Where did you grow up?
I grew up in the suburbs of Philadelphia. About 20 minutes outside of the City of Brotherly Love. A little off topic, but I thought you’d be interested to know that V.C. Andrews was the first author that I ever read. I devoured her work.
What made you go into writing?
As a teenager, I was always a storyteller. I’d scare my friends with the things I made up. At 21 I was living in San Diego and met a woman who loved the way I told stories. She said, “Paige, you can either sell cars or be a writer.” I wasn’t sure whether I should be flattered or insulted. So I just giggled and went for the writing gig.
Are your books based on true stories?
The beginning of my debut novel, Believe Like A Child, is based on truth, but the majority of the story is fiction. Here’s the thing, being abused as a child, I would always imagine that other kids were worse off than me. It was how I was able to cope with my circumstances. I like to base my novels on a child that has to overcome some type of adversity and how that experience shapes their life. I believe that young victims need a voice. My hope is that awareness through fiction will create prevention. In addition, I want to entertain my readers and bring out raw emotion.
Your books have a lot of detailed information was it intended that way?
Yes, I intentionally write in a detailed manner. I think there is a balance of leaving some of the story to the reader’s imagination and seeing the story through the eyes of the protagonist. I am explicit and graphic so that the reader becomes one with the characters in my stories. There’s a fine balance between good and evil, if I can make you feel that balance, and not just read about it, then I’ve done my job.
Did you write When Smiles Fade with the intent of having Emma be a killer or did it evolve as you were writing?
I just love Emma. She emerged from her rough childhood as a fighter and was determined not to remain a victim. I will say for all of my stories I always know the beginning and the end before I start writing. Sometimes the ending might vary a little from my original thought. With Emma, I knew exactly what she would become…after all, she lived, breathed and ate violence. Makes you wonder if Mrs. Tisdale had stuck around longer if things would have been different for Emma and Grace…nah, that couldn’t happen, not in one of my novels.
