Kristin Hannah Opens Up About Writing a Book with Her Late Mother
Alright, friends, grab your tissues because Kristin Hannah just spilled some emotional tea on the latest episode of Today’s podcast with Jenna Bush Hager. The bestselling author of “The Nightingale” revealed that one of her last memories with her mother was the two of them plotting a book together—talk about heartwarming! As her mom battled breast cancer in the hospital, she had this wild premonition that her daughter would be an author one day. So, in a bittersweet twist, they decided to write a historical romance novel—her mom’s favorite genre, not Kristin’s preferred horror. At just 23 and knee-deep in law school, Hannah found herself in the library, soaking up all the knowledge to craft their story. And get this: they actually penned the first nine pages on the day her mother passed away. Imagine that—what a powerful moment!
Hannah shared that she kept their unfinished manuscript tucked away in a box, with zero plans to return to writing until life threw her a curveball. Fast forward to the late ‘80s, she found herself bedridden during her pregnancy and, with nothing but soap operas to watch, she thought, “Hey, why not give writing another shot?” This led to her first novel, “Handful of Heaven,” which hit shelves in 1991 and was set during the Gold Rush in Alaska.
You might know Hannah’s work from “Firefly Lane,” which she admits is her most autobiographical novel, diving deep into her mother’s cancer journey and how it shaped her life. So there you have it—Kristin Hannah’s journey from law school to bestselling author is as emotional as it is inspiring. And if this doesn’t make you want to pick up one of her novels, I don’t know what will!
Sources: Celebrity Storm
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