Category: Fiction

The Book of Izzy by Ben Gonshor

Posted on by CMPR

The Book of Izzy

“‘What if we own our deepest flaws, our greatest sins, the things that God himself created in us, like you shtupping men and me just being crazy, and we embrace them openly, honestly, and purely to the point that they become the highest form of godliness? You know what happens then, Sam?’ 

I asked him, and I could tell by his eyes starting to widen and his head nodding that he was with me. ‘That’s right, they become Shir Hashirim, the Song of Songs!’”

Izzy is a writer who’s found himself in a series of downward spirals; between his recently failed love life, his faltering career as both a wedding planner and a novelist, and an ever-looming mental breakdown, he’s at his wit’s end. The Book of Izzy (AOS Publishing, May 2024, ISBN: 978-1-990496-46-2) is the debut literary novel from author and playwright Ben Gonshor, which picks up with Izzy right as he’s decided to take himself off his meds, against the expert opinion of the psychiatrists who diagnosed him. There are freedoms that come with it, but drawbacks as well— including a lot of fretting from his overbearing but well-meaning family. Their concerns redouble after Izzy snaps at an important client and starts being visited by a mysterious bird that no one else seems to be able to see.

Following his encounter with the ominous bird and encouraged by his family and friends, he soon finds himself agreeing to take on the leading role in an amateur production of the greatest play in all of the Yiddish theatre: The Dybbuk, a gothic tale of destiny, possession, and the triumph of love over all. The play may be just what he needs to find creative solace, stay connected with his Jewish heritage, and even reignite his dating life. But when the play’s director dies suddenly and the theatre is threatened with immediate closure, Izzy is thrust into a much greater role, one he’ll soon learn he was predestined to play. 

The Book of Izzy is a story about a man trying to find his own place between two worlds as he reckons with letting go of his painful past to focus on creating a fulfilling present. In the process, Izzy embarks on a fanciful, romantic voyage that not only forces him to come to terms with his Jewish identity, but to also confront the mystifying bird that holds the key to preserving the past and ensuring the survival of his heritage. Fans of Fleishman Is in Trouble or the literary stylings of Phillip Roth will love The Book of Izzy. Filled to the brim with wit, candid discussions about navigating life with a mental illness, and an engaging cast of characters, The Book of Izzy is a captivating modern take on Jewish cultural touchstones and heritage. 

“An engrossing novel about a man resurrected by the power of community, love, and Yiddish theatre. In the tradition of Roth and Richler, Ben Gonshor’s vibrant debut is full of heart and humour.”
—Ariela Freedman, Award winning novelist of Arabic for Beginners, A Joy to Be Hidden & Léa

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Ben Gonshor is an award-winning writer, actor, musician and entrepreneur. A lifelong member of The Dora Wasserman Yiddish Theatre, in Montreal, he has played starring roles in its historic productions of “The Dybbuk,” and in the original musical adaptation of Ted Allan’s Golden Globe award-winning film, “Lies My Father Told Me” and others. His play, “When Blood Ran Red,” won the David and Clare Rosen Memorial International Play Contest at the National Yiddish Theatre in New York. In his spare time, he owns and operates FLUIDS iQ, Canada’s Wellness Laboratory.

The Book of Izzy
By Ben Gonshor
AOS Publishing
Publication Date: May 2024
ISBN: 978-1-990496-46-2
Original Trade Paperback
Price: $18.99 | Pages: 330

The Daedalus Protocol by Jeff Sheckter

Posted on by CMPR

“Throughout the ages, humanity has fought a losing battle. Death is inescapable. All cultures have prepared their loved ones for the afterlife in one way or another. However, there are many stories of mystical healing waters with the power to give life itself…

Would this genesis-like elixir be a portent for eternal life, or the greatest weapon the world has ever known?”

As a lethal pathogen decimates livestock and destroys crops, a catastrophic famine looms large over the world. In a race against time, a shadowy figure named Daedalus gathers a group of extraordinary soldiers and brilliant scientists. Under the leadership of Gryphon Oake, a distinguished SEAL commander, they embark on a perilous journey that takes them from ancient tombs to the inner sanctum of the Catholic Church. 

Their quest: To unearth a long-forgotten treasure, the key to averting impending doom. Delve into The Daedalus Protocol (Wolf Willow Publishers, 978-1-738936106, August 2023), a heart-pounding thriller where the team unravels ancient enigmas, uncovers the true essence of immortality, and races for humanity’s salvation.

