TLC Book Tours » virtual book tours

Emily Perkins, author of The Forrests, on tour August 2012

admin — Tue, 22 May 2012 17:39:02 +0000

About The Forrests

Paperback: 352 pages
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA; 1 edition (August 7, 2012)

For fans of Zoë Heller and Zadie Smith, a vibrant and vital novel about the way family—with its dysfunctional bonds, sibling love, and rivalry—enduringly defines us.

Dorothy Forrest is immersed in the sensory world around her; she lives in the flickering moment. From the age of seven, when her odd, disenfranchised family moves from New York to the wide skies of New Zealand, to the very end of her life, this is her great gift and possible misfortune.

From the wilderness of a commune to falling in love to early marriage and motherhood, from the glorious anguish of parenting to the loss of everything worked for and the unexpected return oflove, Dorothy is swept along by time. Her family looms and recedes, revelations come to light, death changes everything, but somehow life remains as potent as it ever was, and the joy in just being won’t let her go.

In a narrative that shifts and moves, singing with color and memory, growing as wild as its characters, The Forrests speaks to the unexpected ways in which life can change—“if you’re lucky enough to be around for it.”

Praise for Emily Perkins:

“A writer very much in command not only of her language but of the unique and surprising variations she brings to the form.” —T. C. Boyle, author of When The Killing’s Done

“Brimming with talent.” —Esther Freud, author of Hideous Kinky and Lucky Break

“An expansive and ambitious novel, beautifully written, and covering great swathes of emotional territory.”
—Lawrence Norfolk, author of Lempriere’s Dictionary

About Emily

Emily Perkins was born in 1970. She is the author of Not Her Real Name, a collection of short stories that won the Geoffrey Faber Memorial Prize and was shortlisted for the John Llewellyn Rhys Prize, and the novels Leave Before You Go, The New Girl, and, most recently, Novel About My Wife, winner of the Believer Book Award. She lives in New Zealand.

Elizabeth Flock, author of What Happened to my Sister, on tour August 2012

admin — Wed, 09 May 2012 19:04:38 +0000

About What Happened to my Sister

Paperback: 304 pages

Publisher: Ballantine Books (August 7, 2012)

From the author of Me & Emma comes a dazzling novel of two unforgettable families bound together by their deepest secrets and haunted pasts—perfect for fans of The Secret Life of CeeCee Wilkes and The Book of Bright Ideas.

Nine-year-old Carrie Parker and her mother, Libby, are making a fresh start in the small town of Hartsville, North Carolina, ready to put their turbulent past behind them. Violence has shattered their family and left Libby nearly unable to cope. And while Carrie once took comfort in her beloved sister, Emma, her mother has now forbidden even the mention of her name.

When Carrie meets Ruth, Honor, and Cricket Chaplin, these three generations of warmhearted women seem to have the loving home Carrie has always dreamed of. But as Carrie and Cricket become fast friends, neither can escape the pull of their families’ secrets—and uncovering the truth will transform the Chaplins and the Parkers forever.

“Absolutely unforgettable . . . Haunting, harrowing, and exquisitely told, Flock’s brilliant, bold novel is all about imagination, grief, and one stunning young narrator’s struggle to transcend an unimaginable past in order to carve out a future.”—Caroline Leavitt, New York Times bestselling author of Pictures of You

“A gripping read that is at once heartbreaking and heartwarming. Flock masterfully combines a deeply affecting family drama with relentless suspense. You’ll find yourself reading late into the night to find out what life has in store for the indomitable Carrie Parker.”—Heather Gudenkauf, New York Times bestselling author of The Weight of Silence

“From the opening sentence of Elizabeth Flock’s exceptional new novel, I was at its tender mercies. These memorable, lovable characters jumped off the page and lodged themselves in my heart.”—Elinor Lipman, author of The Family Man and Then She Found Me

“Elizabeth Flock has created a young heroine who will win your heart. Caroline Parker is fierce, bright, and endlessly lovable. Amid this well-plotted mystery, there’s a story of great hope, survival, and resilience.”—Julianna Baggott, author of Girl Talk and Pure

About Elizabeth Flock

New York Times bestselling author Elizabeth Flock is a former journalist who reported for Time and People magazines and worked as an on-air correspondent for CBS. She is the author of several acclaimed novels, including But Inside I’m Screaming and Me & Emma. She lives in New York City.

