Jewish Book Carnival discussion
Introductions?
message 51:
by
Charles
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Nov 21, 2011 11:14AM
Thanks Lisa. Your pages are terrific. Have you considered creating a Facebook fan page for your book? Or, do you already have one?
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Lisa wrote: "Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/LisaPearlRose...website: http://www.lisapearlrosenbaum.com"
Just looked at you site, Lisa. Loved that piece about your dad & left a comment. Kudos!
Hello all- I'm Lee Mandel, a physician with the United States Navy. I'm a published historian(journals)and lecturer, with an interest in military history and the health history of our presidents. Recently I've published and lectured on both FDR and JFK. My first foray into historical fiction is "Moryak: A Novel of the Russian Revolution", and I was fortunate enough to win the Grand Prize for fiction in 2010 at the Santa Fe Creative Arts Council literary competition. My website is http://leemandelmd.com. I'm glad to be part of this group!
Congratulations Lee! Your book sounds terrific. Welcome to the group. I too love historical fiction. My epic venture into it has been a pleasure. Keep up the great work. What's next for you?
Hi Charles- thanks for your comments! I've been encouraged by the reviews of "Moryak" (Russian for 'Sailor') as listed on my website and my Amazon.com page; hence I've started a second work of historical fiction, based on the exploits of Witold Pilecki and his experiences in Auschwitz. It's slow going as my 'day job' with the Navy keeps me busy! On a public speaking/historian level, I've kept busy. In November I was invited to take part in a panel discussion at a Washington think tank on tobacco usage in the military and in December I was invited by The History Channel to appear in an upcoming program "Ten Things You Didn't Know About John F. Kennedy." I hope I don't end up on the cutting room floor!
Thanks Lee. I'm sure that writing with a "day job" is a frenetic exercise in time management. I'm lucky to be retired. One thing you can count on with historical fiction is readers telling you what you did well and what you did poorly. One reader contacted me after reading my Holocaust novel, "Jacob's Courage," to snipe at me for the tiniest inconsistencies with recorded history. I apologized for letting him down, but with the admonition that the book is clearly fiction. I can't imagine how he reacted to "Inglorious Basterds." Another reader, who is a survivor of Auschwitz, called me to ask which barracks I was in at Auschwitz. I told him that I was not there and had not even been born yet. He became angry and argued with me over it. Finally, he said, "No one could have described Auschwitz in that much detail without having been there. Eventually he accepted my age and that the work is fiction. Almost four years later, we remain friends. But his words gave me the best possible compliment about my writing. Readers... can't live with them - can't live without them.
Best of luck with The History Channel, Lee. Please come back later and tell us when we'll be able to see it.
Lee wrote: "Hello all- I'm Lee Mandel, a physician with the United States Navy. I'm a published historian(journals)and lecturer, with an interest in military history and the health history of our presidents. R..."Welcome, Lee! As an academically trained historian who now has an administrative "day job" with a university but also writes, I'm very happy to "meet" you! My story collection, Quiet Americans, has some historical fiction (including some military historical fiction). More about me (and the book) at erikadreifus.com.
Thanks Erika, it's a pleasure to "meet" you too! I checked out your website and we have a lot of historical interests in common. In the Navy, every April is Holocaust Remembrance Month and usually I'm the one requested to be the speaker. I'll have to add 'Quiet Americans' to my to-read list. Are you familiar with 'The Liberators' by Michael Hirsh? Lastly, in my novel 'Moryak', as part of the protagonist's background, I descibe in detail the Jewish immigrant experience in the late 19th century in the Lower East Side of NYC. More about the book (and me!) at my website http://www.leemandelmd.com.
Hi Everybody. I joined in December, but didn't fully explore the site until yesterday. What a great resource! About me: I'm an avid reader and an indie writer. When I'm not caring for my husband and daughter, I'm either reading, writing, taking a walk or entertaining my two cats. My reading tastes: YA, Women's fiction, Jewish characters :)
Charles wrote: "Thanks Lee. I'm sure that writing with a "day job" is a frenetic exercise in time management. I'm lucky to be retired. One thing you can count on with historical fiction is readers telling you..."
Hi Charles, based on your comments, I must have done something right when I researched my novel! I have very detailed descriptions of St. Petersburg, Moscow, etc in the book and after a cousin of mine read it, she asked me, "When were you in Russia?"
