Iris Dorbian's Blog, page 3

Just Received Five-Star Review from Reader's Favorite for An Epiphany in Lilacs!

Check it out!

Reviewed by Divine Zape for Readers' Favorite

An Epiphany in Lilacs: In the Aftermath of the Camps by Iris Dorbian is a moving book, set within the years following World War II. It is 1945 when Daniel, a Latvian Jew, finally tastes freedom after his horrible experience of the Holocaust. Daniel is still haunted by memories of the concentration camp. This novel explores insomnia and the relentless disquietude that settles on the mind of this young boy as he struggles to come to terms with his new reality, developing new connections, and trying new things. All along, he still doesn’t know where his parents are. Will he be able to locate them?

Rich with powerful and piercing historical references, An Epiphany in Lilacs: In the Aftermath of the Camps by Iris Dorbian captures the reality of Jews who survived the Holocaust, the inner scars and the struggles with uncertainty, incessant nightmares, and fitting into the day-to-day lifestyle of ordinary people. It is a heart-wrenching story, told in excellent prose and in the author’s unique style. I have been a huge fan of Holocaust literature, starting with Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl, and have always felt appalled by man’s cruelty to fellow man. In this new book, the author explores the terrible effects of a fragment of history on the life of a little boy. This is a story to read and share, a powerful story about freedom and the perils of war. Well-crafted with compelling characters and interesting themes.

Here's the link to the review:https://readersfavorite.com/book-revi...

Author Talk on "An Epiphany in Lilacs" at Ramapo College - April 24

On Holocaust Memorial Day (April 24), I will be talking at Ramapo College about my book "An Epiphany in the Lilacs: In the Aftermath of the Camps." The event runs from 1-2 pm.

Here's the info from the event site: Iris Dorbian, an author and editor from Fair Lawn, will discuss the story behind An Epiphany In Lilacs, published by Mazo Publishers in January 2017, a young adult novel set in a DP camp outside Hamburg, Germany following the end of World War II. The program will take place under the auspices of the Gross Center for Holocaust and Genocide Studies and the Hillel of Ramapo College.

Based on her father’s personal experiences, it provides a unique glimpse into the period after the Holocaust when survivors returned to life. Daniel, the main protagonist, struggles to find comfort through his love of nature, and pre-war memories.

Iris Dorbian is a business and arts journalist whose articles have appeared in a wide number of outlets that include the Wall Street Journal, Reuters, Jerusalem Report, The Forward, and, Backstage. From 1999 to 2007, she was the editor-in-chief of Stage Directions. She is also the author of Great Producers: Visionaries of the American Theater (Allworth Press, 2008).

A New Jersey native, Iris has a master’s degree in journalism from Columbia University.

Here's the link: https://www.ramapo.edu/holocaust/even...

An Epiphany in Lilacs: In the Aftermath of the Camps

Cover Story on Book in new Jewish Standard!

A cover story on my new book An Epiphany in Lilacs: In the Aftermath of the Camps and the story that inspired it is in the new edition of the Jewish Standard! Check it out: http://jewishstandard.timesofisrael.c...

Thank you!!

Thank you so much to Goddess Fish Promotions for launching a very successful virtual book blast tour of my new book "An Epiphany in Lilacs: In the Aftermath of the Camps." And a special thank you to all the bloggers who participated. The response was overwhelming. It's so uplifting that this personal labor of love should elicit such a wonderful outpouring of praise and positive reaction. Thank you again!

New Article About Book "An Epiphany in Lilacs: In the Aftermath of the Camps"

Hi. Earlier this week, an article about my new book, "An Epiphany in Lilacs: In the Aftermath of the Camps" was published in a hyperlocal news site the Daily Voice (and has been picked up many sister sites within the same NJ county).

It's very well written and on the mark. Here's the link: http://fairlawn.dailyvoice.com/neighb...

And in other news, I'll be doing a big virtual book blast blog tour on February 2--should be hitting over 25 stops. More information will be posted soon.

New Book "An Epiphany in Lilacs" Available in Pre-Order/Will Publish 1/1/17

Hi, everyone! My book "An Epiphany in Lilacs: In the Aftermath of the Camps" (Mazo Publisher) is currently available on pre-order on both Amazon and Barnes & Noble sites. It will be published on Jan 1, 2017 and a Kindle version will be out in the next few weeks. The book is a young adult coming of age novel set in a displaced person's camp in Germany following World War II. The main character is a 14-year-old Holocaust survivor. The story is loosely based on my father's experiences after the war. Thanks and I hope you all have a great 2017!An Epiphany in Lilacs: In the Aftermath of the Camps

Update: New Historical YA Novel "An Epiphany in Lilacs"

Good news to start the morning and new week: I just received from the publisher the prospective book cover image and initial galley for my historical YA novel "An Epiphany in Lilacs." The story is based on my father's experiences in a DP camp in Germany after WWII. The book will be coming out in 2017--should have a more definite date soon.

Another Excerpt From Current Manuscript - "In Limbo: Suffering the DP Blues"

Here's another excerpt from the manuscript I'm working on (formerly titled "An Epiphany in Lilacs.").

