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Authors Announcing Their Work
Hello Everyone,Hope you are all doing well and ready for the new 2022 year!
Astra House has a new book coming out this January titled ALWAYS REMEMBER YOUR NAME. The book is a WWII memoir of two sisters who survived Auschwitz.
Always Remember Your Name: A True Story of Family and Survival in Auschwitz
We also have a book that published last year in August, JERUSALEM BEACH. These are short stories about contemporary life in Israel and an exploration of both technology and the brain.
Jerusalem Beach: Stories
Well and safe wishes to you all!
Thanks!
Astra House
Hello! I'm a Vermont playwright and writer and recently had my debut novel, 37, published by Guernica World Editions from Toronto. I am so pleased to share information about my book to the Jewish Book Club. The protagonist, Anna Stern, is a strong (and complicated!) Jewish woman and the story addresses many Jewish themes throughout history and across cultures. My publisher is calling it "Cloud Atlas meets Eat, Pray Love" and I'd add "meets The Weight of Ink!" You can read more about 37 (and all the wonderful reviews it has begun to receive!) on the book's page or my author page. I'd love for more people to learn about 37 so they have an opportunity to read it and discuss the important topics! p.s. A book club in Boca Raton selected 37 for their January book selection and last week they invited me to zoom with them for their anniversary; they've been meeting every month for six years! They asked such insightful and thoughtful questions and said it was their best book club meeting in six years. It would be a privilege to do that with other book clubs, so please be in touch! Many thanks!
Mod
I want to congratulate you on your debut novel.
Love the title- clever.
Certainly sounds like you were a hit in "Boca". :)
Don't be a stranger with us- we welcome author input.
Warm regards to you -from us.
Thank you so much, Stacey B! I greatly appreciate your kind words and well wishes! :)
Hi Everyone!I am so happy to announce that my debut book, The Resurrector, is finally published!
It is avaialble now on Amazon (ebook and paperback) and Kobo. For the next 30 days the ebook on Amazon it is only $0.99 so it's a great opportunity to check it out!
From the back cover:
Can someone be brought back from the dead? Could it change the life of the living?
The Levi family is in their darkest hour. The sudden death of Nir, the middle child, launches a dark journey filled with moments of light and hope. An estranged father and son, a loving older brother, and a religiously devout but sad younger sister, are threaded together by family ties, in a religious enclave in Israel and the greater unknown. The traditions of Judaism, grief, loss, and mysticism come to life through their eyes.
At the Jewish week-long mourning period—the shiva, a mysterious stranger arrives and sets into motion a series of events that are both tangible and otherworldly. It is a journey to discover the bonds that have both broken and healed this family. It is up to the reader to decide what power the Resurrector has, but one thing is certain—it is important to heal relationships with loved ones before it is too late.
Here is the link: https://www.amazon.com/Resurrector-Mo...
Mod
Quite an interesting subject book you have written about. I haven't seen too many like this.
Congrats on your debut novel as well as a
thank you for announcing it on our site.
Wishing you well.
Thank you very much Stacey! Btw, I’ve got a few synagogue’s book clubs that already picked it up for reading and discussing. If anyone here runs a book club or interested, please let me know
My article in Tablet Magazine, adapted from Chapter 16, "Death March to Big Roses," of my book.
https://bit.ly/TabletMagazine_Mel-Lay...
To mark Holocaust Remembrance Day, I lowered the ebook price to $.99 cents. https://amzn.to/3tbg0nZ
Mod
Mod
Best of luck with your book!
What They Didn't Burn: Uncovering My Father's Holocaust SecretsJan -- Thank you for the shoutout. The article was based on Chapter 16, "Death March to Big Roses." (The $.99 cent ebook sale ends today...just say'n.)
That actor is Robert Clary, the book, "From the Holocaust to Hogan's Heroes".
True story: When it came time to get permissions to quote Clary's book, I was pleasantly surprised to learn he was still with us. I found his phone number, called him, started explaining that my father was also a Blechhammer survivor, that I was writing a book, and needed permission to quote---
"You've got it. OK?"
"But Mr. Clary, I really need permission in writing--"
"I can't be bothered with this nonsense. I'm 94 years old and I gave you permission, ok?"
I had taken notes to memorialize our the phone conversation, but felt this wasn't good enough.
It took some doing, but I found his snail mail address. I copied the all passages I thought I might want to quote, left space on the bottom for him to sign his approval, printed out two copies, included a self-addressed stamped envelope and sent it Priority Mail.
Much to my surprise, about 10 days later, I got the signed permission back. No accompanying note, just the signed permission. (His book is in my bibliography and the passages are cited in the endnotes in the back.)
