Description
Living alone in her bare mansion in LA’s Hollywood Hills, gentle Celia takes up art therapy, hoping it will soothe the deep scars of her past. Each failed artwork deepens her fear of losing to depression, like her father.
León, an intense painter struggling with a creative block, empties his savings to move to LA in search of new visions. He needs a cheap studio and some raw, authentic inspiration—his dreams and future as an artist depend on it.
Brought together by their colorful mutual friends, Celia offers León a deal: he can live in her pool house for free if he teaches her to paint. As he becomes her infatuated teacher and she his reluctant muse, both are laid bare by their pursuit of honest art. Could the desperate creativity that drew them together also rip them apart?
Lynn Haller
Painting Celia had everything that I love in a book. The characters were likable and had interest and depth to them. The book centered around art which is a passion of mine and I learned a lot about painting which was fun! I loved that one of the main characters revealed their trauma and the healing journey was portrayed in an honest and thoughtful manner. The book was fast paced and made me look forward to possible future books with the characters. I loved the ending which was uplifting and inspiring; the message that relationships, happiness and fulfilling your passions was amazing. It seems very relevant to address in today’s world of consumerism and individualism.
Emily Champagne
Wow, I could hardly put the book down! Painting Celia reads like poetry, so clear and captivating. Especially awesome…how you wove many themes into an amazing tapestry. Your portrayal of the art world brought it to life, made it exciting and memorable. And you showed a way for a woman to heal from the childhood trauma by a father who deserted and by a physically abusive mother. Still more was the way you presented bisexuality, as nothing special, just a normal part of some lives; I loved that. And the bi-cultural experience of several characters was fun – as you artfully included and taught us all the Spanish words. And you showed the difference a supportive network of friends can make for repairing a damaged psyche. Finally, I cherish the way you grappled with the struggle of us women to be free to be ourselves, in a world where so many people think we must belong to man to be someone important or worthy. I’m recommending this book to everyone I know…and truly expect one day it will be on the New York Times Bestseller List!