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* two book signings in Key West on the same day

Posted by Lew Weinstein on December 12, 2013

Somebody said there are more authors per square foot in Key West than any place else on the planet. Here is some evidence to support that assertion.

Last Saturday morning The Studios of Key West (TSKW) had a combined craft and local author festival. Also on display were fantastic rooster creations by Key West artists.

TSKW - Dec 2013

Later that afternoon, Sherril Rhoades’ Absolutely Amazing E-books …  (http://www.absolutelyamazingebooks.com/) … sponsored a book signing for 35 authors at the Smokin’ Tuna Saloon. Photos by Carol Tedesco.

Author event at Smokin' Tuna

Just a normal day in Key West. Oh, yes, there was also the Holiday Parade that night, featuring dozens of floats that took over two hours to ride down Truman and across Duval. I carried the ACLU banner and Pat gave out candy to the kids lining the route. Here was our “official” car driven (and owned) by Michael Shields.

Michael & Mary Sheerin

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* meeting a Goodreads friend in Villefranche

Posted by Lew Weinstein on July 29, 2013

DSCN1328-lunch at harbor-Trevor & Julia

I have been a member of Goodreads for several years, and have many GR friends with whom I share comments and opinions about books. But this is the first time Pat and I have had the pleasure of actually meeting one of my GR friends who we did not know before.

Trevor and Julia live near Villefranche/Nice. We had a delightful 3 hour lunch along the Villefranche harbor yesterday and will perhaps get together again before we leave Nice at the end of August.

If there are others among my GR friends who live in Nice (Aug) or Paris (Sep) and would like to get together, please contact me.

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* Lew’s first international book signing

Posted by Lew Weinstein on July 25, 2013

What do you do when in Madrid? Go to the bookstore and see if your book is on the shelf. It was! Hereje (The Heretic in Spanish) was published a year ago. What a thrill! So I did my first international book signing.

book signing in Madrid

Purchase The Heretic at …

http://www.amazon.com/The-Heretic-ebook/dp/B0032UY4MA/ref=sr_1_4?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1374777849&sr=1-4&keywords=The+Heretic

Posted in * THE HERETIC, *** appearances & news | 6 Comments »

* Discussion questions for The Heretic … a novel of Jewish history in the 15th c.

Posted by Lew Weinstein on April 22, 2013

The Heretic - new cover

I was recently asked to prepare discussion questions for a book club that is reading The Heretic. Here’s my list …

NOTE: I can do book club appearances via SKYPE anywhere in the world.

***

Discussion questions for The Heretic, a novel by Lewis M. Weinstein

1. Did you know about the Church’s persecution of Jews in 15th c. Spain? Did you find it surprising?

2. What do you think prompted the Church’s actions?

3.Was the description of the earliest printing interesting to you?

4. What did you know about Queen Isabel before reading The Heretic? Were you surprised by her portrayal in the book?

5. How would you compare the relationships between …

… Gabriel & Pilar

… Tomas & Esther

… Isabel & Fernando

… Tomas & Isabel

6. Why did the attempts to convert the Jews of Spain not work out as anticipated?

7. What did you think of Prince Hasan, and his friendship with Benjamin and Esther?

8. Did Prince Hasan conform to your image of a Moorish leader?

9. Why do you think the author selected 15th c. Spain for exploring the issues of hatred of Jews?

10. Do you see a connection between the Church’s attitude toward Jews in 15th c. Spain and the Church’s behavior in Germany before and during the Holocaust?

11. What did you learn about Judaism, and the connections between Judaism and Christianity?

12. What did you think of Tomas’s discussion with the rabbi in Seville regarding the plausibility of the virgin birth of Christ?

13. Did you think Friar Perez believed in the mission he had been assigned or did he have doubts?

14. Who do you think was the ultimate victor in the battle between Friar Perez and Gabriel Catalan?

15. What were the most emotional scenes for you? Did you cry?

16. Which do you remember as the most memorable scenes?

17. Were there scenes that made you cringe? Do you think those scenes were necessary to the story?

18. Was there anything in the story you found not quite believable?

19. How true do you think the story was to the actual history?

20. Were you surprised at the positive reaction of Catholic leaders to this book which is surely not a flattering portrayal of the Church?

21. Were you curious how the author got blurbs from Elie Wiesel and Alan Dershowitz … (those are, by the way, two fascinating stories)

wiesel & dershowitz.

Elie Wiesel & Alan Dershowitz

***

purchase The Heretic at amazon …

$5.99 in Kindle (also available for Nook) … $14.95 in paper

The Heretic

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* a great book club appearance in the Florida Keys

Posted by Lew Weinstein on April 15, 2013

DSCN0467-Weston Book Club group-cropped

Pat and I had the great pleasure of meeting with the Weston (FL) Book Club to discuss my novel “The Pope’s Conspiracy.” We met in the glorious surroundings of Hawk’s Cay resort in the Florida Keys.