I've never been to Russia. Even though I was born and raised in NYC (Far Rockaway in Queens, to be exact)acquaintances thought my descriptions of the Lower East Side were based on my childhood. I never actually set foot in the LES until last year. It's all in the research, which probably all of us writers of historical fiction thrive on.
Hello, my name is Erica and I'm an author. Is there a 12 step group for that? I've just published my first novel: Interview With a Jewish Vampire, a parody of vampire romance with a kosher twist. I don't have a blog, but am looking for bloggers who might want to review my book. I'd love to find someone who does Jewish blog tours. Know anyone? I'm also a non-fiction writer and author of He's History; You're Not; Surviving Divorce After Forty.
Lee wrote: "Thanks Erika, it's a pleasure to "meet" you too! I checked out your website and we have a lot of historical interests in common. In the Navy, every April is Holocaust Remembrance Month and usually..."Thanks for pointing me to your site, Lee. It's very impressive!
By the way, I have a newer short story (not part of the book) with a military slant, "Fidelis," which was part of this year's NPR Hanukkah Lights special. If you go to http://www.npr.org/2011/12/15/1435909... and scroll down the page, you'll find it directly.
Not yet familiar with THE LIBERATORS, but will look into it.
Erika wrote: "Lee wrote: "Thanks Erika, it's a pleasure to "meet" you too! I checked out your website and we have a lot of historical interests in common. In the Navy, every April is Holocaust Remembrance Month..."I just listened to "Fidelis"- what a wonderful story! It reminded me of my late father, who couldn't wait until he turned 18 in October of 1942 so he could join the military. Thank you Erika.
Dear Colleagues, Greetings from Blog Carnival participant Germaine Shames, former foreign correspondent, now an arts journalist and author of four books and three feature screenplays. I'm glad to see at least two familiar faces, Charles and Erica D, and look forward to getting to know the rest of this talented group.
I have spent the past six years researching the remarkable true story of Jewish ballerina Margit Wolf who, banished from the stage by Mussolini, inspired a timeless love song only to fade from history without a trace. Entering into her life—and ultimately deciding her fate—were such disparate figures as Vittorio De Sica, Greta Garbo and an Italian Pope. The biographical novel You, Fascinating You debuts next month.
I'm a fussy reader of classics, literary fiction and narrative nonfiction and seldom make a recommendation, but I would encourage members to take a look at Erica's story collection Quiet Americans.
All the best!
http://germainewrites.com
Germaine wrote: "Dear Colleagues, Greetings from Blog Carnival participant Germaine Shames, former foreign correspondent, now an arts journalist and author of four books and three feature screenplays. I'm glad to..."
Welcome, Germaine, and thanks for the kind words about my book!
Hi everyone. My name's Rod Cohen, live in Israel, and now that all the kids are out the house I'm venturing into the pleasures of cyber space literature. Living in Israel is great (came from SA in 77) but the English book market here is very limited to the real hot bestsellers, not necessarily my taste. So, armed with my Kindle I can now buy whatever I like. I'm open to suggestions now that I have more time on my hands. I enjoy human interest stories, from the heart stuff. No vampires. They aren't kosher. Not even the Jewish ones. Bye.
Hi, I am Claire Datnow, author and avid reader of Jewish historical novels. congrats on reaching a stage in life where you have some leisure to explore books. I too hail originally from South Africa. You may be interested in memoirs about South Africa under Aprtheid, I have read several of interest. My memoir is available as an ebook. Also I recommend David Liss.
Claire wrote: "Hi, I am Claire Datnow, author and avid reader of Jewish historical novels. congrats on reaching a stage in life where you have some leisure to explore books. I too hail originally from South Afri..."Thanks Claire. I will keep that in mind. In the last 24 hours I have purchased five books, enough for one month.
Charles wrote: "Thanks Lee. I'm sure that writing with a "day job" is a frenetic exercise in time management. I'm lucky to be retired. One thing you can count on with historical fiction is readers telling you..."
I just found out that H2, the History Channel affiliate, is broadcasting "Ten Things You Didn't Know About JFK" tonight at 10 PM EST. I hope I didn't get edited out! We shall see..
