For many years I had spent countless hours on a project on the life of my mother that more recently had been quite dormant due to my lack of knowledge and skills in layout and design and my insistence that the book could not be anything but stunning. Last year, Della Hilton was introduced to this incomplete project of mine. What unfolded was truly remarkable.
To begin with, Della was willing to gain new skills. My desire for my mother’s book to look breathtaking was welcomed by her. As we first met to discuss the project, I expressed a desire for her to use Adobe InDesign for the layout and design instead of the software she had been using. After thinking about it for a couple of days, she agreed. She enthusiastically researched, watched tutorials, and used other means to teach herself how to use this complex tool. The result was a beautiful layout and design with simple but attractive motifs, colors, and themes that were very fitting for my mother and which my family members loved. In general, Della strikes me as an individual always on the lookout to learn more and sharpen her craft.
Della went out of her way to accommodate my requests and was proactive. Especially during the last month or two, there were often details and items I would come across or think of that needed to be added, corrected, or enhanced. She was willing to make these modifications, even though the layout/design of every page had to be realigned whenever something was changed. She was willing and happy to do so to the very end. At times she even proactively made changes that were based on the same requests I had previously made.
Della envisioned more. A few of my siblings and I worked closely with her for several months on a Life Sketch, or a short biography of our mother. She had thought of this idea as an additional segment of the project. It turned out beautifully with not only some great chapters, but the accompanying photos and memorabilia also turned out fantastic. Della did a very professional job of enhancing these photos. The addition of the life sketch made the book a masterpiece. Della had great foresight on how beautiful the project could become.
Meeting deadlines. Della was very organized throughout this whole process and knew exactly what milestones had to be reached and by what dates. It was amazing that we were able to get everything done to produce a beautiful product and submit it to the publisher more than a week before Thanksgiving, enabling us to receive the book back to mail out to family members in time for Christmas.
Despite having two small children and other projects, Della was able to help us create a miracle. She put her heart into the project, and it was evident she gained a love for our mother throughout the process. I am very grateful for Della’s hard work and dedication in helping make our mother’s beautiful book a reality.
