Interview with Kate Hill

Added June 1, 2004

Sharyn: Kate, thank you for joining us today. When did you first begin writing?

Kate:T hank you, Sharyn. I've been writing for as long as I can remember, but began writing with publication in mind about sixteen years ago.

Sharyn: What influenced your decision to become an author?

Kate: I don't think it was a conscious decision. Writing has always been a huge part of my life. The idea of not writing is something I don't even like to consider.

Sharyn: The majority of your novels are romantica. What drew you to this particular genre?

Kate: I had been writing erotic short stories for years, but I always liked to have some kind of romance in my stories. Combining romance and erotica seemed very natural to me.

Sharyn: Is it hard to find the right blend of sex and romance when writing romantica?

Kate: I don't think so. If the attraction and affection between the characters are there, then the sexual scenes should flow.

Sharyn: As an author/reader what do you believe is the appeal of romantica?

Kate: As someone who read erotica and romance (separately) for years, I always wished one had more of the other mixed in with it. I think women like sexy men. It's fun to read about sexy men in the fantastic situations described in romance novels.

Sharyn: There are a myriad of opinions on the importance of plotting. Do you feel it's important?

Kate: Definitely. Without plot, I personally feel it's hard to get to know the characters. You need to see them in situations outside of the bedroom in order to fully understand them and decide whether you love or hate them.

Sharyn: Describe a normal day for you.

Kate: I write every day, seven days a week. When I'm not writing I like to work out, spend time with my family, and play with my pets.

Sharyn: Apart from writing, what is the most important part of being an author?

Kate: To me it's genuinely loving what I do and creating characters who move me, because if I don't feel for them there's no way I should expect that a reader will be able to.

Sharyn: Will you tell us a bit about your available novels and where they can be found?

Kate: Right now all my published novels are available through Ellora's Cave (http://www.ellorascave.com). The books feature vampires, Knights, and shapeshifting winged centaurs.

Sharyn: I noticed many of your novels feature vampires. Why?

Kate: I've loved vampires since I was a child. Some of the first books I ever read and the first movies I saw involved vampires, and I've been fascinated by them ever since.

Sharyn: What are your thoughts on readers' fascination with vampires?

Kate: I think it's the idea of a man who is in touch with his animal side but is also capable of falling in love and respecting his partner. They're powerful and can be incredibly sexy. The man/animal element can be very compelling. That's why I think vampires and shapeshifters like werewolves are so appealing.

Sharyn: Let's take a moment to talk in more detail about your series: The Horsemen, Knights of the Ruby Order and Ancient Blood. What is each series about and what do you have planned for future books in the series?

Kate: The Ancient Blood series is about vampires. The have some qualities of traditional vampires, but they're really on the non traditional side. The Knights of the Ruby Order series is set in a fantasy world similar to medieval Earth. It focuses on members of a group of warrior/healers and the women they fall in love with. The newest series is the Horsemen. The heroes are shapeshifting winged centaurs who mate with human women to keep their race alive. They share dreams with their destined mates and once the dream sharing begins, the Horseman and woman find it almost impossible to resist each other.

I have completed or am in the process of completing new books in each series and have plans for several more.

Sharyn: What can we expect from you in the upcoming year?

Kate: Later this year in the Ancient Blood series Immaculate and God of the Grim are tentatively scheduled for re-release from Ellora's Cave. These two novels along with the recently re-released Darkness Therein are the first books in the Ancient Blood series. These new versions have been revised and contain additional love scenes. Also tentatively scheduled for this year is Highland Stallion from the Horsemen series. The hero in this book, Zach, is different from the previous two heroes in the series in that he is the Horsemen's version of a draft horse. He earns his living in a much different way than the heroes in Dream Stallion and Captive Stallion. The next book in the Knights of the Ruby Order series is Mica. When he meets his heroine, she wants to kill him because of crimes committed by his father, but Mica proves to her that he can be trusted and is the stuff Knights are made of.

Sharyn: As an e-published author, what are your opinions on the future of e-publishing?

Kate: I have seen a huge and positive difference in the response to ebooks since I started in it back in 1999/2000. I think it has a good future and I am so happy to be involved in it as a writer. As a reader, I read ebooks before submitting my own work and I've been hooked on them ever since. In ebooks I have been able to find just the kind of stories I've always wanted to read but are so hard to find in traditional romance novels. I also finding reading off an ebook reader to be convenient, especially when I'm traveling.

Sharyn: What advice do you have for aspiring authors?

Kate: I'd say never give up writing, but if it's a part of you, you won't give it up no matter what anyone suggests.

Sharyn: How about some fun questions before our time is up? Name the first five books in your To Be Read pile.

Kate: Viking Raider, Desert Rose, Second Chance At Forever, Running Mate, and Midnight Rose (which I've already started).

Sharyn: If you could meet any mythical/fantasy creature or person, what or who would it be and why?

Kate: It would have to be a vampire because of my lifelong interest in them.

Sharyn: Final question... how do you unwind after a hard day of writing?

Kate: This might sound obsessed, but many times I unwind by writing something for myself that I would probably never be able to have published. Other than that, I like to unwind by working out and reading from my to be read pile.

Sharyn: Kate, thanks again for taking time out of your busy day to talk with me.

Kate: Thank you very much.

Sharyn: To learn more about Kate, her available and upcoming novels, visit her website: www.khill.freehomepage.com/.

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