Wings of Hope: An interview with Hillary Peak

Today I'm talking with Hillary Peak about her tale of a daughter, a father, and an eventful life, WINGS OF HOPE.

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1) Tell us about your book.
It is a story of hope, written during the loss of a parent. Jules moves across the country when she learns her father is dying. Since her parents were divorced, she hasn't spent as much time with her father. During the time they have left together, she learns about her dad's life, and he works to give her life lessons that will carry her through adulthood.

2) What inspired this book?

My father had a fascinating life. He'd always talked about writing a memoir, but passed away before he ever got around to it. When I was pregnant, I wanted to have all his stories to share with my child. I started writing them down, and the result was this novel.

3) How much was this book influenced by your relationship with your own father (if at all)?
Just a little. My parents were married, so I had him around all the time. However, my father and I shared being ambitious. He never talked to me about it, but when he was gone, my mother told me about how much he saw himself in me. I used the book as a mechanism to explore that.

4) You cover a lot of ground in this book as it effectively covers the entire life of a man through the bulk of the 20th century. That said, what's the fundamental theme running through the book?
Hope. My goal is for the reader to walk away inspired to try to do the thing they've always desired to do the most.

5) How much research did you have to do for all these various historical memories?

Not much, the stories were my father's own true stories.

6) Thematic darkness and discontent seem to define much of modern literature these days. Books focusing on the positive and hopeful are often even dismissed as "old-fashioned." Even young adult and middle-grade literature is increasingly defined by dark plot and concerns, with people saying its important that people face the "reality" of existence. What are your thoughts on darkness in fiction and whether or not that reflects the reality of existence?

Reality can be dark. We all have times where life is bleak. I read a lot of young adult literature. It seems sad to me that we focus on the darkness in life rather than the light. I think that the reality of existence is what we see. We can choose to see the worst in people and in life or we can choose to see what is good, what is hopeful. There's always going to be sadness and hardship, but there's always happiness, joy and love as well.

7) Can you tell us about any of your other projects?

I am working on a legal thriller called JUSTICE SCORNED, a legal thriller with twists and turns including a secret natural nuclear reactor, a Department of Energy Special Response Team and a murder that is far more than it appears. “Today, I received a black world.” Randall Taylor tells his mentor as he pulled the tiny globe out of his pocket. It is black on black, with the oceans matte and the landmasses glossy. Randall’s certain he is going to receive all the money and power he seeks, but long sought after revenge puts him in prison instead.

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Thanks, Hillary.

If you'd like to see more from Hillary, you can check out earlier stops in her blog tour.

You can also find her at her blog, www.hillaryepeak.com.

WINGS OF HOPE can be purchased at Amazon and Smashwords.