Jewish Book Club discussion
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Authors Announcing Their Work
Jan wrote: "Gal wrote: "Hi all! Thank you for providing the space for a thread like this!Happy to announce my first novel is now out, Devil's Ivy. It's a contemporary Israeli novel.
The Kindle version shoul..."
Thank you Jan! Happy to hear you managed to download it :)
I have a question. I hope this is the right place to post it.I am finding it very difficult to market/advertise my new (self published) book, maybe because I am not active on social media.
Do you think it's worthwhile to do a Goodreads Giveaway for a very Jewish book, with an Israeli setting?
Other authors here - do you have experience with that?
I'm wondering if it's too Jewish/Israeli to be advertised to a mainstream audience.
for data purposes, I downloaded your book after reading your post about it. it is now on my to read list.
Shelley wrote: "for data purposes, I downloaded your book after reading your post about it. it is now on my to read list."Thanks Shelley! Curious to hear what you think when you finish reading :)
I am doing a Goodreads giveaway for my Jewish (not Israeli) novel Who Shall Live right now. The last time I looked, nearly 800 signed up for the chance to win 5 books. It automatically goes on their "to be read" list. Another of my novels (not Jewish themed) had 2000 sign up. For the cost, it seems like good advertising, even if only Jewish readers enter.
Carolyn wrote: "I am doing a Goodreads giveaway for my Jewish (not Israeli) novel Who Shall Live right now. The last time I looked, nearly 800 signed up for the chance to win 5 books. It automatically goes on thei..."Thanks Carolyn. I tried to sign up for your giveaway, but I couldn't find the book. Is there a search feature for the giveaways?
I am wondering - in your experience last time, did those who signed up actually read the novel? Or did it just stay in their 'to be read' list?
Doing a giveaway is quite expensive, so I want to make sure it's worthwhile. Thanks for your input.
Mod
... I am wondering - in your experience last time, did those who signed up actually read the novel? Or did it just stay in their 'to be read' list?
Doing a giveaway is quite expensive, so I want to make sure it's worthwhile....
"
When a reader signing up for a giveaway puts the book on their to-read list, that shows up as a large number of books having been placed on to-read lists, whether or not the book gets read in the particular case. That is the advertising ploy.
Jan wrote: "Gal wrote: "Carolyn wrote: "I am doing a Goodreads giveaway for my Jewish (not Israeli) novel Who Shall Live right now. The last time I looked, nearly 800 signed up for the chance to win 5 books. I..."Thanks for explaining. I appreciate it.
Mod
I should say that's my surmise. Any expertise I have on the matter is based on long experience as a target of advertising. 🤔
Carolyn wrote: "I am doing a Goodreads giveaway for my Jewish (not Israeli) novel Who Shall Live right now. The last time I looked, nearly 800 signed up for the chance to win 5 books. It automatically goes on thei..."Search in Goodreads for Who Shall Live by Carolyn Geduld. In the middle of the page on the left you'll find the giveaway entry. Good luck!
And So It Was WrittenOn the next Israeli flight into space the astronaut will be taking a 1,900-year-old Bar Kockba coin. My book. And So It Was Written, http://goo.gl/TGLPW is set in the time of the Bar Kockba Revolt: when Israel defeated the Roman Empire and ruled Israel for 3 glorious years. I am so thrilled for numerous reasons. I own that coin and wear it around my neck. The way it came into my possession is magical. And it is my favorite fictional book!
Mod
On the next Israeli flight into space the astronaut will be taking a 1,900-year-old Bar Kockba coin. My book. And So It Was Written, http://goo.gl/TGLPW is set..."
Congratulations, Ellen. Historical and futuristic!
Enticing.
Mod
On the next Israeli flight into space the astronaut will be taking a 1,900-year-old Bar Kockba coin. My book. And So It Was Written, http://goo.gl/TGLPW is set..."
When I was inside the caves there was a dig close to the area where
we were. I also had found a coin near the caves and planned on giving it to the head of the team when we finished. Evidently I thought I was thinner than I am, and got stuck in between two crevasses. Took 20 minutes of twisting and turning to get out-and the coin fell out. Would love to know what the reaction was from the person who found it.
Wishing you well-
Ellen wrote: "And So It Was WrittenOn the next Israeli flight into space the astronaut will be taking a 1,900-year-old Bar Kockba coin. My book. And So It Was Written, http://goo.gl/TGLPW is set..."
Sounds very interesting Ellen!
A Contrary Journey with Velvel Zbarzher, Bard 58693702This is my new release; it is the biography of the 19th-century Jewish poet, songster, and rebel Velvel Zbarzher. It is also a journey back to Eastern Europe, a portrait of the Jewish villages, and a reminder of what life was really like back then.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5...
Mod
Your newest release looks like it is very entertaining, unless I
interpreted your description wrong.
