LWL Interview: Talia Hibbert An Author Who Makes Quirky Sexy AF

I first started reading Talia Hibbert a year ago. As soon as I read her book Damaged Goods, book 1.5 in her Ravenswood series, I was hooked and had to backtrack to catch up on the series. I was quickly caught up in all of the steam and drama. Really, she has some serious don’t miss reading.

Talia writes smart and relatable characters who are wonderfully imperfect, which I love. I am looking forward to the release of That Kind of Guy [Ravenswood book three] tomorrow, May 2! Check out the blurb:

She wants a fake relationship. He needs something real.

If there’s one thing Rae can’t stand, it’s pity. She’s forty, frazzled, and fed up—so attending an awards ceremony alone while her ex swans about with his new wife? Not an option. To avoid total humiliation, Rae needs a date of her own. And her young, hot-as-hell new best friend is the perfect candidate…

Zach Davis, king of casual hookups, has a secret: the notorious womaniser craves emotional connection, and anonymous encounters leave him feeling hollow. After years of performance, Zach’s desperate to be himself. So why does he agree to play Rae’s fake boyfriend? And why does it feel so easy?

When the line between pretence and desire blurs, Zach’s forced to face an unexpected truth: there’s nothing phoney about his need for Rae. But the jaded divorcée’s been hurt by playboy men before. Can a weekend of faking it prove that Zach’s for real?

Talia lives in a bedroom full of books. Supposedly, there is a world beyond that room, but she has yet to drum up enough interest to investigate. She writes steamy stories of passion, love, and sarcasm, then hawks them online because she just can’t help herself.

I had a chance to interview Talia about her writing process.

Version 2 — Click here to follow Talia on Amazon

Where does writing fit in your life? Are you a writer first?

I am a writer first, but back when I started, I was studying for the final year of my degree. I would sit in lectures and seminars, taking notes on my iPad, skipping between class and the latest story I was working on. I’d take down everything on the slide, or I’d annotate the handout—and then I’d flip over to my story notes and work that until the professor changed topic. It wasn’t easy, but I studied English, so the class itself often helped my writing process!

What are some common things that get in the way of your writing, and how do you prevent it?

As a self-published author, the business side of things is constantly getting in the way of my writing. I might be writing Book A while launching and promoting Book B, planning Book C, staying on top of my budget, monitoring social media… it’s easy to get caught up in anything but writing! My latest tactic is to always put writing first: business stuff comes after I’ve hit my minimum word count for the day. Becoming a master of marketing is all well and good, but if you have nothing new to the market, you’re kind of screwed.

What are some ways you promote your books and yourself as an author?

I’m always experimenting with different ways to promote my books, from paid advertising to social media growth to fiddling with covers, blurbs, and metadata. The former tactics are great, but it’s the product itself that matters most. A killer ad means nothing if your book blurb is turning away everyone who clicks onto the page. First and foremost, I promote my books by writing the hell out of them and packaging them well.

Next, I focus on social media, which is a combo of promoting the books and me as an author. By maintaining an honest and natural ‘author brand’, I pull in online friends and followers who have similar interests to me. Those people tend to be the ones who are into my books. Because it’s very organic, I think social media done right has the best return. A hundred die-hard readers who’ve decided to connect with you are ‘worth’ more than a thousand vaguely interested ones you snagged via pay-per-click ads.

Do any of your plots reflect your real life?

Gosh, no. My real life has been a wild ride, so far. I don’t bother telling people about it, because they probably wouldn’t believe me.

Which character has given you the most trouble so far?

Honestly, none of them! I struggle with plot a lot more than characters. I mean, I love playing The Sims, and my absolute favourite part has always been creating my Sims and coaxing them into relationships. I just love dreaming up imaginary people.

What is your most productive writing habit?

Allowing myself to be bored. With phones and other distractions it’s easy to be constantly entertained; listening to podcasts while you cook, scrolling through social media while you’re stuck in a queue. But it’s when I let my mind be idle that my imagination starts wondering, and I’m hit with story inspiration or plot breakthroughs. When it comes to sitting down and typing, it helps to have a vision in mind!

Finish this sentence: “If I couldn’t write anymore, I’d…”

…dream forever.