Elise Hooper
Author Interview - Elise Hooper
Author of Learning to See, Fast Girls, and THE LIBRARY OF LOST DOLLHOUSES.
About THE LIBRARY OF LOST DOLLHOUSES:
When a young librarian discovers historic dollhouses in a hidden room, she embarks on an unexpected journey that reveals surprising secrets about the lost miniatures.
Tildy Barrows, Head Curator of a beautiful archival library in San Francisco, is meticulously dedicated to the century’s worth of inventory housed in her beloved Beaux Art building. She loves the calm and order in the shelves of books and walls of art. But Tildy’s life takes an unexpected turn when she, first, learns the library is on the verge of bankruptcy and, second, discovers two exquisite never-before-seen dollhouses.
After finding clues hidden within these remarkable miniatures, Tildy sets out to decipher the secret history of the dollhouses, aiming to salvage her cherished library in the process. Her journey introduces her to a world of ambitious and gifted women in Belle Époque Paris, a group of scarred World War I veterans in the English countryside, and Walt Disney’s bustling Burbank studio in the 1950s. As Tildy unravels the mystery, she finds not only inspiring, hidden history, but also a future for herself—and an astonishing familial revelation.
Spanning the course of a century, The Library of Lost Dollhouses is a warm, bright, and captivating story of secrets and love that embraces the importance of illuminating overlooked women.
Author I draw inspiration from:
2019: Wow, this could be a long list for me, but I’ll narrow myself down to Alice Hoffman because I love the breadth she shows in her work. She’s someone with a wonderful imagination and curiosity about the world.
2020: Louisa May Alcott
Author Interview - Elise Hooper
Favorite place to read a book:
2019: The beach, preferably with a fruity cocktail by my side.
2020: The beach
Book character I’d like to be stuck in an elevator with:
2019: Albus Dumbledore because I’ll bet he could conjure up a spell to get us out of there.
2020: Circe from Madeline Miller's wonderful book.
Author Interview - Elise Hooper
The moment I knew I wanted to become an author:
2019: When I first visited Louisa May Alcott’s home when I was a fourth-grader.
2020: When I first visited Louisa May Alcott's Orchard House as a young girl
Hardback, paperback, ebook or audiobook:
2019: I read them all. I tend to listen to nonfiction on audiobook, but I’m open to anything.
2020: All.
The last book I read:
2019: I just finished reading The Great Believers by Rebecca Makkai and listened to Becoming by Michelle Obama. Both were very impressive.
2020: The Book Woman Of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Richardson
Author Interview - Elise Hooper
Pen & paper or computer:
2019: I tend to write first drafts in longhand and then rewrite many more drafts on my laptop.
2020: Both. It depends where I am in the writing process.
Book character I think I’d be best friends with:
2019: I’ve always imagined that Anne Shirley and I would have been kindred spirits.
2020: Anne Shirley
Author Interview - Elise Hooper
If I wasn’t an author, I’d be a:
2019: high-school English teacher.
2020: an English teacher
Favorite decade in fashion history:
2019: the 1950s. I love the pops of color, the lines, and the fact that women still wore hats. My favorite style icons are Audrey Hepburn, Grace Kelly, and Jackie Kennedy (although her White House days were early 1960s).
2020: 1960s because I'm currently working on a book set during this period.
Place I’d most like to travel:
2019: Vietnam.
2020: Japan. I was able to spend a quick day there, but I'd like to return and spend more time.
My signature drink:
2019 and 2020: French 75
Favorite artist:
2019: Mary Cassatt
2020: Dorothea Lange
Number one on my bucket list:
2019: I’d love to have seats right behind the Royal Box for the Women’s Singles Tennis Final at Wimbledon.
2020: Leave my house! (I'm writing this in the middle of pandemic quarantine 2020.)
Find more from the author:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/elisehooper
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elisehooper/
Author website: http://www.elisehooper.com/
About Elise Hooper:
A native New Englander, Elise Hooper spent several years writing for television and online news outlets before getting an MA and teaching high-school history and literature. She now lives in Seattle with her husband and two daughters.
Author Interview - Elise Hooper
