Authors Announcing Their Books

[Andrew]

Actually, I'm a homemaker first. I don't consider myself anything other than a hobbyist author. I was never in it for the money, just for some appreciation and attention. I have autism and while I once was able to cope with it being being an outstanding software designer, it seems that nobody on God's green earth is willing to hire me even for that. So, I'm 53 years old trying to wait for old age as gracefully as I can. Writing novels actually gave me something to do so I would no longer be suicidal through half of my life being suddenly made useless due to a combination of offshoring and disability discrimination. I intend to try to teach myself writing a web-comic to advertise my stories. It will give me something to do.

[Charles]

Andrew, you and I are more similar than you might believe. I stared writing in 1986, while recovering from spine surgery. It was just a simple hobby when I had a lot of free time.

When that book attracted a trade textbook publisher, I was very surprised. When they gave me an advance, I was shocked. It remained, however, just a hobby.

At age 51 I was forced to retire from a very rewarding university career by degenerative disc disease, I decided to write again, just to keep my mind active. After three massive disc herniations and four failed spine surgeries, I am in constant severe pain and forced to be horizontal nearly all of the time.

I started writing because I needed to keep my mind busy while body was failing. And I recognized that writing is likely my only viable skill. I'm terrible with math, dangerous with tools and I have had to earn a living with my wits, not my body.

I started writing as a hobby and I continue to write as a hobby, even though I would prefer that my literary agent and publishers do not hear me say this. I do it to keep my mind from being addled by a lack of physical activity, from my severe pain and my mind-numbing medications.

Fortunately, I was a vocational rehabilitation counselor for seven years. So I'm grateful for what I still can do. I too feel old age creeping up (I'm 62).

As bad as my disability is, I would not trade it for yours. The autism spectrum of disease is a formidable foe, damaging your ability to focus, even while you are probably brighter than most of the rest of us. It's a poorly understood and under-researched disease. Worse yet, there are very limited options for treatment. I feel for you.

So, Andrew, we both write but not for a career, fame or fortune. I never anticipated being published once, much less five times. I never anticipated earning a dollar for my writing. And then, out of the blue, it happened.

I was published for non-fiction in 1987. When I wrote a novel in retirement (2007), I never thought it would attract any attention, much less from a publisher. When I acquired a literary agent in 2012, I was shocked. When my agent found a major university to publish one of my novels (in stores in September), I was astounded.

I'm writing this for you just to let you know that despite our best efforts to remain a writer only as a hobby, sometimes success grabs us by the tail and off we go. I also know that some of the most talented authors in history have had serious mental or emotional disabilities. In fact, when you consider all artistic endeavors, many of the most famous and successful of us have had a life filled with anxiety, depression, psychosis or a physical disability.

Your future is up to you to, Andrew. Just know that despite our best efforts to remain completely anonymous, success often finds a talented author. When that is combined with a well-connected and trusted literary agent, even more success and public recognition follows.

Andrew, there are at least 9 million novice authors who have a book for sale on Amazon. Almost all of them will fail. Yet, despite our best efforts to fail (or to avoid recognition and attention), we are sometimes discovered and appreciated.

If you enjoy writing and you think you're reasonably talented, then why not allow your career as an author to unfold? Why not try to become published? Why not try to attract a literary agent?

I still write as a hobby. But I don't mind cashing my advances and royalty checks. We might have a lot in common.

[Stacey B]

To Charles and Andrew... I could not let your past dialogues go without a response as it touched my heartstrings; and I am surprised there were no additional responses. Your "comment" exchanges to each other are quite powerful on both sides. The honesty, empathy and humility that you carry - is a character trait more people could show off or own. I am simply an avid reader. When I see comments such as this, I wish it could be an authored novel. What wonderful role models you are. Best, Stacey

[OnceUponATime]

I wish Goodreads had a *Like button for the previous thread. I feel like I know 3 strangers I've never met...

I wish you could read my yet-to-be-published literary novella... "An imagined story about a real fragment found among the Dead Sea Scrolls, whose text reflects on what it means to Be. This question becomes a sub-text of the story’s own plot, as it conceptualizes the fragment’s origin and 2,000-year odyssey."

In my case, publishers don't accept fiction submissions without an agent, and my chances of getting an agent for a novella (strike 1) that is not genre/commercial (strike 2) are probably less than zero, unless they have a real interest in the subject. Yeshiva/universities, study groups, book clubs: Nephesh & Ruach, anyone??

[Andrew]

One thing I discovered are that the admins or others on Facebook have extremely little desire for advertisement posting. They don't want Jews selling to other Jews. I found this out the hard way when I got banned twice from Facebook twice for doing just that. I've also gotten numerous complaints the audience even when admins allowed it. What they mainly don't want are links.

