Cochrane High teenager Hannah Godard is leading a double life.
The teen author is currently working on a seven-part fiction book series about a young adult who joined the CIA looking for excitement and adventure – all while trying to live an average high school student life.
“It is pretty crazy, I am still in school – it is like working a full time job,” Godard said with a laugh.
The Eagle sat down with Godard right after the Cochrane High teen finished an advanced Chemistry exam to discuss her latest novel series.
“I knew I wanted to be a writer since I was eight … I have amazing friends, and family, and teachers. They are all very supportive,” Godard said.
Godard’s parents both said they are proud of their “driven” and “unique” daughter.
“She’s done it all on her own … it is pretty amazing how she wanted to start writing and just did it – she is quite the kid,” Dan Godard, Hannah’s father commented.
“She is a very unique person. She is very driven and organized – she put this all together and we are super proud of her for being so dedicated and we are pretty excited to see where it goes,” Laurey Godard, Hannah’s mother said.
The teen author explained that she wrote the first book in two months and the second book in a four-month span, with the ending already in mind.
“I have to pace myself when I am writing, I get really excited and just want to skip ahead,” Hannah said with a laugh.
Quantum, the first novel of her seven-part series, to be released later this year through Godard’s new publisher City Lights Press. The fiction novel is based around 19-year-old Clara, who leaves everything behind to join the CIA with her boyfriend.
“There was one summer when I was hiking with my family and me and my cousin were building a raft out of driftwood and the raft could only support my weight so we came up with different ‘missions’ and joked about working for the CIA,” Hannah said, explaining the initial inspiration for her novel series.
Once Hannah realized she wanted to write a novel about working for the CIA, the Cochrane High student said she started asking friends what they would do in different scenarios as a way to make to book relatable to other youth in her age group.
“I think (my age) group is very underrated, we can actually deal with a lot more than society thinks we can,” Hannah said.
“We were one of the first generations to grow up with technology and I think that has given us the opportunity to mature faster and we also have the opportunity to find our passion sooner.”
Writing is nothing new to the just turned 16-year-old. Hannah wrote her first novel when she was only 14-years-old.
He first book, For the Beautiful People, is about a young girl who experiences bullying and eventually meets a friend who helps her deal with the issue. The teen author said the book was “loosely based” on one of her friends who had experienced bullying and attempted suicide when the girls were in Grade 9.
“I only met my friend that year – I was pretty sheltered and I never really knew about bullying, I never experienced it,” Hannah explained.
In previous interviews with the Eagle, Godard said she did not write the book to make money but to make a difference and help stop bullying.
Fast-forward two years later and she has continued her writing streak with the first two books of her seven part series awaiting editing and publishing, as Godard works on the next five novels, all while attending high school.
“It is crazy, I have a lot going on and I don’t know where I will be next year – I might not even be in school,” Hannah said with a laugh.
While Godard said she has the option to graduate early, the Grade 11 student has decided to continue schooling and writing so she can focus on both.
“I might have the option to finish my schooling online – I predict travelling in my future,” Hannah said with a smile.
“I always wanted to be an author, I think I have a lot of stories to tell.”
Hannah’s first novel, For The Beautiful People, can be found on Amazon.ca with the Quantum series to begin publising later this year.
For more information go to citylightspress.com/authors/hannah-godard/