Elizabeth Flock’s TLC Book Tours TOUR STOPS:

Tuesday, August 7th: Jenn’s Bookshelves

Wednesday, August 8th: Book Addiction

Thursday, August 9th: A Novel Source

Monday, August 13th: WV Stitcher

Tuesday, August 14th: Life in the Thumb

Wednesday, August 15th: Seaside Book Nook

Thursday, August 16th: Kritter’s Ramblings

Monday, August 20th: The House of the Seven Tails

Wednesday, August 22nd: Reviews by Molly

Thursday, August 23rd: Marybeth Whalen

Monday, August 27th: Life in Review

Wednesday, August 29th: The Lost Entwife

Thursday, August 30th: Chaos is a Friend of Mine

Jenny Wingfield, author of The Homecoming of Samuel Lake, on tour July/August 2012 on tour

admin — Wed, 09 May 2012 13:55:58 +0000

About The Homecoming of Samuel Lake

Paperback: 352 pages
Publisher: Random House Trade Paperbacks (July 10, 2012)

Every first Sunday in June, members of the Moses clan gather for an annual reunion at a sprawling hundred-acre farm in Arkansas. And every year, Samuel Lake, a vibrant and committed young preacher, brings his beloved wife, Willadee Moses, and their three children back for the festivities. In the midst of it all, Samuel and Willadee’s outspoken eleven-year-old daughter, Swan, is a bright light. Her high spirits and fearlessness have alternately seduced and bedeviled three generations of the family. But just as the reunion is getting under way, tragedy strikes, jolting the family to their core and setting the stage for a summer of crisis and profound change.

With the clear-eyed wisdom that illuminates the most tragic—and triumphant—aspects of human nature, Jenny Wingfield has created an enduring work of fiction.

“Raw, dark, and powerful. Southern Gothic at its best. Puts one in mind of Erskine Caldwell and Flannery O’Connor.”
—Fannie Flagg, bestselling author of Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe

“Jenny Wingfield’s richly detailed account of good and evil in 1950s Arkansas will captivate anyone who treasures the values of faith and honesty that are a part of America’s rural past. Wingfield’s sense of people and place is uncanny. After reading The Homecoming of Samuel Lake, you too will believe in miracles.”—Sandra Dallas, New York Times bestselling author of Prayers for Sale and Whiter Than Snow

“Jenny Wingfield has given us a spectacular novel with The Homecoming of Samuel Lake. This ensemble of unforgettable characters will make you laugh out loud one minute, hold your breath the next, and weep when you least expect it. I didn’t just love this book, I adored it.”—Dorothea Benton Frank, New York Times bestselling author of Lowcountry Summer

“Readers will lift up their hands in praise of this layered tale of sin, grace, and redemption. The Homecoming of Samuel Lake has a supreme cast of characters including a flawed but righteous daddy, a makes-your-skin-crawl villain, and the sassiest, truest girl heroine this side of Scout Finch. Can I get an ‘Amen’?”—Susan Rebecca White, New York Times bestselling author of A Soft Place to Land and Bound South

“Wingfield writes complex, believable heroes . . . with redemption trumping tragedies in scenes ripe with tension and dread.”—Publishers Weekly

About Jenny Wingfield

Jenny Wingfield lives in Texas with her rescued dogs, cats, and horses. Her screenplay credits include The Man in the Moon and The Outsider. The Homecoming of Samuel Lake is her first novel.