Most Jewish related publishing houses are only interested in non-fiction and have been suspicious of fiction ever since the days of Chaim Potok. And, of course, there's the usually years to decades long wait for any publisher to take your manuscript off the slush pile.

I've decided to go the self-publishing route because my journey through autism and Judaism and child abuse while being autism's answer to Tony Stark deserves its own story, and I have decided to disguise mine through a romance salted with some science fiction and inspirational ideas.

I actually get more money through author signings than I ever did through electronic orders, although the occasional Amazon sale boosts my normal $25 monthly allowance by about $5 to $10 per month, enough to reinvest into gradually higher quality standards.

I republish frequently, using the Japanese concept of incremental improvement, "Kaizen", to gradually eliminate proofreading problems and to improve covers. Notice I now have a 4 star average after 25 reviews on Alouette's Song. That's what Kaizen can accomplish over the long term.

Lastly, I don't consider my autism to be a disease or a disorder. It is simply a somewhat rare and different set of tradeoffs for facing the world. Nature can be extremely cruel to where 80% or more are affected to the extent where they will never leave their parents' house, but the rest of us simply wish to be dealt with linearly by the general public.

I am on SSDI actually for two inherited forms of depression, episodes of PTSD related to my intervening in two suicide attempts, and a checkered work history formed by managers and co-workers being unwilling to simply allow me to work quietly and be productive for them.

What we REALLY need is an agent or a publishing house or even a bookstore who caters to disabled novice authors at no fee, with proof being either a Vocational rehabilitation agent's note or an SSDI award letter, who takes a reasonable percentage.

[Charles]

How would you feel if the government enslaved you and your loved ones in a prison camp run by brutal taskmasters? How would you feel if you suddenly lost contact with everyone that you know and love? How would you feel if you were sent to the most frightening place in history, and forced to perform unspeakable acts of in order to remain alive? Now imagine surviving while separated from your true love.


Announcing the republishing of "Jacob's Courage: A Holocaust Love Story." by Texas Tech University Press on September 15, 2015 (http://ttupress.org/books/jacobs-courage).

Available in print from the publisher, Amazon, Barnes & Nobel and all major book retailers (http://www.amazon.com/Jacobs-Courage-...).

Available as a $4.99 e-book at Amazon Kindle (http://www.amazon.com/Jacobs-Courage-...).

Also available as an e-book for only $4.95 at Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view....

A tender love story of two young adults living in Austria when the Nazi war machine enters, this thrilling novel explores the dazzling beauty of passionate young love, powerful faith and enduring bravery in a lurid world where the innocent are murdered. Reviews and the video trailer are here: http://jacobscourage.wordpress.com/. Jacob’s Courage is available in print and as an e-book, as well as from the new publisher, Texas Tech University.

[Charles]

Andrew wrote: "One thing I discovered are that the admins or others on Facebook have extremely little desire for advertisement posting. They don't want Jews selling to other Jews. I found this out the hard way w..."

Andrew, I feel your angst. I am also a disabled Jewish author (severe degenerative disc disease). I had to retire from a wonderful university career at age 51, 11 years ago. Today, I must be horizontal nearly all of the time. I had to leave my staff and the university division that I created because of intractable pain.

To keep my mind active while my body is not, I turned to writing. I did this only to pass the time and to fend off decay in my cerebral cortex. Prior to retiring, I had only been trade published for a small 1986 book on job seeking skills, published by Kendall-Hunt.

I never anticipated being published again, much less by a major university as an unknown author writing a novel about the Shoah. Being published for fiction is very, very difficult. Yes, I could have self-published (SP). But that would have done nothing to advance my author platform. It would have not helped my reputation as an author. In 2007, an Israeli publisher offered a contract for my Holocaust novel.

I also never anticipated having a literary agent working on my behalf. But it happened and I'm here to say it's possible and it makes a WORLD OF DIFFERENCE.

Without an agent, my Holocaust novel would not be republished by Texas Tech University Press as we speak (or, write). And while I probably won't become independently wealthy from the Texas Tech University Press, just being published by a university adds significantly to my author platform. That's what a novice fiction author requires - PLATFORM ENHANCEMENT.

Platform is everything for people like us. Forget how you once earned $200 in one week by SP your book. The best-paid authors in fiction have terrific, talented and well-connected literary agents. They are helped along the road to fame by their publishers. But for fiction, if you don't have a good agent, you'll never be considered seriously by a major publisher.

I must correct one item from your post. True agents and publishers will never charge you a dime. In fact, that's one of those scary moments when your gut tells you something is wrong. No valid agent or publisher charges an author - for anything. They earn contracts with major publishers and then share in 15% of your royalties and advances.

