"The Submission" and "Flyaway"

So much good reading this last month--no wonder I haven't written much here! I finally got to read Amy Waldman's book The Submission last week and have been recommending it to everyone. She has a masterful way of weaving a variety of character's stories--and they are diverse--into a vivid tapestry. And she really captures certain parts of New York--and the way those New Yorkers talk--with perfect pitch. Well worth reading; even if you don't think you care about a 9/11 memorial or racial politics--turns out, you do.
I've been editing a manuscript that also deals with racial politics--but set in Israel...with a heart-wrenching love story at its center. The book has so much potential; the author is reworking it again now...And every time it gets better and better.
And speaking of new books getting out there--my dear friend Helen Landalf's first YA book Flyaway is coming out next month...but it's not too early to pre-order it as a holiday gift for a special young lady (or young man) on your list. Try Powell's or of course, Amazon. Helen is a rare talent, and this book is both real and uplifting. (Will also appeal to bird lovers. )Check out Helen's site.
I'm back to my classics this week--reading George Eliot's Daniel Deronda which my cousin Kiki recommended to me long ago...I have always been a fan of Eliot, but somehow missed this one. What a cast of characters...
Hasta pronto!