Today’s installment of the Dirtyville/Kinkyville interview series features Emma Hillman, author of Only on Sunday in the Dirtyville collection. She talks about her upcoming series Curve Happy, writing heroines and the future of her Ex-Footballers series.

LUX ZAKARI: What initially prompted you to submit your story, Only on Sunday, for the Dirtyville collection?

EMMA HILLMAN: I follow Sommer on Twitter and I’d heard about the Dirtyville anthology even before the call for submissions went out. I loved the idea straight away, and as soon as I was off work that day, I began creating a story in my head (which is what I tend to do!). By the time I got home, it was all there, just ready to be written. The next day at work, during my lunch break, I forgot about my sandwich and instead wrote like a crazed woman. As usual, I had too many words, so I had to tweak the story a little, cutting scenes here and there. An hour later, my break was over and Only on Sunday was ready to be submitted.

I must admit I loved the theme so much I’m thinking about writing a whole book based on my short story. I already have too many manuscripts, which is probably why I haven’t had time to do it yet!

LZ: You are the author of the erotic Ex-Footballers Series—what inspired the books?

EH: That’s a long story! To cut it short, I hadn’t planned on the first novel, Location Location Location, ever being published. I had discussed a plot idea with a friend, in which the heroine keeps making the hero angry because she loves that look on him. It’s a bit out there, I have to agree, but then none of my plots are ever straightforward!

I had so much fun writing the story that I decided I should try to get it published. I stumbled upon eXcessica one day, wrote a synopsis (they were only asking for a short one—result!), and two days later, got an e-mail to say it was accepted for publication. So, what started as a crazy conversation with a friend ended in a new career for me.

I loved the couple so much I wrote another book with them (Yes, No, Maybe), and because I couldn’t let Nick stay all on his lonesome (he was a secondary character in YNM), I wrote him his own book. Someone Like You will be published by eXcessica in September.

LZ: Do you think the Ex-Footballers Series will continue after the third book?

EH: Uhmm. Well, I do love Kevin and Mia as a couple, but I’m not sure what else could happen to them! I had thought about writing about Charlie (he’s the bad guy in YNM) but that plot is still stuck in my mind somewhere. Like I said, I have far too many manuscripts already on the go!

LZ: What is one of your favorite stories in either the Dirtyville or Kinkyville collection and why?

EH: I really enjoyed Not Of This Place by Willsin Rowe. He left a lot of things unsaid, and all those little things that were implied ended up making you think. I also really liked Saturday Night by Angell Brooks. It has such a perfect premise!

LZ: Does your real life ever sneak into your fiction? In what ways?

EH: I guess in the way the female characters always share some trait of mine. Maybe not physically, but there are some things that never waver: the way they all like coffee, the way they talk, etc. I wish I would write a heroine that was entirely different but I’ve never managed it!

LZ: Why do you think it’s difficult writing a heroine that’s different?

EH: Probably because I write what I want to read. That’s how I started writing in the first place. I couldn’t find the stories I wanted to read, so I decided to write them myself. Hey, it’s cheaper! Seriously though, I do prefer my heroines a certain way, hence why I tend to write them like that.

LZ: Who has been the most different of all your heroines?

EH: The most different of all my heroines is probably Thursday in the Behind Locked Doors series. She’s feisty and never stops revolting. If she doesn’t like something, she says it—even if the consequences aren’t always nice. Gotta love that, really. Of course, she lives in a harem so the rules are kinda different!

LZ: What can readers expect from you next?

EH: Well, I have quite a few books coming out over the next few months, but the ones I’m most proud of are part of a new series titled Curve Happy. The series kick starts with the release of A Thin Line on July 16 (@ eXcessica). I wanted to write books with curvy heroines who get their happy endings. All the books in the series will have the same theme, albeit with different characters each time. The genres will be the same though: Rubenesque / erotic romance (with a few twists here and there).

LZ: Where did the idea for the Curve Happy series come from?

EH: I read a blog once from a quite well-known blogger (who I won’t name but I do like her spunkiness!) who bemoaned the fact that in e-books, fat women always got the hot guys and how probable was that? I’m paraphrasing here, but that bugged me to no end. I thought, “And why the hell not?” and ta da, Curve Happy was born.

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To purchase the Kinkyville collection, Dirtyville collection or both, visit dirtyvillecollection.blogspot.com.

For details on Emma Hillman, visit emmahillmanbooks.blogspot.com.