Introductions?

[Karen]

Mazal Tov, John, from a fellow Michigan native -- one whose brother-in-law is at NASA. The book looks quite interesting -- if you're coming to the Detroit area to promote, let me know in case our Men's Club or Empty Nesters group might be able to invite you to speak to our congregation.

Karen Tintori Katz
www.karentintori.com

[John]

Thanks Karen. I'll let you know if I'm back in Michigan at some point.

[Charles]

John wrote: "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 d..."

Welcome. I've lived in the Toledo (OH) area all my life (I'm 62). My dad played football at Michigan when he was in medical school, around 1930. My education and career was at The University of Toledo, so blue and yellow (gold, maize) seem like perfect colors.

Best of luck in your writing. Thanks for joining the group.

[Ann♥♪♪♪♪]

Shalom to all. :) Some of the things I love are reading, writing, music, football/soccer, technology, and research. The books I like to read and look for contain these essential elements: truth, rachmonis, justice, intrigue, mystery, action, good characters, and, of course, the right amount of humor. I believe that prayer from the soul to the Creator for truth, help, and wisdom never fails. I have no doubt that HaShem blesses us with miracles. Hope everyone is having an awesome, joyous, Light-filled Chanukah. :)

John, your book sounds fascinating and very important. And deep. I'll have to add that to my list!

[John]

Happy Chanukah to you too Ann. :)

[Ann♥♪♪♪♪]

John wrote: "Happy Chanukah to you too Ann. :)"

Todah, John! :)

[Sandra]

Hello! My name is Sandra Perez Gluschankoff and I'm the author of two traditionally published Historical novels, The Last Fernandez and Franzisca's Box. Both books fall in the Jewish Historical fiction genre, among other sub-genres. I'm pleased to meet you all and to scroll through the posts and learn about new reads and what else is out there. Here's a link to my Goodreads author page, with my bio and stuff. https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...

[Ann♥♪♪♪♪]

Shalom Sandra! :)

[Philip]

Hi Ann, and welcome to the village.

[Sandra]

Ann♥♪♪♪♪ wrote: "Shalom Sandra! :)"
Shalom to you, Ann! :-)

[Joanne]

Hi Sandra. I've read the first book in the past & loved it. I'm reading the latest one (Franzisca's Box) now & it's fantastic!

[Sandra]

Joanne wrote: "Hi Sandra. I've read the first book in the past & loved it. I'm reading the latest one (Franzisca's Box) now & it's fantastic!"
Oh, Joanne, thank you so, so much! I love that you enjoy my books. Messages like this one make my day.
Thank you!

[Joanne]

Sandra: I finished the book (I really couldn't put it down & I wanted you to know that I loved it. (I left a review on here as well as on Amazon.) Please let me know when the next book comes out. I will be sure to get it. Loved both of your books so far.....Keep on writing!

[Sandra]

Joanne wrote: "Sandra: I finished the book (I really couldn't put it down & I wanted you to know that I loved it. (I left a review on here as well as on Amazon.) Please let me know when the next book comes out. I..."I can't thank you enough for your beautiful words, for your wonderful review, and for your words of encouragement. The kindness of people like you is what makes a writer put all frustrations aside and keep writing. I'm in the middle of a new novel. Another Jewish/historical/women's book about a shameful chapter in Jewish history that originated in South America, mainly Argentina, and had its satellites in Poland, Brazil, South Africa and New York. Hopefully the book will find a home and will be out in the next year.
Thank you so, so much again!!!

[Ann♥♪♪♪♪]

Philip wrote: "Hi Ann, and welcome to the village."

Shalom Philip! :) Todah! :)

Sandra wrote: "Ann♥♪♪♪♪ wrote: "Shalom Sandra! :)"
Shalom to you, Ann! :-)"

Todah, Sandra! :)

[Mirta]

Hello one and all. I've been remiss by not popping in more often! Lots of new people with fascinating backgrounds! I have written two books, one a Creative Nonfiction entitled With Love, The Argentina Family: Memories of Tango and Kugel; Mate with Knishes and the newest, a Historical Fiction/Fantasy (or a Speculative Fiction, if you will) Becoming Malka

As one reader pointed out, they are two different journeys with the same destination. Finding yourself. Finding home. Both books are based on my family background...Prussian Jews immigrated to Ukraine immigrated to Argentina immigrated to the United States... :-)
Happy reading! Best regards.
Mirta

[Philip]

Since we're not promoting our books, I won't promote mine. a jewish paranormal, no dybbuks, no ghosts. I steal the muse from the Greeks and plant it in the Torah.
It's called dark Muse.

To comply with the group guidelines, you don't have to read it.

[Shoshanah]

Philip wrote: "Since we're not promoting our books, I won't promote mine. a jewish paranormal, no dybbuks, no ghosts. I steal the muse from the Greeks and plant it in the Torah.
It's called dark Muse.

To comply ..."
The book sounds intriguing. Can you tell us more about it or is that not permitted in this group?

[Shoshanah]

Hi Everyone

I'm an author. Co-author and co-photographer of my first book. My second book came out a week ago. The most recent book had quite a long journey which could become the topic of a book on its own.

I'm amused to find myself on a website like GoodReads. I never used to read. As a child I hated it. But once I discovered Jewish books, reading became a regular activity in my life. I often have a few books on the go concurrently now and have many on my list of books to read.

I love to read inspiring books. Books of the lives of great rabbis or Tzaddikim. I have learned so much about Jewish history by reading books such as the life of Rambam or Yosef Cairo or the Maharal of Prague. I have at times read stories from the Hollocaust. I find those harder to read but some do give hope by enabling us to know how Jews survived against all odds.

