Author: Marissa DeCuir

A compelling love story underscores Bruce Duncan’s journey to healing

LOUISVILLE, KY –Internationally recognized psychiatrist Jess Wright has penned his first book of fiction, “A Stream to Follow” (SparkPress, April 2022), a thrilling and heartwarming tale of healing from post-war trauma.

When Bruce Duncan, a battlefront surgeon, returns after WWII to a small town in Pennsylvania to open a general practice, the ravages of his war aren’t over. Haunted by images of soldiers he tried to save, his own near-death experiences, and a lost love, Bruce has little respite before new battles grip him. Bruce’s brother, a decorated fighter pilot, is facing his own trauma, and refuses to accept help. A former friend wages a vicious campaign to stop Bruce from uncovering the dangers that could shutter a local industry where silicosis is killing the workers. And Bruce must decide between the slim prospect of reuniting with the Englishwoman who chose her family over him and a growing attraction to a trail-blazing woman doctor.

With a story that moves from post-war America back to the killing fields of Alsace and to England under the siege of German rockets, “A Stream to Follow” gives fresh vision for paths to healing. Plunging deep into the crucible of trauma, it’s an uplifting tale of valor, resilience, and the search for enduring love.

“A Stream to Follow”
Jess Wright | April 19, 2022 | SparkPress | Historical Fiction
Paperback | ISBN: 978-1-68463-121-6 | $16.95

About the author…

JESS WRIGHT: Jess Wright is an internationally recognized psychiatrist who is the Kolb Endowed Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Louisville. “Breaking Free from Depression,” one of his self-help books, has been called a “must-have for finding a way through the pain of depression.” “Good Days Ahead,” his scientifically tested online program for depression and anxiety, has helped many thousands on their path to recovery.

A leading expert in cognitive-behavior therapy, Jess Wright is the first author of a trilogy of award-winning and best-selling nonfiction books that integrate text and video to help readers learn the key methods of this effective treatment. He has lectured widely in Europe, Asia, South America, and the United States.

“A Stream to Follow” is Jess Wright’s first novel. For more information, please visit: https://jesswrightmd.com/

Follow Jess Wright on social media:
Facebook: @jesswrightauthor | Twitter: @jesswrightmd | Instagram: @jesswrightmd

In an interview, Jess Wright can discuss:

• What inspired him to start a new chapter as a fiction writer, after penning many successful nonfiction books
• How his experience as a psychiatrist helped him write a story of PTSD, and what contemporary readers can take away from the novel regarding trauma, resilience and recovery
• The tendency in men to bury their feelings, and why opening up is crucial
• The research he conducted for the novel, especially surrounding the work of battlefront surgeons and the dangers of silicosis
• Why he chose to include a love story between Bruce and Amelia, and his thoughts on how relationships contribute to healing

An Interview with Jess Wright

How were your experiences as a psychiatrist helpful to you when writing this book? Did you draw from any other experiences in your life when writing Bruce Duncan’s story?

In my work as a psychiatrist, I’ve listened to the intimate and searing details of traumas and the struggles that sufferers have had in trying to overcome PTSD. And I’ve had first-hand experience with personal and family trauma. These experiences helped me infuse Bruce Duncan’s story with deep emotion and realism.

How did you learn about the experiences of battlefront surgeons during WWII?

My research on battlefront surgery during WWII had some shocking results. I wasn’t fully aware of the grave danger the doctors and other medical personnel faced at battlefield aid stations on the frontline. In The Other Side of Time, Brendan Phibbs, M.D., told the real-life story of the vicious action he saw in the winter of 1944-45 when the Germans fired with little or no restraint on field hospitals and ambulances. A number of other books helped me learn about and describe the gritty and often perilous conditions at battlefront aid stations.

Post-war, Bruce Duncan sets his sights on helping workers at a silica plant. How did you know about silicosis and the dangers the men faced? Is silicosis still a problem?

When I was a college student I spent my summers working at a silica plant where men who were only in their 40’s or early 50’s were afflicted by the ravages of silicosis. It was a tough environment, but the plant was a cornerstone of the local economy and an essential part of the industrial production of the country. Silicosis is still a common life-threatening illness in miners and workers in industries that process silica-laden products.

Bruce Duncan appears to have PTSD. How is PTSD treated, and how does Bruce try to overcome the weight of trauma? Are there any lessons in your novel for people living with trauma today?

Bruce Duncan has terrifying flashbacks and nightmares of his near-death experiences in WWII. And he has to fight the tendency to bury his thoughts and emotions and avoid triggers for the haunting memories. Very little was known about PTSD or how to treat it successfully in the 1940s when this novel takes place. However, Bruce is determined to heal his emotional wounds and has the common sense to confront them. The current treatments for PTSD use medications and principles of cognitive-behavior therapy, including exposure to the memories of trauma until they lose their terrifying impact. Readers can learn from Bruce’s story that a determined effort to confront one’s fears, and to do it over and over, is one of the most potent healing forces.

Bruce and Amelia face very long odds to make their relationship work. Do you think that loving relationships can help heal trauma? As the novel ended, did you forecast there would be further healing?

Loving relationships can provide a crucial foundation for the healing process. Without such relationships, sufferers of PTSD may feel unsupported, alone, and adrift. In A Stream to Follow, Bruce has the advantage of a loving family but aching grief at the loss of Amelia. As the novel unfolds, his struggle to reconnect with Amelia becomes a centerpiece of the healing process. When I wrote A Stream to Follow, I envisioned a series where Bruce and Amelia face future challenges. Let’s see what happens.

Marissa DeCuir

A former award-winning journalist with national exposure, Marissa now oversees the day-to-day operation of the Books Forward author branding and book marketing firm, along with our indie publishing support sister company Books Fluent.

Born and bred in Louisiana, currently living in New Orleans, she has lived and developed a strong base for our company and authors in Chicago and Nashville. Her journalism work has appeared in USA Today, National Geographic and other major publications. She is now interviewed by media on best practices for book marketing.

booksforward.com/about-us/marissa-decuir/

Following the success of her first two books, 50 Lessons for Lawyers: Earn More – Stress Less – Be Awesome and 50 Lessons for Women Lawyers – From Women Lawyers, law firm coach and author Nora Riva Bergman is returning with a new installment, 50 Lessons for Happy Lawyers: Research-based strategies to increase your personal and professional happiness. For this book Bergman has teamed up with Chelsy A. Castro, CEO and Founder of Castro Jacobs Psychotherapy and Consulting (CJPC), a firm specializing in lawyer well-being. An attorney turned psychotherapist and performance coach, Castro counsels individuals and the organizations they work for on how to achieve their goals in healthy and productive ways.

Bergman and Castro combine their own expert knowledge and share science-based strategies to help you live a happier, healthier, more resilient life. The authors have come to realize that, like the law, happiness is a practice. It is something we can build – little by little – bit by bit – every day. While we cannot merely flip a switch and become happy, we can cultivate happiness. We can practice happiness. Their book gives you the science-backed tools to do just that.

Like the first two books in the 50 Lessons for Lawyers series, 50 Lessons for Happy Lawyers is designed so that readers can choose to read from beginning to end or skip around to find the lessons most relevant to them – regardless of where they are in their careers or lives. They also include a section at the end of each lesson with tips to help you Live the Lesson and put the lesson to work for you.