Aside from poetry, song, and scenery, there is always room for a
jewish rebel, for the right reasons of course. :)
Wishing you much success!!
My novel is a BookBub selection, which means you can buy the Kindle version for $0.99. (And the print is only $11.50!)"If you like Nikolai Gogol's comic stories about put-upon underdogs, or...if you like Saul Bellow's ebullient novel of middle-aged collapse, Seize the Day, then you will love Avner Landes' comic novel Meiselman." ― Joseph G. Peterson, author of The Rumphulus
https://www.amazon.com/Meiselman-Lean...
Mod
"If you like Nikolai Gogol's comic stories about put-upon underdogs, or...if ..."
Wow, a series, Avner -- and this one is a book about books, right? A librarian. I love those. Congratulations!
Thanks for the heads up. It was on my list and I look forward to reading it soon.
I'm running a Goodreads Giveaway during the month of October in which 100 lucky people will receive a free copy of the Kindle version of " A Rooster for Asklepios," the first book in my "A Slave's Story" historical fiction trilogy set in Roman Asia Minor in the mid-first century AD. The books show the varying attitudes toward Judaism in the Roman world while telling the story of a character who is struggling with whether to embrance or reject his newfound Jewish identity.To enter the Giveaway, go to https://bit.ly/3B3bgCf. You must have an Amazon account to receive the free cop
To learn more about the series, go to https://www.aslavesstory.com. An audio version of the first book is also available on Audible (https://adbl.co/2Y9Rm9M), though it's not part of this Giveaway.
Avner wrote: "My novel is a BookBub selection, which means you can buy the Kindle version for $0.99. (And the print is only $11.50!)"If you like Nikolai Gogol's comic stories about put-upon underdogs, or...if ..."
It sounds very interesting! I just bought the Kindle version and look forward to reading it.
Christopher wrote: "I'm running a Goodreads Giveaway during the month of October in which 100 lucky people will receive a free copy of the Kindle version of " A Rooster for Asklepios," the first book in my "A Slave's ..."Good luck with your book! I tried to enter the Giveaway but Goodreads informs me it's only open to residents of the United States.
I am please to announce that I have published my first book. "Broken Promises: The Story of a Jewish Family in Germany"Broken Promises: The Story of a Jewish Family in Germany is about my husband's German Jewish family. Here is a brief description of the book:My father-in-law, who emigrated to America from Nazi Germany in 1937, shared very little with his family about his former life in Germany. So it came as quite a surprise to discover long after his death that he had lost a grandmother and two aunts, as well as other relatives, in the Holocaust. This discovery led me on a quest to understand why he had remained silent about these losses, even to his wife, and my research led me to write “Broken Promises.” This book tells the story of the Heppenheimer family, who came to Germany from Poland in the late seventeenth century and ultimately became wealthy scrap metal dealers. When the Nazis rose to power, many family members were reluctant to leave their successful lives. Most of the family members were able to escape (although many left just before the borders were closed), but some waited too long and were murdered in the Holocaust. This book tells the story of the rise of the family’s fortunes and the fates of individual family members after the Nazis came to power. This book also serves to remind us about the importance of telling the stories of all who were murdered in the Holocaust, especially as we see a world-wide resurgence in anti-Semitism.
Mod
Hi Bonnie-
Thank you for sharing this with us.
Congrats on your debut book.
Im wondering why this is so familiar to me? When I put it together Im sure it will make sense.
Wishing you much success, and don't be a stranger in the group.:)
My latest book, LUCKY GIRL: A NOVEL has been garnering enthusiastic reader reviews. Nancy Hopkins, MIT's Amgen Professor of Biology Emerita calls it, "“ A brilliant book. I wept and cheered for the heroine."LUCKY GIRL tells the story of an introspective, curious little girl born into a working-class Jewish family in Brooklyn, She faces down anti-Semitism, sexual assault, and gender discrimination to realize her dream of researching the causes of the depression that hijacks her mother's life.
Until the end of October, readers can enter a giveaway to win a print copy of LUCKY GIRL: https://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/sh...
Best of luck!
Mod
I would also weep but cheer for this heroine.
Sounds like a most relevant book. Does this loosely follow
a true story?
Congrats on your newest book-wishing you great success.
Readers have told me the story rings so true, they have to keep reminding themselves that this is not the biography of a flesh and blood scientist. It's becoming a book club favorite - in person (locally) and via Zoom.Thanks so much for your good wishes!
Best,
Denise
Gal wrote: "Christopher wrote: "I'm running a Goodreads Giveaway during the month of October in which 100 lucky people will receive a free copy of the Kindle version of " A Rooster for Asklepios," the first bo..."Canadians can enter also, but other countries are unfortunately ineligible. But print copies can be purchased worldwide through Amazon, and the Audible version is also available in some countries.