Jenny Wingfield’s TLC Book Tours TOUR STOPS:

Tuesday, July 10th: The House of the Seven Tails

Wednesday, July 11th: Twisting the Lens

Thursday, July 12th: It’s a Crazy, Beautiful Life

Monday, July 16th: Southern Girl Reads

Wednesday, July 18th: Bloggin’ ‘Bout Books

Thursday, July 19th: The Lost Entwife

Monday, July 23rd: Book Snob

Wednesday, July 25th: Kritter’s Ramblings

Monday, July 30th: A Novel Source

Wednesday, August 1st: WV Stitcher

Monday, August 6th: A Patchwork of Books

Wednesday, August 8th: Reviews by Lola

Monday, August 13th: A Musing Reviews

Monday, August 20th: Colloquium

Tuesday, August 28th: Sweet Southern Home

John Verdon, author of Let the Devil Sleep, on tour July/August 2012

admin — Tue, 08 May 2012 21:34:16 +0000

About Let the Devil Sleep

Hardcover: 464 pages
Publisher: Crown (July 24, 2012)

From the internationally bestselling author of Think of a Number and Shut Your Eyes Tight, this latest puzzle masterpiece from John Verdon pits superstar detective Dave Gurney against the nation’s law enforcement experts as he offers an alternative explanation for why a once dormant serial killer–enshrined in the textbooks–appears to be reanimated and out for blood.

Dave Gurney, the most decorated homicide detective in the history of the NYPD, is still trying to adjust to life in upstate New York when a young woman who is producing a documentary on serial killers asks for his input. Soon after this conversation, odd events begin occurring in Dave’s life: There is a strange problem with his tractor, a razor-sharp hunting arrow lands in his yard, and he narrowly escapes serious injury in a booby-trapped basement. As things grow more bizarre, Dave finds himself reexamining the case of “The Good Shepherd”–which, 10 years before, involved a series of roadway shootings and a “Unabomber-like” manifesto expressing rage at society. The killings ceased, and a cult of analysis grew up around the case with a consensus opinion that no one would dream of challenging–no one, that is, except Dave Gurney. Mocked even by some who’d been his allies in previous investigative outings, Dave is only heeded when the reawakened Good Shepherd proves by his actions that his agenda is more complex than previously thought.

About John Verdon

JOHN VERDON, a former Manhattan advertising executive, lives with his wife on a small hilltop in upstate New York. His first two Dave Gurney novels are Think of a Number and Shut Your Eyes Tight. Let the Devil Sleep is his third.

John Verdon’s TLC Book Tours TOUR STOPS:

Tuesday, July 24th: Wordsmithonia

Wednesday, July 25th: Jenny Loves to Read

Thursday, July 26th: Jen’s Book Thoughts

Monday, July 30th: A Bookworm’s World

Tuesday, July 31st: Sara’s Organized Chaos

Wednesday, August 1st: Life in Review

Thursday, August 2nd: Colloquium

Monday, August 6th: Booklover Book Reviews

Tuesday, August 7th: Stacy’s Books

Wednesday, August 8th: Book Addict Katie

Thursday, August 9th: House of Crime and Mystery

Monday, August 13th: Crime Fiction Lover

Tuesday, August 14th: A Novel Source

Wednesday, August 15th: Book Reviews by Elizabeth A. White

Thursday, August 16th: Bewitched Bookworms

Monday, August 20th: Girls Just Reading

Wednesday, August 22nd: Thoughts of Joy

Monday, August 27th: Musings of a Bookish Kitty

Linda Fairstein, author of Night Watch, on tour in July 2012

admin — Tue, 08 May 2012 13:53:10 +0000

About Night Watch

Reading level: Ages 18 and up
Hardcover: 416 pages
Publisher: Dutton Adult (July 10, 2012)

Fine dining and murder go hand in hand in New York Times bestselling author Linda Fairstein’s breathtaking new suspense novel inspired by recent real-life events

Forty-eight hours after Alexandra Cooper arrives in France to visit her boyfriend and famed restaurateur, Luc Rouget, her vacation in paradise is cut short when a young woman from the village is found murdered. The only evidence discovered on the body is one of Luc’s matchboxes promoting his new restaurant in Manhattan. But before the investigation begins, Alex is summoned back to New York to handle a high profile case.

