Novelist Elin Hilderbrand Loves Being the ‘Queen of the Summer Beach Read’

If it’s summer then it must be time for another Elin Hilderbrand novel—her 17th to be exact—and her fans have been waiting all year for Here’s to Us, her latest story of love and romantic rivalry set in Nantucket, the island where she lives—and works.

So who is Elin Hilderbrand? To fans, she’s the best BFF you could have and, hint, if you ping her on Facebook tell her you just might be visiting her Massachusetts island twentysomething nautical miles out to sea. She’ll more than likely meet you to say hi—that’s how connected she is to her fans. Read on for more about Hilderbrand’s writing process, her breast cancer diagnosis two years ago and why she’s driven to run seven to eight miles every day, rain or shine. She’s sure to more than fascinate.

So 17 novels and counting?

I don’t know how it happened, but when I look at the titles on my bookshelves and see them all, that’s when it hits me. I’ve written a lot of books. Then again, I keep having ideas!

How do you feel about being dubbed the ‘queen of the summer beach read?’

Women have become accustomed to my novels being part of their summer ritual so I love it—I’m glad I haven’t been dethroned! I feel like my novels are a better quality beach book than maybe people are expecting. I don’t feel like a summer read has to be silly or frothy. It can be a real page-turner, something that grips your attention and carries you away.

Americans are all about summer so why not be part of that experience.

Exactly. Americans are really in love with their summertime. It means something that things are easier, better, prettier and more fun in the summer. My novels play on that, that idea of an American summer.

Tell us about your process—I read that you hand-write in a notebook before you type out the words on your computer?

Yes—I write everything long hand. I’ll compose for several hours a day. Later in the evening after I’ve made dinner for my kids, I’ll start typing. I usually wait to have 50 to 100 handwritten pages before I type them up.

Your social media feeds are full of fans who are so excited about each and every book you write.  

It’s the result of having a novel out every summer. I’m part of their summertime ritual and I’m connected to them. Even if they’re in a cubicle in Oklahoma City they feel like they have a little bit of summer. My fans are amazing. They’re so devoted and so giving and so loyal. I can’t say enough about them.

How many of your fans have ever visited Nantucket?

Most have probably never been to Nantucket, but every day on Facebook someone will say ‘I planned a trip to Nantucket’ or ‘I’m coming to Nantucket because I read your books.’ If I’m around, I’ll meet my fans. I do it all the time—definitely two to three times a week in the summer. For example, a woman is coming next weekend to throw a bachelorette party. We’ll have a meet-and-greet and I’ll bring signed books for the wedding party. It’s so nice to meet the people who are reading my books.

Your fans are big e-readers, too, right?

The nice thing about e-books is that if you’re sitting on the beach and you finish one Elin Hilderbrand novel and don’t want to get out of your chair, you can sit there, buy the rest and load them on your device. It makes it easy for people who are reading on the beach—they don’t have to go anywhere to read my books.

Speaking of fans, when you were diagnosed with breast cancer two years ago, was it important to share the news with them?

When I was diagnosed, it was three weeks before my novel, The Matchmaker, came out. In it, my main character gets diagnosed with pancreatic cancer so I had been researching cancer, talking to oncologists and learning about treatments. Then I felt this weird lump. After I was diagnosed, I knew I’d have to cancel events. I thought to myself ‘I can’t go through the summer promoting this book, canceling and having to reschedule and not tell people what’s happening.’ It seemed unfair/dishonest. And, as much as some people were like ‘don’t you want your privacy,’ I didn’t think privacy would benefit me as much as being honest and saying ‘I’m sick.’ That was the best decision. The amount of love and support from my fans has been unbelievable.

And now you pay it forward.

Absolutely. Women who have been diagnosed will contact me on my Facebook page and I can reach out to them. I really feel like it’s my responsibility to at least offer as much as I can. I give them information about what happened to me and tell them what I found helpful.

How has your life changed in the past two years?

I’m different. You go through something like that and everything you take for granted  was put in jeopardy. I value everything now. I just did a speech and, as I said, ‘when they told me I had cancer, every moment before seemed carelessly squandered and every moment after that seemed precious.’ I was 44, bopping along, everything was fine and now this could all come to a halt.

Anything your fans don’t know about you?

I feel like what I am is extremely predictable. I jog everyday for seven to eight miles a day. I exercise for three hours a day and it’s two things: It’s a discipline and the discipline sets me up to be a writer. I may not want to write everyday but I have no choice—there are deadlines to meet. The running is the same thing: No one wants to go running, but I go running because it sets up my work. It gives me time. When you’re running outside, it gives you a chance to reflect. It’s some of the best thinking time I have all day.