Donna Hill : I wrote my first novel in 1990 . I actually started out writing short stories for the Confession magazines back in the late eighties . Then I moved to short stories .
NK : So from short stories , then to romance . You were one of the first authors picked up for Arabesque / BET books . What was the best thing you learned from being under their umbrella ?
Donna Hill : Well , first and foremost that Black folks read books and were eager to see themselves on the covers and the pages . I realized that there were so many other authors like me that only needed an outlet for our stories . You have to remember that when I started the AA romance didn ’ t really exist as it does now . It was uncharted territory .
LaToya Hopkins-Kimbrough : Yes ! My older sister , Lawanda , used to read Donna Hill ’ s paperbacks when I was a teenager . I was so happy to read books with characters that looked and sounded like me . I grew up reading my mother ’ s Jackie Collins , Danielle Steel , and VC Andrews . Your books , along with other Arabesque books , were like a whole new world for me .
Lawanda Metcalfe : I remember being a member of Arabesque book club where they send you 4 books a month by black authors . I loved them so much I would not read anything else .
NK : After focusing so long on Black Romance , was it your intent to appeal to a wider audience when writing this novel , or it was just a benefit of showcasing a multi-ethnic character base ?
Donna Hill : I don ’ t think I really thought about it as trying to cross over , but more about writing what I wanted to write at the time . That was the impetus for me .
NK : Did you intend for Wicked Ways to be part of the deal , or did that come after you saw the awesome reception to Getting hers ?