Love Is Everything
By Elsie Hillman-Gordon
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Interview:
Crystal: I am so honored to host Elsie Hillman-Gordon today. Welcome Elsie!! Would you share a little bit about yourself with us today?
Elsie: Love Is Everything is my first fiction novella. I was thrilled when it won the Gold/1st Place Award for Best Short Story in The Feathered Quill Book Awards Program.
Love Is Everything is an inspirational romance about a woman struggling to find joy in life and doubting her faith in God after losing her parents in a tragic accident. But after reluctantly accepting a blind date with a handsome widower with a strong faith, she embraces anew her relationship with God and the power of love.
The original concept for my story had only a light theme of grief, but I emphasized it more after my mother passed away. Feeling emotional, I wrote a stronger storyline on grief to not only help me externalize my grief but to help others understand their own emotions, after losing loved ones. Several readers have told me that before reading my book, they had never heard of the five stages of grief. So, for them, the story was both enlightening and uplifting.
Many of my friends are asking for a sequel to Love Is Everything—they’re not ready to let go of the characters. And honestly, I’m not either. So, I’m mapping out ideas for a sequel, as well as a non-fiction, inspirational book.
I welcome readers to my website to find out more about me: elsiehillmangordon.com
Crystal: Do you have a favorite scene you would like to share with us?
Elsie: I have many favorite scenes so picking only one is hard. But if I must, I’ll go with Chapter 4 because it’s the chapter in which my two main characters, Vanessa and Elliott, finally meet each other on a blind date.
Crystal: Where did you come up with the idea for Love Is Everything?
Elsie: There’s a great quote by Toni Morrison that I love and it goes like this: “If there’s a book you want to read, but it has not been written, then you must write it.” So, I decided to write a realistic and compelling story; a book with strong, inspirational characters with sound values that I would be proud to share with others.
Crystal: What are you currently working on?
Elsie: Many readers are asking for a sequel to Love Is Everything—they’re not ready to let go of the characters. And honestly, I’m not either. So, I’m mapping out ideas for a sequel, and also ideas for a non-fictional inspirational book.
Crystal: Do you have any special routine that you follow when you are writing?
Elsie: No, I can’t say that I have a special routine. I really don’t like to force creative writing so I prefer waiting until I feel a rush of story ideas and then hurry to get them down on paper. I discovered that I do my best writing on weekends during the evening hours.
Crystal: Did you have to do a lot of research this book or any other?
Elsie: No, I didn’t do a great deal of research for this story, but I did read about the stages of grief because I wanted to accurately explain them in my story.
Crystal: Who are some of your favorite authors that you like to read?
Elsie: I have too many favorites to list, but I’ll name a few: Richard Wright, Toni Morrison, Stephen King, Terry McMillan, John Grisham, Pearl Cleage, Alexander McCall Smith, Bebe Moore Campbell, and Tayari Jones.
Crystal: Is there a genre you haven't written that you would like to try?
Elsie: I’d like to try suspense and mystery.
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About The Book:
Do you like to read inspirational fiction? Do you believe that people who have loved and lost can find true love again, that a hurting heart can heal, and that God’s love will see you through difficult times? If so, you’ll enjoy reading Love Is Everything.It’s the story of thirty-five year old Vanessa Dennison—a woman struggling to find joy in life and doubting her faith in God after losing her parents in a tragic accident. But after reluctantly accepting a blind date with Elliott Reeves, a handsome widower with a strong faith and young daughter, she embraces anew her relationship with God and the power of love.
Sweet and emotional, this tale of rediscovering love, faith, and hope is sure to touch your heart. It’s a must read for anyone who’s ever loved and lost, especially those still reluctant to take a chance on love.
Genre: Fiction, Inspirational, Christian, Romance
Book Release Date: May 30, 2014
Paperback: 106 pages
ISBN-10: 1496112458
ISBN-13: 978-1496112453
About The Author:
Award-winning author Elsie Hillman-Gordon published her first fiction novella, Love Is Everything, in May 2014. Her book received the Gold/1st Place award for *Best Short Story* in the 2015 Feathered Quill Book Awards Program.Elsie lives in Washington, DC with her husband. She holds a BA in English and executive graduate certificates in editorial practices and marketing. She has worked for several media organizations, including NPR. In her free time, she stays busy supporting community outreach projects sponsored through her sorority, church, and non-profit organizations.
Elsie’s passion is creative writing, but she also enjoys live theater, movies, reading, and long walks on autumn days. She believes in random acts of kindness and encouraging people to reach for their dreams.
Social Links:
Website: http://elsiehillmangordon.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ElsieRenae
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Congrats on the award and on your first fiction novella! Thanks for sharing your interview answers!
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