Hi, everyoneToday is the official publication day of my second novel, Who Shall Live, published by Black Rose. It is inspired by the Jewish prayer/poem Unetaneh Tokef. A four-year-old girl is abducted from a Jewish community in a small Indiana University town in the year 2000. She is raised by her abductor in the surrounding forest, where mystical things happen. She grows up to be First Woman, leader of a forest community of mostly Jewish people escaping from Covid.
Available on Amazon in Kindle format and in paperback.
I'm so excited to have my Jewish-themed novel published this year and to join the ranks of Jewish writers of fiction.
Thanks, Jan! Hi Everyone,
I'm Lisa Barr, an author and journalist from Chicago. I'm the author of three novels. I want to introduce you to my new book "baby" --WOMAN ON FIRE (HarperCollins, March 1, 2022). It is the gripping tale of a young, ambitious journalist embroiled in an international art scandal centered around a Nazi-looted masterpiece -- forcing the ultimate showdown between passion and possession, lovers and liars, history and truth.
The novel embodies all the elements that I love to write: history, art, suspense, daring journalistic pursuits, and strong, fiery women.
As a news junkie, I was inspired by one of the most shocking art scandals since WWII – “The Munich Art Hoard” exposed in 2012 with the discovery of more than 1,500 masterpieces worth $1.5 billion dollars hidden in a rundown apartment in Munich owned by one Cornelius Gurlitt—a reclusive old man who happened to be the son of Hildebrand Gurlitt – Hitler’s “art thief.” Gurlitt was hiding the likes of Picasso and Matisse (masterworks were actually found in his stove and food pantry). No surprise, Nazi-looted art was among the controversial Gurlitt treasure trove.
I couldn’t sleep after reading all the unbelievable details – I HAD to write this story -- fictitiously of course, with all the goodies thrown in. It is the news hook that ignites the hunt for WOMAN ON FIRE.
Here is advanced praise of my novel for your review:
“Incredibly fast-paced and savvy, Lisa Barr takes readers into the high stakes world of art theft through the eyes of a young, gutsy journalist. Thick with history, scandal, romance and deceit, WOMAN ON FIRE is a truly compulsive read.” – Mary Kubica, New York Times bestselling author of LOCAL WOMAN MISSING
"An exuberant and propulsive thriller laced with sex, art, and history. Lisa Barr has created an unforgettable story that forces readers to question where the line should be drawn between the pursuit of justice and the hunt for revenge." - Alyson Richman, #1 international bestselling author of The Secret of Clouds.
"Barr’s riveting dive into the dark side of the international art world, led by an intrepid young journalist, had me on the edge of my seat.” -- Fiona Davis, New York Times bestselling author of The Lions of Fifth Avenue
"Addictively propulsive and laced with rapid-fire twists and turns, this sizzling tale of deception, lust, Nazi-looted art, and murder crackles with tension and comes vividly, strikingly alive in Lisa Barr's skilled hands.” --Kristin Harmel, New York Times bestselling author of The Forest of Vanishing Stars
I hope that you will check out my book --I would love to connect and discuss it with you!
Enjoy the day and this gorgeous fall weather -- xoxo Lisa
I am doing a Goodreads Giveaway for my book "Broken Promises: The Story of a Jewish Family in Germany." Enter today to win one of 10 print copies of the book!https://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/sh...
Mod
https://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/sh..."
Bonnie- Congrats on your book.
Looks like the release is tomorrow according to Amazon.
The book looks great- Was it a difficult fact finding mission? Must have taken many years did to write this book.
Im sure you feel proud and relieved at the same time :)
Wishing you much success- in every manner you measure "success"
Stacey B wrote: "Bonnie wrote: "I am doing a Goodreads Giveaway for my book "Broken Promises: The Story of a Jewish Family in Germany." Enter today to win one of 10 print copies of the book!https://www.goodreads...."
Thank you, Stacey. It took me three years to research and write the book. While it did feel good to declare myself finished, there was a part of me that wondered if there was more I could find out about the family. But I reminded myself that what is most important to tell the family's story, particularly now when anti-Semitism is on the rise.
Mod
https..."
Bonnie,
Three years of work to preserve a family while making a point regarding antisemitism is worth all the effort!
Hi Bonnie -- I can truly appreciate the task and the passion it took to do this. I sincerely hope the book is successful. I look forward to reading it. Good luck with the give-away.
Mel wrote: "Hi Bonnie -- I can truly appreciate the task and the passion it took to do this. I sincerely hope the book is successful. I look forward to reading it. Good luck with the give-away."Mel, thank you for your interest in my book and your kind words of support. I also look forward to reading your book about your father and your efforts to uncover his story of survival.
