For the 80th anniversary of Auschwitz's liberation, I choose to keep history alive with: The Family Behind the Walls
Eighty years wasn't so long ago...
To articulate a profound statement of what to feel and think, eighty years after a war that lasted far too long—a war marked by unimaginable atrocities that led to the death of over six million Jews—feels nearly impossible.
At Auschwitz alone, over one million Jews were murdered, just one of many extermination camps.
By January 27, 1945, the day Auschwitz was liberated, only seven thousand prisoners remained alive.
As for me, my reason and purpose in keeping history alive are deeply personal.
My great-grandfather was murdered in a gas chamber upon arrival at Auschwitz. He died from Zyklon B poisoning. His body was thrown into a pile with countless others and taken to the crematorium, where all that remained of him was reduced to ash. Why? Because he was Jewish.
One photograph, his signature on a business letter, his date of birth, and date of death are all I'll ever know about him. My great-grandmother survived until I was a teenager and my grandmother lived into her nineties, passing away only a decade ago. It's hard knowing I could have met my great-grandfather. But he was taken—from them, and my family that would continue to grow in the path he once paved. He was just one person, but he's a part of me I'll never know.
A question has haunted me as I grew up and tried to piece together my family's history: What was it all for?
This question became the driving force behind my writing of The Family Behind the Walls. I wondered if, by the end of the story, I might find an answer. And I did.
The survivors of the Holocaust left their imprisonment with yet another impossible task: to begin again. They had to rebuild their lives, search for the missing, grieve the dead, find new homes, and somehow preserve their stories so the world would remember. Now, as the number of survivors dwindles, the responsibility to carry their stories falls to the next generations. It's up to us to ensure that this history is never forgotten, and that it never happens again.
In honor of this significant day in history, I'm releasing my latest novel, The Family Behind the Walls. I hope you will join me in keeping history alive by exploring lesser-known stories and topics about WWII and the Holocaust that aren't often discussed.
Back Cover Description:
Germany, 1943. Jordanna cries out desperately to her mother, tears spilling down her cheeks. She is being torn one way, her parents another. And in Jordanna’s terrified, wide brown eyes, there is only one question: Will I ever see you again?
Poland: Day in and day out, fifteen-year-old Jordanna holds tight to the hands of her siblings as they’re forced into back-breaking labor. They’ve been transported to a camp for Polish orphans, but at night, Jordanna weeps silently, clinging to the hope that they’re not actually orphans. That when they finally escape, their mother Dalia will be waiting with open arms. But the only thing she knows for sure is that to survive, she cannot let the cruel guards discover they are not just Polish, they are Jewish…
Auschwitz: More than a hundred miles away, Dalia shivers in her tattered striped uniform, wary eyes darting around for any sign of trouble. She’s seen other women lost to the bitter sting of the frozen air and the brutal regime and she can’t let it be her. Every day, Dalia prays that her husband will find a way to save their children. But when another prisoner approaches her about joining their secret resistance, Dalia decides to take rescuing her family into her own hands—despite the terrible danger it puts her in…
The only thing keeping Jordanna and Dalia’s spirits alive in the darkest of places is the hope that they will one day be reunited. But will Dalia fight her way out to cradle her daughter in her arms once more—or will she die trying?
From the Publisher:
A heartbreaking, emotional, yet ultimately hopeful World War Two novel about the strength of the love between a mother and daughter triumphing over evil. Fans of The Tattooist of Auschwitz, The Nightingale and The Choice will be blown away by this gripping, story.
What Early Readers are Saying:
“I can’t put into words the emotions that ran through me… Touched me deep within my soul… Heartbreaking, gut-wrenching… Had me glued to every word… So much emotion… Tears were shed, tissues were used, every word felt in my heart… All the stars for a remarkable story!” Romancebookexplosion, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“Heartbreakingly beautiful… Made me weep… I struggled to put it down… Had me smiling through more tears… Will undoubtedly wreck you but will put the jagged pieces of your heart together in the most lovely of ways… 5++ huge stars!” NetGalley reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“I fell in love… I couldn’t put it down. When I wasn’t reading, I was thinking about the book, anxious to pick it up and read on. I don’t think 5 stars is high enough!” Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“A MUST-READ!!!… I couldn't stop crying. The story just wouldn't let go… It will make you cry even more… Absolutely brilliant!” Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“One of the best I have read… A tearjerker… A rollercoaster ride… I was totally engrossed and could not put it down… Incredible… Heartbreaking.” Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“So heartbreaking… You will need tissues… Emotional!… Amazing!!… LOVE it!!” Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“Amazing… An emotional rollercoaster that left my crying tears of joy!… Everything a good book should be!” Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“Wow… An emotional rollercoaster!… Incredible… Powerful… Had me in tears… Heartbreaking!” NetGalley reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“Powerful, emotional… Left me heartbroken… I shed more than a few tears… Stunning.” NetGalley reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“Oh goodness me… All I can say is don't start this book in the evening as you won't be able to put it down… Excellent!” NetGalley reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
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