To attract a good literary agent, you require a solid author platform. That means when someone Googles your name, many pages filled with positive references about you tumble out of your computer. Your degrees, writing credentials, work history, publishing history, your published articles; Your TV, radio, blog, newspaper and magazines appearances, your compelling reviews from the most well-known and respected sources, Amazon sales rank, book signings, public speaking – all contribute to your platform. Your platform is a mirror of your success as a writer.

Self-publishing can make you rich and famous for non-fiction. But it adds little to the fiction author's platform. As long as your dog can become a "Self-published author" tomorrow, all such authors' value is diminished. Frankly, you can count the number of best-selling SP fiction authors on your digits, not counting authors who were already famous before switching to SP.

When you are trade published, a literary agent or a publisher (or both) stake their reputation upon you as a talented author who produces desirable fiction. They vet you before they accept you as a client. In the world of SP, no one exists to vet the quality of your work. And unless you've sold at least tens of thousands of copies, you cannot claim your platform with sales.

So, Andrew, what can we do to create publishing opportunities for disabled Jewish authors? One thing we can do is exchange information about helpful people in our industry. My agent is the principal at AAA Books Unlimited. She has long held in high esteem books written by Jews and also about Jewish topics. These agents are the ones who can help us the most, as I've been published through mine by Texas Tech University. In most cases, you will need to discover them. That requires a great deal of time and effort.

Finally, please allow me to deliver a little perspective. The chance that you or I (or any disabled author lacking in public awareness) will become rich and famous for our fiction is little to none. As we are not yet household names, we should first be working on developing our author platform. Frankly, Andrew, it took several years to reach the point where my agent had sold my fiction to a major publisher. Forget about the money. SP will not make us wealthy or famous. But having an agent so well-connected that we can be published by a major player will enhance our platform and make us famous enough to have future books trade-published by the most revered and desired organizations.

I write about such things in one of my blogs, here: http://cweinblatt.wordpress.com. Please let me know if I may be of assistance to you.

[Ani]

Nicole wrote: "Hi All!

My book "The Debt of Tamar" is now available on Amazon! Inspired by the life and times of Dona Gracia Nasi and Josef Nasi, this story flashes back and forth from the 16th century Spain an..."

I wouls love to hear more of your book.

[Andrew]

I went for self-publishing because I felt my writing, my topic, and my approach were too controversial for conventional publishing. I know what you're saying. I will believe in the people before I will believe in the institutions though. Bye for now.

[Andrew]

I looked up what "writer's platform" means. It's essentially that intangible quality meaning stage presence. Basically, saying you need platform to be agented is exactly analogous to saying "it takes money to make money". While this is true up to a point, this is still a cruel catch-22 to be demanding. I'm not going to buy into it.

[Charles]

Andrew wrote: "I looked up what "writer's platform" means. It's essentially that intangible quality meaning stage presence. Basically, saying you need platform to be agented is exactly analogous to saying "it ta..."

Andrew, "stage presence" does not adequately describe an author platform.

Your author platform is like a rendering of your cumulative successes. The platform includes your writing awards, degrees, journalism experience, published articles, past book sales, positive reviews from the most persuasive organizations in your book's genre, TV, radio and blog interviews with the best known personalities. Platform also includes articles about you as an author in prestigious journals, newspapers and magazines, as well as book signings in popular locations, public speaking events and all other types of positive publicity generated by your talent as an author.

Platform is anything positive that appears when you Google an author's name. That, Andrew, is not "stage presence." It's a list of your successes as an author or a writer.

Non-fiction authors need not worry about an author platform. The non-fiction author instead rides waves of popularity and recognition as an expert in some topic, or by being a celebrity. If you are a celebrity or a well-known subject matter expert, you don't require an author platform.

But no such rules exist for fiction. Amazon currently has about 8 million fiction books by unknown authors. How does one of us expect to rise to the top, or even half way? Forget success finding you. It won't. You'll remain one of those unlucky 8 million.

But a talented and well-connected literary agent is your free pass into the boardrooms of Penguin, Random House and HarperCollins. If I've learned anything important in the past 11 years of writing and being published, it's that even the best and most talented fiction authors require a well-connected agent. It's the only way to get discovered.

I understand that you write controversial books, Andrew. But major publishers produce controversial books all the time. As long as there's a decent niche for your topic or sub-genre, as long as they can eke out a profit, your agent will keep your name rolling out among the biggest and best publishers. I'm guessing that somewhere out in reader-land, there's a nice niche for readers who prefer Kosher vampires.

That being said, there is nothing inherently wrong with SP. I have self-published (SP) twice and I've been trade-published three times, so far. So, I've experienced both types firsthand.

I have nothing against SP. It's nice to be in total control over who you hire for editing, printing, binding, distribution, marketing and sales. But allow me to illustrate just one point that could make a huge difference.

