Hello, everyone, my name is Eli and welcome the hell back to my blog. Today I'll be speaking to author Lisa Hilton, or you might know her as L.S. Hilton. Yep the lady responsible for bringing back another erotic boom with her hit novel Maestra.
1. What prompted you to start writing?
I’ve always written, ever since I was a child, and I began on history as a preparation for novels. Books are hugely important in my life, and in Maestra and Domina, I wanted to try to communicate some of the transportive joy they have always given me.
2. Why did you only write historical non-fiction?
As I say, history is a great preparation for novels, in terms of research and narrative organization. I also enjoyed the chance to re-interpret the lives of well-known figures such as Elizabeth I.
3. Why do you think your agent asked you to write something erotic?
It was around the time of the “Fifty Shades” boom- so very much jumping on the bandwagon! But she hated what I did, so it was put in a drawer until it became the beginnings of Maestra.
4. When Maestra's first draft was finished was it close to what we have today on our bookshelves?
Pretty much identical, though the American edition is quite heavily censored.
5.Did you know you that it would become a series?
I had a longer story in mind, maybe two books, but publishers like trilogies, so the second volume has been effectively cut in half. I know how it ends though.
6. I really identified with Judith. I've been abused in the past and have been 'the underdog', why do you think people have strong opinions of Judith unlike other heroines in 'Female-Killer' stories such as 'I Spit On Your Grave’?
I’m sorry to hear that you have suffered such a terrible experience. I think Judith is quite a divisive character- her lack of affect can make her seem cold and many readers object to that. But she is not an Everywoman, she is an individual, and I hope that readers will root for her despite her flaws.
(NOTE FROM ELI: If you root for Jennifer Hills and not for Judith, you're crazy!)
7. Did you ever imagine that Maestra would achieve the success it has today?
Never! I was just happy to finally find a publisher who was prepared to take a chance on it.
8. What do you think you'll be writing after the third novel of the series is completed?
I’d love to go back to history, and there’s another novel I’m dying to write, something a bit Gothic...
Lisa Hilton grew up in the north of England and read English at New College, Oxford, after which she studied History of Art in Florence and Paris.
Lisa has lived in New York, Paris and Milan, and now in London. She is the author of five historical biographies and three novels, and as L.S. Hilton, psychological thrillers Maestra and Domina. She is also the librettist of opera Love Hurts, and works as a regular feature writer and reviewer, journalist, lecturer, broadcaster.
INTERVIEW
1. What prompted you to start writing?
I’ve always written, ever since I was a child, and I began on history as a preparation for novels. Books are hugely important in my life, and in Maestra and Domina, I wanted to try to communicate some of the transportive joy they have always given me.
2. Why did you only write historical non-fiction?
As I say, history is a great preparation for novels, in terms of research and narrative organization. I also enjoyed the chance to re-interpret the lives of well-known figures such as Elizabeth I.
3. Why do you think your agent asked you to write something erotic?
It was around the time of the “Fifty Shades” boom- so very much jumping on the bandwagon! But she hated what I did, so it was put in a drawer until it became the beginnings of Maestra.
4. When Maestra's first draft was finished was it close to what we have today on our bookshelves?
Pretty much identical, though the American edition is quite heavily censored.
5.Did you know you that it would become a series?
I had a longer story in mind, maybe two books, but publishers like trilogies, so the second volume has been effectively cut in half. I know how it ends though.
6. I really identified with Judith. I've been abused in the past and have been 'the underdog', why do you think people have strong opinions of Judith unlike other heroines in 'Female-Killer' stories such as 'I Spit On Your Grave’?
I’m sorry to hear that you have suffered such a terrible experience. I think Judith is quite a divisive character- her lack of affect can make her seem cold and many readers object to that. But she is not an Everywoman, she is an individual, and I hope that readers will root for her despite her flaws.
(NOTE FROM ELI: If you root for Jennifer Hills and not for Judith, you're crazy!)
7. Did you ever imagine that Maestra would achieve the success it has today?
Never! I was just happy to finally find a publisher who was prepared to take a chance on it.
8. What do you think you'll be writing after the third novel of the series is completed?
I’d love to go back to history, and there’s another novel I’m dying to write, something a bit Gothic...
REVIEW
When I finished reading Maestra I wanted to purchase book 2. Since the UK Version came out first I purchased it via Amazon.co.uk. I even had to make a new account so I could purchase a UK eBook.
There has been a comparison between 'Maestra' and 'Fifty Shades'. People when are you going to realize that L.S. Hilton's writing style is brilliant. If you compared it to Fifty Shades it would make Hilton seem like Shakespear's Hamlet. THIS ISN'T CHICKLIT. IT'S MORE MEN AND WOMEN... BUT THERE IS SEX.
I don't want to give too much away. Judith is living a lavish lifestyle under the name of Elizabeth to which her money worries are a thing of the past. But sometimes it's too good to be true as her glam lifestyle won't last. The British girl finds herself in danger when her past comes back to haunt her. Ditching her alias she faces her past where we discover the tangled mess of lies, deceit, and betrayal.
As I said before the writing style is perfect. I did enjoy the story of this novel but it wasn't as strong as Maestra. Maybe it's because this novel was intended to be longer and instead split. Judith now has the life that anyone would have. I mean if you were a girl from Liverpool you'd do exactly what she's doing.
The novel seemed realistic as well because of those designer brands that are used in this novel. I know some people say that they don't like it, but lets you do a better job. The locations such as Venice came to life. I had once been there for a day and I wish I could go again. Thank god that I read this book because it felt like I was there.
Sex? That's what most of us want. SPOILER! Well, the first few pages detail a sex scene and then ends with murder. Hilton doesn't hold back on anything. I knew going into this that I was going to come across graphic sex but this was just - wow! Think of it as Anne Rice's Sleeping Beauty meets The Matrix sex. I will admit though, in certain scenes I felt as if they were a tad forced.
Violence? Okay, we all think that sex and violence is torture porn, but guess what not all the time. When the movie comes out I think that there might be a lable saying it's torture porn because of the sex and violence. Fir, t that's not the case and second if it is, who cares. The violence is there and can get graphic but it embraces women. Like I said in my upcoming novel (which is an erotic thriller inspired by Maestra)
"Women are warriors. They can do anything men can do, even in high heels."
I also loved the fact that this book contained flashback that involved Judith and her life with her mother. Emotions flew out of the pages as they were arguably the best scenes in the book. I shook to death and my eyes almost bled to death.
What I hated so much was the cliffhanger! Please to all of the authors reading this, stop using CLIFFHANGERS!!! I'm dying to read book no. 3.
Overall I enjoyed it a lot.
4.5/5
If you want to read it early I suggest purchasing it on Amazon.co.uk. The US Version of Domina is coming out in a few months and I bet it's censored too.
Click here for more info for the novel.
Okay, that was the interview. Lisa responded so fast, it was amazing!
To check out my books (one of them free) click here.
Also, you can expect and interview from New York Times Bestselling Author Eve Langlais and hopefully from New York Times Bestselling Author Kat Shehata.
P.S. I'm giving free eBook ARC copies of my novel (Inspired by Maestra) that was praised by USA Today bestselling author Kelly Anne Blount. If you're interested, please contact me directly at eliblogger@Outlook.com
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