Intimate
Conversation with Trice Hickman
Trice Hickman is a self-proclaimed Southern girl, and award-winning, bestselling author. Trice’s love of reading and the power she recognized in the written word inspired her to become a writer. After receiving rejection letters from every agent and publisher she submitted her work to, Trice was determined to bring her stories to life. She self-published her first three novels to great success, and, shortly thereafter, landed a multi-book deal with Kensington (Dafina Books) where she is currently published. When she’s not busy writing and reading, Trice enjoys cooking, traveling, decorating, and meeting good people. Learn more about Trice at www.tricehickman.com.
BPM: Tell us about your journey becoming a successfully published author. What challenges did you face, if any?
My journey to becoming a published author has been full of ups and downs, and I’m appreciative of each experience because they have shaped me and helped me grow. I’d suffered from writer’s block for years before I wrote my first book, and once I finally finished it the manuscript was rejected by everyone I sent it to. Talk about disappointing!
But that
disappointment taught me a valuable lesson—just because someone tells
you no, it doesn’t mean you can’t do it, it just means you’re not going
to do it with them—it’s up to you to turn your dreams into reality. I
formed my own publishing company and published the book myself. I worked
hard to market and sell my work and when I least expected it, a
publisher contacted me and offered me a book deal. That’s proof that
things don’t necessarily happen over night, in many cases they happen
over time.
BPM: Could you tell us something about your most recent work?
My upcoming novel, SECRET INDISCRETIONS, is the first book in the Dangerous Love series. I’m excited about this story because it’s very different from the previous books I’ve written. I describe this work as edgy sophistication mixed with jaw-dropping drama and mayhem. The first paragraph of the book starts off with a gun pointed between the eyes of one of the main characters, so readers immediately know they’re in for a wild ride!
BPM: Give us some insight into your main characters or speakers. What makes each one so special?
There are four main characters in the book. Johnny and Geneva Mayfield, and Samuel and Vivana Owens. These two couples become involved in a dangerous love quadrangle that eventually turns deadly. Johnny is a womanizer whom readers will love to hate, and his wife, Geneva, is a good sister who will have readers cheering for her while covering their eyes at the train wreck that becomes her life. Samuel’s character is a testament to that fact that there are still good men out there who want to do the right thing, and his wife, Vivana, is proof positive that you can’t apply logic to an illogical mind! There’s also an interesting secondary character named Donetta, a trans woman who offers startlingly raw insight and perspective on relationships. She’s the type of friend every woman should have because the only way she knows how to communicate is from with and from her heart.
BPM: What inspired you to sit down and actually start writing this book? Why now?
I wanted to explore the importance of choosing the right mate. It’s common to hear about relationships that start off well and end badly. But what about relationships that are bad before the “I do’s”, yet the couple still chose walk down the aisle? That kind of relationship is almost certain to careen in a downward slope. Many people who find themselves in bad relationships—if they’re honest—will admit that they saw the warning signs early on, but chose to ignore them. Love isn’t blind, it sees what it wants, and it can make a person justify practically anything to suit their needs. I thought it was important to write this story now because people need to see that it’s possible to start off badly but end up end up happy, if you learn how to make the right choices. Although there’s a lot of deceit within the pages, there’s also a lesson about true love, and how to live your best life when you do it as your authentic self.
BPM: What did you enjoy most about writing this book?
I enjoyed the twists and turns the characters took me on, which at times made me shake my head and say, “Did I just write that?” I also enjoyed connecting with trans women, whom I met during my research. These women opened my eyes to a part of life that has made me more aware, tolerant, and informed of something I knew very little about.
BPM: Where do your book ideas come from? Are your books plot-driven or character-driven? Why?
My book ideas come from asking the question, what if? You can have a very basic idea and turn it into a completely different situation by asking, “What if such and such happened?” My books are character driven because I find human nature to be so very interesting. Human beings are beautifully complex people, and we make for some great stories.
BPM: Are there under-represented groups or ideas featured in your book? If so, discuss them.
Yes, the trans community is underrepresented in our society, and I introduce readers to that world through one of the secondary characters named, Donetta Pierce. I wrote a character bio of Donetta in 2013, two years before Caitlyn Jenner’s presence brought gave attention to a community that has long been present, but tucked away in the shadows. I know many people have strong views about gender and sexuality, which are two different things. But I think we can all agree—no matter your position on the issue—that the overwhelming majority of people, regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation, or socio-economic status, all want to be loved. This book is about choosing love.
BPM: Did you learn anything personal from writing your book?
I sure did! The characters in this book taught me how important it is to balance making good decisions with taking chances. It sounds easy, but it can be a tricky thing.
BPM: What defines success for you, as a published author? What are your ambitions for your writing career?
If I’m able to complete a story, that is success! If someone reads and enjoys my book, that is success! Whether I sell ten or ten million books, that is success! I measure success the way I take life, one step at a time. Each day I open my eyes and move forward, that’s success! My ambitions for my writing career is to continue to write interesting, thought-provoking stories that will entertain and delight readers.
BPM: What projects are you working on at the present?
I’m currently putting the finishing touches on DEADLY SATISFACTION, which is the sequel to SECRET INDISCRETIONS. I’m also gearing up for a book tour to promote SI, as well as providing book coaching sessions for aspiring authors, and re-designing my blog, Fabulous Southern Belle.
