Interview with Paige Hill

Author of Fall (Fate Series Book 2)

Where are you from originally and where do you reside now?

I was born in Hot Springs, Arkansas and barring a brief stint in Mississippi, I spent most of elementary school moving around the state. Now I live in northeast Oklahoma with my husband and seven-year-old daughter.

If you currently reside somewhere besides where you were born, what’s the story that lead from there to here?

My parents struggled with substance abuse through the years and my dad was often violent. When I was eleven my mom moved us to Oklahoma to live with my grandmother (my daughter’s namesake). Not long after we moved, my mom was working as a waitress at a local diner where she met a former police officer turned truck driver. She was married to him for seventeen years before he passed away, and I am thankful for him every single day. He raised my sister and me as if we were his own. I even dedicated my first book to him.

What made you decide to write and publish your first book?

I am a voracious reader. Like most writers, I’ve always been intrigued by the stories I read. Not just the storyline, but the way the author made me feel. I could easily get lost in a book and for that moment in time, I was someone else entirely. I daydreamed about what it would be like to live as an author. Would I live in New York, drinking coffee like the adults do, while furiously typing on my “strawberry” IMac?

In high school, I read my first suspense novel—The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown. That was the first time I paid attention to an author’s technique and individual style. From that point on, it changed the way I interpreted the stories I read as well as what I took away from them.

When I was about twenty-five I discovered the multitude of genres within the romance community and it felt like I discovered a whole other facet of my personality. Over the course of a few years, I found myself thinking about what it would be like if I finally tried to write a book. I was terrified and honestly, I thought it would end the same as my attempts at learning guitar or Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu—After about two months, a lot of frustration, and feelings of failure. But not this time. Now, I had a chubby-cheeked face watching my every move. Moms can’t quit, after all. So, I sat down, sucked up my fear and did what I didn’t believe I could.

How would you describe your books to first time readers?

My books are romantic suspense with a side order of humor. The published books in my series tackle a lot of difficult topics including abuse, violence, and complicated family relationships. The next two in the series will follow suit but also include themes of human trafficking and substance abuse.

Who do you feel is most likely to connect with the topics you write about?

Adult women are the most likely to be drawn to and connect with my characters. I enjoy writing strong, but flawed heroines. The romance world is mostly dominated by women, but I have noticed a growing number of husbands joining online romance communities as well as male romance authors. Diversity in this genre is a wonderful thing and I hope the grittier content in my writing appeals to a wider audience.

What unexpected or surprising thing did you learn during the process of writing and publishing?

Being an author in 2020 is the same as running a business. Authors have to essentially wear two “hats”. The creative one and the analytical one. Coming to the realization the being an author is actually thirty percent writing and seventy percent running a business changed the way I see the publishing world.

If you could, what advice would you give to your past self before embarking on this journey?

You can’t edit a blank page. It’s a common phrase, but for me, an impactful one. And arm yourself with knowledge. There are unlimited resources at our fingertips, you just have to stop and focus on step one.

How many people would you ideally like to reach with your books?

This feels like a trick question. 😉

If I were to obtain the same kind of following as the likes of Meghan March, Sylvia Day, Kristen Ashley, etc.. I could die a happy woman. However, if I ever managed to reach Nora Roberts status, it would kill me.

In reality, I’d be content if one person loved my stories. If I didn’t feel the world needed to experience the lives of my characters, I wouldn’t have published them.

What has been the biggest challenge and frustration during the process to date?

Without a doubt marketing. It’s my weak spot. I’m kind of awkward and struggle to connect with readers on social media. I’m envious of how easy that kind of thing is for certain people.

What’s your biggest strengths when it comes to book a) writing, b) publishing and c) marketing?

I would say writing. Coming up with general storylines or complex characters is the easy part. I can whip up a scene pretty quickly if I have a well thought out outline. That’s where my struggle in the writing process lies. I’m a “pantser” through and through, and not having a solid outline slows my writing speed significantly.

What’s your biggest weakness when it comes to book a) writing, b) publishing and c) marketing?

As I mentioned before, marketing is my nemesis. The sheer amount of information out there is overwhelming. You could spend thousands of dollars on marketing, but if you don’t know exactly what you are doing, your efforts could be futile.

When do you think you will write your next book?

I’m currently working on book three of my series. If I’m being honest, it should have been finished three months ago. (whoops) My goal is to release by the end of May.

Are you self published or did you use a hybrid publisher, or a traditional publisher?

I am a self-published author.