Medical Mysteries, YA Eco Mysteries, Memoirs & Novels
Extraordinary Torah Journey
11/02/12 08:59 Filed in: Historical Novels
In my historical novel, The Nine Inheritors, I created a fictional story about the journey of a family and their ancient Torah scroll. Recently, I came across the true account of a Torah’s Journey to Uganda, which begins in the early 1900s with an elephant hunter named Semei Kakungulu, connects with a 51-year-old Jewish physician from Plano, Texas, and ends with him delivering an ancient Hebrew text to a remote village in the foothills of Mount Elgon, a towering, dormant volcano in eastern Uganda. I swear I’m not making this up. To read more of this fascinating story, go to this link:
http://www.postandcourier.com/news/2011/jul/24/a-torahs-journey-to-uganda/?print
Environmental Fiction
04/02/12 17:28 Filed in: Environment
Selected Books for Children and Teens
about the Environment
Through my Sizzling Six eco mystery series I hope to inspire young people to feel wonder and curiosity for the natural world, and then to learn how to take intelligent action to resolve environmental problems. Here is a selected list of books with an environmental theme that I have enjoyed and that I believe my young readers will also enjoy:
1) Carl Hiaason creates child-heroes as environmental activists in his trio of young-adult novels: Hoot, about endangered owls, Flush, on the illegal dumping of raw sewage into the ocean and Scat.
2) Will Hobbs writes outdoor stories that appeal to both boys and girls. Hobbs has readers discovering wild places, sharing adventures with people from varied backgrounds, and exploring how to make important choices in their own lives. http://www.willhobbsauthor.com/index.html
3) Gary Paulson's survival stories. http://www.randomhouse.com/features/garypaulsen/
4) Jean Craighead George still ranks with the best of eco mystery writers.
Jean Craighead George's Official Website
5) Ben M. Baglio. The Dolphin Diaries series.
6) Hannah West series by Linda Jones
http://www.lindajohns.net/index.html
7) Operation Redwood by S. Terrell French
http://www.operationredwood.com/page2.php
8) Missing Manatee by Cynthia DeFelice
http://cynthiadefelice.com/
9) Bonnie Doerr
www.bonniedoerrbooks.com/
10) Claire Datnow. The Adventures of the Sizzling Six, eco mystery series.
Did you know that there is a National Outdoor Book Award—for adults and young people? To see a listing of 2011 winners visit:
http://www.noba-web.org/contact.htm
Other Interesting Links:
http://theoceancountylibrary.org/Teens/teen-reads/green_spaces.htm
Through my Sizzling Six eco mystery series I hope to inspire young people to feel wonder and curiosity for the natural world, and then to learn how to take intelligent action to resolve environmental problems. Here is a selected list of books with an environmental theme that I have enjoyed and that I believe my young readers will also enjoy:
1) Carl Hiaason creates child-heroes as environmental activists in his trio of young-adult novels: Hoot, about endangered owls, Flush, on the illegal dumping of raw sewage into the ocean and Scat.
2) Will Hobbs writes outdoor stories that appeal to both boys and girls. Hobbs has readers discovering wild places, sharing adventures with people from varied backgrounds, and exploring how to make important choices in their own lives. http://www.willhobbsauthor.com/index.html
3) Gary Paulson's survival stories. http://www.randomhouse.com/features/garypaulsen/
4) Jean Craighead George still ranks with the best of eco mystery writers.
Jean Craighead George's Official Website
5) Ben M. Baglio. The Dolphin Diaries series.
6) Hannah West series by Linda Jones
http://www.lindajohns.net/index.html
7) Operation Redwood by S. Terrell French
http://www.operationredwood.com/page2.php
8) Missing Manatee by Cynthia DeFelice
http://cynthiadefelice.com/
9) Bonnie Doerr
www.bonniedoerrbooks.com/
10) Claire Datnow. The Adventures of the Sizzling Six, eco mystery series.
