me to other writers and readers who pray for one another and who love each other as servants of Christ. That connection has extended our writing ministry to the other side of the planet. That's so exciting.
15. FR: Would you share a story about someone you've brought to Christ or share how your writing has helped someone?
HA: One of our favorite stories is about a telephone call I received when our first medical novel, SACRED TRUST, was going through the edit stage. The editor working on it had just completed a scene in which a little girl is stung by a bee and goes into anaphylactic shock. Well, his own little girl went into anaphylactic shock at a party, and because he had just read our scene, he recognized the symptoms and got his little girl to the ER just in time. By the time we finished the call we were all in tears. That book earned its keep before it even hit the shelves, and we will always be humbled and grateful that God allowed our work to be used this way.
We've received several emails from readers who have been ill or injured in some way, and since we write medical fiction, our books seem to reach them with a touch of healing or encouragement. Others have used our books to share with unbelievers who are interested in the medical field, and we've found that Mel's attention to detail with our medical plots maintains a good reputation with others in the medical profession.
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