The publisher's editor of my debut novel suggested that I remove some sections that included sexually explicit scenes. At first, I rebelled. How could anyone tell me what to do with my novel? How could they know more than I do about it? In the end, I relented and we removed the explicit scenes. Three years later I learned that my book was being used as required reading for high school students. Had we not removed the offending scenes, no school anywhere would have used the book. Trade publishers know what readers want, which risks are worth taking and when it makes sense to change the novel. Sometimes a SP author will get this advice from the editor that she or he hires. Most of the time, you're on your own in an unfamiliar place.

I might add that the school system that purchased my book is called an "institutional buyer." They reorder the book year after year. Sales would have been lower. My author platform would have been a little less valuable.

There are some other problems with SP. Bookstores, where at least half of all books are still sold, almost never stock SP books. That's an enormous market to give up in order to SP.

The biggest and best review organizations do not review SP books. Take my word for this as I'm a long time reviewer for The New York Journal of Books and other organizations. Compelling reviews from the most persuasive review organizations not only sell more books, they enhance your author platform.

And while my trade publishers have been working on editing, printing, distribution, cover art, marketing, etc., I've had more time to write my next books. When I was SP, I spent much more time producing, consulting, hiring, distributing, marketing and selling my books than I did when I was trade-published. Yes, all authors must market. But I found myself with far more time to write when I have been TP, rather than SP.

Finally, should you decide at some future time that you prefer to be trade-published instead of SP, those SP books that you wrote won't help (unless at least one of them sold 100K copies). Literary agents desire authors who already have a something of a positive reputation with publishers and a following with readers. Being SP might not help you attract an agent.

All that I can say from my own experience is before I had an agent, I spent countless hours contacting publishers who never wrote back. After my agent, my proposals are being read by dozens of the biggest and best publishers in the world. Texas Tech would not be republishing one of my historical fiction novels had my agent not persuaded them to do it. SP gets you nowhere in that regard.

Andrew, I'm not trying to tell you what to do. And as I've said, I decided to SP two of my books. There is a time and a place for everything. The only thing I will tell you to do is to flee from subsidy (vanity) publishers. These perps will take your money, give you a pretty book with your name on it for the coffee table and then do absolutely nothing else. No one will read it. It will not have been edited. Printing and binding is cheap. And they won't lift a finger to market. Why? Because you already paid them. They earn their profit from the author, so they have no incentive to sell a single book.

On the other hand, trade publishers charge you nothing, they pay you an advance and THEY have the incentive to sell copies because it's the only way they get paid. The more books they sell, the more money they make. Meanwhile, you have more time to continue writing.

Andrew, it's not really a matter of trusting people instead of institutions. It's a matter of trusting institutions that hire the best people. And it's a matter of finding literary agents that are trusted by the biggest and best publishers.

[Mirta]

A short montage regarding Jewish Argentina

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_4jI2...

[Charles]

Stacey wrote: "To Charles and Andrew... I could not let your past dialogues go without a response as it touched my heartstrings; and I am surprised there were no additional responses. Your "comment" exchanges ..."

Stacey,I am humbled and honored by your post. I've been in constant pain (back and leg) for 45 years. The damage from four failed spine surgeries exacerbates the pain. I never imagined having to retire at age 51.

I use writing as a catharsis and distraction from my pain. I also review books for The New York Journal of Books. Sometimes I think that there is an inverse relationship between how desperate one is to achieve and the chance of making it occur. As I continue to write only as a hobby, to keep my mind active, I've been very surprised to become trade published and acquire an agent. These thing were not on my distant radar.

For those with severe chronic pain, there are two choices. We can give up, turn away from family and friends, become an alcoholic or drug abuser and eventually overdose. Or, we can recognize our limitations and find alternate ways to contribute to society, friends and family. I'm grateful that I can write. It remains arguably my only real skill (I'm dangerous with tools and terrible with math).

For the disabled who persevere with living, striving, accomplishing... there is almost always a path. Chronic pain is not a death sentence. While it eliminates many of our dreams, it can open new prospects. I try to give back by posting a blog for authors (http://cweinblatt.wordpress.com) and a Facebook fan page for my Holocaust novel (https://www.facebook.com/jacobs.courage).

There are a million ways to fail. But we require only one simple idea to succeed.

[Charles]

Announcing the republishing of my popular Holocaust love story, "Jacob's Courage," by Texas Tech University Press (September 15, 2015, http://ttupress.org/books/jacobs-courage). Jacob's Courage: A Holocaust Love Story

The video book trailer is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l9N7c.... A 30-second teaser ad is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-YDnO.... The Facebook fan page is here: https://www.facebook.com/jacobs.courage.

