Indie Support Sunday: Hillary Leigh
- 1 day ago
- 6 min read
A show of hands if, like Hillary Leigh, you’ve also dreamt up an entire book! This is one of my favourite things about doing the interview series; understanding how authors find their inspiration and ideas. And to have a story so vividly play out in your head and then put it down on paper? We, as authors, are so freaking cool!
While she might have started with romance and her Meadow Springs series, the first dream Hillary had is of a thriller duet she might write one day. But for now, she’s happy writing slow burn romances set in a small fictional town and follows four women and the relationships they build. And like a lot of us, Hillary writes open door romances, but oftentimes writing those scenes out is awkward.
Her debut series has two more books in the works, but for now she’s working on a secret sapphic project that’s brought her to tears! And a spin-off football romance set in Charleston.
For now, You Found Me and You Saved Me are available in Kindle Unlimited.
BEING AN AUTHOR
Who or what inspired you to write?
Honestly, I had thought about it for a long time. I woke up one night, fully remembering a dream—which is rare for me—and it was a story that I knew I had to write. I fell back asleep, only to dream vividly once again, and that was what came of my debut novel, You Found Me.
What’s the best and worst part about being an indie author?
The best part of being an indie author is doing things on my own terms. I don’t have to stick to a rigid schedule and can publish anything that my little brain comes up with.
The worst part is marketing. It’s like my own personal hell and when I slack off on it, sales/pages read show.
Why did you choose to self-publish instead of going the traditional route?
If I didn’t self-publish, I fear that I would never have put my stories out there. I’m not against trying to go hybrid, but it’s not a priority.
When you’re not writing, what do you do to get the creative juices flowing?
I can’t force those juices to flow. But when it hits, it’s when I’m showering, on long car rides, or listening to music.
If you were to recommend books to me (in any genre), what would they be?
In no particular order: God of Fury by Rina Kent, Vipers and Virtuosos by Sav R. Miller, Tales of Weeping Hollow series by Nicole Fiorina, WITSEC series by Ashley N. Rostek, and The Mindf*ck series by S.T. Abby.
What are your top 5 tips or pieces of advice for aspiring authors?
Write whatever the hell you want, so long as it doesn’t hurt anyone.
Don’t edit your first draft as you write it.
That first draft will likely be awful and that’s okay.
You’re going to want to quit—many times—but you definitely shouldn’t. You’re writing this story for a reason.
Once you publish, don’t look at reviews. I know it’s hard, but for the sake of your mental health, try your best to avoid it. If you want to know about the good ones, ask a trusted friend.
ROMANCE AS A GENRE
Why did you choose romance as the genre to write in? What is your favorite thing about the genre?
I chose romance since that’s mostly what I read. I love that it’s messy and real without actually being real because what I read always has a HEA.
If not romance/subgenres of romance, what genre would you like to write in?
Thrillers and mysteries. The first dream I had was actually of a thriller duet.
What are your most and least favorite tropes?
I love enemies/rivals to lovers, grumpy/sunshine, fake dating, second chance, and miscommunication. There’s not really any trope I’ve found that I dislike.
What are some tropes you want to write in the future?
Accidental pregnancy, amnesia, love triangle (sorry not sorry), I hate everyone but you, rock star, and snowed-in.
What are some topics (sensitive and otherwise) that you think should exist more in romance?
Mental health. It’s something I want to touch on in everything I write and I love reading how other authors portray sensitive topics.
If you write open door romance, why did you choose that and what inspires your sex scenes?
I chose to write open door because it felt right to me and my characters. I love reading it but my god do I hate writing it. I like to think I’m very sex positive, but having to write out scenes that are intimate makes me feel awkward.
YOUR BOOKS
What inspired your published stories? How and when did you come up with these stories and plots?
A dream that unfolded into a small town series and a spin-off series soon to come. That happened back in late 2023 and after talking to my best friend Christana about it, I took the plunge.
Can you briefly tell me about your books?
You Found Me and You Saved Me are part of the Meadow Springs series set in the fictional small-town of Meadow Springs, South Carolina. Each book follows one FMC in a friend group, meaning two more books will follow—rounding out this interconnected standalone series.
At its core, You Found Me is about Emmy, who made herself small to please someone who never really loved her and only wanted control. She catches him cheating and moves back to her hometown, where she runs into a man, Spencer. Spencer is someone she met back at a costume party in college. However, the two didn’t exchange names. Fake dating turns to falling in love and learning to stand up for yourself.
You Saved Me is about Mia and Beckett, who both put up a front of being okay to the world, when they’re actually falling apart. Beckett more so than Mia. Beckett sees everyone around him in love and wants the same, but there’s something about him that keeps relationships from moving forward. Mia plays matchmaker for him, and instead, becomes his perfect match. Together, they begin to heal.
Do you already have a favorite character from the stories you’ve written?
Mia Callahan, the FMC of You Saved Me. She’s fun and spouts off whatever comes to her mind, no matter how silly or outrageous. But there’s a side character in both books that I adore and can’t wait to explore in the future, and that’s Callum Parker.
If you were to cast your book for a movie/television show, who would you cast in the lead roles?
This is my nightmare, honestly. The only character I have a clear picture of is Beckett. He’s 100% based on Tom Welling’s portrayal of Superman in the early 2000s show, Smallville. Even Tom Welling of today fits Beckett. He’s just a cutie pie.
I’d honestly love to see who my readers would cast for my characters.
How much of yourself do you put into these characters?
God…there’s a bit of me in Emmy, Mia, and Beckett. Some parts are the uglier sides of myself, but I want my characters to feel authentic.
What is a story/stories that you really want to tell?
I would love to explore religious trauma from growing up in the south as someone who is bisexual.
Is there one common element that readers can find in all your stories?
Always a slow burn.
What’s next on the bookshelf for you? Anything you can tell us about a future project?
I have a secret project that I can’t speak on just yet, but it’s sapphic and I’m very excited about it. It’s actually the first thing I’ve written so far that’s made me cry.
As far as what’s next in the Meadow Springs series, I’m actually taking a little detour to Charleston for the first book in a spin-off football romance. There’s a little hint at the end of You Saved Me of what that’s going to entail and I’m so freaking giddy about getting to it once the FF project is done.
When you write these stories, what are you hoping your readers will feel?
I hope they will feel seen. But I also hope they feel joy because getting to write these stories and have people want to read them, brings me joy.
AUTHOR’S CHOICE
Paperbacks, hardbacks, ebooks or audiobooks.
Contemporary, fantasy, historical or romantic suspense.
Single or Dual POV.
Standalones, series or standalones in a series—This truly depends on my mood.
Open door, ajar door or closed door romances.
Music or silence when writing—Neither. I actually listen to my favorite TV shows. Silence is too loud and I sing to the music.
Plotter, pantser or plantser—I am 1000% a plantser. I outline the main points I want to hit, and then everything else is straight vibes.
Water, tea, coffee or….wine?—Dr. Pepper. It’s what fuels me.
Cold or warm weather—Cold weather which is unfortunate seeing as I live in the hellacious prison that is Florida.
Write better in the morning, afternoon or night?—Whenever I can because I have three kids and a full-time job.
Illustrated or photo cover?
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