LOVE OF FINISHED YEARS

Award-winning author Gregory Erich Phillips

Genre: Historical Fiction, Literary Fiction
Publisher: SillanPaceBrown
Publication Date: January 3, 2018

An Immigrant Girl's Powerful Journey of Aspiration and Love in Early Twentieth Century New York

Pre World War One, Elsa came to America with her eyes wide open, realizing it was up to her to make a life for herself. Surviving a sweat shop in lower Manhattan, a chance job with a Long Island elite family opens up her world. Invited in up to a point, she unwittingly, albeit precariously, crosses the social divide with her now open heart, which puts all she had worked for in jeopardy.

Grand Prize Winner

Chanticleer International Book Awards and Chaucer Historical Fiction Book Awards

PURCHASE LINKS

I've had the pleasure of conducting a very inspiring interview with Mr. Phillips. Here's the complete interview.

1. What was your inspiration in coming up with the plot of this story?
   
   It started with the setting. From a fascination with the events surrounding World War One, as well as the immigrant experience in New York City in the early Twentieth Century, my first inspiration was the character of Elsa. As I began to develop the character, the plot then started to come into focus. Ultimately, Elsa, along with the other two major characters in the story, sort of directed the plot themselves.
2. How long did it take you to write this book? What is the amount of research that went into writing it?
   
   The whole project, from starting the novel to published book, took over fifteen years. The initial project took about two years, then after not finding a publisher, I let the book sit for a number of years while I worked on other projects. About five years ago I did a complete rewrite, and from there was able to get a publisher and now it’s out. So it’s been a long journey.
   
   Regarding the research, looking back it was extensive, but I didn’t think of it as research at the time because I had so much fun with it. I love discovering things about history and culture, finding little treasures that I could slip into the book. It’s the little details, in a historical novel, that can really pull the reader into the setting.
3. Have you always aspired to be an author? What was the biggest challenge you had to overcome to get to where you are now?
   
   I have always wanted to be an author. My father is a career novelist so you could say I wanted to follow in the family business. I wrote my first novel—a 150,000 word medieval epic—when I was 14. It was dreadful! I’ve been writing novels ever since and this is the first one that’s been published. I think the biggest challenge I’ve had to overcome, is simply keeping up with the swiftly changing landscape of publishing and reading, trying to write stories that will work with the way people find and consume stories today. It is much different than when I wrote that first novel.
4. What’s your daily routine when you are writing a book?
   
   I write best early in the morning. I find that my mind is most clear and my creative energy flows at that time of day. I work a pretty intense day job, which makes it hard for me to transition to writing at the end of a work day. I know a lot of writers who do their best work late at night. I do think it is important to establish a routine, especially for authors who have to balance another job and/or family commitments.
5. What keeps you passionate about being an author and continuing to write books?
   
   I am a storyteller. I have been since I was a child and I feel compelled to tell more stories. Once I have a character that inspires me, I can’t rest until I have the story down on the page. Fiction has a way of affecting people in a profound way. I think a writer can tell more about humanity through a story then through non-fiction, strange as that may sound. Look at the impact of To Kill a Mockingbird on the collective thought of the country. With my stories, I am passionate about showing something positive and loving about the human spirit, even in dark times and circumstances.
6. If there is one thing you can tell readers on why they should pick up this book, what would it be?
   
   Love of Finished Years is a historical novel, but it is incredibly timely. Much as I wanted to publish it years ago, I think that ultimately the timing for its release could not have been better. So many of the issues that shaped America in the 1910s mirror the things that are shaping our country and our world today. Those were difficult times, but this is a story about friendship and love, which we need now more than ever.

This moving debut novel by Gregory Erich Phillips won the grand prize in the Chanticleer Reviews International Writing Competition. From a prolific literary family, Gregory tells aspirational stories through strong, relatable characters that transcend time and place. Living in Seattle, Washington, he is also an accomplished tango dancer and musician.

Official website: http://www.gregoryerichphillips.com/

Social Media Links: Facebook | Twitter

Follow the Book Tour: February 26 - March 17, 2018.

Visit each tour stop daily and discover more features, excerpts, reviews, interviews, fun facts and more!

To check the latest tour schedule, visit the Love of Finished Years Book Page at Book Unleashed.

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Contest runs from February 26 - March 17, 2018.

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