Book Spotlight: The Bird that Sang in Color

Donna subscribes to a conventional view of success in life and pushes her freewheeling, artistic brother, Vincent to do the same. He refuses to conform, and she harbors guilt for her supposed failure to ensure his happiness until she discovers a book of sketches he made of his life, which allows her to see his internal joy and to discover the secret to living free!

While this textured story combines serious issues such as alcoholism, death, and family conflict, it’s balanced with wit and humor and is filled with endearing, unforgettable characters. The story spans decades, beginning in 1970 and ending in the present.

My inspiration for writing this book comes from finding my own brother’s pictorial autobiography. It inspired me to think of my life in terms of pictures, which in turn, inspired me to live my life more fully. I wanted to share this insight and inspiration with the world.

The title fits the central theme of living free with a bird being the most well-known symbol of freedom. The title also encompasses the novel’s themes of music, art, and nonconformity. That is, the bird sings in color as opposed to blending into the background of societal convention.

This book is meant to be more than just a family drama and self-actualization story. It’s meant to inspire readers to live authentically and free, to think about what pictures they will have of themselves by the end of their lives, and to create varied and colorful pictures. I also want readers who have lost someone through death to find comfort in knowing that they’re not alone and that their loved-one is with them in a way that’s beyond sight and sound but that is just as real as anything in our material world.

“Beautifully rendered, hugely moving, and brilliant,” Lidia Yuknvitch

“highly polished artistic prose, lyrical, filled with emotionally complex characters, humour, profound and thought provoking,” Fiction Books Biz

“an inspiring and humorous story that examines the wellsprings of creative force and legacies,” Midwest Book Review

“a heartfelt family story told with grace and humor,” Rose City Reader

 

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