Friday February 14, 10:15 - 11:15 with Brian Henry,  1 Glenview Ave. Monday, February 17, 15:00 podcasting with Boston's Dave Pezza, NovelClass (We're chatting about The Last Watchman of Old Cairo-join us) Tuesday, February 18, 19:30 - 20:30 PM ISRAEL'S JUDAICA CENTRE, 441 Clark Avenue West Thornhill Wednesday, Fe...

Welcome to the Jewish Book Carnival, a monthly event where those who cover Jewish books online "can meet, read, and comment on each others' posts." Organized by the Association of Jewish Libraries, the Carnival travels around and is hosted on a different participant's site on the 15th of each month. Let's get going with The Book of Life Podcas...

My No Entry publisher, Stormbird Press, has been evacuated due to the devastating fires on Kangaroo Island. Many staff members have left their posts in the town of Parndana to volunteer as firefighters.  Stormbird has been a wonderful, professional press and I'm proud to be a Stormbird author. Wishing you all tremendous support and s...

 Thank you so much to Deborah MB for reviewing my novel in stories White Zion. White Zion has a brown-skinned voice White Zion – Gila Green Gila Green's White Zion tells us, though a collection of short stories, the story of Miriam Ehrblich, and those of her family. Miriam, a secular Canadian Jew, half Ashkenazi, half Yemenite, will ...

Thank you to Lyn Julius for reading and reviewing White Zion. I'm looking forward to her talk in Jerusalem in January and to thanking her in person.   Why did Gila Green, a writer, editor and teacher who moved to Israel from her native Canada, call her book White Zion? In this thinly-disguised autobiographical collection of short stories,...

Cheers to author Miryam Sivan for reviewing White Zion.  This review appears in author Janice Weziman's exciting new review site Reading Jewish Fiction. Stay tuned for an interview with Janice on this site coming up in February when she'll tell us all about her new venture, as well as fill us in on her next w...

Tour Dates February 2020

I'm so excited to be part of this year's Vancouver Jewish Book Festival.  And you're invited! Please come up and say hello...  Vancouver Jewish Book Festival February 9 & White Rock South Surrey JCC. Seattle: TBA Toronto: 14/2 with Brian Henry               16/2 Israel's Bookshop      ...

I was thrilled to see No Entry listed in Hadassah Magazine's new young adult books for winter reading. It's an honor to be part of this list.

I'm so excited to be part of this Canadian festival.  Sunday February 9th in Vancouver...book lovers take note.  

Meet me Sunday February 9, 2020

 GILA GREEN / White Zion and No Entry – born in Ottawa, Gila is a writer, editor and EFL teacher currently living in Israel. As the daughter of a Yemenite-Israeli father and Ashkenazi-Canadian mother, Gila paints from all the colours/hues of the Jewish palette. She often writes about racism, alienation, and immigration. The gritty yet shimmeri...

Snapped this after work this week. I don't know about you, but I cannot wait until Hanukkah (read: need vacation, doughnuts, latkes, family time, and Jerusalem is ready! 

January Jewish Book Carnival

I'm happy to host the first Jewish Book Carnival of 2020. The Jewish Book Carnival is a monthly event where those who cover Jewish books online "can meet, read, and comment on each others' posts." Organized by the Association of Jewish Libraries, the Carnival travels around and is hosted on a different participant's site on the 15th ...

Herewith, the December 2019 Jewish Book Carnival: From Erika Dreifus: a reminder that we are now well into Jewish Book Month, which, as a reminder, takes place during the month preceding Hanukkah. I'll send you over to a recent Washington Post Book Club newsletter, which recently ran a terrific piece about it, to learn more. (And I'll admit that I'...

​Thanks so much to librarian Ana Esterin of the Winnipeg Kaufman Silverberg Library for including Passport Control in her 2020 new releases. 

I'm so excited to share that White Zion and No Entry have been accepted to the Vancouver Jewish Book Festival for February 2020. Vancouver anyone? If you'll be there, please come up and say hello. I'll post more details as I receive them. Stay tuned for details of my Toronto talks coming up, also in February. 

