Mini Review: Dear Author by Laura A. Grace

(Photo featuring a quote from the book and a sneak peek of one of the illustrations — I just love the girl reading the book! And my favorite new necklace because it was in my Instagram picture that day. XD)

I have a mini review to share with you guys for something a little different — a nonfiction book for writers!

Title: Dear Author: Letters from a Bookish Fangirl

Author: Laura A. Grace

Illustrator: Hannah S. J. Williams

• Date read: October 27, 2019
• Rating: 5 stars
• Genre: Nonfiction // Writing
• Year pub: 2019
• Source: The author
• Notes: I received a free e-copy of this book from the author and chose to share my honest review.
• Links: Goodreads • Amazon • Author’s Website

This short and sweet little book (the first book from Laura A. Grace!) is such a lovely, inspiring read! It consists of fifteen letters from a bookish “fangirl” and is written to writers and authors.

As a reader, I related to the fangirl’s point of view in loving books and appreciating the authors who write them.

As a writer, it was inspirational and encouraging. I imagine it would be more-so for published authors, but even as a writer who aspires to publish someday, it still resonated with me. ^_^

It’s a quick read and is so charming. The ABSOLUTELY ADORABLE illustrations by Hannah S.J. Williams complete the book. I just love it! It makes me smile. 🙂 *hugs book*

If you’re a writer, I totally recommend checking this one out — or if you know any writers, it would make a great gift. I’m looking forward to more books from this author someday!

(I received an e-ARC of this book from the author. All opinions are my own. :))

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About the Book

Think your words might not matter? Think again.

Words have the power to change lives, especially when they are used to create meaningful stories. In this collection of letters, bookish fangirl Laura A. Grace addresses topics related to every writer’s journey. From “character conversations,” to embracing one’s unique writing style, to celebrating a release day—there is a letter for every author no matter where they may be in sharing their story with others.

“Dear Author” includes six illustrations by Hannah S.J. Williams.

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Thanks for reading! 🙂

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Make Good Art by Neil Gaiman

Title: Make Good Art

Author: Neil Gaiman

Small book, small review.

I love this little book so much. I’m so very very glad that I picked it up at the library. Now I want to own a copy of my own so that I can read it whenever I like.

Every writer should read this. EVERY WRITER. Every artist of any kind. Read this.

Or, if you don’t, at least go watch the video of the author speaking (in a fabulous British accent) all of the words in this book and a few more, at the commencement address at which he presented this speech.

It’s 19 minutes long, and well worth every second. —-> https://vimeo.com/42372767

Four things:

• Inspiring.
• Funny.
• Fraud police.
• Make Good Art.

This has all of those, and I’m extremely glad I read and listened to it. 🙂

(I personally do better reading words than hearing them, but it was also splendid to hear them as well afterward.)

However you consume it, whether through reading the delightfully original and art-like arrangement of the words in this book, or listening to the author saying them online, I do hope that you will take 20 minutes out of your day to absorb these words.

Because they are inspiring and funny and just a little perfect, and it will be some of the best 20 minutes you’ve spent.

That’s what I think, anyway.

Book designed by Chip Kidd

Genre/Category: Non-fiction / Inspiring / on Writing and Art

Age Group: Anyone

Published: 2013 (speech from 2012)

Pages: (not numbered)

When Read: September 9, 2016

Source: Library

From Goodreads:

In May 2012, bestselling author Neil Gaiman delivered the commencement address at Philadelphia’s University of the Arts, in which he shared his thoughts about creativity, bravery, and strength. He encouraged the fledgling painters, musicians, writers, and dreamers to break rules and think outside the box. Most of all, he encouraged them to make good art.

The book Make Good Art, designed by renowned graphic artist Chip Kidd, contains the full text of Gaiman’s inspiring speech.

{Goodreads} {Amazon} {Video Speech}

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Thanks for reading!

Dream away in those pages . . .

~ The Page Dreamer

 

Impactivity by Tracy Higley

Title: Impactivity: How to Set the World on Fire Without Burning Out

Author: Tracy Higley

I hardly ever read non-fiction, but I gave this one a try and really enjoyed it. This was a most interesting read. I’m not sure all of it applies to me, but I’d very much like to put to use the things that do… I’m currently rating it 4 stars since not all of it applied and I don’t know if it will help, but I hope to find it even more helpful, and if I do I’ll be revising my rating and review at some point. Many of the ideas seem very insightful ones which I’m looking forward to studying deeper and hopefully using myself.

It’s a common thing to read “self-help” books of “advice”… on how to rediscover purpose in life, follow your dream, organize your time and energy, declutter your life, dig deeper into discovering what God has planned for you in your Adventure and what you need to do to throw yourself whole-heartedly into embracing a life of impactful joy and purpose…

This small book is a mix of all those things.

There is often a tendency (especially in this procrastinator) to reread, carefully study, and plan to put those thoughts in that advice book into use… but then to put it off, forget it, let it slide, and return again to the continual frustrations of a life full of stress and lack of focus. It happens to me all the time. It may even happen this time. But I would very much like to implement many of the steps in this book, so I hope to reread it and think about these things further.

It’s a quick read, and written in a gripping, easy to grasp sort of way. It’s from a Christian perspective, which I was glad of, and hit a perfect balance of pointing out that without God at the center, the rest will fall apart, but also of giving helpful practical advice. The chapters of advice are interspersed with chapters of an ongoing fictional story where a group of friends go over the advice as presented to them by another woman–all of which had a sort of richness to it in its writing as well. So it’s half advice, half story, which was rather fun and different-seeming.

This quote from one of the fiction-to-illustrate chapters made me smile:

Victoria nodded. “Adventures are time-consuming. It’s part of what makes them so adventurous.”

Julia felt a little pity at Melanie’s expression. Victoria did have a tendency to say things that sounded more like Gandalf than a real person.

—Impactivity by Tracy Higley

I found this book for free when it came out, so it’s not exactly as though I invested anything into it besides the time to read it, but I’d say it may be worth it for others to pick it up if you’re struggling as I am with a chaotic mass of guilt and todo lists and struggling to find what it is that’s my “dream” and wondering how to escape from the stress of daily life’s vicious cycles. Again, I’ve no idea if these things actually WORK, as I’ve not implemented them. But it may be worth a try.

(And wow, directly after finishing reading the book, I just wrote an entire review-ish thing when I only meant to write a couple of sentences, and I generally procrastinate over writing reviews… This is fascinating. I guess I had more to say about it than I thought?)

Dreams are worth following, aren’t they? Even when one doesn’t know what that dream is yet? Which means it may be time to find out?

(I also may or may not have a certain “I have a Dream” song from “Tangled” skipping around in my head now… Ahem.)

Genre/Category: Non-Fiction

Age Group: Anyone

Published: 2016

Pages: 117 pages

Series?: Followed by five more Impactivity guide booklets

When Read: January 23-24, 2015

Other Notes: Kindle ebook

{Goodreads} • {Amazon} • {Website}

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Thanks for reading!

Dream away in those pages!

~ The Page Dreamer