When I look at the photo of myself opening the box of the first editions of Jewish Luck: A True Story of Friendship, Deception and Risky Business, I remember the feeling of complete and total joy. The book was finished, the cover looked good, it was real. As a realist, I assumed the joy would diminish as the calendar progressed from Oct. 2013 to Nov. to Dec. While it’s true that the initial euphoria has dissipated, I feel so energized every time a reader talks to me about a topic raised in the book. We have had the privilege of speaking to numerous book groups and I thank each and every one of them for inviting us and sharing their impressions. Writing is a solo (or in our case a dual) activity. We are not just writing for ourselves, for Vera and Alla, and for their families, but also for all the people who open the cover and are looking for a story to hold their interest.
In addition to book groups, we’ve spoken to organizations in the Twin Cities and across the US. We’re even scheduled to speak in Israel in November. Each group has been gracious and thoughtful and we appreciate all the questions and comments. We thank, also, all those who have been following our web pages and comment. We enjoy the conversation.
When I began to teach AP US History at St. Louis Park Senior High, I had a quarter project that included reading a biography of a personality from early US History. One of the paper choices was interviewing the author of the biography. This was in the early days of the internet before every author had a web page. The students had to figure out a way to contact the authors. I remember how excited they were when an author responded to their query. We feel that excitement as authors when our readers contact us and want to know more.
Keep forging connections with us. Email us, ask us to skype with your book group, invite us to speak to your book club or organization. We will do our best to connect with you.
For all the Jewish readers, may you have a good new year and may we all enjoy a year of peace in the world. And a little luck wouldn't be a bad thing, either.