BPM: How can readers discover more about you and your work?
I absolutely love connecting with readers! To learn more about me and my work, you can visit my website, www.tricehickman.com. I’m a down-home Southern girl, and I invite readers to check out my blog www.fabuloussouthernbelle.blogspot.com
You can also reach me by email at tricehickman@yahoo.com. Readers can connect with me through social media on the flowing sites:
facebook/tricehickman
twitter/tricehickman
instagram/tricehickman
pinterest/tricehickman
linkedin/tricehickman
Order Secret Indiscretions by Trice Hickman
First book in the Dangerous Love Series
Link: http://amzn.com/1617737437
BPM: Could you tell us something about your most recent work?
My upcoming novel, SECRET INDISCRETIONS, is the first book in the Dangerous Love series. I’m excited about this story because it’s very different from the previous books I’ve written. I describe this work as edgy sophistication mixed with jaw-dropping drama and mayhem. The first paragraph of the book starts off with a gun pointed between the eyes of one of the main characters, so readers immediately know they’re in for a wild ride!
BPM: Give us some insight into your main characters or speakers. What makes each one so special?
There are four main characters in the book. Johnny and Geneva Mayfield, and Samuel and Vivana Owens. These two couples become involved in a dangerous love quadrangle that eventually turns deadly. Johnny is a womanizer whom readers will love to hate, and his wife, Geneva, is a good sister who will have readers cheering for her while covering their eyes at the train wreck that becomes her life. Samuel’s character is a testament to that fact that there are still good men out there who want to do the right thing, and his wife, Vivana, is proof positive that you can’t apply logic to an illogical mind! There’s also an interesting secondary character named Donetta, a trans woman who offers startlingly raw insight and perspective on relationships. She’s the type of friend every woman should have because the only way she knows how to communicate is from with and from her heart.
BPM: What inspired you to sit down and actually start writing this book? Why now?
I wanted to explore the importance of choosing the right mate. It’s common to hear about relationships that start off well and end badly. But what about relationships that are bad before the “I do’s”, yet the couple still chose walk down the aisle? That kind of relationship is almost certain to careen in a downward slope. Many people who find themselves in bad relationships—if they’re honest—will admit that they saw the warning signs early on, but chose to ignore them. Love isn’t blind, it sees what it wants, and it can make a person justify practically anything to suit their needs. I thought it was important to write this story now because people need to see that it’s possible to start off badly but end up end up happy, if you learn how to make the right choices. Although there’s a lot of deceit within the pages, there’s also a lesson about true love, and how to live your best life when you do it as your authentic self.
BPM: What did you enjoy most about writing this book?
I enjoyed the twists and turns the characters took me on, which at times made me shake my head and say, “Did I just write that?” I also enjoyed connecting with trans women, whom I met during my research. These women opened my eyes to a part of life that has made me more aware, tolerant, and informed of something I knew very little about.
BPM: Where do your book ideas come from? Are your books plot-driven or character-driven? Why?
My book ideas come from asking the question, what if? You can have a very basic idea and turn it into a completely different situation by asking, “What if such and such happened?” My books are character driven because I find human nature to be so very interesting. Human beings are beautifully complex people, and we make for some great stories.
BPM: Are there under-represented groups or ideas featured in your book? If so, discuss them.
Yes, the trans community is underrepresented in our society, and I introduce readers to that world through one of the secondary characters named, Donetta Pierce. I wrote a character bio of Donetta in 2013, two years before Caitlyn Jenner’s presence brought gave attention to a community that has long been present, but tucked away in the shadows. I know many people have strong views about gender and sexuality, which are two different things. But I think we can all agree—no matter your position on the issue—that the overwhelming majority of people, regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation, or socio-economic status, all want to be loved. This book is about choosing love.
BPM: Did you learn anything personal from writing your book?
I sure did! The characters in this book taught me how important it is to balance making good decisions with taking chances. It sounds easy, but it can be a tricky thing.
BPM: What defines success for you, as a published author? What are your ambitions for your writing career?
If I’m able to complete a story, that is success! If someone reads and enjoys my book, that is success! Whether I sell ten or ten million books, that is success! I measure success the way I take life, one step at a time. Each day I open my eyes and move forward, that’s success! My ambitions for my writing career is to continue to write interesting, thought-provoking stories that will entertain and delight readers.
BPM: What projects are you working on at the present?
I’m currently putting the finishing touches on DEADLY SATISFACTION, which is the sequel to SECRET INDISCRETIONS. I’m also gearing up for a book tour to promote SI, as well as providing book coaching sessions for aspiring authors, and re-designing my blog, Fabulous Southern Belle.
BPM: How can readers discover more about you and your work?
I absolutely love connecting with readers! To learn more about me and my work, you can visit my website, www.tricehickman.com. I’m a down-home Southern girl, and I invite readers to check out my blog www.fabuloussouthernbelle.blogspot.com
You can also reach me by email at tricehickman@yahoo.com. Readers can connect with me through social media on the flowing sites:
facebook/tricehickman
twitter/tricehickman
instagram/tricehickman
pinterest/tricehickman
linkedin/tricehickman
Order Secret Indiscretions by Trice Hickman
First book in the Dangerous Love Series
Link: http://amzn.com/1617737437