Mohammed Gil-Darsin, the distinguished and wealthy Head of the World Economic Bureau, has been arrested and accused of attacking a maid in his hotel. As the world watches in fascination to see how the scandal will unfold, Alex finds her attention torn between preparing the alleged victim to testify and a murder case with ties too close to home.

When a second body is found with Luc’s matchbox—this time in Brooklyn—Alex begins to fear that the two cases may not be as unrelated as she thought, and that uncovering the sordid secrets of the city’s most wealthy and powerful could cost her and her loved ones everything they hold dear.

“Alex Cooper is a fascinating heroine . . . based on the equally fascinating life of her creator.”—O, The Oprah Magazine

“A tightly wound mystery that delivers an adrenaline rush with its fast-paced, nail-biting manhunt across several states.”—Library Journal on Silent Mercy

“A champion teller of detective tales.” –USA Today

“Fairstein is superbly attuned to the sinister vibes of the famous, as well as forgotten, New York City locales.”—Maureen Corrigan, NPR.org

“The queen of intelligent suspense.”—Lee Child

About Linda Fairstein

Linda Fairstein was chief of the Sex Crimes Unit of the district attorney’s office in Manhattan for more than two decades and is America’s foremost legal expert on sexual assault and domestic violence. Her Alexandra Cooper novels are international bestsellers and have been translated into more than a dozen languages. She lives in Manhattan and on Martha’s Vineyard.

Connect with Linda on her website, LindaFairstein.com.

Linda Fairstein’s TLC Book Tours TOUR STOPS:

Monday, July 2nd: nomad reader

Tuesday, July 3rd: Jen’s Book Thoughts

Thursday, July 5th: Book Addict Katie

Monday, July 9th: Lesa’s Book Critiques

Tuesday, July 10th: A Bookworm’s World

Wednesday, July 11th: Mockingbird Hill Cottage

Thursday, July 12th: Murder by Type

Monday, July 16th: Reviews by Molly

Tuesday, July 17th: Life in Review

Wednesday, July 18th: Chaotic Compendiums

Monday, July 23rd: Bewitched Bookworms

Tuesday, July 24th: Sara’s Organized Chaos

Wednesday, July 25th: Colloquium

Thursday, July 26th: Thoughts of Joy

Monday, July 30th: Musings of a Bookish Kitty

J. Gabriel Gates and Charlene Keel, authors of The Tracks series, on tour June/July 2012

admin — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 19:10:26 +0000

About Dark Territory: The Tracks, Book One

Paperback: 504 pages

Publisher: HCI Teens; 1 edition (July 1, 2011)

Star-crossed love, martial arts, and supernatural evil meet at the abandoned tracks in the deceptively quaint town of Middleburg...

When Ignacio Torrez moved from the rough streets of Los Angeles to a small town dead smack in the middle of nowhere, he never expected to find himself in the midst of a gang war. But, he soon learns, these are no ordinary gangs. The wealthy, preppie Toppers on one side of the tracks and the working-class Flatliners on the other adhere to a strict code of honor and use their deadly martial arts skills, taught to them by the wise Master Chin, to battle one another for pride, territory, and survival. When Raphael, leader of the Flatliners, falls for Aimee, a Topper girl, the rival gangs prepare for a bloody, all-out war. The only hope for peace between them lies within the dark territory of the abandoned train tunnels where the tracks cross. Under the direction of the mysterious and frightening Magician, the awesome power within the crossing sends the rivals on a terrifying mystical quest to fight the malevolent force that threatens the existence of Middleburg.

