A Perfect Confluence (my short story - published on-line)

 You can read my short story at: A Perfect Confluence.

I originally wrote this story for a contest called The First Line. (Sometimes, as a writer, you need a little kick start). Well, I didn't win that contest. But maybe it was just as well because later I discovered a new on-line journal, started in Canada by Dr. Nora Gold, called Jewishfiction.net. And I submitted my piece there. Then a couple of weekends ago, as I was on my way to Cleveland, I received an unexpected call saying they had accepted my story for publication. What a nice surprise! And now, it's featured on their site. The theme of A Perfect Confluence seems to recur in much of my writing. (It featured prominently in my novel, Paternity). And that is the idea of different cultures coming together in one family. In the case of A Perfect Confluence, the cultures involved are Jewish and Muslim, each in the midst of an important religious holiday. This year, with Ramadan recently ended, and Rosh HaShanah just ahead, let us all hope for, and work toward peace and understanding between the peoples of all cultures and faiths.

And to all my Jewish readers, may you be inscribed in the Book of Life for a good year.

My mother's memoir

What a great time we had this past weekend in Cleveland! About 80 family members gathered at the Embassy Suites Hotel to celebrate the publication of my mom's beautiful memoir entitled "Helen," the story of her mother's life - from her tragic childhood in Hungary, to her journey to America, to her family life during the Great Depression, to her untimely death at age 52. The evening was a double celebration really, as my mom will be turning 80 years young later this month.

Pictured above are: my sister Nancy, my mom (with eyes closed!) and me (the designated emcee for the evening). As requested, my daughters Hannah and Helen (named for her great-grandmother) sang a couple of songs. This one is called "I Will Remember You." What could be more appropriate than that?!

"Helen: A Memoir" can be found in Cleveland at the Maltz Museum as well as at the Fireside Book Shop (in Chagrin Falls, Ohio). Hope you'll pick up a copy!