Greetings! I'm recently self-published and hoping to spread the word about Jewish, time-travelling vampires. It's great to have the opportunity to communicate with other readers/writers! Hope you enjoy and I look forward to following other lovers of the paranormal!"Of course, you realize this means war! Help me win a bet with my husband. I've got a prime rib dinner in the wings if I win. And well, we all know what my husband wins if I don't; )
I'm trying to reach 1,000 hits and 10 new flags from other countries on my website http://bloodandmatzah.com and 25 legitimate posts on my blog http://blogandmatzah.com by May 31.
Mama needs a fancy dinner at The Outback! Thanks in advance for your support. Send me a link to your site/blog and I'll return the favor.
Happy reading/writing to all my new indie author friends!"
I adore vampire books and films. I mean I really love them! But what would happen if a Jewish time-travelling vampire who recently consumed the blood of someone who ate meat... then consumed the blood of a victim who had been drinking milk or a dairy product? Or, don't Jewish time-travelling vampires care about Kashruth? I'm not making fun. This is a serious question.
Wow! Thanks so much for your comment! You are the first person ever, since I published last year to even ask that question, to question the whole premise of my novel. Absolutely my characters care about Kashrut, that is what makes the work so controversial. It is my hope in this first novel to educate people about Jewish history, hopefully in a humorous way by mixing together science fiction, Jewish family life, history, politics and religion. Thanks again for your interest; I appreciate it!!: )
What a wonderful way to reach people that might otherwise not be exposed to Judaism. Keep up the good work.
Christine wrote: "Greetings! I'm recently self-published and hoping to spread the word about Jewish, time-travelling vampires. It's great to have the opportunity to communicate with other readers/writers! Hope you e..."Ten days, over 1,000 web hits, 25 blog posts (by the skin of my teeth) and 6 foreign flags. Many huge thanks to all of my new friends and friends I have not yet met who visited my site and told a friend from outside the USA to take a gander onto my site http://bloodandmatzah.com/
You guys rock!
Unfortunately, I was four flags short so I didn't win the bet with my husband. Looks like Mickey D's instead of prime rib at The Outback. : (
Way to go, Christine. You've covered it all - even mugs and t-shirts (although hats might sell better). One thought... have you considered adding a "Welcome" page to your Facebook fan site? I think you might be able to see the one I have for my Holocaust novel here: http://www.facebook.com/jacobs.courage. A Welcome page can contain your video trailers, direct links to a wide variety of retailers, descriptions, a synopsis and a long list of your most persuasive and compelling reviews. In other words, it is informative and interactive. For greater fan interactivity, you can use your existing wall.I love your book and the detailed marketing and promotion you have in place. Nice work!
Thanks for that great idea! I'll check out your site. I'm actually going to be adding some more merchandise to my online shop like hats, bumper stickers, buttons, etc...it's alway a question of finding that elusive 25th hour in the day to try and put all my ideas into practice.; ) Thanks for checking out my links!
Jewish vampires? Who care about Kashrut? Even in historical fiction this should be impossible since Jews are absolutely forbidden to eat the blood of any animal. Separation of meat & milk is merely rabbinic [Talmud] prohibition, but not eating blood - this is straight from Torah [Deut 12:23 and others]. How can you justify this? Even the argument that all is permitted to save a life doesn't work because vampires are already dead.Maggie Anton
"Sink your incisors into a sexy summer story! BLOOD AND MATZAH Limited time only: $2.99 on Kindlehttp://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B006P3M...
http://bloodandmatzah.com
Genre-blending? Party of one! I’m so there. Jewish, time-travelling vampires on a mission from G-d, waging a holy war against evil? Check. Romance, crime-fighting, lust, disco, annoying Jewish mothers, sexy vampires who travel back in time just in time to see the rescue of the Danish Jews in 1943? Why not? Politics, religion, history, chicken soup, gun control and the kitchen sink? You have to ask? If one is not pissing off enough people, why bother? Don't worry, you don't have to be Jewish to read it. But it couldn't hoit. Eh, it's up to you.
Hello,We are Halban Publishers, an independent, London-based publishing company, established in 1986.
We publish fiction, memoirs, history, biography, books on the Middle East and of Jewish interest, including works by Eli Amir and A.B. Yehoshua.
Please take time to explore our books and come back regularly for the latest reviews and upcoming events.
http://www.halbanpublishers.com/index...
