Dallas Author’s New Book “The Loom” Nominated for National Award

Jan. 31, 2012 - PRLog -- Dallas author Shella Gillus’ first novel, “The Loom”, has been nominated for an NAACP Image Award in the “Outstanding Literary Work – Debut Author” category.

The suspenseful, historic romance tale of a slave who passes for white and uses the wisdom of the elders to achieve her freedom is gaining national attention because its an engaging, well-written page-turner rich with colorful detail and crisp dialogue.  The NAACP Image Award winners will be announced at its annual gala in Feb. 17 in Los Angeles.

Gillus, a former pageant winner, a member of the Screen Actors Guild and two-time guest on the Oprah Winfrey Show, has received a top rating from RT Book Reviews, the popular book industry magazine, which gave the novel an impressive rating of 4.5 star. The reviewer noted, “Gillus’ strong characters may be broken in spirit, but they trust that God will rescue them and show them freedom on the other side.”

The Loom (Guideposts 2011, paperback $14.99) is the story of Lydia, a woman who knew that her life as a slave on a Maryland plantation would end at the loom room – the place on every plantation where slaves, particularly after years in the tobacco and cotton fields, spent their days weaving and making clothes for their masters’ family.  Gillus smoothly weaves her own tale, integrating the harsh, revealing truth of this nation’s troubled racial past with the broader, universal themes of love and freedom.  

To set up an interview with Ms. Gillus or set up a book signing, contact Neil Foote, Foote Communications, LLC, neil@neilfoote.com, 214.448.3765.  To order bulk copies of the book, The Loom is published by Guideposts (www.guideposts.com) and is available wherever books are sold, including Barnes & Noble: www.barnesandnoble.com/w/loom-shella-gillus/1102606482.

# # #

Foote Communications LLC is a Dallas, TX multi-media company, specializing in public relations, website solutions, multicultural marketing and political strategy and messaging.