50 Lessons for Happy Lawyers is expansive in its scope, covering topics from how to identify and beat burnout to why resilience is so important to the positive impact that exercise, sleep, recovery, laughing, crying, nature, beauty, volunteering, and even daydreaming can have on the happiness you experience in life. Bergman and Castro remain practical in their advice. Their book is timely and centered around the idea that there are specific things you can do every day to live a happier life. Yes, you can!

50 Lessons for Happy Lawyers: Research-based strategies to increase your personal and professional happiness.
Nora Riva Bergman, J.D. and Chelsy A. Castro, J.D., M.A., A.M., LCSW | May 26, 2022
Berroco Canyon Publishing | Nonfiction / Self-Help
Paperback | ISBN: 978-0-9972637-4-9 | $24.99
E-Book | ISBN: 978-0-9972637-5-6 | $9.99

“As a lawyer and now as the Executive Director of ADAA, I think about happiness and purpose daily. I found many of the suggestions in 50 Lessons for Happy Lawyers both insightful and practical. I will be sharing the book with my lawyer friends as well as those who may be considering becoming a lawyer. We lawyers need a book like this. Thank you.”
Susan K. Gurley, Executive Director, Anxiety and Depression Association of America

About the Authors

Nora Riva Bergman is a law firm coach, author, and certified Atticus Practice Advisor. As a licensed attorney, Nora has coached lawyers across the country for over 15 years and brings a deep understanding of the practice and business of law to her work with lawyers, law firms, and bar associations. She is the author of 50 Lessons for Lawyers: Earn More – Stress Less – Be Awesome and 50 Lessons for Women Lawyers – From Women Lawyers. She is a graduate of the Leadership Development Institute at Eckerd College and is certified in the Conflict Dynamics Profile® developed by the Center for Conflict Dynamics at Eckerd College to help individuals and organizations deal constructively with conflict. Nora is also a graduate of Villanova University’s Lean Six Sigma Program and is certified in both DISC and EQ through Target Training International. Find out more about her at reallifepractice.com.

Follow Nora Riva Bergman: Twitter: @lawfirmcoach | Instagram: @norarivabergman

Chelsy A. Castro is CEO and Founder of Castro Jacobs Psychotherapy and Consulting (CJPC), a firm specializing in lawyer well-being. An attorney turned psychotherapist and performance coach, Chelsy counsels individuals and the organizations they work for on how to achieve their goals in healthy and productive ways. Chelsy’s publications and trainings focus on science-based skills and strategies for improving performance and increasing well-being in high-pressure professions. After practicing law as a multilingual attorney in the field of international regulatory compliance, Chelsy later earned her clinical degree at the University of Chicago and shifted her focus to lawyer well-being. Prior to launching CJPC, Chelsy designed, developed, and managed clinical programs for the legal profession, and provided evidence-based psychotherapy and training for lawyers, judges, and law students. Find out more about her at castrojacobs.com.

Follow Chelsy A. Castro: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chelsycastro/
Instagram: @chelsycastrojacobs

For more information, visit 50LessonsForHappyLawyers.com

In an interview, Nora Riva Bergman and Chelsy A. Castro can discuss:

• The unique challenges to happiness and wellbeing that lawyers face
• Statistics regarding mental health and wellness in the legal profession
• How to help “high achievers” reach their goals in healthier ways
• Common traits among lawyers that can make them a vulnerable population
• How lawyers can effectively address compassion fatigue at work
• Examples of self-care for lawyers and why this is essential for them to avoid burnout
• Warning signs of burnout
• What lawyers can do for themselves each day to live happier lives

An Interview with Nora Riva Bergman and Chelsy A. Castro

How did you two come to work together on “50 Lessons for Happy Lawyers?”

Nora: In 2021, I attended a webinar Chelsy presented on burnout. I was so impressed I reached out to see if I could interview her for the book. I felt like we really hit it off during the interview. I heard Chelsy saying to me the same things I say to my clients. I knew I wanted to work with her, so after a few conversations we agreed to do some writing together. That led to us working together on the book. I can honestly say, it’s been a very happy collaboration.

Chelsy: Nora’s answer made me smile, and I couldn’t have said it better myself. I remember thinking when we first met, “Wow, she is writing about the very same thing I am working for. Feels like we would be great friends and would work really well together.” And here we are.

What unique challenges do lawyers face when it comes to happiness and wellbeing?

Nora: It is very hard for most lawyers to disconnect from the practice and the challenges their clients face. Far too many lawyers suffer from compassion fatigue. Prior to the global pandemic of COVID-19, the 2016 study by the Hazelden Betty For Foundation and the American Bar Association Commission on Lawyer Assistance Programs, the first of its kind in decades, found that “21 percent of licensed, employed attorneys qualify as problem drinkers, 28 percent struggle with some level of depression and 19 percent demonstrate symptoms of anxiety.” The 2018 Legal Trends Report found that “75% of lawyers report frequently or always working outside of regular business hours, and that 39% of lawyers say these long hours negatively affect their personal lives.”

Chelsy: Also at play are traits shared by many lawyers, making them a population that is vulnerable to disproportionately high levels of depression, anxiety, burnout, and substance abuse. Traits such as perfectionism; pessimism; the adversarial and zero-sum-game nature of most legal work; the legal culture’s typical definition of success (i.e. money, status, power, etc. a.k.a. External points of validation), to the exclusion of internal points of validation such as personal values, authenticity, meaningful relationships, and a sense of purpose; “wellness-washing” (the term I use when an employer advertises that lawyer well-being is a priority and highlights policies such as parental leave, yoga classes, and unlimited vacation, but does legitimize lawyers actually using such benefits).

What are some of your favorite self-care activities that uplift you on a particularly rough day?

Nora: For me it is three things every day: 1. Meditation, 2. Exercise, 3. Sleep – good sleep. We write about 50 different strategies, but those three are part of my must haves!

Chelsy: For a boost, I can always count on movement to help, whether it be stretching, exercise, or dancing. I also find that taking pen to paper and revisiting my “why’s” is a grounding activity that I happily and repeatedly return to. All three are strategies we discuss in the book. The lessons are not just backed up by hard science; they are also tried and tested by ourselves and our clients.

Why are lawyers prone to burnout?

Nora: Most lawyers are high achievers, type A personalities. They have real difficulty with the concept of recovery. By recovery, we mean the type of recovery that is important to an athlete’s performance. Top athletes cannot – and do not – train hard every single day. That is a recipe for burnout, a plateau in performance, and possible injury. Lawyers live in a culture that says work hard; work long hours; work on the weekends. It’s a badge of honor for a lawyer to be the first one in the office and the last to leave. They actually brag about it. That mentality will take its toll on you.

Chelsy: Burnout is a combination of life, organizational and individual factors. To start, we do not cease to be human just because we are lawyers. We still need to deal with all the challenges that daily life throws at us (i.e., health concerns, family issues, financial worries, etc.) while addressing the consistently strenuous work of a legal practice. The organizational factors such as client expectations, high billable hour goals, and the adversarial nature of the legal system are also significant stressors. Finally, lawyers tend to be perfectionists and pessimists. While these traits can result in high quality work product, they also carry the risk of missed opportunities and feelings of overwhelm.