In my latest book, I have in one chapter about the work of 3 Jews who escaped the war in different ways. The book was not intended to include such a topic but researching some of my grandfather's work with the disabled I discovered that 2 people who had quite an influence in some of his work had escaped Nazi Europe. Now I am sitting with the dilemma of whether to continue writing the book I had next on my list to write or whether to research a little further and write up more about the wonderful good that happened from these 3. An inspiring illustration of the importance of saving life / lives.

[Philip]

Shoshanah wrote: "Philip wrote: "Since we're not promoting our books, I won't promote mine. a jewish paranormal, no dybbuks, no ghosts. I steal the muse from the Greeks and plant it in the Torah.
It's called dark Mu..."

Hi Shoshanah. What I did was create a being, part human and part divine, and she has the duty to impart knowledge , breakthrough insights to the creative. The price that the creative may pay is madness or suicide. How these two women,
lee marvin and vi gold deal with this is the story. vi hates it because of the damage and deaths she causes. lee is cavalier, even callous about it.
lee picks up vi at some point and they have a steamy scene, but vi is very uneasy about lee`s casual way with violence. yet lee is a devout Jew, as much as rabbi Jacobs. They continue to have an uneasy relation, even after Vi meets Cal, a decent Jewish guy who loves her.
this is a complex and very different book, and Lee develops into a contradictory character. It highlights some basic Jewish beliefs, and my own angle, as a religious Jew, is that God is the only one in charge, and even Lee answers to Him.
The third book in the trilogy explains the whole mess as an add-on to Bereshit.
I told you it was complicated. This is not a typical family oriented Jewish book, and not a children's fairy tale.
Dark Muse is now available online. just google the title and my name, you'll find it.

[Shoshanah]

Philip wrote: "Shoshanah wrote: "Philip wrote: "Since we're not promoting our books, I won't promote mine. a jewish paranormal, no dybbuks, no ghosts. I steal the muse from the Greeks and plant it in the Torah.
I..."
Wow, that sounds complicated. How did you come to write such a trilogy?

[Philip]

It started as a take on a local news story. An idea formed in my mind, about a local man who walked out of a party, onto the ice and drowned. I wrote a short piece, showed it around, and people loved it, because it was so unusual. It took me two years before I decided to dive in and complete the book.
I hired an editor who was an enormous help, since I had never taken a writing course. At the end, I thought I had finished, but like you said, it was complicated, and my editor challenged me to figure out the whys and wherefores of it. I;e;, the origins and marching orders. I did, and the trilogy began to take shape. If it sounds complicated, it's because the characters are just like any one of us.
But it moves along quickly, an odd mix of a religious core, plus violence and some discrete adult scenes.

[Philip]

Regarding the rules, or guidelines about promoting our own books, I think you can talk about it, or answer questions. But a big no-no is probably providing a link or a website. Also, I assume we can't constantly tell people to buy my book!!!"

Like Michael Conrad used to say on Hill Street Blues," Hey, hey people. Be careful out there."

[Philip]

Shoshanah wrote: "Hi Everyone

I'm an author. Co-author and co-photographer of my first book. My second book came out a week ago. The most recent book had quite a long journey which could become the topic of a book ..."
Would you like us to read and review each other`s book ? We can help each other that way.

[Shoshanah]

Philip wrote: "Shoshanah wrote: "Hi Everyone

I'm an author. Co-author and co-photographer of my first book. My second book came out a week ago. The most recent book had quite a long journey which could become th..."

Are we permitted to review each other's work? If so, yes, I need reviews and I do offer reviews of books, so that would be great.

[Philip]

I've done it a few times on amazon. No problem, you just have to give an honest opinion.

[Steven]

Greetings from Petaluma, California, 35 miles north of San Francisco. I'm a native New Yorker from a pallid interfaith background that continues today. Obviously, tonight's going to be a real pain in the ass . . . I mean . . . doubly joyous.

By day, I'm an attorney specializing in criminal appeals for indigent defendants. I'm also an author with two books out in the world, both with Jewish themes, and I'm an original writer/actor with a local theater company, the Petaluma Radio Players. More about me and my books can be found on my author page below.

Happy to be here. Looking forward to reading recommendations and good discussions.

[Philip]

Steven wrote: "Greetings from Petaluma, California, 35 miles north of San Francisco. I'm a native New Yorker from a pallid interfaith background that continues today. Obviously, tonight's going to be a real pain ..."

Cheer up, Steven, at least you have something to complain about.

[Hillary]

Hi All,
I'm Hillary from Bethesda, Maryland. I write short stories and novels and find that, even when I don't set out to consciously write about Jewish characters or themes, there is a distinctly Jewish quality to my material.

I grew up in a home with a strong Jewish cultural ties. One indication of this is that, instead of sending me to Hebrew school, my parents sent me to an after-school program run by the Workman's Circle, where I was taught Yiddish and introduced to the great Yiddish Writers. For those not familiar with the Workman's Circle, it is a fraternal Jewish group with a slightly (some would say largely) socialist / labor orientation. My recently published first novel draws on this background.

I love reading Jewish fiction. Favorites include the novels of Chaim Potok, Leon Uris, and I don't think I ever stopped loving the children's series that starts with "All Of A Kind Family." More recently, I really enoyed Peter Manceau's: Songs for the Butcher's Daughter.

In addition to Jewish fiction, I love really great writing in pretty much any category - although I rarely reach for fantasy, horror, or science fiction. I look forward to being a member of this group.

[Sandy]

Hi Hillary:

Your comment about the workman's circle brought back sme of my own childhood memories. I grew up in Cleveland, Ohio and every my family vacationed at Circle Resort. I will never foget my fun filled summers. Much later, as the archivist at the Breman Jewish Museum in Atlanta I collected their records and interviewed past members. I plan on reading your novel.

Sandy