"Jacob's Courage" is available in print and as an e-book with global book retailers. Reviews include: Jewish Book Council, The Association of Jewish Libraries, the Sylvania Historical Society plus many Holocaust museums around the world. To sample a few of these compelling reviews, see: http://jacobscourage.wordpress.com.

For concerns or questions, please feel free to contact me here, or at csw2@bex.net.

[BookLogix]

Set in a Tel-Aviv hospital during Operation Desert Storm, Pinnacle Lust is the story of Sharon Lapidot, a beautiful young nurse who begins a passionate affair with a married doctor. Initially bright and full of hope for the future, the affair begins to takes a turn for the worst. As Sharon’s life spirals further and further out of her control, she must make the biggest decision of her life or live with the consequences.

Check out Pinnacle Lust at http://www.amazon.com/Pinnacle-Lust-M... and on the author's website at http://www.michelledimstpierre.com/.

[Stacey B]

Charles wrote: "Stacey wrote: "To Charles and Andrew... I could not let your past dialogues go without a response as it touched my heartstrings; and I am surprised there were no additional responses. Your "comm..." Charles... You wrote a very powerful human post yesterday. If your last line in that post has not been coined; you should coin it. :) BTW, I just put two and two together. I read Jacob's Courage some time ago and loved it. Cant believe I didnt see it right in front of my face. I will do a review if I can figure out how to do it on GR when my book isnt on this list and not registered with amazon anymore. I could be so wrong here; but after reading all your posts, and regarding your refusal to surrender....Might your middle name be Jacob?

[Charles]

Stacey wrote: "Charles wrote: "Stacey wrote: "To Charles and Andrew... I could not let your past dialogues go without a response as it touched my heartstrings; and I am surprised there were no additional respo..."

Sorry Stacey, my middle name is Samuel. But I tried to put a little of myself in my protagonist, "Jacob Silverman."

Thanks for your kind words. I really appreciate it.

The only bad part of having my novel ("Jacob's Courage: A Holocaust Love Story") republished by Texas Tech University is that all of my nice Amazon reviews will disappear. So, if you did read the novel, I would be grateful for another Amazon review. It will go live for customer reviews next week, on September 15th.

Thanks for your encouragement and nice words. I appreciate it very much.

Chuck

[Stacey B]

Charles wrote: "Stacey wrote: "Charles wrote: "Stacey wrote: "To Charles and Andrew... I could not let your past dialogues go without a response as it touched my heartstrings; and I am surprised there were no a..."
Hi. I have to purchase your book again in order to write the review, which I will do today. For some reason its not showing up in my account under a diff. email. No worries.

[Charles]

Stacey wrote: "Charles wrote: "Stacey wrote: "Charles wrote: "Stacey wrote: "To Charles and Andrew... I could not let your past dialogues go without a response as it touched my heartstrings; and I am surprised..."

Thanks! :)

[Uvi]

The White Piano (volume II of Still Life with Memories) is #Free from now until 09/20/2015! Check it out:

#kindle http://BookShow.me/B013TAU7L4
#nook http://tinyurl.com/wpiano-bn
#itunes http://tinyurl.com/wpiano-apple
#kobo http://tinyurl.com/wpiano-kobo
#smashwords http://tinyurl.com/wpiano-smsh
#print http://BookShow.me/151704944X



The White Piano
(volume II of Still Life with Memories)
Coming back to his childhood home after years of absence, Ben is unprepared for the secret, which is now revealed to him: his mother, Natasha, who used to be a brilliant pianist, is losing herself to early-onset Alzheimer’s, which turns the way her mind works into a riddle. His father has remarried, and his new wife, Anita, looks remarkably similar to Natasha—only much younger. In this state of being isolated, being apart from love, how will Ben react when it is so tempting to resort to blame and guilt? “In our family, forgiveness is something you pray for, something you yearn to receive—but so seldom do you give it to others.”

Behind his father's back, Ben and Anita find themselves increasingly drawn to each other. They take turns using an old tape recorder to express their most intimate thoughts, not realizing at first that their voices are being captured by him. These tapes, with his eloquent speech and her slang, reveal the story from two opposite viewpoints.

What emerges in this family is a struggle, a desperate, daring struggle to find a path out of conflicts, out of isolation, from guilt to forgiveness.

[Charles]

How would you feel if the government enslaved you and your loved ones in a prison camp run by brutal taskmasters? How would you feel if you suddenly lost contact with everyone that you know and love? How would you feel if you were sent to the most frightening place in history, and forced to perform unspeakable acts of in order to remain alive?

Originally published in Israel (Mazo Publishers), the popular novel, "Jacob's Courage" has been republished by Texas Tech University Press. The book launched globally yesterday, September 15, 2015. The novel is historical fiction and a powerful romance.

