Who is D’Marco Hill?

D’MARCO HILL (pen name), 41 and living in Los Angeles, California, He enjoys sports (Lakers, Raiders, boxing), reading, art, and the beach life. An entrepreneur in business writing services and import/export, he also works part-time as a real estate loan officer and buyer’s agent.

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WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO WRITE (EROTIC) ROMANCE?

I think it pretty much chose me. I have written different types of writing from sports to business, but erotic romance was simply a genre that inspired me to complete stories. And that was important for me particularly early on; to finish my projects so that they were not eventually abandoned leaving me once again frustrated. So it appears I am very motivated when I write about the various sensual and sexual interactions between men and women who are in love…I think I’m stuck with the genre!

WHAT SHOULD READERS KNOW ABOUT THE TYPES OF STORIES YOU WRITE?

That it’s not going to be just straight in your face sex. I really try for there to be a smart story first and foremost, an interesting story with a strong plot and memorable characters. My goal is to have the reader so invested into the characters and the storyline that the sex scenes hopefully come off even hotter and more stimulating making for a better read.

ON THAT NOTE, ARE YOU AN EROTIC ROMANCE WRITER OR ROMANCE WRITER?

Well, I’m still a very new writer to any of these genres, but I’m guessing I am an erotic romance author. For now I’m just letting my stories categorize itself. As I get closer to being published, I suppose that will all be more clear. I will say what I have written so far certainly would not go into the traditional romance section in bookstores because of the explicit language, although eventually I plan to write traditional romance as well. — I know that I tend to like for there to be a definite romantic element to my stories, meaning real love is involved between the characters while still presenting the explicit sex that can result within these types of relationships. So, hopefully the reader gets the best of both worlds.

WHAT ARE YOUR HEROES AND HEROINES LIKE?

Well my hero is always going to be a black man as that is the point of view I’m most comfortable writing in. My challenge is to have him quite different from story to story in character and background. However, I do prefer him to always be intelligent regardless of his flaws, and sensitive regardless of his strong, physical presence. As for my heroines, I tend to like them extreme, whether that is clearly to the right or left of my hero, she must be intense and passionate regardless of the predicaments her boldness puts her in. Now keep in mind, I’m talking generalities, so who knows what I will create tomorrow. I reserve the right to flip it from time to time. [UPDATE: See, I told you. I just finished editing a story where I’m writing from the P.O.V. of young white woman from the south.]

HOW CLOSE ARE YOU TO BEING LIKE YOUR MALE CHARACTERS?

Readers should know that I am NOT my characters. Who they are on paper is not code for who I am or what I’m necessarily into. Plus, I am not as cool, suave, and chiseled as the leading men in my stories. (Although, I cook well…does that count?). But sure, certainly there are some descriptive elements of my stories where I pull from personal experiences or desires but mainly it’s instinctive and hopefully just good writing. Believe me, my personal life is mostly sitting in front of my laptop writing in shorts and a t-shirt usually in need of a shave…not too sexy. I’m pretty “guy-standard” and I suppose even a little old-fashioned in that I enjoy and prefer monogamy, so it is very unlikely you’ll see me at the next swinger’s convention!

WHERE DO YOU GET YOUR IDEAS?

Everywhere. I get them from songs, poems, pictures, the news, my own imagination. Wherever the first seed of an idea comes from, the growth of that idea will almost always come from a series of “what if…” questions where I raise the stakes of the character’s predicament.

WHAT DO YOU LIKE MOST ABOUT BEING A WRITER?

The freedom of creativity. Creating something out of nothing. To begin with that blank laptop screen and methodically build a world of my own imagination. Creating and naming characters that come to life in a world where I control the action. It’s quite powerful actually. Hopefully, that doesn’t make me sound a like a mad scientist!

YOUR FIRST BOOK, “BEYOND CURIOUS” IS AN INTERRACIAL STORY, ARE THERE GOING TO BE ANY STORIES OF BLACK EROTICA AVAILABLE FROM YOU?

Absolutely. My very first story of erotic fiction had to with an interracial relationship I wrote six years ago. So when I got back into writing I happen to use that story as the first of seven short stories staying within the interracial theme. Naturally all of the marketing and sampling for that book has been geared towards readers who are more in tuned with that subject matter. But yes, I am itching to write about black on black love. I have some juicy ideas floating around in my head…Stay tuned!

IS D’MARCO HILL YOUR REAL NAME?

Nope. I am still very much involved in creating mainstream writing projects so I simply wanted to be able to separate the two forms of writing more than it being a privacy thing.

WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN YOU’RE NOT WRITING?

Spending precious time with my lovely girlfriend and best friend, watching CNN or ESPN, playing sports, traveling – I love Googling where I’d like to travel next, reading.

IS GETTING READER FEEDBACK SOMETHING THAT IS IMPORTANT TO YOU?

Oh sure! Whether it is complimentary or criticism, it is something I crave. That’s one of the reasons I have done so much early marketing for my first book; to get inspired by readers who are genuinely interested in my stories and characters. Yes, the emails are incredibly motivating for me, so keep them coming!

CONTACT:

dmarco.hill@yahoo.com

myspace.com/whoisdmarcohill