What is the title of your latest release?
THE REFUGE
What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book?
It seems like any normal day on The Amarant, a luxury hotel in Montana where the rich pay to commune with nature. But when an abandoned child is discovered on the grounds, the staff quickly learn how far some locals will go to keep the truth about the girl’s past buried…
How did you decide where your book was going to take place?
THE REFUGE is set in paradise. That was where I started, before toying around with where exactly to place that paradise. And ultimately, for me, paradise looked like Montana, just north of Yellowstone. I wanted it to feel lush and green and pulsing with animal life. I wanted the people to love the land and feel like keepers of it, rather than owners. I think that in America, that idea of stewardship grows more and more the closer you get to the National Parks, where people see themselves as protectors, guardians, or lucky beneficiaries of this world.
Would you hang out with your heroine in real life?
Yes! It feels like I have already spent years “hanging out” with her while writing her into existence. I would insist on getting a tour of the refuge, and then we would have a long dinner at the hotel restaurant where I would ask nosy questions about all the other staff members.
What are three words that describe your hero?
Curious, loving, and sheltered.
What’s something you learned while writing this book?
I learned so much while working on this book: about writing and about myself. But because the book is set near Yellowstone, I also learned a lot about the local wildlife there. One of my favorite facts was that bison bathe themselves in dust. It’s called “wallowing,” basically rolling in dirt and sand in mud. Their rolling creates depressions in the earth that then collect rainwater and run-off and become plant habitats of their own. Beautiful, right?
Do you edit as you draft or wait until you are totally done?
I edit a little bit as I draft, edit more after I am done with a draft, and then edit that “final draft” even more after I think I’m totally done. The most surprising part of publishing a book was realizing just how much editing goes into the process. Even as I hold the finished copy in my hand, I think I’ll be taking a pen to it, out of habit.
What’s your favorite foodie indulgence?
There is a tahini flavored milkshake from a restaurant called Goldie in Philadelphia that I think about too often. You would think that your milkshakes and your hummus shouldn’t share ingredients in common, and yet, it is perfect.
Describe your writing space/office!
My “office” is the couch in my living room. Specifically, the crevice between two worn couch cushions where I can really settle in—unless my cat Sponge has already claimed that spot for the afternoon. Once he’s settled, he’s not to be disturbed.
Who is an author you admire?
The list is long and always growing. Most recently, I read Lauren Groff’s short story collection Brawler and was absolutely stunned by her ability to draw you completely into a brand-new world within just one, two, or three pages.
Is there a book that changed your life?
Many books have changed me, inspired me, and challenged me. But JANE EYRE by Charlotte Bronte quite literally pushed my life into a different direction. I read it in a high school English class and it was the first book that unlocked my love of devouring and discussing books with others. I feel like I can trace a line from reading JANE EYRE to becoming an English major in college, which led to me getting a job at The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, which then led me to becoming an author. So—thank you Charlotte Bronte.
Tell us about when you got “the call.” (when you found out your book was going to be published). Or, for indie authors, when you decided to self-publish.
I swear this is true: I was in the hospital giving birth to my first baby when I found out THE REFUGE was going to sell. It was the only possible day where my dream coming true of selling the book was only the second most exciting thing to happen that day. I spent the first few weeks of my daughter’s life editing the novel’s outline, often in the middle of the night, because I was so eager to please my new publisher and did not want to fall behind on deadlines.
What’s your favorite genre to read?
This sounds like a dodge, but I love all genres, and I especially love books that defy or combine genres.
What’s your favorite movie?
Watching Fleabag season 2 in one sitting should count as a movie, and if it did, that would be my answer. Otherwise: Thelma & Louise, Almost Famous, or Toy Story 3.
What is your favorite season?
I always think my favorite season is summer, until I’m sweating profusely and I remember how much I loved the spring.
How do you like to celebrate your birthday?
Do you remember the tahini milkshake I mentioned? A birthday picnic in the park with a tahini milkshake, while my husband is the one in charge of chasing my daughter and making sure she’s not getting into trouble.
What’s a recent tv show/movie/book/podcast you highly recommend?
I recently read and loved WILD DARK SHORE by Charlotte McConaghy, a twisty and enthralling story about a family living on a remote island off Antarctica. I couldn’t put it down. For podcasts, I keep up on all my pop culture news with “Keep It” from Crooked Media—I worked in late-night television for a decade, and “Keep It” helps my withdrawal from no longer being surrounded by pop culture fanatics all day.
What’s your favorite type of cuisine?
Thai food. And have I mentioned that tahini milkshake?
What do you do when you have free time?
Write! Free time doesn’t exist for authors, because there’s always more writing to get done. Thank goodness I love it.
What can readers expect from you next?
More novels! Stay tuned… And follow along on Instagram.
THE REFUGE by Cathy Hillman
Suspense | Women’s Fiction Psychological [ Crooked Lane Books, On Sale: September 8, 2026, e-Book, / ]
Ava loves the wildlife refuge where she grew up, but the long-buried secrets she discovers there threaten to destroy her family—and the paradise they call home.
But is it really paradise if you’re trapped inside?
When wildlife ranger Johnny Hayward discovers a terrified young girl hiding in the grasses, he joins the tight-knit staff in trying to solve the mystery of how the girl, Maeve, came to their land. But when the police arrive, she tells them that Johnny is her father. He goes along with the lie, a split-second decision that entangles them both in a lifelong cover-up.
Decades later, Maeve’s daughter, Ava, grows up believing that same lie. Ava’s love for the Refuge, where she lives in the staff cabins with her mother and is training to be a tour ranger, prevents her from dwelling on the fact that her mother never leaves the grounds—and won’t explain why. But after starting to date a local boy, Ava begins to question her sheltered upbringing, shocked to discover that life outside their fences is not the nightmare her mother always taught her to fear. She is obsessed with answering one question: What is her mother so afraid of?
Angry that her mother and Johnny won’t give her answers, Ava follows a string of clues to investigate the disturbing events that led to Maeve’s arrival all those years ago, unearthing secrets that some will do anything to keep buried.
Buy THE REFUGE: Kindle | Amazon CA | Amazon UK | Amazon DE | Amazon FR
About Cathy Hillman
Carly Hillman is a writer and Peabody Award–winning television producer. She worked at The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, where she produced the interviews, for ten years. She earned a degree in English from Harvard University, graduating with honors. Carly now lives in Philadelphia with her husband, their daughter, and their cat named Sponge.
No Comments
Comments are closed.