A tender love story of two young adults living in Austria when the Nazi war machine enters, this thrilling novel explores the dazzling beauty of passionate young love, powerful faith and enduring bravery in a lurid world where the innocent are murdered. Reviews and the video trailer are here: http://jacobscourage.wordpress.com/.

The Facebook fan page is here: https://www.facebook.com/jacobs.courage.

"Jacob’s Courage" is available in print and as an e-book, as well as from the new publisher, Texas Tech University.

The new print edition is here: http://www.amazon.com/Jacobs-Courage-...

The e-book edition is at Amazon (Kindle), Barnes & Noble (Nook) and the e-book is sold and distributed globally via Smashwords (https://www.smashwords.com/books/view...).

For more information, or with questions, I can be reached at csw2@bex.net.

[Carol]

Hecate's Moon by Carol Anne Dobson is a historical novel set in North Devon, England in 1794. Esther Cerfbeer has left Alsace many years before because of antisemitism; Armand de Delacroix has fled Alsace during the French Revolution;Isabella does not know her origins; their lives coincide in Ilfracombe, England against a background of love, treachery and mystery.
Available on Amazon, book and Kindle.

[Andrew]

New book release, Alouette's Dream

Review by http://www.celticfrogreviews.com/?p=1325

"... a very good book to readers of sci fi, readers who want to see Jewish characters or people who just like a good tale."

[Mel]

Read latest review of my new book "Photograph God: Creating a Spiritual Blog of Your Life“ See all reviews at http://photographgod.com "Mel Alexenberg transforms what sounds like blasphemy - "capturing" God in photographs and restricting Him to two-dimensional images - into a mystical exercise as we open our eyes to the Divinity found in our everyday lives. The book's wonderful synthesis between spirituality and technology, heaven and earth, is exciting and thought-provoking. Photograph God is a practical demonstration of Solomon's wisdom: "Acknowledge God in all your paths." Alexenberg's affirmation of the spiritual potential of the Internet, blogging, photography, new technologies and social media, brings to mind the dictum of Rabbi Abraham Isaac Kook, the first Chief Rabbi of pre-state Israel: "The old will be renewed, and the new will be sanctified." - Rabbi Chanan Morrison, author of Gold from the Land of Israel

[Bernadette]

Winegarden, a new novel by Anthony Ferner, recounts episodes in the life of Jacob Winegarden, an agnostic Jewish professor of theoretical physics whose speciality is ‘thought experimentation’.

A burly, vague, distracted man, a fan of popular films such as Toy Story and Fantastic Voyage, Jacob is still forlornly infatuated with his enigmatic wife, Miriam. She brings him back to reality: he is in a world of his own, she says, but there are things that need doing in this one.

Moving backwards and forwards in time, the book touches on different parts of Winegarden’s life and thoughts, and tells a larger personal story of grief and survival, the ambivalence and persistence of love, and the meaning of being Jewish.

[Marvin]

When Their Memories Became Mine: Moving Beyond My Parents' Past

Exploring the impact of transmission of trauma to the next generation of Holocaust survivors. Available for giveaway.

http://www.prlog.org/12503309.html

[Roberta Kagan]

Marvin, please feel free to post your book in my book club. I write in the same genre and I have a lot of wonderful readers who would want to read your book. My book club is on Facebook. It's called the Roberta Kagan Book Club. Best of luck to you and many blessings

[Marvin]

Thanks for the suggestion. I just joined

[Rivka]

Can anyone tell me if there is any such thing as a Jewish virtual blog tour for Jewish authors?

The christian book publishing world seems to be very organised in this regard, putting together lists of bloggers who are happy to host a guest post from new xtian authors, specifically writing about their new book, or doing an interview, or offering a giveaway of their latest book.

it would be great if there was something similar going on in the Jewish blogosphere. Is there?

And if not, I'm happy to start trying to organise a list of willing Jewish bloggers, so please give me your feedback.

thanks!

rivka

[BookOfLife]

There is an annual blog tour for winners of the Sydney Taylor Book Award (the best Jewish books for kids/teens), held in February. But I don't know of any other more general Jewish blog tours.

Rivka wrote: "Can anyone tell me if there is any such thing as a Jewish virtual blog tour for Jewish authors?

The christian book publishing world seems to be very organised in this regard, putting together list..."

[Marvin]

A Coming of Age Memoir Contrasting Nazi Work Camps, War Crime Trials And Life in North America in the 60's and 70's

http://www.prlog.org/12509776.html

[Bernadette]

Winegarden, a new novel by Anthony Ferner, has just been published and recounts episodes in the life of Jacob Winegarden, an agnostic Jewish professor of theoretical physics whose speciality is ‘thought experimentation’.

