In the past few months I have been learning a lot about publishing a book. Writing and edits and illustrations. Then proofing every page, every word, every punctuation mark. Two editors and one illustration editor- plus me.
Finally, the book is done. Now it is printed, it is on sale on Amazon.com, available in Kindle and being sold in twenty-two countries!
What comes next? Getting it out to everywhere it needs to go! If no one knows about it, no one buys it! This part takes team work. I need your help to make this successful.
To encourage you I decided to give you a Sneak Preview below.
“Why is Great-Grandma So Sad?” Discovering the Holocaust Through the Eyes of a Child”
Chapter 1
…The year was 1941 and a man by the name of Adolph Hitler was in charge of a large army in the country of Germany. He taught everyone he could that the Jewish people were dangerous. He wanted to rid the world of every Jewish person, take all their belongings and money, and use it for his new government. First, he required all the Jews to identify themselves by wearing a Jewish star—our Magen David—on the outside of their clothes. Each had to be worn exactly as the local laws stated, or the person was arrested.
Hitler had already begun pushing the Jewish people out of their homes and putting them in parts of cities with walls and fences… This was called a ‘ghetto.’ The people were crowded together, and they were very uncomfortable. Why, a house like ours would have to hold 50 people, and you would have to give your room to a whole family!
Sarah’s tummy felt queasy just thinking of having so many people live in their house and in her own bedroom.
The Nazi army was taking over whole countries near their country of Germany and forcing Jews everywhere to run, hide, or be put into prisons or be slaves for their army. Everywhere, the Jews were forced to leave their homes and crowded into ghettos. Great-Grandma and her parents… along with their Jewish neighbors, were also forced to leave their home and move into one of these ghettos. They could only take enough furniture, clothes, and food to fit on one wagon…”
~~~~~~~~~~
Chapter 2
…Returning would be more difficult, since she was carrying a sack of food, and now she was not sure where she should go. It took a long time of walking, running, and hiding while searching for another break in the wall, and it was getting hard to see in the dark. She finally found one, which was smaller and would be a tight squeeze, but she had no choice. She waited in the shadows to see if any guards were around. Not seeing anyone, she darted to the hole and began squeezing through.
Suddenly she heard shouts and gunshots, the bullets hitting the ground around her legs and feet, stinging them as bits of rock broke off and nicked her skin…
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
In what practical ways can you help?
1. Purchase the book for yourself and read it. It is not long. Then PLEASE give a customer review on Amazon.com. This is important to sell books and up the ratings.
2. Give the book as gifts.
3. Tell your friends about the book and encourage them to read it.
4. Take a copy to your local synagogue and give it as a gift to their library. The same if there is a Holocaust Museum in your city- give them a copy.
5. Donate “Why is Great-Grandma So Sad? to your local school or church library.
6. Go on Facebook to AHI where we are advertising it and “like” it- share it on your own Facebook page.
7. Education is the way we stop the Holocaust from happening again, so history does not repeat itself. Get the word out by making this book well know.
8. Blog it, tell it, write it, email about it, speak about it, share it, give it- whatever you can do, please help us help the Survivors.
9. If you know of any group that would like to have the books in bulk, contact me at susanh@ahi-il.org and we will make the arrangements.
10. Be the person that makes a difference in the world. Educate others by telling of the Holocaust Survivors in Israel. Let us know how we can help you do that.
Continuing to write for the love of the Survivors,
Susan
