Q&A: Janice Hanna Thompson (The Dream Dress)

The Dream Dress (Revell) as a part of
her Weddings by Design series.

YOU’VE WRITTEN A LOT OF BOOKS ABOUT WEDDINGS. WHAT IS IT ABOUT A WEDDING THAT YOU LOVE SO MUCH?

I’ve always
loved weddings, from the time I first played the role of flower girl at age
ten. Back in 2004 my oldest daughter got married in a lovely Valentine’s
ceremony. Four and a half months later, my second-oldest daughter got married
in a beautiful summer ceremony. Three years later, daughter number three
followed suit, opting for a tropical, Hawaiian-themed wedding. Daughter number
four got married the following year, a gorgeous traditional wedding. When I
think of weddings, I think of the joy on my daughters’ faces as they planned
for their big days. I also think of the amount of work that goes into each
ceremony. So much labor, and all for a twenty-minute service. Oy! Still, I’m a
dreamer. . .one who loves the idea that real happily ever afters do happen in
this life. What better place than a wedding to dream of the possibilities for
that?

CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT YOUR MAIN CHARACTER, GABI, IN THE DREAM DRESS?

I had such
fun crafting Gabi. She’s a “closet wedding dress designer” (meaning, she works
for a famous dress designer and doesn’t want him to find out that she designs
wedding dresses, too). Gabi is a creative soul who stays up through the night
working on her creations. She likens herself to Cinderella, in that she works
for others during the day but enjoys her creative space at night. Gabi watches
as others around her seem to live ideal lives while she struggles to find her
way. In the end, though, she gets her happily-ever-after, both with her career
and her love life!

WHAT INGREDIENTS ARE NECESSARY TO MAKE A WONDERFUL ROMANCE NOVEL?

A great
romance must start off with characters the reader will relate to. People often
ask why my characters are so flawed/insecure. Many of the females in my stories
are birthed out of real life experiences, so how could they be anything but? If
you start with an imperfect duo, you give yourself ample opportunity to make
things better for them. Of course, a great romance has to have the usual
things: romantic tension, lots of near misses, (will they end up together…or
won’t they?) and (of course) that inevitable kiss. What sets my romances apart
from many others is the addition of wacky sub-characters, usually family
members who add lots of chaos and drama to the romance. What fun! When you add
nonsensical family members to a blossoming romance, you’re sure to end up with
hilarity.

IF YOU WEREN’T A NOVELIST, WHAT WOULD YOU BE DOING?

I would bake
cakes and cookies! I already do this as a side business. In the same way that
my stories are usually themed, so are my baking projects. I recently did a
Hello Kitty cake and cookies. I also did a Mickey Mouse cake (for a
one-year-old), along with cookies for the birthday boy and his guests. I love
baking. I find it very therapeutic.

ARE YOU CURRENTLY WORKING ON ANY NEW NOVELS?

Yes! I’m so
excited to be writing a Bella spin-off novel (yet untitled). In this fun story
Bella opens a wedding facility in Splendora, Texas. Readers who’ve followed
Bella’s story for any length of time are already familiar with Splendora, a
very real [town] down in Texas, just north of Houston by an hour or so. When
I’m done with this book I start a brand new three-book series for Revell about
a pro basketball player who takes over his mother’s bridal shop.