Q&A with Carly Hillman, Author of The Refuge

The Refuge is an atmospheric literary mystery set inside of a remote wildlife refuge. 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.

Let’s get to know Carly as she talks about her writing journey, story inspirations, her TBR and more!

What are some of your favorite novels?

This is such a tough question, because I feel like it is constantly changing depending on the season, my mood, where I am… But God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy and Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte will always be on my list, for sentimental reasons: I read both in high school, and they were two of the first novels that unlocked my love of devouring and discussing books with others. More recent favorites include Wild Dark Shore by Charlotte McConaghy, Hello Beautiful by Ann Napolitano, The God of the Woods by Liz Moore, Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders, Fates and Furies by Lauren Groff, The Art of Fielding by Chad Harbach, and Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng. 

When did you know you wanted to become an author?

Strangely, my path went in reverse: it was the idea for my debut novel The Refuge that inspired me to become an author. I studied English Literature in college, and I had such reverence for authors that it felt impossible to picture that I could become one myself. I loved studying authors, but could I really be one? After I had the idea for The Refuge, I spent years (yes, years!) sitting on the idea and letting my self-doubt keep me from writing. But in those years, I spent so much time thinking about the characters and getting to know them. Eventually, I felt like I owed it to them to at least try to write them into existence. I wrote one chapter to “test the waters” then another, then another. The more I wrote, the more I loved it—and the more confidence I gathered to eventually call myself a writer.

Can you talk about making the move from late night TV to writing fiction?

I spent over a decade working at The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, where I produced the interview segments. I was lucky enough to work with so many incredible creatives: actors, authors, and musicians. A big part of my job was research, because I had to understand their career paths so that I could pre-interview them about their lives. It felt like a ten-year master class in studying people who achieved their dreams. I became obsessed with figuring out what they had in common, what secret they shared that explained their success. Ultimately, I realized that they did all share one common trait, one thing they had all done: they tried. They took the risk, no matter how unlikely or embarrassing or bold. So why couldn’t I try too? I idolized authors and I had an idea for a book. What was I waiting for? 

What inspired you to write The Refuge?

The story of the inspiration for The Refuge sounds made-up even to me, like it was created by an author to add mysteriousness to her origin story. But I promise, this is the truth: I was on a stunning hike, and the first scene of The Refuge simply… arrived. I looked out across the open fields, and suddenly, I could picture a little girl hiding in the grasses, discovered there with no discernable past. Huh, I thought. Who is she? How did she get here? I asked myself. What happens next? And then what? I had no plans to write a book, no plans to attempt to write fiction at all. But I could see it all so clearly. Luckily, I had thrown a little notebook into my tote bag before setting out, and by the end of the afternoon I had various plot points scribbled down. I found the notebook recently, and I was surprised how much of the book stayed true to that original jolt of inspiration. 

Can you detail the importance of the setting in your novel? 

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. 

What was your favorite chapter or part to write?

I could always picture exactly what the ending epilogue would look like. I knew that it would be fun to write, because I could close my eyes and feel every detail. I decided to save that scene for last, as my reward for making it to the end. When the night finally came, I poured a glass of Pinot Noir, nestled into my favorite writing chair, wrote the scene, and then closed my laptop with tears in my eyes. I couldn’t believe I had actually finished the book, that I was done writing these characters. I missed them already. Little did I know then just how lengthy the editing process would be, and that I was really just embarking on the journey. Such a naive first time author.

What are you currently reading and what’s on your TBR (to be read) list?

I just finished reading Wild Dark Shore by Charlotte McConaghy, and I’m in awe of how she built such a vivid, haunting, and wildly specific world. The rest of my TBR list is long! Someday I will tackle Lonesome Dove, but with its daunting page count I keep waiting for the “right time.” Eventually, I will just start before I feel ready. Otherwise, my TBR list is constantly growing thanks to my best friend Ali Jaffe Ramis and her fabulous substack On My Shelf, where she sends the best book recommendations.