The reward for a lifelong commitment to experiment with the beauty of a word and to use its full potential within its context.
This is what being honoured with a prestigious international literary award means to a local author recognised for her outstanding achievement in the literary world.
Gordon’s Bay author Scarlett Jensen (72) was named winner of the Parenting and Spirituality category for her book, Inside the Tree of Love, which is supported by its pillars of philosophy of ethics and morality, religion and spirituality, which tends to cross genres covering the problems and issues of contemporary life.
“The title reflects the commitment each of us needs to create our own Tree of Love, cultivating it and letting it evolve to reach the sky and beyond our physical realm,” said Jensen.
Inside the Tree of Love, Jensen’s second book, published last year, tells the story of soulmates and their intense revelation of eternal love. Her first book, The Angel with Burnt Wings (2013), is a non-fiction spiritual story of crime, punishment and victory.
As a creative and poetic writer, Jensen believes “we should never close our minds but keep them open, free of bias, true awareness to ensure truth, honesty and sustain elements to improve all life.”
She realised her dream of becoming an author through literary works by great writers and philosophers and following their lead.
Jensen draws inspiration from words used to project maximum value and beauty, to lend an elegant, meaningful and crisp value to the reader.
The idea for Inside the Tree of Love came to Jensen as witness to a lived and unlived love story through telepathic communication. “The goal is to understand love, evaluate different points of view and find the universal truth and practise it, and teach it to our children and our fellow men,” she said.
Asked what makes this book award-winning, Jensen said: “I was fortunate to do reviews for an online book promotion company and accumulated nine years of experience which led me to do over 1 100 reviews to date and do research on the topic I am passionate about, the essence of love and life.
“After writing and reading my own book, my personal beliefs were confirmed.
“The book deserves recognition for its ability to inspire and provoke introspection. It is a celebration that eternal love does exist.”
During the writing process words became Jensen’s playing field where she measured, mixed and dressed it with passion to express the invisible on supernatural level.
She shared that the book’s intended audience is everyone. “The human spirit needs places where nature has not been uprooted by the hand of man, a place of security where the wind blows us towards one another, moving love into our hearts.
“This is the challenge: allow the eyes of love to colour life by being sensitive to the beauty around you and share the experience. Create your landscape and see with God’s eyes, the eyes of love.
“Love is a fearless state of being given by God that the beholder receives in trust to adopt a bigger perspective.
“It is a state of acceptance, to forgive and let go of the past and surrender.
“Fear is the opposite of love, courage and the expansion of the self. Live from the heart and focus on thoughts, words and actions. Open to love, understand and feel love. Everything is love.”
