• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Home
  • The words
  • The writer
  • The work

Beauty on the Backroads

Stories of grace for life's unexpected turns

The Weekly Read

Like sitting at the table with a friend: Review of Love Letters to Writers by Andi Cumbo-Floyd

November 15, 2017

This book review is for the writers, and other creative types, so I won’t take offense if that doesn’t apply to you and you decide to skip this post.

Writing can be such solitary work. I didn’t realize until after I had left newsrooms how lucky I was to go to work every day with people like me–writers–and how lonely and difficult it can be to find those same people one by one out in the rest of the world. (We’re kind of a unique bunch and not everyone “gets” us. That’s not arrogant. It’s just true.)

While I have found fellow writer friends in real life, online writing communities have been a lifesaver as well. If you are a writer looking for your people, I can recommend this Facebook group, which is most valuable if you show up and participate. I’ve set goals weekly (and met them) for months because of this group.

The group is led by Andi Cumbo-Floyd, an experienced author, editor, writer, publisher, farm girl and all-around delightful human being. (If you can get to Virginia in June for the writing retreat she hosts, do it. It is magical in its simplicity.)

Andi has been writing letters to writers for years, sharing tips and encouragement from her own life and experiences. Now, she’s put more than 50 of those letters in a book that is officially out in the world. (Is that cover not gorgeous and inviting?)

Love Letters to Writers is an encouraging book to keep on hand for the days when you doubt yourself, your writing, or your path as a creator. Andi urges writers both to “keep going” and “wait,” to lean in to the changing seasons of a creative life. This grace-filled book is full of me-too moments.

I had the chance to read an advance digital copy of the book, and I can assure you that I’m getting a paperback copy to set next to me while I write so I can refer to its wisdom often.

If your writing life seems a bit lonely, or if you are wrestling with doubts, or if you just want to hear from someone else who understands how this creative brain of yours works, then don’t hesitate to get a copy of Love Letters to Writers.

Find out how you can get connected with Andi and the other writers in the group here.

And check out these links to order the book. (As of this writing, Barnes and Noble had the paperback for $10!)

For a digital copy of the book, all formats, click here.

Barnes and Noble for that paperback deal is here.

And, of course, Amazon has it as well here.

SaveSave

Filed Under: Non-fiction, The Weekly Read, Writing Tagged With: andi cumbo-floyd, books for writers, writing, writing community, writing encouragement

Shakespeare for the modern world: Review of Dunbar by Edward St. Aubyn

November 8, 2017

I don’t remember much about my reading of King Lear, whenever it was that I read it–college probably–but I do remember it being a convoluted family drama. And since I always appreciate the chance to read a re-telling of a Shakespearean play, I picked up this new one–Dunbar by Edward St. Aubyn.

I was not familiar with this author or the imprint that publishes these retellings but I was impressed by both. Dunbar is the story of a media mogul whose power-hungry daughters abduct him and enlist the help of a doctor to make their father appear crazy enough for institutionalization before an important meeting about the company’s future.

Honestly, I’d love to go back and re-read King Lear now–or watch a filmed stage production of it–to connect the original story with this new one. St. Aubyn’s writing is impressive. I could feel Dunbar’s madness, and there are lines in this book that made me pause and admire the word choices. The story does have elements of crudeness that might be a bit shocking to some readers, but I did not think they were included simply for shock value. A re-read of King Lear would help me confirm my suspicions that Shakespeare wrote these elements into his play and they may have been shocking in his day.

I’m interested in reading more from this author and in checking out other titles in this series.

Author bio: Born in 1960, Edward St Aubyn is the author of four highly praised novels, Never Mind (winner of the Betty Trask Award 1992), Bad News, Some Hopeand On the Edge. He lives in London and France.

Disclosure: I received a copy of the book through the Blogging for Books program. Review reflects my personal opinion.

Filed Under: books, Fiction, The Weekly Read Tagged With: edward st aubyn, hogarth, king lear adaptation, modern shakespeare, Shakespeare

  • « Previous Page
  • Page 1
  • …
  • Page 10
  • Page 11
  • Page 12
  • Page 13
  • Page 14
  • …
  • Page 182
  • Next Page »

Primary Sidebar

Photo by Rachel Lynn Photography

Welcome

Hi. I’m Lisa, and I’m glad you’re here. If we were meeting in real life, I’d offer you something to eat or drink while we sat on the porch letting the conversation wander as it does. That’s a little bit what this space is like. We talk about books and family and travel and food and running, whatever I might encounter in world. I’m looking for the beauty in the midst of it all, even the tough stuff. (You’ll find a lot of that here, too.) Thanks for stopping by. Stay as long as you like.

When I wrote something

May 2025
M T W T F S S
 1234
567891011
12131415161718
19202122232425
262728293031  
« Jun    

Recent posts

  • Still Life
  • A final round-up for 2022: What our December was like
  • Endings and beginnings … plus soup: A November wrap-up
  • A magical month of ordinary days: October round-up
  • Stuck in a shallow creek
  • Short and sweet September: a monthly round-up
  • Wrapping the end of summer: Our monthly round-up

Join the conversation

  • A magical month of ordinary days: October round-up on Stuck in a shallow creek
  • Stuck in a shallow creek on This is 40
  • July was all about vacation (and getting back to ordinary days after)–a monthly roundup on One very long week

Footer

What I write about

Looking for something?

Disclosure

Lisa Bartelt is a participant in the Bluehost Affiliate Program.

Occasionally, I review books in exchange for a free copy. Opinions are my own and are not guaranteed positive simply due to the receipt of a free copy.

Copyright © 2025 · Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in