Hi Friends -- I'm LISA BARR, author -- my new novel WOMAN ON FIRE (HarperCollins) comes out on March 1, 2022. It is a historical thriller -- a gripping tale of a young, savvy journalist who gets involved in a major international art scandal centered around a Nazi-looted masterpiece. I'm really excited about it. So ... yesterday my pub house announced that they are giving away 50!! advanced readers copies on GOODREADS ... enter to win a copy... Here's the link and THANK YOU! https://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/sh...
Just letting members know. I have added my memoir of parents' Holocaust saga to the Giveaways. It's title is "Under My Bubbe's Wings". Winners should get their copy in time for Hanukah. CHAG SAMEACH!!
Good morning,My book, The Coat, has been out for a couple of years now and is finally hitting a few book clubs.
The book is about a young man, Seth Feinberg, who, in spite of being an atheist, has always seen life through a Jewish lens. Inheriting a Nazi officer’s full- length leather coat from his Holocaust-survivor grandfather motivates him to research and write fictional stories about his grandparents’ and the coat’s possible history. Ultimately, he is able to define his personal relationship with the coat, his Judaism, and the world.
If you think you would like to have your book club read my book, I would be delighted to Zoom for the discussion at your meeting. I can be contacted via email: agrunspan at gmail dot com.
Mod
My book, The Coat, has been out for a couple of years now and is finally hitting a few book clubs.
The book is about a young man, Seth Feinberg, who, in spite of being an atheist, ..."
Thank you for the offer. I read your book last year and enjoyed it.
Mod
Thank you Iser.
I'd like to give an update on my novel, WHO SHALL LIVE: A Jewish Fantasy, published by Black Rose on October 14.Consider reading it if you would enjoy fiction about:
--A 4 year-old girl abducted from a Jewish community (not by a sexual predator)
--A rabbi who takes a hike and gets hopelessly lost in the woods, which turns out to be the best thing that's ever happened to him
--A split in the Jewish community as some move to the forest to escape the pandemic
--The establishment of an ecstatic Jewish cult by those in the forest
--The betrayal of the community by the leader and her teshuvah
Inspired by the Jewish prayer/poem Unetaneh Tokef
Mod
Wow..you cover a plethora of current topics in this book.
Looks like the woods is a safe-haven?
My curiosity is the the "establishment of an ecstatic Jewish cult".
Wishing you the best, and Happy Thanksgiving!
Hi all, I already introduced my book a few pages back. I would like to share that I just received my very first review here on Goodreads and on Amazon. Very excited! I am linking it below. I would also like to take the opportunity to announce that the Kindle version of my book is free today, Dec. 25. Please take a look. If you have the time and inclination, an honest review would be much appreciated!Good luck to all of us new authors!
https://heidislowinski.com/2021/11/24...
Mel wrote: "Hi Bonnie -- I can truly appreciate the task and the passion it took to do this. I sincerely hope the book is successful. I look forward to reading it. Good luck with the give-away."Mel, I just finished What They Didn’t Burn, and I want to congratulate you on this compelling and thought-provoking book. I marveled at the way you wove the story of your father’s survival with your own efforts to uncover his story. You effectively provided context for his story of survival by recounting the history of the period. And the book was enhanced by the stories of other survivors who shared your father’s experiences. I highly recommend this important book to all who seek to know more about this chilling period in human history and about what it took to survive.
Hello everyone! My book "Titan of Tehran: From Jewish Ghetto to Corporate Colossus to Firing Squad - My Grandfather's Life" was published this fall by the Associated Press where I worked from 2002 to 2010. I spent nearly a decade researching and writing it to preserve my grandfather's life story and wanted to bring it to this group's attention, hoping it might interest you. Many thanks for your time.Shahrzad Elghanayan
Mod
Congratulations on the publication of your book, Shahrzad.
From the blurb and early comments, it's not for nothing that your name sounds like a variation on Scherherazade. (Am I right? Is it?)
I will say that, sadly, your grandfather's life resonates with what I'm reading right now in Dara Horn's latest. Thank you for your dedication in retrieving his memory.
And welcome to Goodreads
Mod
Congrats on your book.
I was going to write the exact same thing as Jan just did-
no sense to repeat it. I feel as though it has my name on it and hope to read it very soon.
Great association Jan!! :)
Stacey B wrote: "Wow..Congrats on your book.
I was going to write the exact same thing as Jan just did-
no sense to repeat it. I feel as though it has my name on it and hope to read it very soon.
Great associatio..."
Hi Stacey, thanks for your note. I hope you like the book!
Happy New Year!
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After much deliberation, I am announcing the release of my (rather controversial) book "Back to the Tribe", free..."
Jan wrote: "Welcome aboard!"
Sounds fascinating Sarah! I don't have Kindle Unlimited, but if it is ever on a Kindle discount/free, I will download!
Good luck with the book, it sounds very interesting.