About Ghost Crown: The Tracks, Book Two

Paperback: 480 pages
Publisher: HCI Teens (June 5, 2012)

A priceless mystical treasure, a dark secret order, and a vengeful fallen angel—forces collide as the battle for Middleburg continues . . .

For gang members Raphael and Ignacio, plans for the homecoming dance are almost as harrowing as their recent victory against the demonic forces that threaten their town. Despite their tentative alliance, a fight breaks out between the preppie Toppers and the goth Flatliners when Topper girl Aimee shows up at the dance with Raphael, the rival gang’s leader. In the midst of an all-out rumble, the homecoming queen discovers a supernatural power that causes a potentially deadly catastrophe. Meanwhile, a charismatic half-angel, half-human arrives in Middleburg with plans to steal Aimee from Raphael.

To add to the bizarre circumstances surrounding the town, real-estate moguls begin buying up most of the Flats and evicting the tenants. These mysterious men seek a priceless treasure prophesied in ancient Chinese writings and will stop at nothing to find it. But Raphael and his friends vow to get to it first and use it to reclaim their homes.

As Raphael and the Flatliners and Zhai and the Toppers hone their supernatural abilities and search for the treasure, Aimee begins kung fu training, intent on using her new skills to locate and rescue her mother. When she discovers that the elusive treasure may be the key, the race to find it intensifies.

But there are others who seek the treasure too, and they have the power to reduce all of Middleburg, and perhaps the world, to ashes. . . .

About the authors:

J. Gabriel Gates is a Michigan native and a graduate of Florida State University. He has worked as a professional actor, written several Hollywood screenplays, and coauthored the teen fantasy series The Tracks.

Connect with J. Gabriel Gates at his website.

Charlene Keel is the author of a dozen novels and how-to-books. She has also ghostwritten books for celebrities, doctors, and corporate moguls.

Connect with Charlene at her website.

Rachel Neumeier, author of House of Shadows, on tour July/August 2012

admin — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 13:59:01 +0000

About House of Shadows

Paperback: 352 pages
Publisher: Orbit (July 10, 2012)

When tragically orphaned, two sisters are left to find their own fortunes. Sweet and proper, Karah’s future seems secure at a glamorous Flower House. She could be pampered for the rest of her life… if she agrees to play their game.

Nemienne, neither sweet nor proper, has fewer choices. Left with no alternative, she accepts a mysterious mage’s offer of an apprenticeship. Agreeing means a home and survival, but can Nemienne actually trust her new teacher?

With the arrival of a foreign bard into the quiet city, dangerous secrets are unearthed, and both sisters find themselves at the center of a plot that threatens not only to upset their newly found lives, but also to destroy their kingdom.

About Rachel Neumeier

Rachel Neumeier started writing fiction to relax when she was a graduate student and needed a hobby that was totally unrelated to her research. Before her first novel hit the shelves, her only previous publications were in journals such as the American Journal of Botany. However, finding that her interests didn’t actually lie in research, Rachel let her hobbies take over her life instead. She now lives in southern Missouri with a large garden, a small orchard, and a variable number of extremely beautiful Cavalier King Charles Spaniels. You can find out more about Rachel and her books at www.rachelneumeier.com.

Rachel Neumeier’s TLC Book Tours TOUR STOPS:

Monday, July 9th: A Chick Who Reads

Tuesday, July 10th: Twisting the Lens

Wednesday, July 11th: Taming the Bookshelf

Thursday, July 12th: Reading with Martinis

Monday, July 16th: Beth Fish Reads – author guest post

Tuesday, July 17th: Pocketful of Books

Wednesday, July 18th: My Two Blessings

Monday, July 23rd: The Brain Lair

Wednesday, July 25th: Kindred Dreamheart

Thursday, July 26th: Fiction State of Mind

Monday, July 30th: Unabridged Chick

Wednesday, August 1st: Book Addict Katie

Thursday, August 2nd: She Treads Softly

Monday, August 6th: Into the Hall of Books

Wednesday, August 8th: Ashley Loves Books

Thursday, August 9th: Peeking Between the Pages

Wednesday, August 15th: Chaotic Compendiums

Thursday, August 16th: Sweet Southern Home

Gillian Flynn, author of Gone Girl, on tour June 2012

admin — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 17:19:01 +0000

About Gone Girl

Hardcover: 432 pages

Publisher: Crown (June 5, 2012)

Marriage can be a real killer. One of the most critically acclaimed suspense writers of our time, New York Times bestseller Gillian Flynn, takes that statement to its darkest place in this unputdownable masterpiece about a marriage gone terribly, terribly wrong. As The Washington Post proclaimed, her work “draws you in and keeps you reading with the force of a pure but nasty addiction.” Gone Girl’s toxic mix of sharp-edged wit with deliciously chilling prose creates a nerve-fraying thriller that confounds you at every turn.

On a warm summer morning in North Carthage, Missouri, it is Nick and Amy’s fifth wedding anniversary. Presents are being wrapped and reservations are being made when Nick Dunne’s clever and beautiful wife disappears from their rented McMansion on the Mississippi River. Husband-of-the-Year Nick Dunne isn’t doing himself any favors with cringe-worthy daydreams about the slope and shape of his wife’s head, but hearing from Amy through flashbacks in her diary reveal the perky perfectionist could have put anyone dangerously on edge. Under mounting pressure from the police and the media—as well as Amy’s fiercely doting parents—the town golden boy parades an endless series of lies, deceits, and inappropriate behavior. Nick is oddly evasive, and he’s definitely bitter—but is he really a killer? With his twin sister Margo at his side, Nick stands by his innocence. Trouble is, if Nick didn’t do it, where is that beautiful wife? And what was left in that silvery gift box hidden in the back of her bedroom closet?

Employing her trademark razor-sharp writing and assured psychological insight, Gillian Flynn delivers a fast-paced, devilishly dark, and ingeniously plotted thriller that confirms her status as one of the hottest writers around.

“Gone Girl is one of the best and most frightening portraits of psychopathy I’ve ever read. Nick and Amy manipulate each other with savage, merciless and often darkly witty dexterity. This is a wonderful and terrifying book about how the happy surface normality and the underlying darkness can become too closely interwoven to separate.” –Tana French, New York Times bestselling author of Faithful Place and Into the Woods

“The plot has it all. I have no doubt that in a year’s time I’m going to be saying that this is my favorite novel of 2012. Brilliant.” –Kate Atkinson, New York Times bestselling author of Started Early, Took My Dog and Case Histories

“Gone Girl builds on the extraordinary achievements of Gillian Flynn’s first two books and delivers the reader into the claustrophobic world of a failing marriage. We all know the story, right? Beautiful wife disappears; husband doesn’t seem as distraught as he should be under the circumstances. But Flynn takes this sturdy trope of the 24-hour news cycle and turns it inside out, providing a devastating portrait of a marriage and a timely, cautionary tale about an age in which everyone’s dreams seem to be imploding.” –Laura Lippman, New York Times bestselling author of The Most Dangerous Thing and I’d Know You Anywhere

photo credit Heidi Jo Brady

About Gillian Flynn

GILLIAN FLYNN is the author of the New York Times bestseller Dark Places, which was a New Yorker Reviewers’ Favorite, Weekend TODAY Top Summer Read, Publishers Weekly Best Book of 2009, and Chicago Tribune Favorite Fiction choice; and the Dagger Award winner Sharp Objects, which was an Edgar nominee for Best First novel, a BookSense pick, and a Barnes & Noble Discover selection. Her work has been published in twenty-eight countries. She lives in Chicago with her husband and son.