Special Forces and Top Ranked Scientists

The Daedalus Protocol is Jeff Sheckter’s debut novel that follows an elite team as they work against the clock to save humanity from a plague that has been unleashed upon the world. The pathogen they’re up against is like nothing else mankind has ever seen, able to survive under even the most inhospitable of conditions and seemingly impervious to harm. This elite force must discover who the crazed zealot behind the pathogen is and secure the antidote – An elixir of life and healing, long thought to be the stuff of legends.

The search for the Fountain of Youth takes commander Oake and his colleagues on an odyssey across the globe chasing biblical riddles while trying to stay one step ahead of the group that wants to kill them. They must decipher cryptic clues from ancient texts and follow a secret trail to locate a long-lost treasure from our past that may be the only thing that can guarantee humanity’s future. With the threat of starvation imminent, will commander Oake and his team be able to find this long-lost antidote before it’s too late, or will humanity succumb to the coming apocalypse?

Action Packed Adventure

“An action-packed adventure, it takes you on an archeological journey full of centuries-old puzzles that keep you guessing. The twists and turns are dizzying, and you’ll be on the edge of your seat… The characters are diverse, well-developed, and likable.”

— Anne-Marie Reynolds, Reader’s Favorite 5-star review

Jeff Sheckter’s first novel, The Daedalus Protocol, is a thriller that brings readers along for a heart-pounding adventure. Filled with archeological mysteries and intriguing conspiracy theories, Jeff Sheckter’s excellently crafted suspense will leave readers unable to put the book down. The Daedalus Protocol is an exciting novel that will appeal to anyone looking for a new, gripping adventure told with great pacing and an entertaining cast of characters. 

Can We Play Baseball, Mr. DeMille? by Mark Angelo

Posted on by Sonya Dalton

The cover image for Can We Play Baseball, Mr. DeMille? by Mark Angelo“An uplifting true story of a determined young boy, his love of a game, and the belief that every child needs a nearby place to play ball.”

Set in 1958, a young boy and his friends want to be baseball players just like their Dodger idols. There’s just one problem: they don’t have a field to play in. Luckily, the kids know a secret. There’s a mansion around the corner with a yard big enough for an entire ball field and the hedge surrounding it has a gap just big enough to crawl through. Apparently, the owner is a big-time Hollywood mogul. He won’t mind a few ball games, right?

The new children’s book Can We Play Baseball, Mr. DeMille? (FriesenPress, April 2023, ISBN: 9781039153844, Hardcover) by renowned writer Mark Angelo centers on one young boy’s devotion to baseball and the newly arrived LA team, the Dodgers. With its rich and colorful illustrations, children can join Mark as he and his friends try to find a place where they can play ball like their heroes. Just when it seems they’ve found the perfect spot, they run into more trouble—Will their unforgettable encounter with a Hollywood legend end in a foul? Or will Mr. DeMille tell the kids, “Play ball!”?

Can We Play Baseball, Mr. DeMille? is an inspiring, true story that speaks to the nostalgia, joy, and importance of community when it comes to having a place for children to gather & play. There’s even a slice of classic Hollywood history! Dedicated to the memory of Angelo’s brother Chris and set just as “Dodger-mania” gripped the city of Los Angeles, this sensational true story is full of youthful determination and summer fun. Baseball fans of all ages will enjoy Can We Play Baseball, Mr. DeMille?, whether they’re new to the game or just want to pass their life-long love down to younger enthusiasts. Angelo’s book is officially licensed through Major League Baseball.

About the Author

MARK ANGELO has been a baseball fan since he was a little boy! He is also a globally renowned river conservationist and the founder of World Rivers Day, now celebrated by millions of people in over one hundred countries. Among his many accolades, Mark is a recipient of the Order of Canada, the country’s highest honor. His acclaimed debut children’s book, The Little Creek that Could, is the true story of a stream that came back to life. Through his work with groups such as the Outdoor Recreation Council of BC, Mark has been a long-time advocate for outdoor spaces for all to enjoy. Can We Play Baseball, Mr. DeMille?, about a young boy’s search for a place to play ball, recounts an actual experience from his childhood. Mark lives in Burnaby, British Columbia, with his wife, Kathie.

Can We Play Baseball, Mr. DeMille?
By Mark Angelo
Illustrated by Patricia and Robin DeWitt
FriesenPress
Publication Date: April 2023
ISBN: 9781039153837 | 9781039153844 | 9781039153851
Format: Paperback | Hardcover | eBook
Page Count: 38

To learn more about Mark Angelo, please visit: https://www.canweplaybaseballmrdemille.com/

The Girl Who Counted Numbers by Roslyn Bernstein

Posted on by Sonya Dalton

“‘I’ve found the perfect solution,’ he said, reading the headline aloud: ‘How American Jews Claim Their Jewish Heritage in Israel.’ Beneath the headline, there was a photo of a group of young people standing in front of the SS Jerusalem II, a ship that sailed from New York to Haifa for the Zim Lines. ‘That could be you,’ he said, pointing to the picture. For the first time in a week, he was actually smiling. Her father had come up with a new plan, one that he approved of. ‘I’ll send you to Israel.’”