It was very exciting for me since all of the ladies proved to be extremely intelligent and perceptive readers. Their questions, about the book and the writing/publishing process, made for a terrific two hour discussion.

I want to thank especially Kelly Tepper, who found my book in a Google search (novels-Jewish-Florence) in preparation for her recent trip to Italy and who graciously hosted the event.

***

PLEASE NOTE …

I really enjoy meeting with book clubs, and would love to meet with yours,

either in person or via SKYPE.

You can contact me at authorlewweinstein@gmail.com.

Lew's 5 novels Apr 2013-centered

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* a moving thank you from the girls at the Keys Center Academy

Posted by Lew Weinstein on May 28, 2012

For the past two years, I have organized and taught a fiction writing workshop at the Keys Center Academy (KCA) in Key West. Last week, they held an appreciation breakfast for all of the adult volunteers who contribute to their unique learning environment.

KCA is a program of the Key West High School for girls “at risk” for a variety of reasons. There are no issues, however, with their intellectual capabilities, and every one who came to my workshop produced the beginnings of a solid first scene, and one produced what I thought was a publishable story.

students, teachers and volunteers at KCA

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* bring Lew to your book club … in person or via SKYPE

Posted by Lew Weinstein on May 28, 2012

.
If your book club wants to read one of my novels, I will be happy to appear to discuss the book with you. If I can’t make it in person, we can do it by SKYPE. (I’ve done several book clubs via SKYPE and it has worked out well each time.)
.

Just click “leave a comment” below or email me at authorlewweinstein@gmail.com   and we can set a date.

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* 5/27/12 … The Heretic “puckishly” makes the list

Posted by Lew Weinstein on May 27, 2012

Well, not really. My friend Sherril Rhoades was doing the article and I suggested mine. So I guess The Heretic received an honorable mention.

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* a great day at the Key West Author Book Fair

Posted by Lew Weinstein on April 28, 2012

Today was the 3rd annual Key West Authors’ Book Fair, sponsored by Sheri Lohr of Sea Story Press. 15-20 Key West authors had an opportunity to meet each other as well as sell their books.

Pat bought Steve Turtell’s book of poems Heroes and Householders and is enthralled. Steve has a terrific ability to produce a last sentence in his short, beautiful poems that is both gentle and powerful.

I met  Jonathan Woods and bought his Bad Juju & Other Tales of Madness and Mayhem, which promises to be an extraordinary read.

And, I sold multiple copies of each of my 4 novels. Not a bad way to spend a delightful Saturday afternoon.

******

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* Lew discusses his novels and publishing experience at the Key West Library Cafe Con Libros author series

Posted by Lew Weinstein on March 30, 2012

photos by Pat Lenny

As part of the Key West Library Cafe Con Libros author series, Lew spoke to a full house of 56 readers. He spoke mainly about his two historical novels, The Heretic (2000) and The Pope’s Conspiracy (just published), and also mentioned briefly A Good Conviction (2006) and Case Closed (2009).

In addition to discussing his novels, Lew also described the process of publishing as he has experienced it, including …

  • self-publishing before there was print-on-demand (POD)
  • POD as it is today,
  • working with two traditional publishers – The University of Wisconsin Press (published a trade paper edition of The Heretic) and Algaida Editores in Seville, Spain (published Hereje, a Spanish translation of The Heretic)


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* at a Bradenton, FL book club … a lively and thoughtful discussion of “The Heretic”

Posted by Lew Weinstein on March 6, 2012

feedback from the book club …

“He is the most personable and interesting man I have ever met.”

“It was a highlight of all the bookclubs we have had.”

“He is the most charming man who doesn’t try to be charming.”

“I would say he was a HUGE hit.”

I am just overwhelmed by the responses of book club members to my appearance in Bradenton. Thank you Barb, for inviting me and for forwarding these wonderful comments.

******

Pat and I met Barb and Jack Harrison, and their entire clan, on the beach at Collioure two summers ago. Barb induced her book club to read The Heretic, and then asked me to join them at their March 2012 meeting.

What a group of thoughtful readers with outstanding questions. The discussion went on for over two hours …

  • what is true and not true in this historical novel? 
  • how fiction can be “more true” than the actual facts, by adding the inner thoughts and expressions of historical characters … if these are presented in a manner consistent with what is actually known about the characters.
  • how did I integrate my research and writing? how long did it take?
  • the reaction of Catholic leaders to my portrayal of one of the Church’s least proud moments.
  • the publishing history of what is now 4 editions of The Heretic, including Hereje issued in Spain last month
  • stories behind the blurbs of Msgr Tom Hartman and Alan Dershowitz
******

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