And yes, I thought about today's weather tying in with the excerpt. Here it is:

"The July heat could sometimes get clammy and oppressive under the glare of the morning sun, but Hirschel didn't care about peripheral meteorological considerations. What he cared about as he traipsed and traversed the grounds, the meticulously mowed lawns, the proliferating lilacs always in bloom, was an sensation that rippled throughout his body, the entire network of valves and veins constituting his inner being, the framework of his soul and flesh, a feeling so powerful and ineffable, it always bubbled up inside his head, manifesting in three simple words—“I am alive.”

Sometimes he would say these words aloud, sometimes within the earshot of other patients, some ambulatory, others not, yet all who heard would faintly acknowledge Hirschel’s prosaic but freighted affirmation of being with their own gesture of recognition and affinity, be it an askew nod, a wry smile or a knowing wink.

Like other survivors, Hirschel was plagued with guilt, confusion, disorientation and shock—the symptoms of post-traumatic stress that sometimes felt more terminal than transitory. But there was another emotion he shared with them, or rather a byproduct of an emotion, as he wasn’t ever sure he could qualify it as one, and that was gratitude. And it was this thankfulness, this visceral appreciation of just how lucky he was when far worthier beings like Tante Masha and Cousin Aaron had not been, which instilled him with awe and wonder during his outdoor digressions. “I am alive.”

Excerpt from Current Project "Epiphany in Lilacs"

I'm currently working on a new manuscript, a novel that's a fictionalized account of my father's experiences in a displaced person's' camp in Germany following the end of World War II. The story starts with my 14-year-old father's arrival in a field hospital in the British zone, then follows him piecing together the fragments of his life as he recovers from dysentery, typhus and starvation while trying to find out if his mother and two sisters are still alive. Along the way, he forges a bond with an older mysterious German and joins a theater troupe but never giving up hope that his family is still out there.

Here's a short excerpt:

"The British had done a yeoman job of cleaning up the damage caused by the bombings; it was a miracle most of the buildings had survived. However, therein lied the paradox: If you were on a train or in car rushing by Neustadt and you cast a fleeting glimpse at the monolithically bleak façade housing the converted barracks, you would swear it was a prison. On the outside, the buildings were uniform and utilitarian in form. Yet, if you stopped for a moment and stepped inside to snag a closer view of what remained of this erstwhile naval base, you would see a thin layer of hope clouding the vision of so many dislocated souls. The DPs were lost, of course, suspended between the horrors of a recent past and the uncertainties of an unknown future, but they were also astonished they survived and were not extinct. And because of that, every day seemed like an epiphany; breathing was an epiphany; nature was an epiphany; Neustadt-Holstein was an epiphany; Doctor Edwardson and Nurse Margaret were epiphanies; even fellow survivors like Jackie and Silka were epiphanies."

Yes, I’m Still Here

I was going to write as a headline “Yes, I’m Still Alive” but then thought the latter word “alive” might presuppose a few health problems, which I’m currently (thankfully) not having. So I swapped out “Alive” for “Here.”

Sorry I haven’t been active on my blog but since the start of 2016, my life has been a WHIRLWIND! And that is no exaggeration.

The following things happened in January:

A close family friend with no real history of medical ailments died suddenly;
My mother decided to retire after 45 years; and
I was told after three years of working for a specific company–the last year and a half in a full-time capacity that my contract would be ending;

And here’s just a summary of February’s highlights:

I continued to help my mother in her post-retirement phase;
My contract job officially ended February 10;
I sent resumes out and was lucky to score a number of interviews;
One of those interviews led to a string of call-back interviews that would continue into early March;
I debated what to do with my insurance–whether I should still continue to pay the premium or opt for something less expensive given my precarious job status;
I did a few freelance gigs after February 10 just to keep some incoming trickling in;
I debated about my bills and loans and opted to give myself a few more weeks until making a decision about them;
I started writing a monthly column for the Clyde Fitch Report;
I went back and looked at a novella I wrote last year that’s about the experiences my teen-aged father had in a DP camp following World War II. After reading it, I decided it wasn’t a piece of crap and that it had some merit. I did a rough revision on it.
My recent old company offered me a short-term, part-time research gig, which I took and that would last into early March.

And this is just a smattering from February. Here is March:

I continued to go out on job interviews;
Disgusted and frustrated with Trump, I gave some money to the Hillary Clinton campaign;
I also joined the campaign as a volunteer in NJ and canvassed the local mall, seeking to get signatures on a petition that would ensure Hillary’s name would be on the ballot for the NJ primary in early June;
I wrote my second column for the CFR Report;
After finishing the rough revision of the post-Holocaust novella, I researched editors and finally found a really good one based on a referral from someone who specializes in Jewish-themed fiction/nonfiction;
Said editor reviewed the manuscript and gave me an excellent developmental edit from which I’m continuing to work with;
I got a job–in PR/communications, which I had been looking to transition into–only drawback is the commute but I have to get used to that;
On my first day while trying to catch a bus, I had a nasty fall–and walked into the office of my new job bleeding and asking for bandaids!! (I’m better now); and
I’ve now decided that my breakup with New York City is not as acrimonious as it once was–we’re back to being on very good terms.

Again more happened in March–that’s just a smattering. I wonder what April will bring.

I knew on New Year’s Eve that 2016 would be INSANE but in a good way. Now that we’re barely four months into the year, I can say that my prediction is proving to be true.

Can’t wait to see what June will be like! Crazy year!

How is everyone else’s year shaping up?

Photo is from the Impressionists and Expressionists exhibit at the Neues Museum in Berlin. I was there last September.