Susan Reich has spent her whole childhood in a small neighborhood near New York City, living comfortably with her father. At seventeen, she decides to turn away from the neatly plotted out life ahead of her and confronts her father about taking a gap year. The two are at odds until he proposes a way for them to both get what they want: Susan can postpone college so long as she spends her gap year abroad in Israel searching for her long-lost uncle.

The Girl Who Counted Numbers (Amsterdam Publishers, October 12th 2022, 978-9493276360) is the story of an independent, Jewish-American girl who leaves for Israel to solve a family mystery. The hunt for any evidence of her uncle takes her to unexpected places where she must confront parts of the past she never knew. With the infamous Adolf Eichmann trial happening in the backdrop of The Girl Who Counted Numbers, Susan begins unraveling these complex layers of history and is drawn into the tense political climate of a post-Holocaust Israel. As she gets more and more involved in the struggles of her Israeli and Jewish-Moroccan friends, she explores awakening emotions and discovers her own interest in truth, justice, and activism.

“All families must deal with the past in order to move forward, but for some families that is harder than for others. Roslyn Bernstein’s beautiful new novel chronicles one family’s difficult quest for peace. Moving, nuanced and inspiring, this gripping book rings achingly true.” —Gish Jen, Author, Thank You, Mr. Nixon

In 1961, author Roslyn Bernstein spent 7 months in Jerusalem. She was present during part of the Adolf Eichmann Trial—often cited as the event that sparked public awareness of the atrocities committed during the Holocaust— and listened to the stories of immigrants and survivors and daydreamed about their meanings. Her trip was a source of inspiration for The Girl Who Counted Numbers. Susan’s story, while fictional, is heavily influenced by real issues of politics, history, and identity that permeated Israel in the aftermath of the Holocaust and even today. The Girl Who Counted Numbers is a nuanced, thrilling tale about discovering a past and confronting one’s identity.

The Girl Who Counted Numbers
By Rosyln Bernstein
Amsterdam Publishers
ISBN: 978-9493276369
Publication Date: October 12, 2022
Original Trade Paperback
Price: $19.95
Pages: 284

ReInception by Sarena Straus

Posted on by Sonya Dalton

“[T]ranscranial magnetic stimulation beams targeted magnetic pulses deep inside patients’ brains — an approach that has been likened to rewiring a computer. “We are actually changing how the brain circuits are arranged, how they talk to each other…” ―UCLA Newsroom, June 12, 2017

Since at least 2017, technology has made it possible for scientists to “rewire” connectors in the brain. These techniques, originally developed for people suffering severe depression, are already being used in other therapies such as habit modification.

In REINCEPTION (Winding Road Publishing LLC; October 25th 2022; $14.99; 979-8986604336), the first in a new sci-fi trilogy, Sarena Straus, a former prosecutor in the Bronx District Attorney’s office, imagines a time when using technology to eliminate unwanted behaviors is the norm. REINCEPTION takes place in 2126 in New York City; there is an extreme class divide, and parents are allowed to modify their kids’ brains until they are twenty years old. Now, a technology originally invented to help addicts— referred to as ReInception— is being used for everything from taming unruly children to reprogramming pedophiles.

Leandrea, an “unmodified” young college student, is not comfortable with the idea of ReInception.  She also feels empathy for the Proles—a working class forced to live at ground level where they are exposed to the harsh environment of the future.  There, the Proles work in service positions paid for by the privileged class.

Like many young people, Leandrea has not had the motivation to be proactive about her rebellious feelings. That is, until her boyfriend is illegally modified by his pro-ReInception family in order to separate him from Leandrea’s “bad influence” as a detractor.

In desperation, Leandrea turns to Ward, a Prole who is involved in a plot to undermine modification practices. Although Ward tries to push her away, Leandrea is determined to make a difference in the world and in the process captures Ward’s heart and renews his faith in mankind.

REINCEPTION is a sci-fi thriller that explores what happens when good-faith technology is taken too far and abused. The novel touches on many of the issues facing society today around privacy, reproductive rights, and class divide. The tension is palpable on the pages as Leandrea and Ward work to execute their plan to take down ReInception, while escaping capture by the Authority. Their mantra: “Trust no one and escape modification at all costs”.

ReInception
by Sarena Straus
Winding Road Publishing LLC
Publication Date: October 25, 2022
Paperback ISBN:  979-8986604336
Price: $14.99
Page count: 289