Now this may fall into the category of too much information, but most of the cast of Hogan's Heroes were Jewish and refugees from the Nazis to one degree or another.
Besides Clary, the Jewish actors involved were: Werner Klemperer (Jewish roots, raised a Catholic) as Colonel Klink; John Banner as Sergeant Schultz; Leon Askin as General Burkhalter, Howard Caine as SS Major Hochstetter. (The show's star, Bob Crane, wasn't Jewish.)
Mod
Jan -- Thank you for the shoutout. The article was based on Chapter 16, "Death March to Big Roses." (The $.99 cent e..."
Thank you, Mel. I think I'd read something about Hogan's Heroes but it was a while ago. The latest time before now that I was thinking about it was when I found a photo to use with my review of The Tattooist of Auschwitz. Just never thought an actual survivor would have been among the cast.
Can't resist going to get your e-book just under the wire.
What They Didn't Burn: Uncovering My Father's Holocaust SecretsForgive me for Quvelling...WHAT THEY DIDN'T BURN just became an Amazon #1 BEST SELLER in its category.
Thank you to all who made it possible.
I have always had many female friends. I also have two daughters. I often heard my female friends say, "I can't relate to Orthodox Judaism because women are second class citizens in it." I did not want my daughters to accept that opinion. So, thirty years ago, I started to write this series of books about how elevated women truly are in ancient Jewish culture, as expressed in Midrash. Many Jewish people are unaware of Midrash and almost no Gentiles have heard of it.Midrash is the Oral Traditions of Judaism, without which it is impossible to understand what is written on the pages of Jewish Scriptures. This leads to many questions the answers to which are not in the texts. Such as:
Who is Noah's wife?
Why was Lot's wife turned into salt, instead of wood or stone?
How old was Rebecca when she agreed to leave home and go to Canaan to marry Isaac?
Who did Abel and Cain marry?
This first book answers these and many more questions. It also introduces women who should be in Tanach (Jewish Scriptures) but are left out, such as Amtalia, Abraham's mother, and Queen Adoniah, Moses' first wife before Tziporah.
This is not a textbook but a fun read, meant to spark the reader's interest in studying this area of Jewish knowledge. It highlights the superiority of women in ancient Jewish culture, before the foreign influences in the Exile polluted their rightful place.
Mod
First, let me say Congrats on your book.
You must feel quite a sense of accomplishment after thirty years of writing this book.
In reading your announcement, I couldn't find the title as easily as I would have liked; maybe you might want to consider edit your above post to include it. Or, maybe I just missed it.
I respect the reasons you wrote this book, and agree with your thinking, but unfortunately I am less than fluent in understanding Midrash, but I do recognize "interpretation".
More importantly, what you wrote as the last line under your profile about your wife was beautiful.. I love reading happy emotions from others that are shouted from the rooftops.
Stacey B wrote: "Hi Bruce...First, let me say Congrats on your book.
You must feel quite a sense of accomplishment after thirty years of writing this book.
In reading your announcement, I couldn't find the title ..."
Dear Stacy,
The title of the book is "Biblical Women's Secrets Revealed, Volume 1, Genesis - Exodus." It is available at amazon.com.
Please indulge me if I trumpet my love from the rooftops. I tell everyone as often as I can:
Every day is a honey moon with her;
Each day I spend with her is one day that God does not subtract from the total number of days He has allotted to me;
She is the Queen of our home and the Empress of my heart;
She is the fountain of all the blessings in my life.
I just made myself blush!
Mod
First, let me say Congrats on your book.
You must feel quite a sense of accomplishment after thirty years of writing this book.
In reading your announcement, I couldn'..."
So nice to hear.
Think I need you to have a chat with my husband. :)
Elder Ziyon I would like to announce my book, Protocols: Exposing Modern Antisemitism.
Today we have updated, and equally fictional, versions of the Tsarist forgery about the so called protocols of the Elders of Zion. The new protocols might not take the same written form as the older forgery, but they are imprinted in the minds of modern antisemites. These protocols include ideas such as: the Jewish lobby controls the American government; Israel ethnically cleanses non-Jews from Israel; Zionism is racism; Israel violates international law in myriad ways; and Jews use the Holocaust to justify their own Nazi-like crimes.
In some circles these new protocols have practically become a religion, and the people who believe the new lies are as fanatic as the ones who believe the old ones.
This book defines and exposes modern antisemitism. It shows how the scourge of Jew-hatred is as virulent as it ever was and how modern antisemites hide their hate behind the pretexts of "human rights" and "international law." Protocols identifies and refutes the arguments of today's haters. It is indispensable to understand how the "world's oldest hatred" has returned and how it tries to disguise itself.
