“Love Letters From Barstow”, by author Jonathan Faia is now available at all major online book retailers and select stores.
Also available in-store at select book sellers and in digital forms
Join Love Letters From Barstow author Jonathan Faia at an exclusive meet & greet and book signing. In collaboration with retailer Barnes & Noble we’d like to invite you to immerse yourself in the vibrant world of abstract poetry and let your imagination explore the depth of the written word at a live meet & greet. Jonathan will be signing copies of his latest book, Love Letters From Barstow at the Barnes & Noble store located at The Shoppes Chino Hills 3625 Grand Ave. Chino Hills, Ca Saturday May 25. 2024 from 4PM-6PM. This is a great opportunity to talk books, purchased signed copies and find personalized giveaways. No tickets needed for more information you can contact Barnes & Noble at (909)464-1457.
About the author
Jonathan Faia is a writer native to Southern California who came to maturity in the 1990s. Born in Fullerton, California in 1975, he spent the majority of his early adolescence in the arms of the Fullerton and Buena Park Public Libraries. Reading the works that would inspire and shape his life. Growing up in what modern culture referred to as, "Generation X" he spent his formative years in the 1990s attending college majoring in English Literature and honing his love for writing. Combining his "Gen X" adolescence with his utter infatuation for "Beat Poetry" he authored the books, Wylde Serenity and Love Letters From Barstow. Both books are filled with poems whose elements include the indulgences of love, and the loneliness that comes from its failures. His work encompasses despair, angst, and even flirtations with death. Both books have received starred reviews from literary critics and industry publications. He also passes time writing freelance articles and performing interviews for several online publications. In his free time, he can be found walking the aisles of local independent booksellers. He writes from the point of view of outcasts and misfits, bringing a new perspective to what it means to navigate love and loss.
Upcoming Appearances And Signings
May 25, 2024
Book Signing in collaboration with Barnes & Noble
located in The Shoppes Chino Hills
3625 Grand Ave, Chino Hills, CA 91709 4PM-6PM
Date TBD
Venue
TBD
Date TBD
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Library
Also by Jonathan Faia
Wylde Serenity
Wylde-Serenity is the debut literary effort by Jonathan Faia..A completely unique effort in the style of Ginsberg and Kerouac with a modern dark twist.. Some efforts beautiful and passionate, while others grow torturous and sadistic.. A truly great inaugural effort and long overdue.. Some efforts dating back to the early 1990's finally put to paper. Dan Williams of Poetryhunter.com says,"A truly great collection. Nothing but feeling and passion on every page." Sarah Venegas of the Academy of American Poets said,"It's hard to believe this work is a debut. It's too passionate, raw thought provoking. An excellent read." poets.org Nicholas Simpson member of Poetrynation.org said,"I was honored to be one of the first to read this book. I love the writing style and the vivid images this book forces you to imagine.. Unbelievable." Shil Patel member of Poetry.com says, "This effort was so impacting...The dark is so dark the passionate and romance is blinding and radiant. A perfect rollercoaster ride forcing the reader to deal with their own demons, and loves.. I love this effort and have read it three times since it's arrival..."
Love Letters From Barstow
Love Letters From Barstow, is the sophomore effort by Jonathan Faia. A collection of poetry, with a constant reminder of the hope & resilience needed to navigate life's trials of love, and the pain of heartache that is sometimes brought on by one's mind. In the spirit and rhythm of the Beat Generation, Love Letters From Barstow delves into the emotions and failures that follow a man. A book that serves as a poetic record of a man's examination of his depths. Love Letters From Barstow is not about the geographical city of Barstow, Faia intended it as a sustained metaphor or allegory of the internal struggle faced by those balancing a person's sanity and conscience. Fighting the urges for sin and debauchery while returning home to responsibility and expectation. Figuratively illustrated by the long, lonely road from Los Angeles to Las Vegas. With every word, this book channels the days of Beatnik poetry while examining a man's self-reflection and limitations.
Jon Faia's ‘Love Letters From Barstow’ is a beautiful collection of pocket-sized poetry pearls. There are so many gorgeous lines that, as another reviewer commented, it would be impossible to quote them all. Although love poetry is hardly uncommon, it is rare to sense the devotion that is present here in so many of the pieces. Despite their brevity, all carry real feeling and often a skewed sense of the world that makes the reader question their own sense of themselves as well as that of their own love object. Faia’s brevity is one of the more remarkable aspects of this remarkable collection; unlike many contemporary poets, he never over-explains, never tries to pin the reader into his world, merely content to give us a flash of the rainbow of his vision before sweeping us on to the next thought or feeling. The almost titular ‘Barstow’ is an example of this, the entirety reading ‘How bright is too bright? / Was it bright enough to see her soul? / The answer was yes, but eternity sounded better / Barstow became an empty heaven that night / There were no more words / No rocking horse in time / Just a stuttering goodbye’. I thought of Rumi as I read the collection, and really there can be no higher praise.
— Author Sam Szanto
I read Jon Faia's, Love Letters From Barstow, twice. There are so many transcendent lines from his book of 100+ pieces I couldn't possibly quote them all here. Before I get to some of the standouts, the author Richard Brautigan came to mind at least for the brevity of the pieces. Then, the tone& music of the Moody Blues', Days Of Future Past played in mind when first embarking on Jon's journey. Kahlil Gibran popped in too for Jon's searching& wisdom. Though the pieces are brief they are often deep with honesty, longing, intelligence and redemption. His Dedication in and of itself is a warm, kind and open invitation. Some of the lines that struck me or puzzled me enough to re-read and think about are from Bread & Wine, " My heart only felt safe in storms." Relatable to me at least on some level. "Sheltered cumulus endings to streets lined with Juniper Garland" from "All That Walks Beside Me" made me wonder what that was. "Carrying Me Home" was a real entry into sublimity for me from the first, "In the east, the crescent moon lies low hanging like a wise jewel on a silvery thread. Even the loneliest of stars have their place in tow." There is a dance between the mundane, despair, vulnerability, celebration and Faia's ability to reveal them within these creative reflections. We are human and the experiences of our lives share common ground in Love Letters From Barstow. Go out and buy it, read it. Let it pierce your heart open a bit to awaken and heal.
-Author Danielle Notaro
A Highly Recommended Book Of Poetic Love Letters
A deep and soulful collection of poetry about love, loss, pain, and matters of the heart. Beautifully written, where you can feel the emotions coming out from the pages. Another exceptional effort by Jonathan Faia. Proud to add “Love Letters From Barstow “ to my collection!
-Barnes & Noble Reader