Maggie wrote: "Jewish vampires? Who care about Kashrut? Even in historical fiction this should be impossible since Jews are absolutely forbidden to eat the blood of any animal. Separation of meat & milk is merely rabbinic [Talmud] prohibition, but not eating blood - this is straight from Torah [Deut 12:23 and others]. How can you justify this? Even the argument that all is permitted to save a life doesn't work because vampires are already dead."No one keeps kashrut in the exact same way, and only a minority of Jews keep kashrut perfectly. Most Jews for whom eating kosher is important are somewhere in the middle of the continuum between ignoring it and being completely strict about it, and some struggle with it on a daily basis. Why should it be any different with fictional Jewish characters?
Besides, vampires are neither human nor dead. They're undead immortal non-human creatures. So they can keep--or not keep--whatever mitzvot they desire. Because they're no longer human, they're no longer commanded.
Wow, Michael! I couldn't have said it better myself. You sound like a fan! Are we friends yet because I am heading over to your page right now and adding you! You rock and thanks for your insight!
Hi everyone. Just about to publish my first jewish book. There is so much great info on these forums. Really appreciate it.
I am the senior editor at Fig Tree Books and I am so excited to review the many wonderful books collected in this group. I wanted to share that I am currently accepting submissions and welcome manuscripts from writers and agents.Fig Tree Books is focused on publishing original high quality literary & mainstream fiction & reviving classics that deal with the American Jewish experience (AJE). We are passionate about discovering new voices as well as expanding the audience for established authors. All of our books will be available in print & e-format, backed by a major distributor to both retail & online accounts & promoted using a combination of traditional & social media approaches. Our first titles will be published in the spring/summer of 2015 & we expect to publish about 12 new titles annually.
Please take a look at our website www.FigTreeBooks.net. We have also recently been featured in Lilith Magazine and in a blog by Erika Dreifus. We have selected our first list and will launch in the fall.
If you have a novel that fits our model, I would love to consider it for publication.
Ooh, exciting! Nice to meet you, Michelle! Good luck!
Hi Christine,Your book sounds like a lot of fun. I am the senior editor at Fig Tree Books. We publish books on the American Jewish experience.
Shalom... and thanks for posting here. This book sounds very similar to my Holocaust novel, "Jacob's Courage: A Holocaust Love Story" (2007, Mazo Publishing). There were countless acts of courage during the Shoah, which flies against the belief that all Jews meekly walked into Nazi gas chambers. People need to understand what it felt like to be a Jew in Europe during WWII, because genocide continues today. So every effort of literature in that endeavor is important. It sounds like this book captured your heart and mind. That's what all authors of fiction hope to create. Thanks again for posting here. BTW, I too love fishing.Jacob's Courage: A Holocaust Love Story
Shalom Y'all,I'm getting acquainted with Goodreads, a bit at a time. I'm a former academic researcher (on low intensity conflict and terrorism), now happily retired and writing mostly on Jewish topics. My first non-academic book is: A Damaged Mirror, (Kasva Press) a true story of a survivor of the Birkenau sonderkommando in search of atonement and self-forgiveness.
I'm now working on something lighter, a look at what happens when you sit down to study Talmud...with a cat!
Aside from writing, I lecture in Israel and abroad on Talmud, Jewish organizational dynamics, and various sordid military topics. I also garden, often to relive stress from the above-mentioned sordid military topics.
I would be very interested in participating in, and/or hosting the Jewish Book Carnival in the blogosphere. My blog can be found at: http://www.damaged-mirror.com/blog/
Kol tuv!
-Yael
Thank you for your post. I am a now retired archivist who spent her career working in Jewish museums. I intend to look at your book. It sounds interesting. In my work at the museum I interviewed countless survivors. One gentleman admitted to be a sonderkommando but would never talk about. Please take a look at Klara with a K my recently published novel. It is my attempt at explaining the complexities faced my survivors who settled in the deep south either immediately before or after the war.Good Luck,
Sandy
Yael wrote: "Shalom Y'all,I'm getting acquainted with Goodreads, a bit at a time. I'm a former academic researcher (on low intensity conflict and terrorism), now ... I'm now working on something lighter, a look at what happens when you sit down to study Talmud...with a cat! ."
Have you read the graphic novels The Rabbi's Cat and The Rabbi's Cat 2?
