Ellis Shuman's Blog, page 31
December 4, 2017
Review of Strangers with the Same Dream by Alison Pick
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This book begins with a lie. They said she killed herself, that hers was “the first suicide.” She has a story to tell and we, the readers, are “the chosen people” who will hear this story.
This is the enigmatic opening of Strangers with the Same Dream by Alison Pick (Knopf Canada, August 2017) , a novel set in Palestine in the 1920s. A group of halutzim—pioneers—have come to claim the land not out of religious destiny, but as fulfillment of the Zionist dream. Haunted by secrets and tragedies, they are challenged with establishing a kibbutz in the barren north of what will become, a generation later, the Jewish state.
First, we meet Ida who wants to build Eretz Yisrael in her beloved father’s memory. She strives “to become a new person” suited to her new life on the kibbutz. But things don’t go as planned. “Was this Eretz Yisrael?” she thinks. “She had been promised—had believed so fervently—that they were making something new, but instead, everything was falling to pieces.”
And then there is Hannah, David’s wife. She must forego the principles of motherhood and adhere to the decisions of the young kibbutz. Her children “belonged to them all.” David says to her, “We agreed in the meeting that we wouldn’t start having children until after Yom Kippur.” Pregnancy leave is not possible as “We need every hand in the fields.”
As for the novel’s first sentence, the suggestion that a lie accompanies the story may also refer to the kibbutz itself. Far from being the ultimate utopia they envisioned, the kibbutz offers no escape from struggles and infighting, from infidelity and jealousy. Settling the land is far more difficult than what the halutzim had imagined.
“What chutzpah they had at the beginning, to believe the revival of a homeland was something they could accomplish,” David thinks.
The author is a masterful storyteller and her narrative is told in an innovative way. The language is rich, the characters believable. This page-turning drama, marked by pathos and a portrayal of the frailty of human nature, culminates in an unexpected ending that satisfactorily ties together the dreams, and nightmares, of the young settlers. Settlers who, for us, are no longer strangers.
Alison Pick is the author of three acclaimed volumes of poetry. Her first novel, The Sweet Edge (2005), was a Globe and Mail “Best Book.” Her second novel, Far to Go (2010), was nominated for the Man Booker Prize and won the Canadian Jewish Award for Fiction. Her internationally acclaimed memoir, Between Gods (2005), relates the story of the author’s recovering her true identity as a Jew. Strangers with the Same Dream is her third novel.
Originally posted on The Times of Israel. Tweet
This book begins with a lie. They said she killed herself, that hers was “the first suicide.” She has a story to tell and we, the readers, are “the chosen people” who will hear this story.This is the enigmatic opening of Strangers with the Same Dream by Alison Pick (Knopf Canada, August 2017) , a novel set in Palestine in the 1920s. A group of halutzim—pioneers—have come to claim the land not out of religious destiny, but as fulfillment of the Zionist dream. Haunted by secrets and tragedies, they are challenged with establishing a kibbutz in the barren north of what will become, a generation later, the Jewish state.
First, we meet Ida who wants to build Eretz Yisrael in her beloved father’s memory. She strives “to become a new person” suited to her new life on the kibbutz. But things don’t go as planned. “Was this Eretz Yisrael?” she thinks. “She had been promised—had believed so fervently—that they were making something new, but instead, everything was falling to pieces.”
And then there is Hannah, David’s wife. She must forego the principles of motherhood and adhere to the decisions of the young kibbutz. Her children “belonged to them all.” David says to her, “We agreed in the meeting that we wouldn’t start having children until after Yom Kippur.” Pregnancy leave is not possible as “We need every hand in the fields.”
As for the novel’s first sentence, the suggestion that a lie accompanies the story may also refer to the kibbutz itself. Far from being the ultimate utopia they envisioned, the kibbutz offers no escape from struggles and infighting, from infidelity and jealousy. Settling the land is far more difficult than what the halutzim had imagined.
“What chutzpah they had at the beginning, to believe the revival of a homeland was something they could accomplish,” David thinks.
The author is a masterful storyteller and her narrative is told in an innovative way. The language is rich, the characters believable. This page-turning drama, marked by pathos and a portrayal of the frailty of human nature, culminates in an unexpected ending that satisfactorily ties together the dreams, and nightmares, of the young settlers. Settlers who, for us, are no longer strangers.
Alison Pick is the author of three acclaimed volumes of poetry. Her first novel, The Sweet Edge (2005), was a Globe and Mail “Best Book.” Her second novel, Far to Go (2010), was nominated for the Man Booker Prize and won the Canadian Jewish Award for Fiction. Her internationally acclaimed memoir, Between Gods (2005), relates the story of the author’s recovering her true identity as a Jew. Strangers with the Same Dream is her third novel.