How can “high achievers” reach their goals in healthier ways? What are some unhealthy habits they should watch out for?

Nora: Unhealthy habits are the same for lawyers as they are for everyone. They are human, after all! One important thing they should be on the lookout for is what they stop doing. When people stop doing those things that they enjoy because they feel so pressured to work, that is a huge red flag. These can be little things like skipping lunch, not taking breaks throughout the day, working an extra 10, 15, 30 minutes each day. They can also be big things: not exercising like you used to, missing family meals, not taking vacations, not sleeping. Sadly, I think we’ve all experienced these things. We need to pay attention and notice when these things start happening, then make small changes to course correct.

Chelsy: For high achievers, the goal is often so important that the process gets overlooked. It’s the process that impacts the health and sustainability of pursuing our goals. You cannot expect to run a full marathon if you have never trained, and you also cannot expect to run a full marathon after you have just completed five. The goal of running a marathon is the same in both scenarios, and, while the processes of reaching the goal differ wildly, both are unhealthy and unrealistic. It is key that high achievers consider the sustainability of the process when setting and pursuing goals. Going beyond timelines, we need to consider how restorative practices need to play a role in helping us perform better.

It is also critical that high achievers check in with themselves periodically on how not just the goal, but the process aligns with their values. As Nora said, what you stop doing is just as important as what you are doing. If the pursuit of a goal has you compromising some very important things in life, it’s time to reassess the process of pursuit.

Did you have your own mentors who helped you along your journey to success?

Nora: My wife, Jan, is my mentor, my coach, my biggest cheerleader. I also hear my mom and dad’s voices in my head nearly every day. Also, my Aunt Riva, who I’m named after. I wrote about her in the first 50 Lessons for Lawyers book. She was one of the most positive and inspirational people I’ve ever known.

Chelsy: My parents, grandparents and great-grandparents. They have perhaps served more as inspiration than as mentors, but the impact of their experiences has been a powerful force in my life and career. As Cuban refugees who lost everything and had to start over with nothing in a country where they did not speak the language, my parents and grandparents instilled in me the hunger to achieve, but with a caveat; striving must always be accompanied by the knowledge that the external measures of success can be destroyed by independent factors, so it is imperative that you not lose yourself in the striving. You exist well beyond the measure of your achievements and your identity is not your work (that last one is really tough for lawyers). My great-grandparents immigrated from Spain to Cuba sacrificing for a better life. From their stories I learned early on that it is never too late to change. You can always influence your story, your life, for the better, and that the responsibility is yours.

Tell us about the previous books in this series.

Nora: The first 50 Lessons for Lawyers book focuses on how to create a law practice that serves your life rather than living a life that serves your practice – which is what so many lawyers do. Its focus is on foundational concepts of business effectiveness – time management, client development, building the right team. It also touches on some of the concepts we explore much more fully in this book. 50 Lessons for Women Lawyers – From Women Lawyers was a compilation of career and life lessons for women lawyers at every stage of their career. Our contributors included women from all types of practices – including women in private and public practice, current and former national, state, and local bar association presidents, judges, law school faculty, entrepreneurs, and other published authors.

Download press kit and photos

Marissa DeCuir

A former award-winning journalist with national exposure, Marissa now oversees the day-to-day operation of the Books Forward author branding and book marketing firm, along with our indie publishing support sister company Books Fluent.

Born and bred in Louisiana, currently living in New Orleans, she has lived and developed a strong base for our company and authors in Chicago and Nashville. Her journalism work has appeared in USA Today, National Geographic and other major publications. She is now interviewed by media on best practices for book marketing.

booksforward.com/about-us/marissa-decuir/

Investigator Shana Merchant returns to solve the case and find her kidnapper

DARIEN, CT – In Tessa Wegert’s chilling third offering in the Shana Merchant series, Dead Wind (April 5, 2022, Severn House), readers follow Shana back to the Thousand Islands where a recent murder disrupts the peace the residents have come to expect from their small town. But it’s not just the secrets of this small town that Shana unveils. Still rattled by the truth behind her kidnapper’s true identity, Shana pulls all her resources to find the killer and track Blake Bram.

The body is discovered on Wolfe Island, under the shadow of an enormous wind turbine. Shana, arriving on the scene with fellow investigator Tim Wellington, can’t shake the feeling that she knows the victim – and the subsequent identification sends shockwaves through their community in the Thousand Islands of Upstate New York.

Politics, power, passion . . . there are dark undercurrents in Shana’s new home, and finding the killer means dredging up her new friends and neighbors’ old grudges and long-kept secrets.
That is, if the killer is from the community at all. For Shana’s keeping a terrible secret from almost everyone around her: eighteen months ago she escaped from serial killer Blake Bram’s clutches. But has he followed her, to kill again? “Wegert melds the police investigation so deftly with Shana’s endless family drama.” – Kirkus review

“An atmospheric, sophisticated thriller with layers upon layers of secrets lurking amidst the beauty of New York State’s Thousand Islands, Dead Wind shows Shana Merchant and Wegert at the top of their game.”
— Sarah Stewart Taylor, author of The Mountains Wild and A Distant Grave

“Dead Wind”
Tessa Wegert | April 5, 2022 | Severn House
Hardcover | 978 1 4483 0712 8 | $28.99
Ebook | $18.99
Mystery/Thriller

More about Tessa Wegert

Tessa Wegert is the author of the Shana Merchant series of mysteries, which includes DEATH IN THE FAMILY, THE DEAD SEASON, and DEAD WIND (2022). A former freelance journalist, Tessa’s work has appeared in Forbes, The Huffington Post, Adweek, and The Economist. She grew up in Quebec and now lives with her husband and children in Coastal Connecticut. Find out more about Tessa at www.tessawegert.com.

Follow Tessa on social media:
Facebook: @tessawegertbooks
Twitter: @tessawegert
Instagram: @tessawegert

In an interview, Tessa can discuss:

• Creating the character of investigator Shana Merchant and her serial killer blood relative, Blake Bram.
• The Thousand Islands as the setting and her Canadian roots
• Modernizing Agatha Christie-style detective fiction
• The theme of anxiety and PTSD throughout the series
• The strategy involved in writing a mystery series
• The difference between mysteries, thrillers, police procedurals, and suspense
• Current publishing industry trends like female-led detective stories and “killer in the family” plots

An Interview with Tessa Wegert

1. Shana Merchant is such a smart and secretive detective with a ton of layers beyond being a senior investigator. How did you start developing her character?

I grew up watching Columbo and reading Agatha Christie’s Poirot novels. I was dazzled by the way Columbo manipulated suspects into revealing the truth, while Poirot was so attuned to the psychology behind the crimes he investigated. I think my fascination with both characters contributed to the development of Shana Merchant. I knew I wanted to write a female investigator who was complex and a little bit flawed rather than a cookie-cutter “tough as nails” detective with something to prove. As a result, Shana really analyzes her suspects’ behavior and neuroses to get to the root of the crime and uses their weaknesses to her advantage. Because she has some mental health issues of her own, there’s a real push and pull between her and her suspects that makes her more vulnerable and ups the story’s tension.

2. As a native Canadian, I can understand wanting to use it as a setting in your books. What led you to choose the Thousand Islands specifically as the setting for this series?

