Jacob's Courage: A Holocaust Love Story

Greetings.  I am the author of an epic novel of historical fiction, Jacob's Courage: A Holocaust Love Story.  Jacob's Courage (Mazo Publishers, ISBN 978-965-7344-24-8) is sold through Amazon, Target, Borders, Barnes & Noble, Powell's and many other fine bookstores.  The distributor in the United States is Ingram; Gardners and Bertrams distributes Jacob's Courage in the United Kingdom.

A Holocaust center director had this to say about Jacob's Courage: "The vivid portrayals of the travails of the characters bring the experience of the Holocaust to life on a personal level.  The people that populate the novel are not merely two-dimensional archetypes or clichés but fully formed humans with frailties and shortcomings in addition to positive qualities.  The characters are faced with hard choices of life and death, betrayal and loyalty.  The events of the novel are gut wrenching and heart rending.  At the end of the read one feels both hope and admiration for the human spirit."

Jewish Book World said in their winter 2007-08 issue, "Mixed among the detailed descriptions of the surreal atrocities inflicted upon the Jews of Europe is a tender coming of age tale."  An editor described the novel as, "Gone with the Wind for the Holocaust."  A publisher said, "The story is very well written.  It has constant energy and the reader never has time to be bored or lose interest."  Another editor commented, "The author maintains a driving, relentless pace as Jacob and his beloved Rachael try to escape Nazi Germany while maintaining their humanity."

I have had degenerative disc disease almost all of my life, as had my father.  I've had three disc herniations and four failed spine surgeries, including multilevel fusion.  I've been in severe pain since age 17 (I'm currently 55).  I had to retire from the University of Toledo (Director, Organization Development) at age 51, in 2004.  With no job, no ability to sit or stand for more than a few minutes and no vocational future, I turned to writing, my lifelong love.  "Jacob's Courage" was particularly poignant for me to write because many of my relatives perished in Nazi concentration camps.  I dedicated my book to the six million Jews who were murdered and to my father, who was the most kind, gentle, wise, brilliant and loving soul I have encountered.

I am proof that a person consigned to lifelong chronic severe pain can continue to be a productive, useful citizen.  I cannot sit, stand, travel or do what physically able people can do.  But, I can still write.  I can still use my mind to enrich the lives of others.  My mind still functions, and as long as it does I will continue to write.

I have a sequel in ind for "Jacob's Courage."  However, I am currently working on a children's story and a science fiction novel.  Despite my degenerative disc disease, I will continue to write, to be productive, to enhace my ability to help others comprehend new ideas and old, but important relationships.