Did you know that there is a National Outdoor Book Award—for adults and young people? To see a listing of 2011 winners visit:
http://www.noba-web.org/contact.htm
Other Interesting Links:
http://theoceancountylibrary.org/Teens/teen-reads/green_spaces.htm
South African Apartheid Memoir
26/01/12 16:43 Filed in: Memoirs
Meeting Long-Lost Cousins in the Belgium Beer Garden
I’m sitting at a rough wooden picnic table at the Belgium Beer Garden in Melbourne, Australia, waiting to meet my two long-last third cousins that I have never meet, because of a family feud. They have come here to share more than a beer; it seems they have a bone to pick with me—a really big one. All around us young men in tank tops and cut off shorts, and young women in mini skirts and skimpy sundresses, are happily chugging down bottles of beer and laughing raucously. We old folks are chomping on succulent cheese “krantsky” sausages and sipping apple cider with a kick in it. Thank goodness my husband, Boris, my sister, Bea, and my brother-in-law, Mike, have bravely agreed to accompany me to this curious family reunion. Read More...
I’m sitting at a rough wooden picnic table at the Belgium Beer Garden in Melbourne, Australia, waiting to meet my two long-last third cousins that I have never meet, because of a family feud. They have come here to share more than a beer; it seems they have a bone to pick with me—a really big one. All around us young men in tank tops and cut off shorts, and young women in mini skirts and skimpy sundresses, are happily chugging down bottles of beer and laughing raucously. We old folks are chomping on succulent cheese “krantsky” sausages and sipping apple cider with a kick in it. Thank goodness my husband, Boris, my sister, Bea, and my brother-in-law, Mike, have bravely agreed to accompany me to this curious family reunion. Read More...
What Defines Jewish Historical Fiction? The Odyssey of a Torah
21/01/12 12:45 Filed in: Historical Novels
What Defines Jewish Historical Fiction? The Odyssey of a Torah
Jewish historical fiction explores themes that relate to the Jewish experience, primarily that of being an outsider in society, and an outsider as a Jew living among Christians. While Jewish historical novels have Jewish-historical content, Jewish fiction does not seek to proselytize. Authors of Jewish fiction do not need to be Jewish. Conversely, just because an author is Jewish does not make his or her book a work of Jewish fiction. Authors not only portray significant events in Jewish history, including the Holocaust, but also show Jews as fully functioning members of the society and times in which they happen to be living. As the Author of The Nine Inheritors: The Extraordinary Odyssey of a Family and Their Ancient Torah Scroll, I hope that my novel will serve to promote true empathy for Jewish history and experience.
Jewish historical fiction explores themes that relate to the Jewish experience, primarily that of being an outsider in society, and an outsider as a Jew living among Christians. While Jewish historical novels have Jewish-historical content, Jewish fiction does not seek to proselytize. Authors of Jewish fiction do not need to be Jewish. Conversely, just because an author is Jewish does not make his or her book a work of Jewish fiction. Authors not only portray significant events in Jewish history, including the Holocaust, but also show Jews as fully functioning members of the society and times in which they happen to be living. As the Author of The Nine Inheritors: The Extraordinary Odyssey of a Family and Their Ancient Torah Scroll, I hope that my novel will serve to promote true empathy for Jewish history and experience.
Historical Novels about Nazi Propaganda and Torah Odyssey Novel
19/01/12 12:40 Filed in: Historical Novels
How Ordinary Germans were Swept up by Nazi Hysteria
Do we need another book about how ordinary Germans were swept up by Nazi hysteria? Yes, because they provide real insight into how ordinary people—like ourselves, our family, our friends and neighbors can easily be caught in a vicious web of deceit and destruction—if we are not vigilant. I recommend three books that tell a compelling story, which reinforces this powerful message. Read More...
Do we need another book about how ordinary Germans were swept up by Nazi hysteria? Yes, because they provide real insight into how ordinary people—like ourselves, our family, our friends and neighbors can easily be caught in a vicious web of deceit and destruction—if we are not vigilant. I recommend three books that tell a compelling story, which reinforces this powerful message. Read More...