Maggie wrote: Have you read the graphic novels The Rabbi's Cat and The Rabbi's Cat 2? I just recently read the first one, and quite liked it, although It seemed to trail off a bit weakly after a really wonderful start. Hadn't known there was a second one out. I'll definitely try to get a copy! A friend loaned me the first one when she heard my nefarious plans for the next book. My cat of course immediately accused the honourable Joan Sfar of being a...er, copy cat, and was not appeased by my explanation that Sfar's cat came first. Try explaining chronology to a cat! ;-)
Sandy wrote: "Please take a look at Klara with a K my recently published novel. It is my attempt at explaining the complexities faced my survivors who settled in the deep south either immediately before or after the war."Thanks for the welcome Sandy! I'll look for your novel. It's not surprising that so few were willing to admit to the role. Many carried the guilt and shame in total silence for decades. Some told their grandchildren what they had refused to tell their children; some carried the secret to their graves. That tension between the safety--and self-punishment--of silence and the need for closure is at the heart of A Damaged Mirror. Memory rarely stops with a single generation.
What will it be like in one generation in terms of what people know and don't know about the Holocaust and World War II? And how about today? To find out, I went to a university campus and asked students. We shot the interviews and the level of ignorance is incredible. You can see for yourself ...http://youtu.be/CRC_T07dwZo
I'm not surprised by your video, Jerry. I had a roommate born in the 1970's who asked me whether Hitler was before or after the Vietnam War. He was a high school graduate.
I never cease to be amazed with the depths of ignorance among all youth concerning history. That's why I wrote "Jacob's Courage." And while it's less critical that youth comprehend the names of all of the Allies or Axis members, or when the war started and ended, it's critical that they know that millions of innocent people, mostly Jews, were systematically exterminated by Nazi Germany, simply because of their faith. Most of this was accomplished with industrial extermination methods. Since then, we've witnessed genocides in Cambodia, Bosnia, Rwanda and Darfur. These facts are lessons that all must understand. Otherwise, what's to prevent it from occurring again?
I'm happy to have discovered this group! I am an author who always wrote about Paris; now I cannot stay away from Jewish France. I read The Lost Museum, by Hector Feliciano, an account of Nazi art looting from prominent French-Jewish collectors, published in '95. Before then, this was as taboo a topic in France as Drancy and the Val d'hiver. I wanted to dramatize how it happened, and my recent novel, Portrait of a Woman in White, is about a Matisse looted from a Parisian family by Nazis. The historic research was fascinating.It surprised me that so many readers had not heard of that page in history.
Greetings.After graduating the University of California with a degree in English Literature, I took the long road to the rabbinate, circumnavigating the globe, hitchhiking across the United States, and backpacking across Europe before I settled into nine years of Torah study in Israel, followed by a year teaching in Budapest, Hungary, and two years in Atlanta, Georgia.
I now live with my wife (and without my four adult children) in St. Louis, Missouri, where I teach, write, and lecture to a variety of audiences. I've authored three books (with the fourth due out in July) and over 200 articles on contemporary issues, current events, inspiration, education, childraising, history, ethics, philosophy, spirituality, personal growth, and self-awareness.
You can visit me at http://yonasongoldson.com
Hi everyone, I am a reader/author and live in England. My son lives in the US and my daughter and grandchildren in Belgium, so I travel a lot.
Hello everyone,I am a reading addict, mostly surrounding historical Jewish or Israeli themes or current events - although I will occasional squeeze in a novel (usually something that my wife or daughters are reading). My favorite poet, far and away, would be Yehuda Amichai.
I grew up in Michigan, where I attended the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, and where I met my future wife. Today I live with my wife and three children in Connecticut. I am an aerospace engineer by profession, with over two decades of industry experience.
My first book (on Israel's cancelled Lavi program) is due out this coming January.
My blog site can be found at:
http://john-golan.blogspot.com/p/my-p...
Jewish Book Carnival
Books mentioned in this topic
Becoming Malka (other topics)With Love, The Argentina Family: Memories of Tango and Kugel; Mate with Knishes (other topics)
OyMG (other topics)
Songs for the Butcher's Daughter (other topics)
Rasputin and The Jews: A Reversal of History (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
A.B. Yehoshua (other topics)Maggie Anton (other topics)
Eli Amir (other topics)