For more information on Gillian and her work, visit her website at gillian-flynn.com.

Gillian Flynn’s TLC Book Tours TOUR STOPS:

Monday, June 4th: Book Reviews by Elizabeth A. White

Tuesday, June 5th: “That’s Swell!”

Wednesday, June 6th: Girls Just Reading

Thursday, June 7th: Bewitched Bookworms

Friday, June 8th: Raging Bibliomania

Monday, June 11th: A Bookworm’s World

Wednesday, June 13th: Stephanie’s Written Word

Thursday, June 14th: Life in Review

Friday, June 15th: House of Crime and Mystery

Monday, June 18th: A Chick Who Reads

Tuesday, June 19th: Lesa’s Book Critiques

Wednesday, June 20th: Jen’s Book Thoughts

Thursday, June 21st: Life in the Thumb

Friday, June 22nd: Jenn’s Bookshelves

Tuesday, June 26th: You’ve GOTTA Read This!

Wednesday, June 27th: The Broke and the Bookish

Thursday, June 28th: Chaotic Compendiums

Tuesday, July 3rd: Twisting the Lens

Thursday, July 5th: Colloquium

Anouk Markovits, author of I Am Forbidden, on tour May 2012

admin — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 17:29:42 +0000

About I Am Forbidden

Hardcover: 320 pages

Publisher: Hogarth (May 8, 2012)

I AM FORBIDDEN is a family saga set in the most insular and fundamentalist sect of Hasidic Jews, the Satmar. Spanning generations, cultures, and continents, from pre–World War II Transylvania to 1960s Paris to contemporary New York, I AM FORBIDDEN traces the collisions between unwavering love, unyielding law, and centuries of tradition.

In 1939 Transylvania, five-year-old Josef Lichtenstein survives the brutal murder of his family by the Romanian Iron Guard and is rescued by Florina, a Gentile maid who raises him as her own. Five years later, Josef rescues a little girl, Mila Heller, after her parents are killed running toward the leader of their community, Yoel Teitelbaum (the Satmar Rebbe), who is on board the Kasztner train. (Kasztner, a Zionist envoy, has been hailed by some as a hero for securing the escape of more than 1,600 Jews who would otherwise have been deported to Auschwitz. However, others view Kasztner as a collaborator who saved the lives of a few, including his own family and those who could pay, rather than urge the masses to resist deportation.)

As I AM FORBIDDEN unfolds, Josef helps Mila reach the home of Zalman Stern, a scholar and leader in his community. It is under Zalman’s roof that Mila becomes a sister to his daughter Atara. After the war, Zalman separates Josef from his adoptive mother and sends him to the new Satmar community the Rebbe is building in America; Mila and the Sterns flee to begin a new life in Paris. As the daughters mature, Mila’s faith intensifies. Eventually, Mila moves to Williamsburg, Brooklyn, to marry Josef, while Atara, to seek personal and intellectual freedom, must make the painful decision to leave her family.

Mila and Atara grow apart over the years and are reunited when the devout Mila, after ten years of childlessness, breaks holy law by going outside her marriage in a last effort to become pregnant. Mila’s secret will make pariahs of her daughter, and her daughter’s children—if it is ever revealed. In spare and exquisite writing, I AM FORBIDDEN brings to life a community in extremes, taking us deep inside the minds of those who struggle to leave fundamentalist environments, and into the souls of those who struggle to stay.

About Anouk Markovits

ANOUK MARKOVITS was raised in France, one of fifteen children of Hasidic Jewish parents. She was sent to a religious seminary in lieu of high school. After she left home at the age of nineteen to avoid an arranged marriage, she attended Columbia University’s School of General Studies and graduated with a Bachelor of Science. She has a Master of Architecture from Harvard and a PhD in Romance studies from Cornell. Her first novel, Pur Coton, written in French, was published by Gallimard. I Am Forbidden is her English-language debut.