One of the questions I was asked during the FB Live session a few weeks ago was, “How much of the book is autobiographical?” Because of the time constraints, I answered broadly: “Ahhh… this is a complicated question to ask a fiction writer, because, you know… what does autobiographical mean? None of the… well, most of the […]
My Poem ‘Barco de Papel/Paper Boat’ Published in Chachalaca Review
Allow me to interrupt our program on the background of By Light of Hidden Candles to let you know that my poem, Barco de Papel/Paper Boat, was published (in its Spanish and English versions) in the Beyond issue of the Chachalaca Review, a bilingual Spanish-English literary journal published under the Center for Mexican American Studies, University of Texas […]
Genie Milgrom’s 15 Grandmothers & By Light of Hidden Candles
I first learned about Genie Milgrom from a newspaper article that told her story and detailed her amazing accomplishments in genealogy. I was floored by the article, and when I was asked to write for Pnima Magazine (a popular Hebrew magazine for Israeli religious women), I suggested an interview with Genie. The editor gave me […]
Deciphering Secrets & the Revealing Cooperation & Conflict Project
It is a blessing to be a historical fiction writer in our day and age. I took advantage of many online resources to help me with my research: I toured the streets of Granada and Madrid with Google Street View; I took a drive from Madrid to Toledo with a YouTube dash cam video (why […]
Making Sense of the Varieties of Spanish in Hidden Candles
The characters in By Light of Hidden Candles speak a few different languages. Most prominently, of course, they speak English and Spanish, with a handful of words and phrases in Hebrew, Arabic, and even Yiddish and Latin thrown in. However, several versions of Spanish are mentioned. What’s the difference between Ladino and Haketía? Castilian and Andalusian Spanish? Let’s […]
Granada, Spain: Birthplace of Manuel Aguilar from By Light of Hidden Candles
One of the main characters of By Light of Hidden Candles, Manuel Aguilar, was born in Granada to a long line of granadinos; he has evidence that his father’s family has been living there since at least the 16th century. A (Very) Brief History of Granada Granada’s history is deeply intertwined with that of the […]
Videos from the FB Live By Light of Hidden Candles Virtual Launch Party
Hey guys! Thanks so much to all of you who participated in the Facebook Live launch party yesterday! Those of you who missed it can watch either the full, unedited 30-minute session, or a 5-minute “highlight reel” below. I read excerpts from By Light of Hidden Candles and talked about the topics of interfaith friendships and […]
The Official By Light of Hidden Candles Playlist
Before I begin: don’t forget that I’m making a complete fool of myself hosting a Facebook Live launch event today–9pm Israel time (3pm EST; we just changed our clocks, so it’s 6 hours’ difference instead of 7)! Make sure to “like” and follow my author page on Facebook to receive a notification when I go […]
Alternate Opening to Míriam’s Story in Hidden Candles (Deleted Scene)
Remember how I mentioned that I originally wanted to set the historical story in Málaga? Below is an early draft of the historical story before I chose Lorca as the location. You’ll notice that in this version, Míriam has two brothers and the background is a little different from the Lorca version. I actually quite […]
Launch Parties & Podcast Interview!
As… um… Manuel informed you, By Light of Hidden Candles was officially released on October 16th, and I hosted a small launch party for family and friends last Monday evening. You can see the full album of photos here on my Facebook page (no FB account necessary to view it). Undoubtedly my favorite part of the […]
