Sandra Hill is the best-selling, award-winning author of thirty-five novels, including her Cajun series, the Jinx series, and the Viking series and many others. Her work has been called hilarious and hot, and with a recent read of her latest novel, So Into You, we heartily agree. We recently had a chance to engage in a little chat with Sandra, and so are pleased to present you with our latest in our little series of interviews…
A Conversation with Sandra Hill.
Thanks for taking the time to speak with us today, Sandra. If I may ask an obvious question: how did you first come to write Romance? What prompted you to mix Romance and comedy like in So Into You?
Sandra: I’ve always been a writer, I was the kid who liked writing essays in school. Then I became a newspaper journalist. About fifteen or so years ago, I decided that I wanted to write the books I love…romance. But I never intended it to be humor. I like to say that I developed humor as a survival skill in the all-male house I call home…husband, four sons, and male German Shepherd the size of a pony.
I can see how a sense of humor would be needed in such a full house. ;) So what was your first published story, and when did that take place?
Sandra: THE RELUCTANT VIKING in 1994. A lot of my stories are based on second chances and wishing for do-overs in life. In THE RELUCTANT VIKING, Ruby Jordan’s marriage is falling apart and she doesn’t know how to save it. Through the magic <g> of time travel (in this case involving motivational tapes), she travels back in time to tenth century Britain where she meets Thork, a Viking man who looks just like her husband Jack. The ultimate second chance!
Wow. Sounds like fun! So if you had to choose, by what authors would you say you are influenced?
Sandra: Initially, authors like Margaret Mitchell and GONE WITH THE WIND. Then sweet gothic style fiction by the likes of Pamela Hill or Catherine Cookson. As politically incorrect as Rosemary Rogers’ SWEET SAVAGE LOVE was, and is, it probably jumpstarted me into romance. Today, I am a fan of Susan Elizabeth Phillips, Mary Balogh, Suzanne Brockmann, Beverly Lewis, Lora Leigh, Rachel Gibson, Lisa Kleypas, etc.
So, then, how did you come to set So Into You in Louisiana? What inspired this novel, and Angel and Grace over all?
Sandra: I had written several books based in Louisiana before that, and readers have come to love Tante Lulu, the wacky old matchmaker. I’ve never lived in Louisiana, but it feels as if I have some genetic memory of the place every time I go there. And what’s not to like about the rich bayou setting, the Cajun people with their unique music and food, and a culture which enjoys good humor?
Hurricane Katrina was a huge part of the novel; what lessons do you think can be learned from it, and (most importantly) applied to other hurricane prone areas like those here in Florida?
Sandra: Ironically, I wrote a book before SO INTO YOU that predicted everything that happened during Hurricane Katrina. Rene LeDeux in THE RED-HOT CAJUN was a burned out environmental lobbyist who couldn’t convince politicians of the dire consequences to come if they didn’t change things in Louisiana. The hurricane, floods, broken dikes, eroding coastline…all of it in a book that came out before the disaster ever occurred. And, of course, other hurricane prone areas could learn from Louisiana, but when money is involved and politicians get involved, nothing happens as quickly as it needs to. I am not optimistic.
All right, now, stop predicting the weather and get back to your books! On that note, in terms of your career, what are you most proud of?
Sandra: I get thousands of letters from fans who have been touched in some way by my books. They helped them through some bad times, the death of a child, a son in Iraq, divorce, whatever. When I first started writing fiction, I knew some books touched readers, but I thought they were the serious books, those with an important message. Today, I know that humor is just as important.
Agreed, humor does help in so many ways. So, for another writing question: do you ever suffer writer’s block and if so, how do you deal with it?
Sandra: Not so much writer’s block as writer’s malaise. You know…should I go bake cookies or write a new scene? Should I take my grandkids to the park or write a new scene? Should I go read a good book instead of writing one? How to get over it? Put butt in chair and write.
For such a prolific author as yourself, keeping yourself in the writer's chair doesn't seem to be a problem! ;) So, what can longtime fans expect from you next?
Sandra: In a few weeks (September) comes VIKING HEAT, a time travel which I describe as “Private Benjamin” meets “Stripes” meets “G.I. Jane” meets Brandr the Berserker. Joy Nelson, a psychologist, is devastated after the death of her POW brother. How else can you explain her joining a female Navy SEAL program and end up on an auction block, being sold to a tenth century Viking warlord.
In February comes VIKING IN LOVE. If you’ve ever seen the Dixie Chicks video of “Good-bye Earl” you will understand my medieval version of the Dixie Chicks. Five Viking princesses kill the husband (an earl…what else!) of one of them after witnessing his abuse. They bury him in the bottom of a privy, then run for their lives.
Oh, my! We’ll be looking out for that one, for sure. :) So, for those aspiring authors among the audience, what advice would you have for someone starting out in the field?
Sandra: Read voraciously in the genre you want to write. Join writers’ organization which offer craft classes and opportunities to meet one-on-one with agents and editors. Enter contests where you get critiques. Join a critique group. Then just write. Even if it feels like dog puke, put the words to paper.
I'm sure nothing you ever write is that bad. :) And finally, Sandra, one more question before I let you go, do you have any final thoughts for the readers?
Sandra: I always tell my fans: “I wish you smiles in your reading.” Come by my website at www.sandrahill.net where I will give you some more smiles. For example, the book video for SO INTO YOU makes me smile every time I watch it. The person who did the video for me is married to a musician who wrote the original music, but then he did the voiceover. Watch until the end when he says “So Into You!” Enuf said!
Thank you so much for spending a little of your time with us, Sandra, and best of luck with So Into You, Viking Heat, and Viking in Love! We’ll be looking forward to each of them. Folks, if you’d like to learn a little more about Sandra and her works (and, like Sandra said, don’t forget to check out the book trailers too!), drop by her homepage sometime. I'm sure you'll enjoy it. And don't forget to look for the release of Viking Heat on September 1st. Until next time, then, have fun!
Sandra Hill's page at Fantastic Fiction
Sandra Hill at Sensual Romance Reviews
Sandra Hill's page at Visual Bookshelf
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