Originally posted on The Times of Israel. Tweet
November 26, 2017
Review of The Fraud or Miracle Trilogy by Christoph Fischer
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I had previously read one novel by Christoph Fischer but there were a number of others on my to-be-read list. When The Fraud or Miracle Trilogy by Christoph Fischer (November 2017) was published, I had a chance to read three at the same time. And this turned out to be a good choice, as the the novels come across best when read together.The first book in the trilogy is The Healer, which introduces a mysterious ‘healer’ by the name of Arpan. Is he the real thing, or is he a fraud? That is what advertising executive Erica, who has been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, must determine. Arpan may be her last real hope, if he can truly heal her.
The final novel in the trilogy is The Sanctuary on Cayman Brac. I hadn’t realized when I purchased the books that there would be a connection between them, but this final novel brings everything together. The characters and the plot – with new twists and turns – explain what has already taken place but also raise new questions in the process.
The bottom line is that I came away with the impression that the author is a masterful storyteller. There is suspense and romance, mysticism and deceit, and the reader is kept glued to the page. After finishing this trilogy, I realize that I have many other Christoph Fischer books I must add to my to-be-read list!
Christoph Fischer was born in Germany, near the Austrian border, as the son of a Sudeten-German father and a Bavarian mother. After living in Hamburg, he moved to the UK where he now lives in a small town in West Wales. He and his partner have three Labradoodles to complete their family. Fischer is the author of historical, contemporary and suspense fiction.
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November 19, 2017
How I Found My Editor
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After I finished writing, revising, and polishing my manuscript—a suspense novel set in Bulgaria—and after receiving very few responses from the literary agents I queried, I decided to take my next step in a completely independent direction.
It would have been incredibly simple to immediately self-publish the novel but before I did that, I needed to be totally convinced that it was free of embarrassing punctuation and grammar mistakes. I needed the assistance of a professional editor.
I have written a suspense novel (104,000 words). I am interested in receiving a quote for editing services (proofreading + just having a set of professional eyes review the manuscript). Thank you in advance for responding with a cost and time estimate for this project.
To my surprise, and very much unlike the process of querying, most of the freelance editors I contacted replied with huge enthusiasm for my project.
How Would I Choose?
With so many eager candidates, I needed to determine which editor would provide the best results at the most reasonable price. I sent each of them a short sample of my writing; some editors asked for a longer version. My sample would show the prospective editor the quality of my writing and their response would show me the depth of their editing.
The responses I received were quite varied. One editor said he wouldn't change a single word in my first chapter, so I ruled him out right away. Another said he could only provide revision suggestions after seeing the entire manuscript. I ruled him out as well.
The rest of the candidates sent back suggested changes highlighted by Word’s tracking function. I had intentionally made a simple punctuation mistake in the very first sentence of my writing sample. Most of the freelance editors pointed that out to me. The majority suggested simple sentence restructuring, occasional word replacements, and a tightening of the text. All of the suggestions were truly helpful, and on target, so how would I choose with which one to work?
The Best Return on Investment
Of course, the price of the freelance editing was also a major factor. To edit a 300-page work of fiction I received quotes ranging from $900 to $3,500. All of the editors stated that they were ready to start work on the project immediately, with quick turn-around times.
In the end I made a decision. I selected the candidate who offered the most professional editing at the most reasonable price. But something more than that is needed to ensure that the end result is the best possible.
There has to be a good rapport between the writer and the editor. The editor has to get into the writer’s creative mindset and communicate suggestions while keeping true to the writer’s voice. If a writer can find the editor who can do that, a prolonged selection process will be totally worth the effort.
Photo credit: Helloquence at Unsplash
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November 10, 2017
Review of Underskin by Orit Arfa
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How do young Israelis relate to Germany and the Holocaust these days? An unconventional love story explores a very heavy topic in a lighthearted, erotic way.First, a warning. Due to its generous doses of explicit sex, some of it quite kinky, this novel is intended for mature audiences only.
In Underskin by Orit Arfa (Route 60 Press, August 2017), an Israeli architect by the name of Nilly meets a thirty-something German peace activist by the name of Sebastian on a Tel Aviv beach. Nilly is attracted physically to her new German acquaintance, but baggage from the past threatens to prevent the couple from forming a serious relationship.
Even today, many Jews avoid trips to Germany. Nilly asks her mother, “Don’t you think we can lift the ban on German products? I mean, a lot of time has passed. It’s a new generation. Israel and Germany are celebrating the jubilee of diplomatic relations.”
Her mother replies, “Never! Not after what those animals did to Saba and Safta, the Jewish people, the world. Let them and their children pay for decades to come, if not forever.”
But then, Nilly asks the novel’s most important question. “Can we blame the people who weren’t born when the Holocaust happened?” If it’s not possible to forgive the Nazis, Nilly wonders, can we at least make peace with their descendants?
Nilly sees Sebastian not as “a German, a leftist, a non-Jew—the grandson of maybe-Nazis” but rather as “an intriguing idealistic man who’s trying, in his own way, to make the world a better place.”
