A Note About Bringing Diane Leslie’s Final Novel to Readers

Sibylline Press is honored to publish Diane Leslie’s The Critic at Rest. Diane passed away shortly before the book’s publication, but not before completing the final revisions, seeing the cover, and knowing that her novel was on its way into the world.

Her son, Dana Huffman, worked closely with Diane during the book’s final stages, helping her bring the manuscript to completion as Parkinson’s increasingly limited her ability to work independently. We asked Dana to share the story of that extraordinary collaboration—and what it meant to finish the book together.

"My mom and I shared an intent to see this book through to publication, ideally while she was still alive.”

Read Dana’s letter about finishing The Critic at Rest with his mother →

The Critic at Rest: A Novel

by Diane Leslie

One chance encounter opens the door to a world of art, ambition, and reinvention.

When celebrated art critic Neil Barris wanders into a local high school art show, the lives of two teenage girls are changed forever.

Told through the sharp, observant eyes of Beth, The Critic at Rest follows her lifelong friendship with Quincy, a gifted young artist whose talent captures Neil’s attention. Charismatic, eccentric, and impossible to ignore, Neil becomes equal parts mentor, champion, and cautionary tale, drawing the girls into the vibrant Los Angeles art world of the 1960s and opening doors they never imagined possible.

As Quincy’s artistic career takes flight and Beth pursues creative ambitions of her own, the friends navigate love, loss, family, and the upheavals of a changing America. Through it all, Neil remains a magnetic presence—brilliant and inspiring, yet increasingly self-absorbed and unpredictable.

Spanning decades of friendship, artistic ambition, and personal reinvention, The Critic at Rest is a witty and poignant novel about the people who shape us, the stories we tell about them, and the enduring power of art to transform a life.

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Praise for The Critic at Rest

“The Critic at Rest is a sharply observed, wonderfully witty, and soberly nostalgic journey into the heart of the 1960s Los Angeles art scene. I couldn’t put down this delightful and enchanting exploration of creativity, ambition, and lifelong friendship. Bravo!”

—Antoine Wilson, author of Mouth to Mouth

About the Author

Diane Leslie was born in Hollywood and by age nineteen was working as a television researcher and story analyst. After sailing halfway around the world, she married a sailboat rigger. Home in Los Angeles once again, she began writing fiction while raising two sons. For thirty years she hosted author readings and led book groups at Diesel and Dutton’s Brentwood Bookstores. She is the author of Fleur de Leigh’s Life of Crime and Fleur de Leigh in Exile. This brilliant novel is being published posthumously.

Sunday, October 18, 3PM | DIESEL, A Bookstore • Santa Monica, CA

A Celebration of Life and Art with Diane Leslie's The Critic at Rest

Join us on Sunday October 18th at 3:00 pm for a Celebration of Life and Art with Diane Leslie's The Critic at Rest. We'll be joined by actors celebrating Diane's work with readings from this hugely entertaining ironic novel celebrating the 1960s Los Angeles art scene. Refreshments served!

This event is free to attend and will be held in the courtyard at DIESEL, A Bookstore in Brentwood.

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