Join us for this tour from July 14 to Aug 10, 2020!
Book Details:
Book Title: The Takeaway Men by Meryl Ain
Category: Adult fiction 18 yrs +, 264 pages
Genre: Historical Fiction
Publisher: Sparkpress
Release date: August 4, 2020
Content Rating: PG-13 + M because there are references to extra-marital affairs. There is no explicit sex in the book.
Book Details:
Book Title: The Takeaway Men by Meryl Ain
Category: Adult fiction 18 yrs +, 264 pages
Genre: Historical Fiction
Publisher: Sparkpress
Release date: August 4, 2020
Content Rating: PG-13 + M because there are references to extra-marital affairs. There is no explicit sex in the book.
Book Description:
With
the cloud of the Holocaust still looming over them, twin sisters Bronka
and Johanna Lubinski and their parents arrive in the US from a
Displaced Persons Camp. In the years after World War II, they experience
the difficulties of adjusting to American culture as well as the
burgeoning fear of the Cold War. Years later, the discovery of a former
Nazi hiding in their community brings the Holocaust out of the shadows.
As the girls get older, they start to wonder about their parents’ pasts,
and they begin to demand answers. But it soon becomes clear that those
memories will be more difficult and painful to uncover than they could
have anticipated. Poignant and haunting, The Takeaway Men explores the
impact of immigration, identity, prejudice, secrets, and lies on parents
and children in mid-twentieth-century America.
Now Available for Pre-order!
Release date: August 4, 2020
Amazon.com ~ Barnes & Noble ~ IndieBound
Add to Goodreads
Release date: August 4, 2020
Amazon.com ~ Barnes & Noble ~ IndieBound
Add to Goodreads
Meet the Author:
Meryl
Ain’s articles and essays have appeared in Huffington Post, The New
York Jewish Week, The New York Times, Newsday and other publications.
The Takeaway Men is her debut novel. In 2014, she co-authored the
award-winning book, The Living Memories Project: Legacies That Last, and
in 2016, wrote a companion workbook, My Living Memories Project
Journal. She is a sought-after speaker and has been interviewed on
television, radio, and podcasts. She is a career educator and is proud
to be both a teacher and student of history. She has also worked as a
school administrator. The Takeaway Men is the
result of her life-long quest to learn more about the Holocaust, a
thirst that was first triggered by reading The Diary of Anne Frank in
the sixth grade. While teaching high school history, she introduced her
students to the study of the Holocaust. At the same time, she also
developed an enduring fascination with teaching about and researching
the Julius and Ethel Rosenberg case. An interview with Robert Meeropol,
the younger son of the Rosenbergs, is featured in her book, The Living
Memories Project. The book also includes an interview with Holocaust
survivor, Boris Chartan, the founder of the Holocaust Museum and
Tolerance Center of Nassau County, New York. Meryl holds a BA from
Queens College, an MA from Teachers College, Columbia University, and an
Ed.D. from Hofstra University. She lives in New York with her husband,
Stewart. They have three married sons and six grandchildren.
Connect with the author: Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Instagram
Meryl
Ain’s articles and essays have appeared in Huffington Post, The New
York Jewish Week, The New York Times, Newsday and other publications.
The Takeaway Men is her debut novel. In 2014, she co-authored the
award-winning book, The Living Memories Project: Legacies That Last, and
in 2016, wrote a companion workbook, My Living Memories Project
Journal. She is a sought-after speaker and has been interviewed on
television, radio, and podcasts. She is a career educator and is proud
to be both a teacher and student of history. She has also worked as a
school administrator. The Takeaway Men is the
result of her life-long quest to learn more about the Holocaust, a
thirst that was first triggered by reading The Diary of Anne Frank in
the sixth grade. While teaching high school history, she introduced her
students to the study of the Holocaust. At the same time, she also
developed an enduring fascination with teaching about and researching
the Julius and Ethel Rosenberg case. An interview with Robert Meeropol,
the younger son of the Rosenbergs, is featured in her book, The Living
Memories Project. The book also includes an interview with Holocaust
survivor, Boris Chartan, the founder of the Holocaust Museum and
Tolerance Center of Nassau County, New York. Meryl holds a BA from
Queens College, an MA from Teachers College, Columbia University, and an
Ed.D. from Hofstra University. She lives in New York with her husband,
Stewart. They have three married sons and six grandchildren.
Connect with the author: Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Instagram
Guest Post by Meryl Ain
BOOK CLUBS, ANYONE?
While I pursued a full-time career in education, I always wrote on the side – essays, opinion pieces, and cooking columns. Once I retired, I wrote two non-fiction self-help books, The Living Memories Project: Legacies That Last, and its companion workbook, My Living Memories Project Journal. The books helped me overcome the loss of both of my parents and I learned ways to keep their memories alive. Readers tell me it did the same for them. And I am very grateful for that.
I was not much of a novel reader while I was working. I didn’t have that much time to read, and when I did, it was usually a biography, autobiography a memoir or something related to education. Maybe I read two novels a year. But then I decided to join a book club, and the whole world of fiction opened up to me. I found that I enjoyed reading novels and especially, discussing them with other women. It was very satisfying. Soon, I began to seek out book recommendations outside of the monthly meetings. I was hooked. I loved thinking about and discussing the characters and the narrative, but still, I never thought I would be able to write a novel.
