BATTLE MOUNTAIN - For Molly Hill, writing her first book was easy and exciting. She said she thought up the idea suddenly and then wrote constantly.
"I couldn't stop writing," she said. "It poured out of me. I was writing everywhere."
Hill is the local author of "Jade," the first in a series of five vampire novels called "The Shadow Night." She has a busy upcoming schedule with book signings in Reno, Winnemucca and Boise in December and January. She will also be doing positive public speaking and promoting the book at schools in Battle Mountain and in Boise. She will be coordinating food drives as well.
Hill's first book signing was held Nov. 5 at the Battle Mountain Library. Hill is also scheduled to serve on a writer's panel at a Florida event next October, she said. More book signings are pending.
She said the Nov. 5 event went great as she signed more than 40 books in a two-hour period.
"It was a huge success for me to be there not only to finally let the first copies out but to see the support I had," said Hill of the book signing. "I had a couple parents call me the next day to let me know their kids couldn't put my book down and read it from start to finish. That still puts a smile on my face."
"Jade," a 285-page book, was self-published on Oct. 4 and is being sold at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Barnes and Noble Nook and Kindle. Hill has two editors and a publishing consultant. The cost is $15.95 for the paperback and $6.95 for the electronic version. Hill said the book has been selling rapidly.
She said she worked on "Jade" for two and a half years, which included edits and rewrites. The book is geared toward junior high and high school students. The second book, called "Traced," is due to be out by the end of summer 2012. Hill is aiming for the whole series to be finished by 2013 or 2014.
She described the series as vampire novels with a twist. She said it is unlike any other vampire series. She said "Jade" takes place in Lewiston, Idaho, and France.
Hill said her son, Tristan, helped her come up with several of the names of characters including Jade, the main star of the book, named after a Battle Mountain resident. She said audiences will enjoy her novels. The book is currently being reviewed by three authors.
"If they like vampire novels and a new twist to an old love then they will love this series," she said. "Vampires have been around forever. I'm really pleased with it."
For Hill, becoming a published author is a dream come true. She said she has started books in the past and expects the second book in this series, "Traced," to be even better than the first.
Hill, a self-described vampire fanatic, wrote for most of her life for her work and personal life. She studied journalism at the University of Idaho along with other subjects.
Her husband is Waylon Hill and they are the parents of Heather, 15, Tristan, 15, Carly, 12, Blake, 9, and Wyatt, 7. The family has lived in Battle Mountain for seven years.
"It's a great place to raise kids," she said. "The community is great. Everyone knows everyone and everybody is always looking out for everyone else."
The Hills have a black longhaired male Persian cat named Ramsey and a female English pointer named Raine.
Hill's hobbies include racketball, horseback riding, walking and reading vampire and romance novels. She is also a local Basque dance instructor. She is currently a homemaker and worked for five years as a local real estate agent.
A native of Boise, Hill, graduated from Boise High School in 1990. In addition to Boise and Battle Mountain, Hill has also lived in Elko.
Hill has plenty of advice to offer new authors.
"Keep an open mind to the possibilities and if you have an idea just open yourself up to it," she said. "One thought leads to another."
Hill said she is grateful to all of the people who helped her with her first book.
"While I had the initial vision, I certainly couldn't have done it alone," said Hill. "I had an amazing team behind me. My family and friends supported me, giving me strength when I doubted myself. My editors Jerry and Sharon Ahern, who are also authors of over 80 published books, who initially saw something in my storyline and taught me so much along the way, my publishing consultant and critically acclaimed book reviewer, Gary Roen, who presently advises me and is a driving force for putting my name and series out there on a national level."
[[In-content Ad]]
