A frequent question I and other authors are asked is, “What
are you working on now?”
I’ve been pondering why do I get this question more often
than one asking me to give an overview of my previous novels? Why are readers
more interested in yet-unwritten books when there are so many out there crying
to be read?
The answer may lie with interest in the creative process.
How does an author sit down and pours out a 400-page novel, or 110,000 words that
are meaningful, entertaining, and leave a mark—even if that mark is as
transient as an ebb created by a stone thrown into a pond.
That is why, at my event at the East Meadow Jewish Center
(Long Island, NY,) rather than focus on the [fascinating] historical, political
and cultural aspects of Russia and its people during a painful transition time--the
focus of HOTEL MOSCOW--I spoke about, “Take A Skeleton Out Of The Closet—And
Dance With It.”
That speech, covering the breadth of my four published
novels, allowed me to share with the audience the way a social issue grabs me
and doesn’t let go. The subject may ferment in the hinterland of my
consciousness for years, with bits and pieces of exposure or insights feeding
it. Finally, the subject ignites a fire in my belly and demands that I explore
it in depth. I am almost feverish, distracted from my immediate world, as I crawl
under the skin of the protagonist as she learns the tragic realities. Like in a
dream, I see the sights, hear the sounds, smell the aromas, and feel the
emotions. Inevitably, what interests me is the story of the human spirit as it rises
over the forces that shape our lives. That is also when you, the reader, encounter
a memorable protagonist that stays with you and gives you what I call “a good
reading experience.”
In the process of writing, suspense is the key. I take a
page from author Stephen King who fine-tuned this art form into every sentence
and every paragraph. But there is also the larger suspenseful arc of the entire
story. I call it “get the cat on the electric pole, then get the cat off the electric
pole.”
Until I am ready to speak about my novel-in-progress (yes,
there is one,) please turn to any of my
The book tour for
HOTEL MOSCOW continues!
My appearances for HOTEL MOSCOW have been so successful,
with captivated audiences raving about the thought-provoking talks, that invitations
are spilling into a second year. In the second half of 2016 and early 2017 I’ll
be covering mostly Florida and the Northeast,
including Newport , RI
And if your community has a fund-raiser or a meeting that can
benefit from a keynote speaker that engages
and inspires, please contact me or my events coordinator.
Q: How does an author
know that she’s “made it?”
A: When she is asked to endorse a novel in the form of a
blurb to appear on its cover.
Just as I have received endorsements over the years from top
bestselling novelists, it is my duty and
pleasure to give forward by helping
other authors on their way up. I will be forever grateful to Tess Gerritsen,
Jacquelyn Mitchard, Nelson DeMille, Tami Hoag, Andrew Gross and more than a
dozen other successful authors who put aside their precious writing time to
read my manuscripts. By lending their names to my novels they have sent messages
to readers that the new book was “a must-read.”
To such requests recently got my attention—and my full
endorsements. One is a translated novel by an Israeli author, Sarit
Yishai-Levi, “The Beauty Queen of
Jerusalem,” which I found fascinating. It was released last month with my
blurb on the back. (The other will be released in September, so I’m withholding
my announcement until it is available.)
“Discovering” a new
world through HOTEL MOSCOW:
“I loved the book. I learned so much, and I tell everyone
about it.”
Often, a reader who “discovers” a good book can’t wait to
share that experience with friends. Word-of-mouth indeed is the best way for a
book to get traction. That is why, in today’s fragmented marketplace, bloggers
with only a few hundred followers each create a tapestry of devoted readers
that collectively often surpass the effect of a review in a major newspaper
reaching hundreds of thousands. It is the personal testimonial of a reader that
carries trust with other readers.
Therefore, may I ask that you share your reading experience
of HOTEL MOSCOW with the world by posting a review on Amazon or GoodReads? (Even a line or two would
suffice--unless, of course, you want to articulate more.)
Book groups’
reactions to HOTEL MOSCOW:
* “It was fascinating to grasp the nightmare of waking up
one day to a world where all laws have
* “We’ve had the best meeting! The terrifying portrait of a
nation in transition from Communism came to life.”
* “HOTEL MOSCOW taught us all lessons about humanity, about
what we, as people, are capable of.”
Has your group select HOTEL MOSCOW for discussion? Please
contact me, and I will join your meeting via phone or Skype.
My Personal Corner:
Happy post-Mother’s Day to the mothers and grandmothers
among you. My birthday happens to coincide with Mother’s Day, giving me a
double blessing (but some years half the celebration.) Here I am, with the
mothers and grandmothers of my immediate family with our children and
grandchildren--after we excluded the men from the photo.
Thank you all for your great support!
P.S. If you haven't read HOTEL MOSCOW yet, here are links for both the trade
paperback--about $12--or the digital format for under $10.
Or, you may read for free the first chapter of
HOTEL MOSCOW on my website or download a free sample digitally.
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