It is especially relevant today, as so called "human rights" and "progressive" organizations are twisting the definitions of "racism," "apartheid" and "genocide" specifically against Israel and only Israel - a perfect example of how the Jewish state has replaced the Jewish people as the stated target of the world's oldest hatred.
I'm gratified to say that it has received really great reviews so far.
Feel free to check it out, read the first chapters in the Look Inside on Amazon, and ask me any questions you might have! Thanks!
A greatly needed update to an old and repeated anti-Jewish classic. I wish you much success.
Bruce wrote: "A greatly needed update to an old and repeated anti-Jewish classic. I wish you much success."Thanks!
Hi everyone! I'm new to goodreads, and this group! I just self-published a my first book, titled And Again, It's You: A Memoir. It's essentially a collection of stories about three people I met in my late teens/early 20s and how they wove their way back into my life later on. I thought the book might be of interest to this group as the story opens on a Jewish teen tour in Israel, includes a chapter that takes place at Jewish sleepaway camp, and has scenes involving various Jewish holidays. It also generally touches on Jewish dating as a young professional living in Washington, DC. I'm posting the back cover description below, feel free to check it out! Thanks for reading my post!Is it fate, or just coincidence?
The most attractive boy she had ever seen, spotted across the hostel dining room on a teen tour in Israel. The worldly and captivating Israeli man she met while working at a sleepaway camp in Connecticut. The dark-haired mysterious stranger who played guitar in the hallway of her New York University dorm. Each a chance encounter during formative moments in Jessica Shorstein’s life who all somehow wove their way back into her future.
Embark with Jessica in this alternatingly humorous and poignant memoir against the backdrops of Israel, New York City, and Washington, DC. Travel along as she rides the highs and lows of young love, navigates missed chances and inopportune timing, and ultimately embraces closure, all while coming of age in the time of AOL Instant Messenger when cell phones were not yet ubiquitous.
And Again, It’s You is a cozy, ever-relatable, and nostalgic journey to find meaning in unexpected reconnections with faces from the past that will resonate with all who have experienced the confusion and existential uncertainty inherent to being single in your twenties and wondering if you’ll ever find “the one.”
Mod
Oh yes Jessica; gotta love those unexpected serendipitous re-connections.
Congrats on your book. Wishing you great success.
Btw- was it Brutico's in Old Forge? Love the white pizza :)
Stacey B wrote: "Jessica wrote: "Hi everyone! I'm new to goodreads, and this group! I just self-published a my first book, titled And Again, It's You: A Memoir. It's essentially a collection of stor..."Thanks so much, Stacey! For me it was Revello's and Colarusso's :) And the white is fantastic!
Hello fellow readers,I'm happy to share that I recently published A Death in Jerusalem, book 7 in my Adam Lapid series.
A Death in Jerusalem is a historical mystery that takes place in Israel in 1952. The historical background is particularly interesting: A Death in Jerusalem begins with what I call "Israel's January 6 Moment", the storming of the Knesset by protestors in January 1952.
There are many similarities to America's January 6, and also differences. Both should prove fascinating for a book club discussion. There are discussion questions in the book for that purpose.
If you'd like to invite me to join your book club discussion via Zoom, please send me a message.
Happy reading!
Jonathan
Mod
I'm happy to share that I recently published A Death in Jerusalem, book 7 in my Adam Lapid series.
A Death in Jerusalem is a historical mystery that takes pl..."
Hi Jonathan,
Congratulations on your new book and also on its being a candidate for our next book poll right here on the Jewish Book Club. As for this group, the place to discuss it with interested members would be right here on the author threads. Best of luck to you!
Jan
My novel THE STRUGGLE, inspired by the Torah verse on Jacob struggling with the angel, has just been published in paperback and Kindle by Black Rose Writing. It's about a Jewish youth who joins a Jewish cult and asks if the youth can find redemption by betraying the corrupt leader.If you have ever wondered why anyone joins a cult, this book may interest you. Hint: they think they are joining something helpful, not a cult.
I would love to get reactions in reviews or on my author page. Thanks so much.
Mod
Carolyn, thanks so much for announcing your novel on the Jewish Book Club, and I wish you the best.
--> Members, this is the spot to ask an author questions etc, if you wish! <--
I'm glad to see there's a place to reach out to an audience who might appreciate my novel, THE UNWANTED was published June 28 by Level Best Books, which specializes in mysteries. (I have already completed a sequel with the Jewish detective in post-war Germany as one of the leads), In THE UNWANTED, Germany has just invaded Poland; 14-year-old Hana Ziegler is being driven by her grandfather and her psychiatrist to a euthanasia center; 16-year-old Silke Hartenstein graces the covers of Nazi propaganda magazines; Avi Kreisler is a Munich police detective rounded up for Dachau; David McAuliffe's patrician father wants his eldest son elected first Catholic president of the United States. In the aftermath of war, revenge brings these four people together in ways unimaginable. If you want a closer peek, my web page is https://peterclenott.squarespace.com
Mod
Peter, thanks for introducing your work here! P.S. I enjoyed your web page.
