Interview with Hilary Grossman

Please welcome the lovely Hilary Grossman to my blog today. She’s sharing a little about her latest book, what inspires her, and an amazing cookie recipe. I know we all love cookies! 

Enjoy.

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I believe you recently moved? What prompted such a big life change?

Yes, we moved last June.  It was a very difficult decision, especially since moving meant we had to leave the beach. But there were many reasons why we chose to make the change and everything fell into place. We sold our house to an amazing couple that since became dear friends. You can go home again and we do at least once a month to visit them. My commute to work is now twenty minutes each way versus an hour and twenty minutes. My husband was able to accomplish his dream of renovating and rebuilding a house. And while I will always miss living on the beach it is so much fun to live in a town that has a ton of stores, restaurants, and movie theaters.  Where we used to live everything was at least twenty minutes away.

I have to ask if you still have a killer closet like the one you shared on your blog? That was the ultimate closet! Please tell me you’ve replicated it at your new house. 

My old closet was amazing – it was so hard leaving it behind. I wish I could say I replicated it, but the layout of the house didn’t allow for it. But we made up for it. Instead of a killer closet I now have a killer pantry, and I have to say I enjoy it even more than my old clothes closet.

When did you know you wanted to be an author? Was there someone or something in particular that influenced your decision?

From as far back as I can remember I was an avid reader who dreamt about writing my own book.  I had a box full of sticky notes with ideas.  When I was around twenty I started to write my first novel, a mafia story. I made it to about eighty pages and stopped, never picking it up again.  Ten years or so later, I read Bitter is the New Black by Jen Lancaster which motivated me to stop dreaming and start writing. I began my blog days after finishing the book and started writing Dangled Carat about six months later.

By day you’re a successful CFO in the booze business and by night you’re a best selling author with your third book coming out April 10th. How do you balance those two very different endeavors?  

It’s not easy… But I love to write so I make the time. Writing is my happy place. It calms me down and helps me forget about the stress of the day job (most days).

Do you ever want to just call in sick, stay home and write, because your characters are demanding to be written?

YES!! I often feel that way but I have never done it. But there is a first time for everything…

Inspiration….where’s it come from? Do your characters just spring up, fully fleshed out one day, or do you craft them based on the type of story you’d like to tell?

My characters just spring up and they always shock me along the way. For Plan Bea, I was inspired to tell a story about how a second chance romance can change a person after watching how happy and full of life a neighbor of mine became after he remarried soon after his wife’s death. I never intended to write Plan Cee, but as I neared the end of Plan Bea, the characters took over. Before I new it, a mystery man, from Cecelia’s past appeared and I knew her story had to be told.

What types of stories are you compelled to tell and why?

I love to write stories about self-discovery and understanding why others act the way they do. I have always been very interested in psychology and am fascinated by how life’s events shape us.

You and I, like so many others, were affected when our publisher, Booktrope, closed in May, 2016. Since then you’ve independently published your work. I’m wondering if that’s changed how you view your work or where you’d like to go with it.

That was a fun time, wasn’t it? I remember reading the email from Booktrope as I stood in the driveway of the new house, which was still a construction zone. We still had so much work to do with the house to make it habitable by the time we had to move in June. Between the move, the full-time job, and the renovations I was already at my breaking point. I thought having to deal with republishing the books was going to push me over the edge, but I was determined not to let their closing shatter my dreams of being a published author. I managed to get both my books republished the day I regained my rights back.

In some ways I am happier being self-published again, having control of my work. When I first signed with Booktrope I was very satisfied. But by the time Plan Bea was published I started to notice changes in the company. I wasn’t surprised they ended up closing. I would love to once again work with a publisher, but only if they are the right one…

On a totally different subject, chunks of Godiva chocolate in your chocolate chip cookies? Do you deliver and will you share your recipe with my readers? We love cookies.

One of the vendors my office does a lot of work with gives me five pounds of Godiva every holiday season.  I tried putting some into the cookies and it was amazing.  Each cookie had a different flavor…

Here is my basic recipe – add as much extra candy (any kind you like) to it… Also I mix almond flour with regular to keep the carbs down which is why I have funky measurements. I also try to keep the sugar down because I add extra chocolate. So everything is 1/8 of a cup increments…

Preheat oven to 325

Mix 4/8 cups of regular flour, 5/8 cups of almond flour, ½ teaspoon baking soda and pinch of salt in bowl.

In another bowl mix 1 stick softened butter with 3/8 cups of brown sugar, 3/8 regular sugar (I use sugar in the raw) ½ teaspoon vanilla extract. When creamy add 1 egg. Mix well. Slowly add flour mixture. Add 2 cups chocolate chips, candy piece and nuts if you like (I use chopped macadamia nuts).

Bake for 20 minutes.