Five years ago, I took a trip to Wolfe Island, Ontario and was struck by its vast, flat landscape and massive wind farm. I thought it would make for an arresting crime scene. While the majority of the Shana Merchant series is set on the American side of the Thousand Islands, Wolfe Island allowed me to challenge Shana and her team by taking some of the action to Canada, where they would have to collaborate with the Ontario Provincial Police. Islands already feature prominently in the series, mainly because I love the dichotomy between the sleepy, sheltered communities on the mainland and the remote and rugged islands. This is a region where violent crime is an exception to the norm on both sides of the border…but I grew up in a small town myself, and I can attest to the secrets that lurk in the homes of neighbors and friends. The more familiar and comforting the setting, the greater the sense of disquiet when the mystery unfolds.

3. Did you know Bram’s connection to Shana before writing the first book in the series?

I knew from the start that I wanted Shana and Blake Bram, her one-time abductor and the killer she’s been hunting, to be connected by blood. The idea that a police investigator could be related to a serial murderer was so disconcerting, and there was a ton of moral and emotional material there for me to unpack. Imagine discovering a member of your family had committed the most heinous of crimes — and then being tasked with apprehending them? That notion was just too chilling to pass up.

4. What was the attraction of putting a contemporary spin on classic, Agatha Christie-style detective fiction?

I’ve always been a fan of Agatha Christie’s novels, but I hadn’t come across many contemporary takes on the Golden Age detective fiction of old. I wrote the first book, Death in the Family, as an homage to And Then There Were None, and realized the series had similar characteristics to Christie’s books: a clever, independent detective with some quirks, a wide variety of suspects, themes of justice and morality. I’m always immensely flattered when readers tell me my books remind them of Christie’s masterful stories.

5. The story also deals with a lot of mental health concerns. Why did you decide to incorporate anxiety or PTSD?

Mental health is a relatively common theme in thrillers, but with the exception of depression and addiction — which plague a good number of fictional detectives — it’s primarily the antagonist who suffers from mental illness. I just don’t think that’s realistic. Shana not only investigates violent crime, but was a victim of abduction and psychological manipulation herself, and it was hard to imagine that this wouldn’t have a profound effect on her mental health. Depicting her as a woman struggling with PTSD felt like the most authentic approach. Anxiety is a theme throughout the series, to some extent because I think anxiety is often downplayed and dismissed rather than treated like the potentially serious mental disorder that it is. In fiction writing, conditions like this can be convenient subplots, but as a person who’s struggled with anxiety myself, it was important to me to portray Shana’s journey as realistically as possible — progression, relapses, and all.

Marissa DeCuir

A former award-winning journalist with national exposure, Marissa now oversees the day-to-day operation of the Books Forward author branding and book marketing firm, along with our indie publishing support sister company Books Fluent.

Born and bred in Louisiana, currently living in New Orleans, she has lived and developed a strong base for our company and authors in Chicago and Nashville. Her journalism work has appeared in USA Today, National Geographic and other major publications. She is now interviewed by media on best practices for book marketing.

booksforward.com/about-us/marissa-decuir/

MINNEAPOLIS, Minnesota – In her powerful memoir, “Warda: My Journey from the Horn of Africa to a College Education,” Somali-American writer Warda Mohamed Abdullahi not only tells the story of her own resilience but also that of striving refugees around the world.

Set in the rugged shrublands of rural Ethiopia, the contentious neighborhoods of South Africa, and the icy streets of Michigan, Warda is the story of a fierce young woman on a tireless quest to become the first member of her family to go to college.

Born in Saudi Arabia to undocumented, ethnic Somali parents living hundreds of miles from their ancestral homeland, Warda Mohamed Abdullahi loses her mother in a horrific accident as a baby and must live apart from her father until she’s eleven years old. As she grows up, she faces tragedy and triumph, from staring down a wild leopard to protect her family’s sheep and goats, to carefully crossing borders and evading immigration officials across Africa, and traveling with her family to America to begin life anew.

Warda is a powerful memoir that will help readers understand the inequities and injustices embedded in a global system that determines who is allowed to move freely and live where they choose. It is the story of a father’s relentless quest to give his eldest daughter the opportunities he never had and a daughter’s perseverance, determination, and steadfast refusal to let go of a dream.

“Warda: My Journey from the Horn of Africa to a College Education”
Warda Mohamed Abdullahi | December 15, 2020 | Beaver’s Pond Press |
Memoir / Nonfiction
Paperback | ISBN: 643439197 | $17.95
E-book | $9.99

About the Author

Warda Mohamed Abdullahi currently resides in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, with her hooyo and aabo. She recently graduated from Saint Catherine University and is taking a year off to be with her family, including her daughter Rahma Abu Bakar Ibrahim. Warda looks forward to continuing her journey towards her doctorate in medicine, her lifelong learning in Islam, and spending time with her family. Find out more about her at wardaabdullahi.com.

Follow Warda Mohamed Abdullahi on social media:
Twitter: @WardaAbdullahi3 | Instagram: @warda_abdullahi | TikTok: @Wardanuurah
LinkedIn: Warda Abduallahi | Facebook: Warda Mohammed Abdullahi
Clubhouse: Warda.abdullahi

In an interview, Warda Mohamed Abdullahi can discuss:

• Her early experiences born the daughter of undocumented, ethnic Somali parents, losing her mother and living apart from her father, and eventually finding refuge in the United States
• Her experiences as a refugee from Africa and the unique struggles faced by refugees
• The inequities and injustices faced by refugees, determining who moves freely and where they can live
• Her unwavering determination to pursue education in the United States as a refugee, plus her first impressions of school in America and her future goals
• World Refugee Day on June 20, 2022

An Interview with Warda Mohamed Abdullahi

Before we dive into everything else, would you please introduce yourself and tell us a little about your background?

My name is Warda Abdullahi, and I was born in Saudi Arabia. I have lived in many different places throughout Africa, where I faced many obstacles, such as loss of education, living through a drought, and losing my mother. But after everything, I still succeeded. I live in Minnesota now. I graduated from Saint Catherine University with a bachelor’s degree in Public Health while I wrote the book, “Warda.”

Why was it so important to you to be the first member of your family to go to college? What did that represent to you?

It represented change, a look into a better life and ditching our former nomadic pastoral lives. The Somalis have this saying which directly translates to “the last camel’s following the first,” so I wanted to be the first to create a chain reaction of success.

What was your first impression of school in America?

On my first day of high school in America, the school was big, and there were so many students, unlike in South Africa. Schools there are smaller, and there are not many students. I was confused. I had never seen students talk back to their teachers. It was certainly a first for me. Back home, we were taught that teachers are our second parents and should always respect them. Treat them as our parents. I could not stop thinking about how this student was not taking advantage of their opportunities around the world; kids their age pray to have an education every day. However, it has alway have been a dream of mine to have access to the best education in the world and despite everything I have been through, it was a fresh start for me where I could pursue my goals and dreams.

Has your relationship with academia been what you thought it would be? We see you have plans to pursue another degree…

Since I was 6, I have always wanted to become a family medicine doctor or a pediatrician. I will continue to pursue that dream, and any additional skills I may acquire will help toward that.