Does that mean that Nilly and Sebastian can continue to see each other? Does love conquer all?
This novel makes the reader wonder how, and where, we should memorialize the Holocaust. Is it okay to joke about the Holocaust when there are Holocaust ghosts all around? Will the fear of another Holocaust always be part of the Jewish DNA?
Israeli readers may find Nilly a bit too ‘preachy’ as she expounds her rightist politics. But the protagonist’s detailed explanations of life in Israel will open the eyes of left-wing German readers for whom the ‘occupation’ and ‘illegal settlements’ are the root cause of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Underskin may come across to some as little more than an erotic romp in the hay, but its provocative discussion of a serious subject gives readers plenty of food for thought.
Orit Arfa was born in Los Angeles, moved to Israel in 1999, and then to Berlin in 2016. She is a journalist, author, artist, singer-songwriter, and media personality. Orit has written extensively about Israeli society, culture, politics, and, most recently, Israeli-German affairs. She is the author of The Settler. Underskin is her second novel.
Originally published on The Times of Israel.
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November 1, 2017
The Burgas Affair Now On Sale!
The Burgas Affair has been published and can now be purchased at Amazon!
"A masterfully written fictional account that weaves personal tragedy into the intricacies of international police cooperation in a way that will grab and hold the reader’s attention throughout." - review on Goodreads.
"A very engaging and thought-provoking read, a gripping thriller and a multi-layered read" - Writer Christoph Fischer
Purchase your copy of The Burgas Affair today!
"A masterfully written fictional account that weaves personal tragedy into the intricacies of international police cooperation in a way that will grab and hold the reader’s attention throughout." - review on Goodreads.
"A very engaging and thought-provoking read, a gripping thriller and a multi-layered read" - Writer Christoph FischerPurchase your copy of The Burgas Affair today!
October 25, 2017
The Sofia Globe: The Burgas Affair to be released in English
The Bulgarian version, ‘Бургаската афера’ was released last year. Now, author Ellis Shuman is about to publish the original English version of his novel, entitled ‘The Burgas Affair’.
It is a story which contains some reality: the terrorist attack at Burgas Airport in 2012, during which five Israeli tourists and one Bulgarian bus driver were murdered. In ‘The Burgas Affair’, the aftermath of the attack is fictional.
An Israeli data analyst and a Bulgarian detective are tracking down those responsible. The two must establish whether the terrorists were assisted by a Bulgarian crime organization, in laying the groundwork for the attack.
Read the rest of the story on The Sofia Globe.
The Sofia Globe, published online in English and German, provides news, features, insight and analysis about Bulgaria, Central and Eastern Europe.
It is a story which contains some reality: the terrorist attack at Burgas Airport in 2012, during which five Israeli tourists and one Bulgarian bus driver were murdered. In ‘The Burgas Affair’, the aftermath of the attack is fictional.
An Israeli data analyst and a Bulgarian detective are tracking down those responsible. The two must establish whether the terrorists were assisted by a Bulgarian crime organization, in laying the groundwork for the attack.
Read the rest of the story on The Sofia Globe.
The Sofia Globe, published online in English and German, provides news, features, insight and analysis about Bulgaria, Central and Eastern Europe.
October 18, 2017
How My Job Relocation Led to My Writing a Crime Thriller
My boss called me into his office one day toward the end of 2008 and informed me that my job was being relocated from Tel Aviv to Bulgaria. If I didn’t agree to relocate, someone would be chosen to replace me. I told my wife that we needed to talk.
At the time, I was a division manager in an Israel-based company providing marketing and support services in the online gaming sector. I had been working at the company for four years and I was starting to consider looking for new challenges. I had dreamed of working overseas but I thought that at my age, relocation would never be an option.
Read the rest of this article on LinkedIn.
October 7, 2017
October 5, 2017
Oops! I built my sukkah upside-down!
When you purchase a sukkah in Israel it's supposed to be a lifetime investment. The so-called sukkah l'netzach is easily constructed and then stored away after the holiday for future use. How is it, then, that I've gone through four or five of the contraptions over the years?
The first "ever-lasting" sukkah I bought was nothing more than a set of irrigation pipes. The end of each pipe had to be screwed onto the next pipe's connecting threads with the help of a monkey wrench. This sukkah swayed dangerously in the slightest breeze. After one or two holidays, the end of the pipes broke off, effectively shortening its shelf life.
The second sukkah I purchased, also designed for eternal use, was a marketer's mad concept of an Erector Set. It consisted of two golf bags filled with a multitude of bars, angles, connecting joints, and support pieces. There were diagrams included but construction was worse than finishing a 2,000-piece jigsaw puzzle. The sukkah stood in place at last, and then it collapsed.
Read the rest of this article on The Times of Israel.
October 3, 2017
Editing Is Finished! Formatting Begins!
And soon, the book will be published!
