We are happy to have Alexis Goring with us today talking about her novel Love in Pictures. For more information, please click on the cover, the link, or read on!
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cover blurb for Love in Pictures
(book) by Alexis A. Goring:
Wedding
photographer Michelle Hadley has a passion for diversity and believes that love
comes in all colors. So, she’s working hard to convince editors to feature her
clients’ images on the covers of the mainstream bridal and wedding magazines.
Despite having a career that focuses on celebrating forever love, Michelle has never actually been in a romantic relationship, and she’s not looking for love, until she meets the one man she cannot forget.
Since his fiancée broke his heart, Logan Emerson’s focus has been on his career. He’s won awards for his work as a print journalist and dreams of greater success on television as a broadcast journalist. But his personal struggle presents many challenges that might prevent his dreams from coming true.
Michelle doesn’t date often, and since his heartbreak, Logan has shied away from the dating scene. But something about Michelle awakens Logan’s desire to love again.
Despite having a career that focuses on celebrating forever love, Michelle has never actually been in a romantic relationship, and she’s not looking for love, until she meets the one man she cannot forget.
Since his fiancée broke his heart, Logan Emerson’s focus has been on his career. He’s won awards for his work as a print journalist and dreams of greater success on television as a broadcast journalist. But his personal struggle presents many challenges that might prevent his dreams from coming true.
Michelle doesn’t date often, and since his heartbreak, Logan has shied away from the dating scene. But something about Michelle awakens Logan’s desire to love again.
The first page of the book:
Chapter
1
Michelle
Hadley stared at the Lightroom editing screen on her computer and studied the
newlywed couple she’d captured in the photo.
The bride held a beautiful bouquet of soft blue and
pastel pink hydrangeas near her waist, while the handsome groom with skin the
color of coffee stood close behind her, holding her in a loving embrace,
kissing her forehead.
Michelle sipped her favorite green tea as she sat and
worked at Marie's Mocha Café and sighed. The forehead kiss. So romantic. Meant
he loved her brains, not just her beauty.
The bride’s olive skin glowed, and her dark brown
tresses cascaded down her shoulders and rested at her waist. She peered at the
flowers she held in her manicured hands, her golden-brown eyes sparkling, a
sweet smile tugging at the corner of her lips. Everything about this picture showed
that this couple was in love and happy to say I do, not only on their wedding
day, but every day they spent together thereafter.
Ah, love. Something she might never experience.
She bit her bottom lip. Would she ever meet a great
guy and be blessed with a real-life happily ever after?
She reached for her cup and took a sip to the calming
accompaniment of the smoothie machine.
She tapped her fingers on her computer keyboard and
opened Facebook Messenger. Writing messages to her best friend, Juliana
Fernandes, who worked as a writer for Bridal
Mode Magazine, also soothed her nerves.
Michelle: Hey,
girl. What’s up?
Juliana: Michelle,
mi amiga, it’s been such a long day! Want to meet me for lunch? I could use a
little
girl talk.
Michelle: Sorry.
I’m editing photos, and I’m on deadline.
Juliana: Oh yes,
my lovely friend the wedding photographer who’s all work and no play.
Michelle: What
do you mean?
Juliana: You
never make time for fun.
Michelle: Yeah,
I do. I meet up with you, and we go shopping and for coffee.
Juliana: Yes,
and I love our time together, but girl, you need to meet a man and go out on a
date,
several dates, with
several eligible bachelors. I could find one for you. I meet plenty in my line
of
work.
Michelle: Aren’t
most of those men you interview getting married?
Juliana: Oh
yeah, that’s right. L
But they have brothers, cousins and friends! Amiga, I could totally
hook you up!
Michelle: Lol.
Thanks, but no thanks. God is my matchmaker.
Juliana: Yeah?
Well, sometimes God uses good friends like me to pull the strings.
Michelle: Sorry
to cut this short, but I need to get back to work.
Juliana: And
then you do that.
Michelle: Do
what?
Juliana: When I
get too close to the truth, you end the conversation.
Michelle: Jules,
you’re taking this way too personal.
Please
tell us five random things we might not know about you.
#1: I love Talenti Gelato that’s available in American
grocery stores but nothing tastes
better than authentic gelato that’s only
made fresh and tastes the best in the actual country of Italy!
#2: When I went to Italy with friends, we got lost and ended
up in front of a bridal shop where I instantly fell in love with the beautiful
wedding dress on display in the shop’s window!
#3: The song “Christmas Day” by Mandisa and Michael W. Smith
has a special meaning for me because it reminds me of a special someone and
Christmastime in the city!
#4: Fresh spinach leaves cooked to perfection and properly seasoned
is my favorite healthy food!
#5: Wish-Bone® Balsamic Vinaigrette Salad Dressing and
homemade honey-lemon dressing are my top two favorites in the world!
Why did you choose to
write this book?
I
chose to write this book because I love wedding photography, good food,
Journalism and Italy! So I thought that it would be a wonderful idea to write
about those passions in a story. I’m also passionate about the issues that set the
heart of the heroine in this story (Michelle) on fire: celebrating diversity, seeking
justice, keeping hope alive, sharing kindness, and capturing people’s love for
each other in pictures. Like Logan (the hero), I have dreams of being a
broadcast journalist on television and radio, so it was fun to explore that
more in this story.
What
one thing about writing do you wish non-writers would understand?
Everyone can learn how to write but not everybody is a
professional writer. It can be a tough but very rewarding profession. However,
it’s not for the faint of heart! It takes discipline and perseverance past
rejection. But if God’s called you to it, He’ll help you through it!
What
is the toughest test you've faced as a writer?
The toughest test that I’ve faced as a writer is trying to
write full-length novels that have a minimum word count of 70K words. My
stories so far, stop around the 45K mark and I haven’t yet figured out how to
stretch the story to novel-length without making it messy.
Writing a full-length novel is not a walk in the park! It
takes time, perseverance, creativity and a lot of planning and it doesn’t come
easy to all authors. My specialty thus far is writing novellas. I know that my
readers want me to write full-length novels and turn my standalone stories into
series but at this point in my career, it’s too overwhelming of a task to take
on. Hopefully, I’ll be able to do this for my readers in the future but first I
have to get over my tendency to write “precise and concise” (I’m a trained
print journalist)! Lol.
What do you hope
readers to take away from your novel?
I
hope that readers learn how important it is to treat everyone with kindness and
judge people by the content of their character,
NOT their skin color. I also hope
that my readers are inspired to never give up on dreaming about, being blessed
with and keeping true love.
What
accomplishment(s) are you most proud of, writing-related or not?
The accomplishments that I am most proud of
include but are not limited to:
#1: Knowing Jesus Christ as my Savior and
Truest Friend
#2: Earning my B.A. in Print Journalism and
my MFA in Creative Writing
#3: Working as the Morning Show Intern for
WGTS 91.9 FM
#4: Writing and publishing three books!
#5: Writing the devotionals that God places
on my heart to help people.
What
do you do for fun when not writing?
I
love eating good food at restaurants with loved ones and I enjoy watching
movies on the Hallmark Channel.
What
are you working on now?
My
first standalone nonfiction book project. But I cannot share details about it
yet.
Where else
can readers find you online?
Website: https://alexisagoring.jimdo.com
Bio: Alexis A.
Goring is a passionate writer with a degree in Print Journalism and an MFA in
Creative Writing. She loves the art of storytelling and hopes that her stories
will connect readers with the enduring, forever love of Jesus Christ.
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