Your mentor, Mackenzie Wellman, wrote a beautiful afterword for your book. How did you two meet, and how did your relationship with her shape your life?

We met through a mentorship program during my junior year of high school at Ottawa Hills High School. Through the years of mentoring me, Mackenzie Wellmen became a family to me. She often comes down to Minnesota and hangs out with my family. She is the kindest and most caring human I have ever met. I am honored to have Mackenzie as my mentor as a first-generation student; she was a godsend as she guided me through applying to scholarships and different universities.

Obviously your story is one of resilience, but it is also one of hardships and self doubt – what kept you moving forward?

My father was my biggest supporter and motivator. He encouraged me to never give up on my education. He always reminds me of how he didn’t get the chance to go college and how all his hopes and dreams had been taken away.

I grew up in a place where every child’s dream was to have an education but was not available or affordable. Because of this, I made it a point to take advantage of the opportunities around me.

You identify as Somali-American, but you’ve lived all over (rural Ethiopia, South Africa, Saudi Arabia, Michigan and now Minnesota ). Do you feel connections to all of these cultures? How so?

Yes, I do feel connected to all these countries I have been to. Even though I was born in Saudi Arabia, I was raised in Ethiopia and this is the country that I am most connected to because I grew up and where most of my family is from. South Africa is the country where my journey to education started and I met my father after 10 years.

Can you discuss some of the unique struggles faced by refugees? You’ve mentioned the importance of highlighting the inequities and injustices that determine who moves freely and where they can live.

Some of the inequities and injustices refugees face are no access to food and water, also education. Throughout my life, refugees have been facing inequalities and no opportunities of education and I believe unless we do something about it, it will not change.

What’s next for you?

My future goal is to go to medical school to become a family medicine doctor and to raise my kids.

Download press kit and photos

Marissa DeCuir

A former award-winning journalist with national exposure, Marissa now oversees the day-to-day operation of the Books Forward author branding and book marketing firm, along with our indie publishing support sister company Books Fluent.

Born and bred in Louisiana, currently living in New Orleans, she has lived and developed a strong base for our company and authors in Chicago and Nashville. Her journalism work has appeared in USA Today, National Geographic and other major publications. She is now interviewed by media on best practices for book marketing.

booksforward.com/about-us/marissa-decuir/

Laura Engel’s memoir, “You’ll Forget This Ever Happened”, reveals the dark truth of adoption in the 1960s

SAN DIEGO, California – Laura L. Engel’s memoir, You’ll Forget This Ever Happened is not just the story of Laura but of thousands of girls and women in the 1960s.

By writing her truth, Laura gives a voice to that seventeen year old girl caught up in a tangle of a secret pregnancy and the relinquishment of her son. Her book is passionate and emotional, yet educates the reader about that time period and the guilt and trauma that women endured. This book delves into how a traumatic secret is never forgotten and colors the secret keeper’s life. Laura’s book shows how the bursting open of this shameful secret colored her life and changed the direction of it in a powerful and positive way.

This book is not only an act of love for Laura’s long missed secret son, and the three sons she raised, but for the thousands of adoptees who wonder why they were given up and for the women affected over those decades by the stigma of having a child out of wedlock.

“You’ll Forget This Ever Happened”
Laura Engel | May 10th, 2022 | She Writes Press | Memoir | Paperback | 978-164742-349-01 | $16.95

LAURA ENGEL: Laura L. Engel, born and raised on the Mississippi Gulf Coast transplanted to San Diego over 50 years ago. She is married to the love of her life, Gene, and the mother of five beloved grown children and an adored golden retriever, Layla Louise. Laura is the proud Grammy of 10 cherished grandchildren.

In 2016 Laura retired from a 35-year career in the corporate world with plans to quietly catch up on hobbies and travels with her husband Gene. In October of that year her plans changed when a miracle happened in her life. She soon found herself busier than ever taking writing classes and writing up a storm about a secret she thought she would take to her grave.

Along with writing her memoir, Laura holds the office of President of San Diego Memoir Writers Association and is an active member of the International Women Writers Guild. She is also a member of San Diego Writers Ink and San Diego Writers and Editors Guild.

Today finds Laura fulfilling her life-long dream having written her first book, a memoir she never dreamed she would write, You’ll Forget This Ever Happened – Secrets, Shame, and Adoption in the 1960s published by She Writes Press and available May 2022.

Follow Laura on social media:
Facebook: @lauralengelauthor | Twitter: @LauraLEngel1 | Instagram: @storytellerlaura

In an interview, Laura can discuss:

• Her personal experience of adoption in the 1960s and her time in the home for unwed mothers
• How this early traumatic event shaped her as a young woman
• The joy of reuniting with family that you never imagined you would see again, and what the journey of finding her son was like
• How to hold onto hope in the worst of times, and offering support and guidance for those experiencing a similar loss
• The experience of writing such a personal story, and the feelings it brought up for her as she went through the process of authoring this book

An Interview with Laura Engel

1. How did losing your son at such a young age shape how you lived the rest of your life?

The trajectory of my life changed dramatically after the traumatic experience of losing my first born son in 1967. It not only affected my self-confidence and belief in who I was, but pushed me into leaving my home and all I knew in order to survive a constant pain and reminder of what had happened. All of my plans changed after leaving New Orleans and I was determined to reinvent myself and create a different life which included moving as far away as I could, marrying, and having more children to keep and love.

2. Do you know of other women who experienced giving up their child during the 1960’s? Did they also reunite with their lost children?

Yes, I know birth mothers from that time. Some did reunite. Some chose not to for various reasons. One thing that has been prevalent in all of their stories is the shame, guilt, and secrecy that they still feel fifty years later. Although some did not want to reunite, they all were glad to finally learn where their children were and if they were okay.

3. Did you ever imagine you would reunite with your son?

This is an interesting question for me. Yes and No. From the time I learned I would have to give up my son, I stood my ground and would not change my name,( a thing encouraged at that time – after all the Home said, why would you want to risk your name being attached to this shameful experience? ) From the day I entered the Home I hoped my son would find his birth certificate and find me some day. I tried to find him for years but before the internet it was next to impossible as the Louisiana records were sealed.

4. Has writing this book helped you to process the events? How did it feel to look back at all these memories?

It was so painful. I had held that secret inside of me for 50 years. Now, I was writing about it – releasing that pain – telling the world. I dove through all the emotions and relived that traumatic time in my life and soon emerged a stronger and healthier woman. I would wake in the middle of the night and see the girls at the Home in 1967. I would clearly see their faces and remember their names. I would remember the couple of times I held that baby boy in my arms and I would weep.

5. What advice would you give to your younger self as you reflect on your experiences?

In April 2016 I thought I would never know my secret son and one day I wrote a letter to my seventeen year old self from the older woman I was now. I told that young troubled girl although she thought her life was over that she would go on to have a good life filled with love. I assured her she would get through this time and she needed to forgive herself. I assured her she was loved by me – her much older self. That letter sits in a drawer in my desk today and is included in my memoir. Six months later, my son found me.

Download press kit and photos

Marissa DeCuir

A former award-winning journalist with national exposure, Marissa now oversees the day-to-day operation of the Books Forward author branding and book marketing firm, along with our indie publishing support sister company Books Fluent.

