Interview with Hannah E. Griggs, Author of Remember My Royalty
A historical fiction author shares about her new book
Hello friends! Today, I’m excited to interview a fellow historical fiction author, Hannah E. Griggs! Her newest book, Remember My Royalty, just released today! So before we begin the interview, here’s the book blurb:
When Hamish McGregor and his sisters are forced to leave their home in the highlands of Scotland, they prepare to join their uncle in faraway Texas. Before leaving, they make an agreement to always remember that ‘s rioghal mo dhream, my race is royal.
However, they soon discover that remembering is not easy. For Hamish, forgetting his heritage lands him in the middle of a desperate revolution as the Texians fight for independence.
Catriona, proud and responsible, has no patience for her brother’s shortcomings until she too needs grace. And Ealasaid, an invalid facing the hardships of frontier life, struggles to live up to a still more important title: daughter of the King of kings.
As fighting surrounds and comes between them, will the McGregors fall or will they turn to the King for victory? Will they remember their royalty as well as the sacrifice of the brave men at the Alamo?
I haven’t read it myself yet, but I’m hoping to soon, as it looks great!
Now, without further ado, here is the interview!
Hannah: It’s great to be here! Thanks for having me, Savannah!
Savannah: First off, could you just tell us a bit about yourself?
Hannah: I’m Hannah E. Griggs, an author of various genres, and, most importantly, a daughter of the King of kings. As I am sure is no surprise, I live in Texas on a mostly-wooded five acres. Besides writing, some of my favorite ways to occupy myself are reading, playing my guitar, and cross-stitching. I’ve been dealing with several chronic illnesses for a few years now, and my limited energy for physical activities gives me more time to pour into my writing. I love flowers and bird-watching and just generally being out in nature. That’s one of my favorite things about where I live. When the weather is nice, you’ll often find me out walking with my sister and dog. Our walks are some of my best times for brainstorming whatever book I’m currently writing.
Savannah: What inspired you to write Remember My Royalty?
Hannah: What Texan author dabbling in historical fiction doesn’t dream of writing a story about the Texas Revolution? For years I’d toyed with the idea of writing a story about the revolution, but that idea suddenly became a higher priority when I discovered John McGregor, the Scottish piper at the Alamo. Since my ancestors belonged to Clan McGregor, I knew that I needed to write a story about him and blend my Scottish heritage with my love of Texas and her history. And from there, the rest is history!
Savannah: How did you research it?
Hannah: Just before beginning the book, I was very blessed to have a family vacation to South Texas include several revolution sites. I got to revisit the Alamo as well as tour two new sites. I took tons of pictures of building layouts, artifacts, the scenery, and information signs. These pictures were very useful to me when it came time to write about those places.
I also listened to an audiobook about the siege of the Alamo and read another book that was a Revolution veteran recounting his memories of the war to the author. And at some point early on in the writing process, I discovered a gold mine in the form of a website with so many documents, military dispatches, and stories of various people involved in the war. I spent hours on this website and learned so much from it.
And since I’m not much of a plotter, I did most of the research as I wrote the story. When I came to a particular battle or event, I would pause my writing and go see what I could learn about it. This saved me a lot of time because if I had researched everything in advance, I would have forgotten the little details that add authenticity by the time I arrived at those parts of the story.
Savannah: How long did it take you to research and write it?
Hannah: I started researching it in April of 2024 and finished writing it in February 2025, so right about ten months. Though I did continue doing some research during the editing phase as well.
Savannah: What are some of the reasons you love writing?
Hannah: Writing gives me an outlet for using the creativity and imagination that God has given me. It is a hobby that I share with my sister, so writing is special to me for that reason. We write together, brainstorm together, and encourage each other. And another reason I love writing is because it gives me an opportunity to minister to others through the stories God gives me to write.
Savannah: What are some of your favorite historical fiction books?
Hannah: I know it sounds bad for a historical fiction author to say this, but I really don’t read a lot of historical fiction. Most of what I read was contemporary back when it was written, though nowadays it would be considered historical fiction. But I do have some favorites. They would include With Lee in Virginia and In Freedom’s Cause by G. A. Henty, Dunstan: the Making of a Man by Sarah Brazytis, as well as her Westovers of Harmony Street series, Preacher on the Run by Jayna Baas, and Jayne’s Endeavor by Lauren Compton.
Savannah: Who are some of your heroes from history?
Hannah: Oooh, great question, and a hard one since there are so many! Some of my heroes would be William Tyndale, Fanny Crosby, Gladys Aylward, Robert E. Lee, Stonewall Jackson, and William Wallace.
Savannah: Do you have any writing projects in the works that you’d like to tell us about?
Hannah: Besides numerous half-finished projects, I have two more historical fiction stories in the works. One is still in the writing down ideas stage, and the other is in the early stages of drafting. Both are set in Texas, and one is about the days of the Republic of Texas, particularly the Mier expedition, and the other is a post-Civil War story about the early days of the cattle industry.
I hope you enjoyed that interview as much as I did!
You can purchase a paperback or hardcover of Remember My Royalty from the author’s website. An e-book is also available here. Or add it on Goodreads here.
Always remember, “He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it,” (1 Thess. 5:24).
All for Him,
Savannah Jane
What a great interview, Savannah. You know how to ask good questions.