Two entries in two days - a new record. But I had to write about Robert Avrech, whose debut YA novel, "The Hebrew Kid and the Apached Maiden" (Seraphic Press), won the Ben Franklin Award for Best First Book - Fiction. Yes, I was also a finalist in that category, but I'm thrilled that Robert won. Here's why:
Robert and I were both born in 1950, we both live in Los Angeles and we both wrote our debut novels (which we each self-published) about Jewish characters. Here's the weird part. Robert's son, Ariel, died 3 years ago of cancer at the age of 22, which means he would have been the same age as my son, Ari, who was diagnosed with cancer at age 16 and is now in remission. Robert wrote his novel in memory of his son, as the kind of book Ariel would have wanted to read, and his blog details his grieving process over the years. I can't help but think "there for the grace of God go I" and that "truth is stranger than fiction."
Sorry for the hiatus, but I was back east for two weeks (most in DC) in conjunction with the PMA University, where I learned all sorts of new things about publishing and book marketing, and also received their Benjamin Franklin Award for Best New Voice - Fiction. It was tremendous honor. Imagine this - an enormous banquet hall at the DC convention center, a fabulous feast for over 1000 people in the book publishing world, and when I pick up the program at my table, I see that my category is up first. Of course, I couldn't eat after that. My table companion asked me if I'd written my acceptance speech yet and I nearly plotzed. I had no idea I'd be expected to give one if I won.
Well, it came time for the Awards and down came this huge video screen with covers of Rashi's Daughters and the other two finalists. They briefly described each book and then, when the winner (ME!) was announced, the other two covers faded and my cover grew larger. I was sitting in the back (near the bar) and I had to run all the way up to accept my award and thank the Academy (oops, wrong award - but it felt like that). What a high! More on BEA next post.