Born and bred in Louisiana, currently living in New Orleans, she has lived and developed a strong base for our company and authors in Chicago and Nashville. Her journalism work has appeared in USA Today, National Geographic and other major publications. She is now interviewed by media on best practices for book marketing.

booksforward.com/about-us/marissa-decuir/

Veterinarian turned author weaves magical debut reminiscent of “The Woman in White”

La Quinta, CA — Author J. Fremont makes her authorial debut with an enchanting historical fiction novel that explores the topics of love, the supernatural, art, and insanity. Drawing inspiration from a dream she had about her characters and her personal love of glass fusing, her labor of love has come to fruition with Magician of Light (May 17, 2022, She Writes Press).

One of the most innovative designers of his time, René Lalique was a leader in the decorative arts. Magician of Light begins in his adolescent years in Paris as a striving apprentice. Meanwhile, across the channel, Lucinda Haliburton is facing her own struggles, including a dysfunctional family and history of mental illness. Her grandfather, Lord Haliburton, suggests a visit to his archeological dig in Egypt in an effort to help her escape her difficulties at home—but the trip ends in disaster, and Lucinda returns to England with the belief that she is being preyed upon by ancient Egyptian spirits.

Rene and Lucinda’s paths cross when he leaves Paris to continue his studies at a nearby art college. His fascination with Egypt sparks a connection with Lucinda, and romance blooms—but is complicated by her mental condition. Overactive imagination, insanity, or a real haunting? Will their love see them through?

Magician of Light touches on the truth of Lalique’s illustrious life, the people most important to him, and the anguish of some of those personal relationships, creating a unique view of his real life and a compelling storybook love story.

“Magician of Light”
J. Fremont | May 17, 2022 | She Writes Press | Historical Fiction
Paperback | 9781647423551 | $16.99 | Ebook | 978164723568 | $9.95

Praise for J. Fremont and Magician of Light

“Reminiscent of Wilkie Collins’ ‘The Woman in White’, Fremont weaves a gripping tale of spirits, hallucinations, insanity and betrayal to take the reader into the life of the famous Rene Lalique.”
—Lucinda Jackson – Author of Just a Girl: Growing Up Female and Ambitious and Project Escape: Lessons for an Unscripted Life

“With each stroke of the pen, Dr. J Fremont gives us an in-depth view of the masterful art of René Lalique. The settings, art medium, and process Lalique used to create his art was so intricately described that it placed you into the scene of each chapter. Fremont so eloquently details the imagery of Lalique’s work in Magician of Light that it connects you as if you were an observer at a Fine Art Exhibition.”

—M. Bernard Edmonds, (BerniE.) – Author, Artist, Sculptor, Song Writer

“Fremont’s detailed account of Lalique’s life takes the reader on a fascinating journey as he seeks to find his place in the world of art. She captures the atmosphere of Paris and London, where the mystical lived side by side with the rational. Reminiscent of 19th Century gothic novels, this fictional account of the artist’s life is both engaging and informative.”

—Susan Speranza, author of The City of Light, The Tale of Lucia Grandi – The Early Years and Ice Out

“Subtle, smart, compelling, and blessed with an intelligent storyline and top-notch writing, MAGICIAN OF LIGHT transports us to European life at the end of the 19th Century. Through Fremont’s sensory descriptions, readers practically live—smell, taste, see, touch, and hear—the life and art of René Lalique.”

—Laurie Buchanan, author of Note to Self: A Seven-Step Path to Gratitude and Growth, The Business of Being: Soul Purpose In and Out of the Workplace, and the Sean McPherson novels

More about the Author

J. Fremont is an author and veterinarian. For more than twenty-five years, she practiced small animal veterinary medicine in addition to serving as an adjunct professor at a local university and community college. The mother of two adult sons, she lives in Southern California with her husband of thirty years. Retired from veterinary medicine, J now spends her time developing her artistic side. In addition to writing, she is a passionate practitioner of the decorative arts, including jewelry making, glass fusing, sewing, and creating mixed media for fun. She enjoys photography, gardening, and posting on Instagram, as well as building gorgeous Pinterest boards. You can find her on her website: https://drjfremont.com/

Follow J. Fremont on social media:
Facebook: @jfremont | Instagram: @insidetheegg

In an interview, J. Fremont can discuss:

• The book’s journey from a dream to a full-length novel
• How the supernatural and ghosts play an integral role in her novel
• How personal love of art, jewelry making and glass fusing informed her main character, René Lalique
• Navigating themes of mental health, hallucinations, and insanity
• Her passion for European dress, food, and daily life in the late 1800s to early 1900s
• Her intuition as a Veterinarian, and the special place animals hold in our hearts

An Interview with the Author:

1. The original idea for your novel, Magician of Light, originated from a dream. Can you talk a little bit about how this dream sparked your motivation to write this novel? What was the process to take this idea from a dream to a full-length novel?

While I was creating my short stories on my blog and writing and researching for a novel about ancient Egypt, I had a dream about meeting a man sitting in a chair behind a counter. I didn’t know him but he appeared to me again three months later and told me I am to promote him. I finally came across Lalique’s picture on the internet about 18 months later (exactly how I saw him in the first dream) and knew that he would be part of my novel. Ultimately, he became the story as I delved into his personal life and came to know him.

2. Themes of the supernatural, hallucinations, and ghosts are integral to this story; what is the significance of adding in these elements?

The supernatural has always drawn me, and I have strong intuition. Over the years, I have had
many experiences with the metaphysical and precognition, especially in dreams. I lived in a
home built in the early 1900s, originally a boarding house, haunted by a presence felt on the
stairs (I always ran on the stairs to avoid being on them). Later in life, my mother told me she
could hear someone walking on the stairs at night. I added these elements to my story because
the unknown is intriguing, a little scary sometimes, and I like suspense.

3. One of your personal hobbies is glass fusing. How did this passion for art extend your knowledge of the famous glass maker, artist and main character, René Lalique?

I wrote the book before I took up glass fusing, so Lalique influenced me in this area. I love beads and have been making my jewelry for over 25 years. While I was creating my novel, I had to restrain myself from focusing on my beads and not on writing. I definitely feel that his artistry inspired the pieces I did during that time. Lalique was a crucial influence in the development of art nouveau, an era of art that I have always admired.

4. You touch on themes of mental health and insanity in The Magician of Light. How did you navigate writing about these topics in a sensitive but relatable and compelling manner?

I approached my character’s mental issues from a scientific approach researching the techniques being used to treat mental illness in people in that era. Placement in insane asylums is how they removed most of the mentally ill from society. Psychology was a burgeoning science in the late 19th century with some barbaric treatments because doctors didn’t know what to do with people who perceived reality differently than most. In my novel, my character with mental illness is seeing spirits. I leave it up to my reader to decide what is real and what is not.

5. Readers have commended your excellent attention to detail when it comes to European dress, food, and daily life in the late 1800s to early 1900s. Have you always had an affinity for this time period? Where did you draw inspiration in order to write so succinctly about this particular era?

I read a great deal of classic literature, especially Charles Dickens, in high school and early college and developed an affinity towards this time period, especially fashion. Part of the allure of historical programs (fiction and nonfiction) is to see the beautiful clothes and accessories. I credit my late mother with introducing me to art and, in particular, art nouveau. The gorgeous, flowing curves and intricate design appeals to me.