Moving backwards and forwards in time, the book touches on different parts of Winegarden’s life and thoughts, and tells a larger personal story of grief and survival, the ambivalence and persistence of love, and the meaning of being Jewish.

https://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/sh...

[Laura]

Thank you for this forum. I am excited to tell you about my sister’s new novel ANGELS AT THE GATE. (I help her with promotion, so I’m assuming/hoping this is kosher.)

Considered controversial by some for including the role of the feminine divine in early Hebrew history and her twists on the legend of the woman who turned to salt in the story of Sodom and Gomorrah, Angels at the Gate has received rave reviews including a starred Library Journal review. Like her debut novel, NOAH'S WIFE (ForeWord Reviews’ Book of the Year for Historical Fiction) this historical novel is a coming-of-age saga of an unknown woman only briefly mentioned in one of the most famous biblical tales.

ANGELS AT THE GATE is the story of Adira, destined to become Lot’s wife. A daughter of Abram’s tribe, Adira is an impetuous young girl whose mother died in childbirth. Secretly raised as a boy in her father’s caravan and schooled in languages and the art of negotiation, Adira rejects the looming changes of womanhood that threaten her nomadic life and independence.

But Adira’s world unravels with the arrival of two mysterious strangers—Northmen from an ancient tribe known as the Watchers, men rumored to be holy messengers from El. Raiders invade the caravan, and she loses everything she values most—her father, her freedom, and even the “Angels.”

Caught between her oath to her father to return to her tribe and the “proper life for a woman” and tormented by an impossible love, she abandons all she has known in a dangerous quest to seek revenge and find her kidnapped “Angel.” With only her beloved dog, Nami, at her side, Adira must use the skills she learned in the caravan to survive the perils of the desert, Sodom, and her own heart.

ANGELS AT THE GATE is a story of adventure and the power of love, exploring themes about choice —the importance of asking the right questions and walking the fine line between duty and personal freedom.

[Nancy]

Why Adapt Genesis? Because the power of the words and the poetry of the passages sometimes get lost in details of lineage and unfamiliar names, places and relationships. I am pleased to announce my unique adaptation for the very first time. It will surprise you with its simple authenticity.

[John]

Hello everyone,

Thanks again for starting this thread.

I am writing to introduce my new book, Lavi: The United States, Israel, and a Controversial Fighter Jet.
Lavi: The United States, Israel and a Controversial Fighter Jet

From 1980 to 1987, the Lavi fighter was the largest weapons development effort ever undertaken by the State of Israel. Far from being just another weapons program, the Lavi became a microcosm for both the U.S.-Israel relationship, and for Israeli society itself - a study in the ambitions, fears, and internal divisions that have shaped each of them.

The respective roles of such icons of Israel’s military and political leadership as Ezer Weizman, Ariel Sharon, Menachem Begin and Yitzhak Rabin are each examined in turn, together with their own respective visions for what this airplane was intended to be. On the U.S. side, the book traces the evolution of U.S. government policy towards the Lavi program – from President Reagan’s public endorsement of the Lavi program on the White House lawn in November of 1983, to Defense Secretary Caspar Weinberger’s unremitting campaign to cancel the program in succeeding years.

Lavi traces the evolution of Israel’s Lavi fighter program from the conceptual studies which preceded it during the 1970s, up through the program’s cancellation in August of 1987, and beyond – to examine its ramifications for policy makers today. Most importantly, this narrative places in context this chain of events, exploring the societal and strategic pressures which shaped the Lavi’s development, and the political battlefield on which it eventually fell.


Lavi will be published in January 2016, and is available now for pre-order:
http://www.amazon.com/Lavi-United-Sta...
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/lavi-...

There is also a book trailer that can be found here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mhk4i...

[Gefen]

Shalom all, I work for Gefen Publishing House in Jerusalem. We publish 25+ titles of all genres a year.
A new program I have set up is to build a database of avid readers who would like FREE ebooks in exchange for an honest review on amazon, B&N and Goodreads.
If you are interested, please sign up at the below link
http://goo.gl/forms/l8h0LhKvRK
THANKS

[Nik]

Hi All,

Originally from USSR, I live in Israel and, besides doing dozens of other things, I write Oligarch series in my downtime featuring fictional Jewish Ukrainian oligarch's rise and struggle, Russia/Ukraine showdown and raising some more complex questions about enrichment, moral boundaries and current entropy of Eastern and Western societies.
The series is written in thriller/adventure/noir genre. Two books are out:

Rise of an Oligarch Mortal Showdown

I'd love to meet readers, fellow authors, bloggers, real oligarchs and benevolent people from around the globe -:)

Friend requests, private and public messages are all welcome.

