Lynda
Young Spiro
A life lived in colour
Bold, brilliant and unforgettable
You couldn't help but notice Lynda when she walked into the room. She was a vision of colour and pattern from top to toe. She had this amazing way of putting her outfits and accessories together, she was unique, a true individual, a walking work of art!!
How she looked reflected her amazing personality, bold, forthright, authentic and very funny!
She was also warm, soft and kind, completely loyal to the people she loved and one of the most generous people you could ever meet. Lynda was generous with her love and her time to help others in so many different ways. It is so fitting that she would chose to produce a book that is not only a visual treat but something honest and real. She was adamant about donating all the proceeds to charities working hard to help others who were also on this path.
Lynda was incredibly creative, throughout her life she was always making or designing something from wooden crafts for kids, beautiful rugs and paintings, she always found an outlet for her ideas. She started writing stories, publishing her first novel and was working on her second when her life took an unexpected turn. Nevertheless her creativity continued with this book and it contributed to keeping her alive, happy, focused and fulfilled.
She had an inspirational belief system, nothing religious or prescribed, she trusted that the powers in our universe would show her the way and constantly reminded her that she was supported and guided by the people she loved and lost. Whether it was just a feeling or the visit from a ladybird it always gave her the comfort she needed.
No words can describe how much Lynda will be missed by all her family and friends.
This book was so important to her, she created it to bring happiness truth and colour into as many other lives as possible.
The Story of the Book
In the few years preceding 2024 Lynda was writing a novel. She was crafting her story and her characters, was working with an editor and looking for a publisher.
Then came the diagnosis that would knock most people off their feet but Lynda with her incredible strength and optimism marched on and went into battle. First came the urgency to finish the book and then came the realisation that this was not something she wanted to spend her time doing, her heart was no longer in it.
"I wouldn't have chosen this diagnosis but I can definitely choose how to live my life with cancer."
It wasn't long before she embarked on her next project after being really inspired by a book called Lockdown Secrets. She decided to take the format of a simple postcard and send it out to people she knew and had just met, asking them to write, draw or paint their responses to a cancer diagnosis. In the interludes between her "spa days" and the "amber nectar", (Lynda was a master in the art of reframing negative experiences) her plan was to collect as many as she could and curate them into a book.
"I wanted them to think about how they reacted when they first heard the news - how did it make them feel at the time or shortly after? What were the challenges they faced? How did they react to other people? If they were the patient, how did they want others to treat them, say to them, do for them?"
Lynda had 3 friends who had been in her life forever but who didn't really know each other very well, all creative and they all got involved. Lisette encouraged her to start painting again and she produced the most beautiful postcard paintings, Ali her oldest friend helped with ideas and structure and Jed worked on the format of the book.
It was important for them to create a sense of her to flow through the book. Lynda was an artist and her work had always communicated through her love of colour, pattern and texture. So photos were taken of her paintings, her colourful clothes, her beautiful textiles and these became the borders for all the postcards, a literal framework for the book.
The team met every Tuesday around Lynda's kitchen table. The 3 friends quickly bonded over their shared love for Lynda and the excitement of seeing this book come to life. There was a lot of tea drinking, cake eating and laughter. Lynda was at the heart of it all, instinctively making decisions of what went where, curating from cover to cover.
"The responses have been wonderful in so many ways, funny and sad, all honest and heartfelt. Whatever life throws at us, let's write it down and colour it in!"
The Team
Every Tuesday, a small team gathered around Lynda's kitchen table. There was tea, cake and laughter — and Lynda at the heart of it all, instinctively curating the book from cover to cover.
Tuesday kitchen table
The Tuesday sessions became the creative engine of the book. Lynda brought her painter's eye and her instinct for what belonged together — and the team brought energy, ideas and affection.
Paintings, textiles, clothes, stamps and colour fragments all became part of the visual framework. Nothing was off the table — literally.
This section gives you a small window into the warmth, materials and playful experimentation that shaped the finished book.
Painting together
Ladybirds, stamps & fragments
Pens, tape & painted cards
Cancer Confessions
Postcards in response to a diagnosis.
A deeply personal and visually striking collection of postcards, artwork and reflections, brought together through Lynda's creativity, honesty and generosity.
All proceeds from the book will go to Maggie's Cancer Care Centres, St. John's Hospice London and other cancer charities Lynda supported over the years.
+ postage, added at checkout.
Secure payment via Stripe. UK and international shipping available.
A Glimpse Inside
A few pages to draw you in — just enough to give a sense of the beauty, honesty and range within.