6. Why is Magician of Light an important story to you and what do you hope readers take away from your book?

After dreaming of Lalique, I felt as though I received an extraordinary gift. His identity was a mystery to solve, and I love a good puzzle. After discovering him, I wanted to bring him to life and create a renewal of appreciation for his prolific art and him personally. I want my readers to feel more familiar with Lalique, the fin de siècle era, and feel great satisfaction for having read my story.

7. What were some challenges that you faced when writing this book and how did you overcome them?

The biggest challenge was finding material regarding his personal life, as most books focus on his phenomenal art. I bought some books and did a lot of surfing on the internet to find relevant data. The other challenge was that I don’t speak French. Over time, using a variety of resources, I learned some. One of the reference books that I used in research was in French. I ended up typing many, many words, paragraphs, pages into Google Translate.

Download press kit and photos

Marissa DeCuir

A former award-winning journalist with national exposure, Marissa now oversees the day-to-day operation of the Books Forward author branding and book marketing firm, along with our indie publishing support sister company Books Fluent.

Born and bred in Louisiana, currently living in New Orleans, she has lived and developed a strong base for our company and authors in Chicago and Nashville. Her journalism work has appeared in USA Today, National Geographic and other major publications. She is now interviewed by media on best practices for book marketing.

booksforward.com/about-us/marissa-decuir/

With a cover designed by the author’s brother, Daniel Libeskind, and a compelling story inspired by their mother, the novel is a moving tribute to the bonds that connect us

New York, NY–The master planner of rebuilding Ground Zero, world-renowned architect Daniel Libeskind, has created a new piece of art for the cover of “The Corset Maker,” the forthcoming historical fiction novel by his sister, author Annette Libeskind Berkovits. The novel–loosely inspired by their mother’s real life story–is a powerful addition to the genre of 20th century historical fiction, and is slated for release on International Women’s Day, March 8, 2022 from Amsterdam Publishers.

In Warsaw, Poland, the young Rifka Berg, raised in an ultra Orthodox home, asks her father why girls don’t have bar mitzvahs. Eventually, his answer provokes Rifka to risk everything. In a bold move, unheard of at the time, Rifka and her close friend, Bronka, open their own business–a corset shop on the most fashionable street in Warsaw. In an unforgettable journey, Rifka soon becomes embroiled in some of the most violent events of the century: the Jewish-Arab conflict in Palestine, the Spanish Civil War and the Nazi occupation of Southern France. As her involvement deepens, she sees firsthand how autocratic rule deprives people of even the simplest freedoms.

Time and again, Rifka is faced with heart-wrenching choices. She must decide if there is ever a time to abandon her principles for a higher purpose. Rifka’s personal struggles and dilemmas go to the heart of the major ethical issues and challenges of our time.

“The Corset Maker”
Annette Libeskind Berkovits | March 8, 2022 | Amsterdam Publishers | Historical Fiction
Hardcover | 9789493231924 | $26.99
Paperback | 9789493231917 | $19.99
Ebook | 9789493231931 | $6.99

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Annette Libeskind Berkovits is the author of two acclaimed memoirs: “In the Unlikeliest of Places: How Nachman Libeskind Survived the Nazis, Gulags and Soviet Communism” a story of her father’s survival, and “Confessions of an Accidental Zoo Curator.” She has also penned a poetry book, “Erythra Thalassa: Brain Disrupted.” “The Corset Maker” is her first novel. To learn more about Annette’s life and work, visit her website: annetteberkovits.com

Follow Annette Libeskind Berkovits on social media:
Facebook: @annettelibeskindberkovitsauthor | Twitter: @ALBerkovits

ABOUT THE DESIGNER:

Daniel Libeskind is an internationally renowned architect, known for the Jewish Museum in Berlin, the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto, and the Dublin Performing Arts Center in Ireland, among many others. His Master Plan for rebuilding the World Trade Center site in New York City was selected in 2003 and has served as the blueprint for the entire site, including the Freedom Tower, the Memorial, the Museum, and the PATH Terminal.

Praise for “The Corset Maker”

“‘The Corset Maker’ is a tale of the twentieth century that celebrates human resilience. It
is an enchanting, resonant novel inspired by the life of Dora Libeskind and seen through
the eyes of Rifka. Berkovits weaves a story of a quintessential rebel in times of global
crisis and war. Threads of Nazism, Anti-Semitism, and sexism make for a compelling,
fast-paced narrative that sees a young heroine navigate the world in search of her
destiny.”
—Daniel Libeskind, architect; Founder Studio Daniel Libeskind; Author of a dozen
books including “Breaking Ground” and “Edge of Order;” Berlin and New York

“Annette Libeskind Berkovits has made central moments of twentieth century history
come alive. An Orthodox Jewish girl rebels against her family and becomes an entrepreneur only to face anti-Semitism. She travels to Palestine and Spain and France, each time to survive more violence. Love and violence are at the core of this extraordinary novel. Berkovits fills history with romance.”
—John J. Clayton, award-winning author of “Kuperman’s Fire,” “What Are Friends For,” and “Mitzvah Man;” Leverett, MA

“‘The Corset Maker’ begins in the fall of 1930. Nationalism is surfacing as Europe teeters. In Warsaw Poland 12-year-old Rifka Berg asks her beloved Ultra-Orthodox father why girls don’t have bar mitzvahs. His answer brings about an epiphany that changes the course of her life. Thus begins Rifka’s life’s journey: continents will be crossed, wars will be won, and others lost, there will be love and there will be unspeakable genocide. Even Rifka’s name and identity must change for her to survive, but Rifka’s search for the truth of experience, for the very meaning of life and her place in it will never wane. Timely and more relevant to today than is comfortable. This is the journey of the hero in the truest sense of Joseph Campbell.”
—Jim Cooper, photographer and author of “Funeral in Montauk;” Mosfellsbær, Iceland

“‘The Corset Maker’ is a compelling story of girlhood, war, survival – and against all odds, a story of finding out who you truly are. It is a beautifully written journey that weaves together the personal and the historical. I was gripped by this unique and courageous protagonist – and found myself alongside her throughout the book. It is without a doubt one of the most fascinating and meaningful books I have read.”
—Rachel Arnow, artist and author of “Kinder Kalender,” “All the World From A-Z,” and “The Wild West;” Berlin, Germany

“With her eloquent and captivating writing Annette Berkovits transports one to the riveting saga of survival, resilience, and ingenuity of a young woman from Warsaw, Poland. Set mainly in the twists and turns of the first half of 20 th century Europe, ‘The Corset Maker’ ignites the reader’s imagination of history and brings to life the hard choices and challenges facing young people during that time. The story concludes with an unexpected ending in the last decade of the century. I simply could not put the book down.”
—Zvi Jankelowitz, Director of Institutional Advancement, Yiddish Book Center; Massachusetts

“This sweep of twentieth century European history seen through the eyes of a young Orthodox Jewish woman is a truly gripping read.”
—Joanna Orwin, award-winning author of “Shifting Currents;” Christchurch, New Zealand