Best wishes for Hanukkah,

Nik Krasno

[Anna]

Gefen wrote: "Shalom all, I work for Gefen Publishing House in Jerusalem. We publish 25+ titles of all genres a year.
A new program I have set up is to build a database of avid readers who would like FREE ebooks..."

Thanks

[Paul]

Contains several essays and stories with Jewish themes, including my "The First Seder in Space" and Jack Dann's magnificent "Jumping the Road" ...

Touching the Cosmos: On the Intersection of Space Travel and Religion http://www.amazon.com/dp/B019HF7H5Y/r...

[Dov]

I'm a Canadian who lives in Israel and I have 42 books out, some of which may be of interest to Jewish readers.

They include:

Why Israel Should Quit The UN

Pickos Of The Sickos -- Anti-Semites Among The Jews

About The EU's 35 Synagogues Destroyed Rule

The Words Of Anti-Semites & Kindred Idiots: An Idioticon

I also do Islam.

Khaibar: The Assassination Of Muhammad (This is about the Jewish heroine Zainab who poisoned him.)

SuperPsycho: The Life And Crimes Of Muhammad

Hitler, Stalin, Muhammad: Who Ranks As The Most Evil Man Ever?

The Great Muhammad Cartoon Drawing Contest At The Ella Ech! Bar (This is fiction of novella length)

You can find them on Amazon or this is my home page.

https://sites.google.com/site/2inimeg...

Dov Ivry

[Ariela]

Shalom, everyone!

During the time Six Day War many Jews had profound spiritual revelations....I was one of those people. Though just a young teenager...I was frantically looking for truth.
To my surprise...while looking for Buddha....I came face to face with a 'very' Jewish Yeshua!
DIVINE TRUTHS REVEALED


Ariela Pereira

[Paul]

More on Touching the Face of the Cosmos at Adas Emuno http://adasemuno.blogspot.com/2016/01...

[Joanzlotnick]

I'm so pleased to have the opportunity to tell you about my e-novel, GRIEFWRITING.

While it's the story of a professor who is teaching a therapeutic writing course in the New York City college from which she has recently retired, its central character is really thematic: the idea of grief. It is this which brings together a diverse group of students who seek healing after traumatic loss. Exploring the past and, in many instances, acknowledging their mistakes, they gain the self-knowledge and courage necessary to move beyond guilt and despair in order to reclaim their lives.

The students are an eclectic group. Despite their diversity, which often divides them, as seen in their heated arguments about racial profiling, affirmative action, and sexual abuse in the military – topics recently debated in the press, Congress, and the Supreme Court – their experience of grief draws them together in unexpected ways. This leads, in one instance, to a romance that loosely follows the narrative arc of Elizabeth Bennet's relationship with Darcy in Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice.

Informed by Jewish values, the story of these griefwriters attests to the resilience of the human spirit and offers hope to caregivers, the bereaved, and all those facing life's most difficult challenges.

http://www.amazon.com/Griefwriting-JO...

[Philip]

Joan

It sounds like a very interesting premise. very challenging, too.

[Harriet]

While politicians worry about anti-Muslim acts, the truth is that Jews face more discrimination in the U.S. The FBI reported that in 2014 58.2% of religious-based hate incidents were tagged "anti-Semitic" compared with 16.3% anti-Muslim acts. My novel, "Enemy in the Garden" carries the reader into the world where an ordinary suburban family is torn apart when a group of anti-government, anti-Semitic fanatics kidnaps the father. The wife's frantic efforts to find him propel this thriller to its exciting conclusion.

[Nico]

I would like to recommend:

"Anita's Piano" and "Anita" by Marion Stahl.

[Joanzlotnick]

Nico wrote: "I would like to recommend:

"Anita's Piano" and "Anita" by Marion Stahl."

Harriet wrote: "While politicians worry about anti-Muslim acts, the truth is that Jews face more discrimination in the U.S. The FBI reported that in 2014 58.2% of religious-based hate incidents were tagged "anti-S..."

[Dan]

Hi there,

A Jewish "Da Vinci Code" mystery in Jerusalem (according to the review in ESRA Magazine) - my novel "A Love and Beyond" - is FREE until Friday.

Details:

A mysterious crime. A ruthless secret society. And a desperate bachelor...



A Love and Beyond is a romantic adventure through the biblical archaeology of Jerusalem's City of David and Qumran (of Dead Sea Scrolls fame) through the eyes of British bachelor Dave Schwarz and a cast of very colorful characters.

5 stars on Amazon.

FREE for the next few days - so get it now!

I look forward to connecting with you.

If you like it, an honest review will be appreciated!

Enjoy!

Dan

[Devorah]

When G-D Asks Me; When God Asks Me

[Devorah]

Helping to guard Jews in Israel using K-9's-memoir.