About the third year into my book clubbing and novel reading, a light bulb went off in my head. I had a story that I wanted to tell about Holocaust survivors and their children living in New York in the ‘50s and ‘60s. But I still knew I didn’t have the tools. So I started reading every book I could find about novel writing. I watched videos. And I took classes. I continued to read novels. I found I was beginning to read critically; I was unpacking how the author put the story together.
After that, I began researching in earnest. What country would my characters come from? I decided on Poland. Where would they live once in the United States? I situated them in the neighborhood in which I grew up in Queens, New York. I talked to friends and family about twists and turns and secret identities. Soon, I started writing. The characters began to lead me. After several edits, it was ready to be published.
I credit my family and friends for their support and inspiration. And I also am so grateful to the book club that motivated me. That’s why I’m so thrilled to be able to meet virtually with book clubs all over the country. On my website, I have a list of questions for discussion. One of the best parts of being a novelist is to meet with fellow book club members from near and far.
Tour Schedule:
July 14 – Viviana MacKade – book spotlight / guest post / giveaway
July 14 - Working Mommy Journal – book review / giveaway
July 14 - Book World Reviews - book review / author interview
July 15 – 100 Pages A Day – book review / giveaway
July 16 – RebeccaReviewedIt – book review / author interview
July 17 – T's Stuff – book spotlight / guest post / giveaway
July 18 - Just One More Chapter – book review
July 20 – Pick a good book – book spotlight / author interview / giveaway
July 21 – Splashes of Joy – book review / author interview / giveaway
July 22 - Rockin' Book Reviews – book review / guest post / giveaway
July 23 – Olio by Marilyn – book spotlight / author interview
July 23 – Olio by Marilyn – book review / giveaway
July 24 – THE WORLD AS I SEE IT – book review
July 27 – Book after Book – book spotlight / author interview
July 28 – Jazzy Book Reviews – book spotlight / author interview / giveaway
July 28 - Leels Loves Books - book review / giveaway
July 29 – She Just Loves Books – book review / giveaway
July 30 – Locks, Hooks and Books – book review / giveaway
July 31 – Reading is My Passion – book review / giveaway
July 31 - The Eclectic Review – book review
Aug 3 – I'm All About Books – book spotlight / author interview / giveaway
Aug 3 - Sefina Hawke's Books – book spotlight
Aug 4 - Library of Clean Reads – book review / giveaway
Aug 4 – Literary Flits – book spotlight / giveaway
Aug 4 - Peaceful Pastime – book review
Aug 4 - Book Corner News and Reviews – book review / giveaway
Aug 5 – Svetlanas reads and views – book review
Aug 5 - Books and Zebras – book review / giveaway
Aug 5 - Alexis Marie Chute – book review / author interview
Aug 6 – Pen Possessed – book review / giveaway
Aug 6 - Books for Books – book spotlight
Aug 7 – StoreyBook Reviews – book spotlight / guest post / giveaway
Aug 10 – My Fictional Oasis – book review
Aug 10 - Adventurous Jessy - book review / giveaway
July 14 – Viviana MacKade – book spotlight / guest post / giveaway
July 14 - Working Mommy Journal – book review / giveaway
July 14 - Book World Reviews - book review / author interview
July 15 – 100 Pages A Day – book review / giveaway
July 16 – RebeccaReviewedIt – book review / author interview
July 17 – T's Stuff – book spotlight / guest post / giveaway
July 18 - Just One More Chapter – book review
July 20 – Pick a good book – book spotlight / author interview / giveaway
July 21 – Splashes of Joy – book review / author interview / giveaway
July 22 - Rockin' Book Reviews – book review / guest post / giveaway
July 23 – Olio by Marilyn – book spotlight / author interview
July 23 – Olio by Marilyn – book review / giveaway
July 24 – THE WORLD AS I SEE IT – book review
July 27 – Book after Book – book spotlight / author interview
July 28 – Jazzy Book Reviews – book spotlight / author interview / giveaway
July 28 - Leels Loves Books - book review / giveaway
July 29 – She Just Loves Books – book review / giveaway
July 30 – Locks, Hooks and Books – book review / giveaway
July 31 – Reading is My Passion – book review / giveaway
July 31 - The Eclectic Review – book review
Aug 3 – I'm All About Books – book spotlight / author interview / giveaway
Aug 3 - Sefina Hawke's Books – book spotlight
Aug 4 - Library of Clean Reads – book review / giveaway
Aug 4 – Literary Flits – book spotlight / giveaway
Aug 4 - Peaceful Pastime – book review
Aug 4 - Book Corner News and Reviews – book review / giveaway
Aug 5 – Svetlanas reads and views – book review
Aug 5 - Books and Zebras – book review / giveaway
Aug 5 - Alexis Marie Chute – book review / author interview
Aug 6 – Pen Possessed – book review / giveaway
Aug 6 - Books for Books – book spotlight
Aug 7 – StoreyBook Reviews – book spotlight / guest post / giveaway
Aug 10 – My Fictional Oasis – book review
Aug 10 - Adventurous Jessy - book review / giveaway