“A vivid narrative that poses an urgent and universal question: how to survive as a woman while balancing personal responsibility, solidarity, and pacifist ideals. Readers first meet ‘The Corset Maker’ as she rebels against her Orthodox Jewish upbringing in inter-war Warsaw, striking out for independence with her friend to open a corsetiere’s shop. The departure of her elder sister to join Jewish settlers in Palestine and the arrival of Nazism in Poland combine to send her on an odyssey through Israel and Europe during the cataclysms of the mid 20th century. As she encounters danger and suffering and the anguish of an impossible love she is plunged into political and personal conflict. She is constantly forced by circumstances to question and challenge her own deeply held principles, yet her resilience and commitment to the welfare of others continually shine through the darkest moments.
—Maybelle Wallis, physician and author of “Heart of Cruelty;” Wexford, Ireland

“What a life. What a story. What a journey! Page after page, a woman is revealed whom I wish I could have met in real life. She is an inspiration to every woman trying to find her very own path.”
—Cilia Ebert, Head of Strategy and Planning, German Federal Ministry for Family, Youth, Women and Senior Citizens; Berlin, Germany

“In ‘The Corset Maker,’ Annette Libeskind Berkovits gives us a fascinating novel, spanning
decades of the history of Europe – from Poland to Spain and France – and Palestine, where the future State of Israel is being born. Through a unique friendship between two women, the author explores profound themes such as feminism and pacifism, while placing those ideas against the stark reality of 20th-century history: the Civil War in Spain and the rise of fascism and antisemitism. The reader is drawn into the rich, powerful, and thoughtful narrative.”
—Philip Jolly, journalist; London, United Kingdom

About Amsterdam Publishers; Amsterdam, The Netherlands

Why is publishing Holocaust memoirs by survivors and Holocaust-related literature important?

Amsterdam publishers is the largest international publisher in Europe of Holocaust memoirs by survivors.

Covid-19 has hastened the departure of many Holocaust survivors, resisters, and eyewitnesses of the Second World War. This is especially troubling news given the current rise of antisemitism, neofascism, political extremism, and manipulation of the facts about the Holocaust across the world. During the events at the Capitol on 6 January 2021 some of the rioters wore anti-Jewish hate shirts making mockery of the
annihilation of European Jews.

As never before, reading about the Holocaust seems crucial. We need not only facts and figures, though these, of course, are essential. We need the stories behind the numbers. We need to learn about the life experiences of individuals and families. What were their lives like before, during and after the Holocaust.

Education is the key to preventing antisemitism and Holocaust denial. Hatred, and suspicion of ‘the other’ can only be overcome if we gain a true understanding of the horrors of the Holocaust and the long shadow it has cast on multigenerational families of survivors.

Holocaust memoirs and post Holocaust Jewish literature show the perseverance of ordinary people whose only ‘crime’ was being Jewish in the face of unprecedented discrimination and persecution. Stories by survivors are an irreplaceable source of learning, and the most effective tool when it comes to connecting with young generations today.

Meet the author…

In an interview, Annette Libeskind Berkovits can discuss:

• Which elements of “The Corset Maker” were inspired by her mother’s life
• How the novel explores female friendships, and asks important questions about what makes a woman complete
• How pacifism and violence are portrayed in the novel
• Why and how she braided together three major conflicts of the 20th century
• What it was like working with her brother, Daniel Libeskind, on the cover design

An Interview with Annette Libeskind Berkovits

1. Why did you choose a corset maker as a protagonist of a historical novel that deals with some of the bloodiest events of the twentieth century?

It seemed to me that precisely because a woman who spends time designing undergarments would probably be an excellent example of a woman furthest away from violence. But that’s not how real life happens. Life takes people into directions they’d have never imagined. The corset maker in my novel was inspired by my mother and her three friends who themselves experienced the brutality of the times from the 1930s to the end of WWII and beyond. These were women who found incredible courage under impossible circumstances. I hope that my protagonist can inspire young women of today who often see violence in the media and have no idea how they would react if faced with a real life circumstance of theirs, or their loved ones lives in danger.

2. Most historical novels of that period deal with one huge event—say WWII alone is enough of a subject for many books—yet you’ve woven together not one, not two, but three or more violent events: pre-WWII antisemitic attacks on Jews; the Arab—Jewish conflict in Palestine; the Spanish Civil War and WWII in Southern France. Why include all of these?

Well..it is as you say ambitious, but for some women, the events of the twentieth century, one of the bloodiest in history, actually threw them into such events in a serial manner. This was the case with the women who inspired the novel. My own mother for example escaped the antisemitism in Poland to find herself in the midst of the Arab revolt in Palestine, then found herself at the outbreak of WWII in Warsaw, Poland on September 1, 1939 and after she escaped that hell, she wound up in a brutal Soviet gulag in Siberia. I was interested in exploring what inner resources keep such women going, what gave them strength to survive. I also wanted to spotlight how young women, in particular, can sometimes make spur of the moment decisions that can alter the course of their entire lives.

3. What about the male characters in your novel? How did you happen to invent them?

I started with a very young, curious protagonist and I knew that her insular religious community wouldn’t be enough for her, especially not after she enrolled in a secular school at the behest of her grandmother who was a woman ahead of her times. I just knew that her hormones would begin to make an impact, so meeting a man—well, it had to happen. But how would she react to him? And what if he was a man of a very different social status, a Parisian Count, no less? That’s the stuff of moving the plot forward. Of course in her long life there would be other men, for other reasons.

4. I found it interesting that you placed this young woman of orthodox Jewish upbringing in a monastery in Spain. Why there?

So this is a good example of how life can take someone to unplanned places. Readers will find out why and how Rifka got there and why she chose to devote a portion of her life to care for orphans. In some ways this experience was a foundation for her future growth as a woman. And in the monastery she tried to give the children the kind of education she wanted to have, but of course some of it had to be subversive. There was, in fact, a lot of tension during the Spanish Civil war between nuns who supported the democratically elected government on the Republican side and those who supported Franco’s forces. He of course eventually won and became a dictator who ruled for thirty five years.

5. I understand that your protagonist struggled with some deeply held principles and had to make extremely difficult choices. Can you tell me more about those choices?

Without spoiling the plot, it’s not easy to do. But I will say that after reading “All Quiet on the Western Front” in school, Rifka became very wary of violence in all forms. She thought human conflicts should be solvable by listening and discussion. It took some horrible events to get her to look at life differently. Though, I must say that in her heart of hearts, no matter her actions, Rifka never truly accepted violence as the solution.

6. What about the other women who inspired this fascinating story?

I cannot say too much about them without revealing some plot surprises, but one of them was, in fact, my mother’s business partner. Another friend from my mother’s teenage years in Warsaw went on to participate in the Spanish Civil War. And the third, a courageous, seemingly fearless woman, saved my mother’s life in the Siberian gulag. I have made some of these real women into composite characters in the fictional account.

Marissa DeCuir

A former award-winning journalist with national exposure, Marissa now oversees the day-to-day operation of the Books Forward author branding and book marketing firm, along with our indie publishing support sister company Books Fluent.

Born and bred in Louisiana, currently living in New Orleans, she has lived and developed a strong base for our company and authors in Chicago and Nashville. Her journalism work has appeared in USA Today, National Geographic and other major publications. She is now interviewed by media on best practices for book marketing.

booksforward.com/about-us/marissa-decuir/