"Nice and quiet here," David says.  "I can't wait to see what you've brought me," Yael says. "I can't wait to see your reaction." "To what?" "You'll see. I paid for an extra suitcase. There's a ton of things from your parents," he says. "Went by the house. They're almost done packing." His words are like cold water down her back. Her smile dis...

Thank you goes out to my colleague and fellow author Julie Zuckerman, the creator of this beautiful poster and author of The Book of Jeremiah. This collage of book covers by Jewish writers is a knock-out and just in time for the winter holiday season. It's a personal gift to me to see White Zion included in this creative and talented group. I'...

Had to snap and post. No Entry, set in South Africa's Kruger National Park and Passport Control, set in Haifa in 1993, are both included on the newest poster at the Isaac Waldman Jewish Public Library in Vancouver. Knocked out to be included among so much talent from this group of Jewish authors. 

 I was delighted to sit down with Ottawa Jewish Bulletin editor Michael Regenstreif while I was in Ottawa in September. By Michael Regenstreif Editor I discovered Israeli-Canadian writer Gila Green more than six years ago when I read her fascinating futuristic novel, King of the Class. As I noted in my review, published in the Ottawa Jewi...

Had a great time last night at Keramikli. I was honored to spend the evening with such talented and gracious authors: Ondine Sherman originally from Australia and Dr. Leah Scheier, originally from the USA. So wonderful to meet and talk with other English-language writers in Israel working on such important topics for young adult audiences. A public...

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I'm delighted to see my novels on display at the Isaac Waldman Vancouver Jewish Library. Thank you Helen Pinsky, librarian (yes! I wanted to be a librarian when I was growing up) for sending me this great photo.   "I have read much of Passport Control, and like the other 2 books, I found it gripping me and impressing me with the character...

It means a lot to me when readers send me their thoughts on White Zion. Thank you, Terri! I read White Zion recently and want to share how moving and powerful it was for me. It's wonderful to hear stories about Jews from MENA and how they are viewed in both Israel and Canada. I understand this is important to you from reading an interview onli...

 Jera's Jamboree is a fun online place to visit with a plethora of information put out by Shaz, the owner of Jera's Jamboree. Shaz describes her site as "a mix of posts with the focus on helping you to unwind – time out from the pressures of everyday life." There's an original combination of posts about everything from crochet to gen...

www.tessabarrielostblogs.com

Thanks to the wonders of the Internet, I very recently 'met' the Canadian author, Gila Green, who is based in Israel. Since then, I've got to know her a little better, as she kindly agreed to be interviewed. To date, Gila has written four novels, and her work has been shortlisted for many awards, which is no surprise. Her books focus on everyday pe...

Photo by Laura Fuhrman on Unsplash

 "All I remember of my grandmother's house was her doll collection. I was five and overweight from too much Kentucky Fried chicken, dripping with the honey they'd give you in those bite-sized plastic containers, and I was as shy as any fat kid in a foreign country. I remember a room with low ceilings and walls that felt too close together, and...

Photo: Andrew Neel on Unsplash

 Excerpt White Zion : "We're here," Bubby announced in a trembling voice. "How are you? Can you take us to him or should we go ourselves?""No, I can't do that," my cousin's wife slurred, she was clutching an empty bottle in one hand."Can you just tell us where?""I mean, you're too late."My aunt and uncle looked at one another and then back at ...

Jewish Lit Links

This month's Jewish carnival was kindly hosted by author Yael Shahar. I'm so pleased I took part. See my interview with author Jennifer Lang at the link below. There's more interviews for you to enjoy every month. Authors coming up in the next few months include: Miriam Drori, Daniel Sofer, Katherine Locke, Mel Rosenberg, Julie Gray, Nadi...

"Hello? Anyone home?"  "Sorry. Still not used to driving on this side of the road," Yael lies. "Need to concentrate."  Yael forces her shoulders back. She wants to reverse, set the case on fire. She cannot believe she's participating in the murder of innocent animals. But she cannot arouse David's suspicions. There's no telling what he mi...

Writing Historical Fiction

 After writing three Jewish historical fiction novels (White Zion, Passport Control, and my as yet unpublished novel A Prayer Apart) here's my best advice for Jewish historical fiction writers: Sometimes research provides more than one answer and you'll have to use your best judgement: Someone may call you out on it but don't let that stop you...