Books are the orbit of my existence. I'm a literary agent who connects authors with traditional publishers and negotiates subsidiary rights—everything from audiobooks to foreign translations to film adaptations.
Between client calls, you'll find me with a paperback or notebook and pen propped against my steering wheel in the school pickup line. Reading wasn't always easy; frequent childhood moves left gaps in my English education, setting me back two crucial years. My grandmother, a reading teacher by profession, became my personal tutor. Under her guidance, I crafted my first story—a hand-illustrated picture book about a girl rescuing a mistreated horse. That laminated creation still sits on my bookshelf today, a testament to where it all began.
Poetry carried me through adolescence, offering release when nothing else could. This relationship with words has transformed over time, but remains the one constant I know will never abandon me.
Did you have any influencing writers growing up?
I was the kind of child who snuck books from my parents' shelves after bedtime, reading by flashlight under blankets. Mary Higgins Clark's mysteries kept me awake until dawn, heart racing with each turn of the page.
Though suspense still captivates me, it was fantasy that truly shaped my imagination—I'd wake from dreams where I'd been falling through the earth alongside Gregor from Collins' Underland Chronicles years before anyone had heard of Katniss Everdeen. When my classmates bragged about nightmares from King's horror, I was quietly journeying with Roland across the desert toward his dark tower.
Are any of your characters based on people in real life?
Authors can’t share that! 😉
Every character I create is a mosaic of people I've encountered throughout my life. I'm constantly wondering about strangers' backstories—like what motivated that woman to pay for my coffee yesterday? The rhythm of overheard conversations, the particular way someone throws back their head when laughing—these authentic details breathe life into fictional people.
That's precisely why we writers must occasionally abandon our desks and venture into the world: to collect these precious human fragments.
Where do you draw your book inspirations from?
It's a writer's cliché to say "it came to me in a dream," but in my case, it's literal. When I lucid dream, I direct scenes like a filmmaker, often casting characters who share parts of myself that few people know about.
That's why in the Reincarnated Souls series, I wrote the female main character with unilateral deafness—just like me.
Dear reader: I've woven my experience with hearing loss into these pages, hoping the glimpses you catch might illuminate a different way of moving through the world. Your decision to spend time with this story means more than I can express. Years ago, an illness nearly claimed my life, leaving me in intensive care and facing months of recovery. While that experience rewrote parts of me, it also sparked the courage to pursue writing seriously. Perhaps in following my path, you might find inspiration for your own.
Do you use have a basic outline when starting a new story or do you let the characters lead the way?
For me, creating a working outline is essential. While I may have a clear vision of the story's direction at the outset, my characters often surprise me by veering off course or revealing aspects of their personalities that don't align with my initial plans. As a result, I find it necessary to revise my outline every few chapters to better suit their growth and development. This approach works well for me during the editing process, as it allows me to identify and address any plot holes or inconsistencies efficiently.
When you are picturing the characters in your book, do you have a cheater photo for inspiration?
I'll admit to keeping reference photos sometimes. While there's software for tracking character traits and visuals in what writers call "book bibles," I prefer manila folders stuffed with printouts.
My drafting process begins with pen on paper, deliberately distanced from screens and keyboards. Having physical materials I can spread across my desk feels right—tangible guideposts for the world I'm building. Antiquated? Perhaps. But there's something grounding about turning actual pages rather than clicking through digital tabs.
Oh, I’ve also created a detective board before to help me map out a story. 😊
Many people read as a form of escape and relaxation. What is your favorite way to sit back and relax?
I reach for hardcovers and paperbacks when nestled in my favorite chair, the weight familiar in my hands.
My morning walks and weekend bike rides are soundtracked by narrators' voices in my ears. When traveling light, my e-reader slips into any bag, hundreds of stories contained in its slim frame.
The days I don't read leave me restless, as though I've forgotten something essential.
Who are your favorite current authors to read?
I absolutely love One Last Stop by Casey McQuiston! It’s like National Treasure meets Ghost wrapped in an LGBTQ hug. It was one of the most pleasant books to read.
Seanan McGuire’s words teleport me to another world. Her books are full of haunting intrigue. They’re full of adventure that astonish me every time.
Rebecca Yarros is a fairly new favorite.
Books by Kristin Hannah and Jodi Picoult are often delights.
Stieg Larsson was the author who served as inspiration after ICU and relearning to walk.
What are your favorite books by others?
My favorites shift with the seasons, but lately I've been captivated by Geraldine Brooks' Horse, Rachel Gillig's Dark Shepherd series, Alix E. Harrow's Starling House, Patti Callahan Henry's The Secret Book of Flora Lea, Ann Patchett’s Tom Lake—though ask me tomorrow and I might have a whole new list to share!
Do the locations in the stories have any meaning to you?
My novels span across time and space. In Armored Hours, readers stroll through Kansas City's jazz-soaked streets during Prohibition, when it earned its "Paris of the Plains" nickname.
The Altered Helix series begins in familiar KC before characters slip through dimensional doorways. For The Transformed Nexus series, my childhood obsessions with Science Olympiad and Space Camp fueled its interplanetary adventures. And Guarded Time brought me to Ireland's misty shores, where researching felt like tracing the faded lines of my own family tree.
Do you write in single or multiple POV?
I wrote my first books from a single character's perspective, but lately I've been weaving between different viewpoints. Each approach serves its story—like how a portrait captures one face in detail while a landscape reveals a broader scene.
As a reader, I appreciate both techniques. There's something particularly delicious about romance novels that let you peek into more than one lover’s mind, watching misunderstandings bloom and resolve from more than one side of the emotional equation.
What do you find to be your best research tool?
Locating an editor in Ireland to review the Irish used in Guarded Time was a blessing. My grandmother, mentioned earlier, taught reading for decades and handed down books first print editions from the 1920s.
So, long story short: books, people, and experiences. If in budget, it’s great to travel to the location of a story.
What advice would you give to an aspiring writer?
First, if you want to be a YA writer, read a lot of YA books especially in the sub-genre of your choice.
Next, write the book in the way that best suits you. Some people like to outline, and others don’t. Know that your first written novel may never see the light of day and that’s okay so long as you grow as a writer.
Once you have a completed manuscript that you feel is ready, it’s good to have a vetted resource review it (beta reader, critique partner, etc.). You want the process to improve your novel and lift you up.
I hope you enjoyed this interview!
Make sure to give a shout-out to Stephanie Hansen and FOLLOW her on social media!
Connect with Stephanie:
Email: authorstephaniehansen@gmail.com
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