I have been writing many years. This may be my last shot and some sort of recognition. So, desperation is driving me to do such things as contacting every JCC in the US and Canada. Do you think your group would read my novel?
Mod
I saw your many books, Peter!
Here, we have monthly genres and accept nominations, then have a poll, so as far as getting on our shelf per se, that's a long shot. Yet, even that is not a panacea.
I've noticed that very often even authors who win big awards aren't widely read. Even the award process is not a model of justice, as politics and fortune (not only quality) contribute. Chance!
We ask authors not to nominate their own books or push them in the other discussion threads, since we're about literary talk, not advertising.
On the other hand, many people love mysteries and detective stories. Did I get that right about your genre?
People are welcome to discuss or ask you questions here, or on the Author Interviews thread, or the Giveaways thread, though, if those fit!
You never can tell!
Yes, it is a mystery, but so much more. Marketing is so intense and competitive. Unfortunately.
Mod
I wish you satisfaction with your writing career, Peter!
I turn 71 tomorrow. Most of my career, such as it was, is in the rear view mirror. Hence my willingness to self-immolate if that's what it takes.
Mod
Er, guess I should ask what you mean by that. One wants to be around to enjoy the fruits.
Is writing your career?
Mod
Because even traditional publishers do little marketing unless you are Stephen King, every author has a decision to make--market or write. Both take heaps of time and there's only 24 hours in a day. And there's no guarantee that marketing will result in fame and glory. I agree with you, Jan, that authors should figure out why they write and not depend on rewards from society.
The idea isn't fame and glory. No one knows better than I do the pitfalls of marketing. The idea is that after a half century of writing, it would be nice if someone knew my writing even existed. If you write a song, you want people to hear it, to sing it. if you paint or sculpt, you want your work to adorn a room or a garden. To write simply for ones self makes no sense unless it is a personal diary. Writers wish to communicate. That is what we do. If our thoughts remain on the typewriter or in a box in a closet, they go nowhere. That is my point.
Mod
How do you get Amazon to make the e-copy $.99 for a month. Then announce it here on the "discounts and freebies" thread. 😊 Maybe that would be the right balance.
Also check out the "Authors' Resources" thread, furnished by a former member. Whether it would be useful or not, I don't know, but something to try.
But it does come down to what we're saying. Just as most little boys are not going to grow up to be Michael Jordan, most writers aren't going to become Stephen King. But -- are your books good? If so, you can find places to talk about them. Not my specialty, but I've seen people talking at synagogues (or churches), at small book stores. Not my area of expertise, but maybe there are authors' groups even here on Goodreads.
A lot of writers teach. Other fields, too: my daughter is an artist. And an art prof.
And who knows what the cutoff age is?
Sounds like you're having a demoralized moment. Let's hear from the voices from your other shoulder. Get them to whisper into your ear. 😘
For Jewish fiction, my impression is that Holocaust and Historical novels sell better than contemporary ones. That wasn't so true in the 20th Century (see Phillip Roth, Bernard Malamud, et.al.) I wonder why tastes have changed in the 21st?
I have an essay in Art in the Time of Unbearable Crisis, recently released by She Writes Press. Funds raised by the sale of this book go entirely to Ukraine.
Mod
Thanks, Esther. Maybe this can be found by googling?
Jan wrote: "Esther wrote: "I have an essay in Art in the Time of Unbearable Crisis, recently released by She Writes Press. Funds raised by the sale of this book go entirely to Ukraine."Thanks, Esther. Maybe ..."
Jan wrote: "Esther wrote: "I have an essay in Art in the Time of Unbearable Crisis, recently released by She Writes Press. Funds raised by the sale of this book go entirely to Ukraine."
Thanks, Esther. Maybe ..."
Yes, the book is available at Amazon, B & N, and other outlets.
Mod
Ah, I see. Didn't catch at 1st that it's a book w/your essay and others. Art in the Time of Unbearable Crisis: Women Writers Respond to the Call
Best of luck, and Shabbat Shalom
Thank you, and Shabbat Shalom to you too!
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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 Jan,
Thanks for your note. Glad to be here.
Yes, it's a variation on the same name and a very common one in Iran.
I'm thrilled you're interested in reading the book and hope you find it interesting.
Happy New Year!!