I'll never forget when my mother told me about my grandfather's entry to Ellis Island. It's not an uncommon story, yet his was unique. On July 4th, 1921, while my grandfather's ship entered port, he stood on deck and witnessed a grand display of fireworks as Lady Liberty welcomed her newcomers--everyday people searching for a better life.  To Zeyde--my grandfather--it was a dream come true.

     In my book, one of my characters says that in order to move forward, one must look back. I studied the photos of my family, and wondered, how did these people manage to survive?  Later I learned through old letters, that some did not.

    These photos inspired me to write a novel about a later time in the Soviet Union--the 1970's--when her citizens continued to struggle for the basic rights that they'd been deprived of earlier in the century. ​