When I met Hannah Mary 25 years ago, she insisted she didn’t have a creative bone in her body. I didn’t believe her, although (by her own admission), she can’t draw or play an instrument. Also, whatever you do—don’t ask her to sing. And yet…when we moved to Canada and Hannah Mary paused her corporate career to try something else, her writing success didn’t surprise me. She’s always been driven, and laser focused. When she sets her mind on something, you’d better believe she’ll make it happen. Turns out her creative side was merely hidden, tucked away and quietly waiting to be let loose.
Being married to an author can be a little disturbing at times, particularly when Hannah Mary asks me to act out a murder scene (I’m always the victim) or when she uncannily knows the killer’s every next move in a film. But then she’ll read me the sweetest dialogue from one of her rom-coms and make me laugh out loud.
Watching my wife’s writing career take off is a beautiful thing. Seeing her shelf of books grow year-on-year and witnessing her not only write bestselling crime fiction but also romantic comedies, makes me so damn proud.
-Written by Robert McKinnon, Hannah Mary’s husband
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Which ’hood are you in?
Oakville, Ontario, where I’ve lived since coming to Canada from Switzerland in 2010. This is the longest I’ve been in one house/apartment. The previous record was 5 years. When we came here, it was the 19th time I’d moved (I’m very efficient at packing).
What do you do?
I write crime novels as Hannah Mary McKinnon and romantic comedies as Holly Cassidy, so sometimes I murder (fictional) people, sometimes I make them fall in love… and perhaps on occasion, there’s a bit of both. I’m a full-time novelist, and this is my second career after working in IT recruitment for a long time.
What are you currently working on?
I’m plotting my 12th novel and playing around with various ideas, seeing what sticks. I’m very excited with the concept I’ve come up with and I love this initial stage. A tiny spark of an idea hooks me, and from there I get to create characters and their worlds, turning it all into an entire book.
Where can we find your work?
My websites have all the details about my books – romantic-comedies www.HollyCassidyAuthor.com and crime www.HannahMaryMcKinnon.com. You’ll also find me on Facebook and Instagram.
Also, I will be appearing on Sunday, September 28 at the Toronto International Festival of Authors (Sept 19 – 29). Tickets are on sale now.
Here are details about my two new books: Only One Survives (Mira; HarperCollins Canada) and The Christmas Countdown (Viking; Penguin Random House).
