Review: READ IT TO US…by Audrie Clifford

Interested in reading the unusual? Yet, seemingly ordinary in characters? Audrie Clifford takes you into the inner circle of a writer’s group pulling the story forward by her characters’ backstory.

Title: Read it to us…
Author: Audrie Clifford
Genre: Fiction
Pages: 198
Published by: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
Published Date: January 3, 2016
ISBN-10: 1522727906
ISBN-13: 978-1522727903

 

About the Story: A heartwarming story of women writers who meet on a regular basis to share their stories but not much of their histories. As the tale unfolds, we learn that although what they write is interesting, their previous years are even more so.

My Thoughts:  I have read every one of Ms. Clifford’s books.  Her writing style is most relaxed.  And what is more interesting is the ordinary somehow becomes more intriguing than it should be.   I know she writes for the thrill of the writing, the molding of characters, finding the unusual and interesting in the more mundane events in life. And I believe she’s successful.

 I keep reading her books – she always has a message and very often having to do with the golden years as the elder make sense of one’s circumstances.

The story is a journal-like account (first person) of an elder woman, who leads a writer’s group which meets every two weeks.  Since I’ve never been part of one, this is in itself interests me.  One of six women, she is curious to know what lies behind the writer and her words.  She has decided to find out what kind of life each has/had outside the circle.  Behind the words, she finds friendship above all things.

At about chapter 3, even though no great action, no adventure, no love or passion, I became entangled with these women’s lives.  I shared their flaws, pain, sickness, and love for each other. 

This is a book about ordinary women, written in a beguiling way. So in some respects, it’s about all of us.  I never know what I’ll read next from this 80-plus-year-old author.  But I’ll tell you, her wisdom and insight mold some very telling characters, ones you are easily able to identify with leaving you just a little more optimistic with humanity.

About the Author: A feisty woman, Audrie Clifford, always has something to say.  She’ll sit you down and tell of characters you’ll connect to. She gets inside the ordinary and creates a story leaving the reader with a little more understanding about what it’s like being elderly.  I never tire of what she writes.  She’s unique in and of herself and entertains with her special gift.