Interview With Hannah Andrews, Winter '26 Flash Fiction Contest Runner Up

 

I'm honored to interview Hannah Andrews again, one of our Winter '26 Flash Fiction Runner-Up winners. We'll be chatting about what inspired her flash fiction story, "Meandering Grace," how she came to name her character, and so much more.

Before you read our discussion, be sure to read her story, "Meandering Grace," then come on back. First, here's more about Hannah:

Hannah Andrews lives and writes in San Diego, California. Her fiction and CNF have been featured in Shaking The Tree: Short Memoir Anthology (Vols. 5 & 6), Gold Man West Coast Literary Review, Elegant Literature, Writing Battle, and more.

-- Interview by Nicole Pyles

WOW: First of all, congrats on your story, "Meandering Grace". What inspired this piece?

Hannah: Thank you! I'm thrilled and so is Gracie! The story was inspired by a prompt contest. My prompts were a clock tower and a wanderer. I love prompt contests because new ideas always seem to surface. I'd never considered a clock tower, though I've always adored beautiful architecture. I stumbled upon the history of the Wrigley Clock Tower and then Grace sort of just wandered up to me as a character, fully-formed and spouting off architectural facts. I entered versions of this story in two contests prior to WOW. It placed second in its category in one (Twisted Tournament) and didn't place but got a call out in another (Not Quite Write) for the "quirk and confusion" line, but it's never been published. I edited it and resubmitted. The third time was a charm for my Meandering Grace and I'm glad she found her home here on WOW. 

WOW: What a journey for the story! I get inspired by prompts too. I love how Grace’s name took on multiple meanings throughout the story. Did you decide on her name first, or did that double meaning happen throughout the revision process?

Hannah: Her name was always Grace because I wanted her to have this complicated secret (which was even more complicated in a previous draft ) and for Tony to offer her his "grace," even though he'd know that she would likely not know he'd forgiven her, or even remember that she'd told him. 

I love that the word grace can inhabit so many spaces, be it noun or verb. A way of moving with elegance. An act of forgiveness. Meandering Grace then of course is a nod to the song "Amazing Grace," with the word meander hinting at her confused wandering but also maybe a moment when he considered not forgiving her.  I've used this name with other characters in other stories (even a non-fiction piece where the person absolutely did not want her real name used). It's one of my favorite names, and words. 

WOW: It really is a beautiful name and word! I can’t help but be touched by how you lovingly portrayed the complications of seeing a loved one struggle with dementia. Can you share a bit about why you wanted to share this in your story?

Hannah: I was hoping it would land in a loving, respectful way. Grace is a fully fictional character, not based off anyone (though she does look like my late Aunt Lucy who had these amazing long silver braids and dressed like she was made of magic) but I have, like so many, dealt with loved ones in varying stages and degrees of dementia and Alzheimers. This was not to make light of any of that. I was, though, hoping to not make her some angelic perfect character. Can we have empathy and understanding for a character that isn't perfect? She was human, she'd had an ongoing affair right under his nose while she was a tour guide. And she thought he had too. But she stuffed down the shame and swore herself to secrecy and then even her mind betrayed her. 

WOW: You really portrayed that so well. I loved your word choices for description, such as “her Judas mind” and “clad in quirk and confusion.” What are your tips for unconventional ways of describing characters? 

Hannah: Description is so hard for me sometimes. Everything plays like a movie in my brain. All sight and sound. I have difficulty describing textures and smells. 

I envy writers that can just be all... the faint aroma of.... See? Totally blank there. I am more in my brain than my body. 

Writing in first person does help me. I usually write as a female character too, but I took a chance with Tony. My character Tony is narrating this and a man his age would totally sing Sinatra, say "Judas mind" and use a word like quirk. So, maybe that's my advice. Let your characters run around your brain for a while, then give them free reign to describe themselves. 

WOW: Great advice! You have quite a lot of publications under your belt! How do you know when a story is ready to submit? 

Hannah: I have been fortunate to have quite a number of pieces published, but I'd challenge the notion that I know when a story is ready, because it often takes several submissions and rejections and resubmissions before one of my pieces makes it through. That is, if it even does. I do edit in between re-submissions and have a group of writing friends that beta and help iron out the rough spots, but really. I never know. I just press send anyway. Maybe that's not the best advice, but that's my system.

WOW: I have the same experience! Good to know I'm not alone. Anything you can share that you are working on? 

Hannah: I've been working on a memoir for several years, but I think it's almost ready. It's called "None of This is Yours," and it's the story of my search for my family of origin. And of course, myself. As a US-born domestic infant adoptee, my records, including my original birth certificate and surname, were sealed, but at the age of 50 I decided I wanted to know the rest of the story. My life began with erasure, skipped ahead to Chapter Two. This is the story of me re-claiming my first chapter. 

WOW: I can't wait to read your memoir! Thank your time today. Hope to interview you again!