BLURB FOR HEALING HANNAH’S HEART
Hannah Hart may have been burned by the breakup of her rocky
marriage, but the ambitious Afro-Filipina model has big plans for her future. Her
stunning looks and flawless skin provide the opening she craves to become a
celebrity in the fashion world.Then an arsonist’s match brings Hannah’s world crashing down around
her.
Recovering from the burns that destroyed her
skin, Hannah is forced to accept help from the last person on earth she wants,
her estranged husband, Jake Hart. Jake isn’t ready to give up on their
marriage. The return of Jake’s teenage son from a one-night stand had been the
catalyst for their breakup. How can he help both the son who resents his
abandonment and the woman he still loves? He can do nothing about the scars on
her skin, but can he heal Hannah’s heart?
Author Preslaysa Williams
Author Bio
Preslaysa
Williams is an award-winning author of contemporary romance and women's fiction
with an Afro-Filipina twist. She loves sharing her culture with her readers.
Her
writing awards include the Indiana Romance Writers of America’s (RWA) Golden
Opportunity Award and the ACFW Genesis Award. In addition, her stories have
been a finalist in the Northwest Houston RWA Lone Star Writing Contest, the
Windy City RWA Four Seasons Contest, and the Valley of the Sun RWA Hot
Prospects Contest.
She has
an undergraduate degree from Columbia University and a MPA from the University
of South Carolina. She is also a Jackie Robinson Foundation Scholar, a Jackie
Robinson Foundation Extra Innings Fellow, and a Sol Spiegelman Scholar.
Preslaysa is currently earning a MFA in Writing Popular Fiction at Seton Hill
University.
In
addition, she’s a professional actress. She started acting at age eight,
joining the Screen Actors Guild as a teenager when she co-starred on the
Nickelodeon TV show, The
Mystery Files of Shelby Woo.
She’s an
avid bookworm and planner nerd who hoards pens, pencils, and notebooks in her
spare time. In her daily life, you’ll find her wearing mismatched socks while
being a homeschool mom. Preslaysa
presently makes her home in Virginia with her husband and two children. You can
visit her online at www.preslaysa.com where you can sign up for her newsletter community.
What inspired the story concept for HEALING HANNAH’S
HEART?
I originally wrote Healing Hannah’s Heart as a romance
novel, but then I decided to change it to women’s fiction. I wanted to focus
specifically on Hannah’s journey to wholeness after experiencing the horrific
fire. In order to do so, I lessened the romantic element of the story and honed
in on the greater themes of self-image, identity, and personal transformation.
Hannah is an Afro-Filipina fashion model. Does her
ethnicity play into her character development in any way?
It does. Healing Hannah’s Heart is an own voices story. I am
African-American and Filipino. It’s a unique intersection of identity that
reflected in the work itself. As I was writing, I found myself exploring
concepts about being a second-generation daughter of an immigrant, as well as institutionalized
discrimination too.
What do you want readers to take away from Healing
Hannah’s Heart?
I want readers to see flawed characters who make the best
life choices they can, given the cards they’re dealt. I want readers to also
know that despite imperfect circumstances, we can always find ways to heal and
find hope.
In addition to writing, you’re also an actress. How
did you get started in acting?
I started off many, many years ago as a child actor. I pounded
the pavement in New York City, attending auditions for Broadway shows, movies,
and TV. I eventually landed a co-starring role on Nickelodeon’s The Mystery
Files of Shelby Woo. Suzanne Collins, the author of The Hunger Games trilogy,
was one of the writers on the show.
And you also worked on This is Us and Homeland! What
was that like?
Working on those shows was a huge blessing. After I
graduated from college, I took a long hiatus from acting in order to focus on
family and writing. In 2016, one of my friends from the acting world suggested
that I get into acting again, and so I did. The first gig that I landed was a
bit role in This Is Us. It was very fun being on set again. I felt as if I was
back in my element.
What’s your writing process like?
It’s very detailed. I’m a plotter. Since I am also a
homeschooling mom, I have to be very strategic about my writing time. So I take
at least a month to pre-plan my novels, scene by scene.
What is next for you, writing wise?
I just completed a contemporary romance which focuses on the
love relationship between a bridal gown designer and a single Dad. Right now,
I’m editing the draft. I’m also working on another women’s fiction. And I’m
putting the finishing touches on a short story which I hope to release in
November. I love working on multiple projects. It keeps my mind busy!
Healing Hannah's Heart
By Preslaysa Williams
Review by HeidiLynn's BookReviews
First, I want to thank Preslaysa Williams for providing me
with this book so I may bring you this review.
Healing Hannah’s Heart is Preslaysa William’s extremely
powerful debut novel that will pull on your heart strings. In my eyes this Is a
must-read book.
The graphic designer did an incredible job on the cover of
Healing Hannah’s Heart. It is so beautiful.
Preslaysa speaks from her heart through the voice of her
character Hannah. Hannah is an incredibly strong character in this book-in more
ways than one. She has faced an incredible accident (I am staying away from
treadmills for a while) and needs time to heal. However, her injuries are not
the only things she needs to heal.
This book is about forgiveness, second chances, living in
the now, letting go, etc. There are a lot of strong life lessons in this book.
Preslaysa captured my attention early on in the story and
kept it throughout.
Many aspects of this book I really enjoyed. I could even see
this being a movie on the Hallmark Channel. It has that vibe to it.
