Interview With Author Hilary Collins
Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
“A Charge to Keep” is my first book. I’ve been writing devotional type articles for about two years. An online publication, onepeterfive.com, gave me my first start publishing my articles. After wanting to expand beyond that venue, I started publishing the devotional articles from Substack.com (with the same title as the book). Friends urged me to convert the articles into a book, and here we are today with “A Charge to Keep”!
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
As I pondered a name for my Substack publication, I flipped through a hymn devotional. “A Charge to Keep I Have,” by Charles Wesley, jumped off the page. It reminded me of a passage in Psalm 145: “One generation shall commend God’s works to another.” Using the same name for my book seemed a perfect next step.
The hymn and the Bible verse serve as guides as I write about Christian heroes who demonstrated faithful fortitude. Their stories encourage us along life’s journey as we strive to “be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power.”
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Yes! But, other writers will probably identify with these habits. I tend to write late at night and sometimes into the wee hours of the morning. It’s when I can get the most interrupted time, and I actually look forward to these late night sessions writing!
What authors, or books have influenced you?
Billy Graham and Pope John Paul II. Though one was Protestant and the other Catholic, their wisdom is timeless and practical. I always learn from their writing.
What are you working on now?
For the past months, I’ve taken a pause from writing devotional articles. But, now that the book is published, I need to get back to the devotional articles. My hope is to write enough articles to generate a second book in about a year.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I really appreciate being able to use Substack.com as a website or place to house my devotional articles. As I promote my book, I try to also point people back to https://achargetokeep.substack.com. The platform also gives me the ability to provide free material (mostly found in my book), so I can leverage both the book and my Substack newsletter.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Ask lots of questions of other self-publishers, especially what worked and/or didn’t work!!
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Use Atticus to professionalize my book. The recommendation occurred in a quick conversation with another self-publisher, and it was excellent advice.
What are you reading now?
Oh my goodness, I need to be reading more 🙂
What’s next for you as a writer?
Get back to a rhythm of writing devotional articles for my Substack platform, “A Charge to Keep.”
If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
This is a fun question! I’d bring my Bible and Jane Austen’s “Pride and Prejudice”!
Author Websites and Profiles
Hilary Collins’s Social Media Links