Nadine Feldman, Author

celebrating strong female characters and whatever else strikes my fancy

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Before I Begin (Again) #reinvention #bookreviews

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If you’re one of my regular readers, you know I’ve been away for a while. Part of it was “life”; getting co-op approval on a shoebox apartment in Manhattan, which is no small feat; moving; and welcoming our first grandchild into the world. Part of it was the election, but I promise not to say anything more on this blog about that. I’m also working on multiple long writing projects, one of which is causing me a certain amount of heartburn.

However, I also took the opportunity to reflect on what I want for this blog. In the past I’ve mused a lot about my garden, which is fun for me, but might confuse readers who are visiting to see what my fiction might be about. So from here on, you’ll find my gardening metaphors at my new blog, Sustainable Granny. Take a look if you get the chance. I’d love to have you visit me there.

For this blog, I will stick primarily to book reviews. I’ll likely throw in a few other things here and there, but let’s talk fiction here. Mostly I’ll write about women’s fiction, but sometimes I’ll tread into different genres. I’ve managed to run across several interesting books lately, so I have a lot to share.

If you’re an author wanting a review or would like to do a guest post, you’re welcome to submit a query at info@nadinefeldman.com. I’m interested primarily in women’s fiction. Indie authors are welcome, but any books for review must have been edited by a professional. No erotica, please.

I’ll also be offering some discounts and giveaways, so stay tuned.

If you’ve been with me for a while, thanks for hanging in there with me. In many ways I am starting over, and the work ahead feels daunting…but it all begins with one post at a time.

Take care, and I hope you’ll join me in the love of books and reading!

Amazon Celebrates Indie Authors! #poweredbyindie

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51Hj2RJUX0L._SX331_BO1,204,203,200_In the month of October, Amazon is celebrating indie authors through its “Powered by Indie” promotion, and I am proud to be one of them. If you’re an author who wants to participate in this month’s activities, there’s also a Facebook page for you to visit.

From time to time my traditionally published friends will ask me: why indie? Why not find a “real” publisher?

Many years ago I wrote When a Grandchild Dies: What to Do, What to Say, How to Cope. For a year I queried publishers but found no one, other than a vanity press, who wanted to take on the project. Why? In part, there weren’t other books to compare it to. At the time I found just one book on grandparents’ grief, and it was out of print. Publishers like it when there are other books to compare with. I can’t blame them. Publishing is a tough business, and I understand and appreciate the need to make good business decisions.

That said, I wanted grandparents’ grief to be recognized and appreciated. As I interviewed grandparents, the complexity of the topic surprised me. For some, it was the first time someone had really taken the time to hear their grief and pain.

Indie publishing allowed me to bring a much-needed topic out into the world to the people who needed it in a timely manner, and the letters I received from grateful grandparents and their families made it all worthwhile.

Switching to fiction has been more challenging. It’s not easy to find readers when so many people are doing what I’m doing. It’s hard to get heard above the noise, and I’m not comfortable making noise. However, indie publishing allows me to play with blending genres and to write exactly what I want. Yes, I work with an editor, and I try to produce quality work…but it may not be deemed “marketable” by traditional publishers.

I have nothing against traditional publishing, and as they say, never say never. However, as long as indie publishing feels fulfilling and enjoyable, I’m proud to be an indie author!

 

Nadine Galinsky Feldman is the author of contemporary (and soon historical) women’s fiction novels. Her debut novel, The Foreign Language of Friends, was a 2012 finalist in the Next Generation Indie Book Awards and a 2011 Gold Medal Winner in the eLit Book Awards. What She Knew, released in 2016, has received numerous favorable industry reviews and was named a finalist in the 2016 Next Generation Indie Book Awards.

Feeding Time

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Pear Tree in Bloom
Pear Tree in Bloom

This is the time of year when garden tasks are more of the geeky variety. I’m testing soils and making up batches of fertilizer for each of my garden beds. Some need a lot, some just a little. It’s feeding time. It’s a time of listening…to what the garden needs, to Mother Nature’s whims of rain or sun, and to my own energy levels as I reconnect with “spring muscles.”

I didn’t always understand the importance of this time. A relatively new gardener, I wanted the showy plants but didn’t like taking the time to feed the ground.

Yet when the ground is properly fed and composted, the plants grow better, it’s easier for the beds to retain moisture in the dry season, and the food I harvest is healthier. By taking time to test the soil and give each bed the foundation it needs, I will have greater abundance in the end.

Beds waiting for food!
Beds waiting for food!

I’m taking the same approach to my writing. Today is the official release date for What She Knew (though I had to make it live sooner to do a Goodreads giveaway). For months I have worked behind the scenes, getting industry reviews, setting up advertising, etc. Soon the blog tour will begin. I didn’t do this with the last novel. Hopefully with this one I will find a way above the noise and find some readers…but in any event, I have fed the soil, and the results are starting to bear fruit.

Hyacinths: blink and you miss the flowers.
Hyacinths: blink and you miss the flowers.

Here’s to spring and to feeding time!

The Goodreads giveaway for What She Knew goes on until April 1, so it’s not too late to sign up! Also, to celebrate the paperback release of What She Knew, I’m offering the Kindle version FREE through April 1!

What She Knew eBook Release + Free Book Offer! #freebooks #freebies

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It’s time to celebrate! Pop that champagne cork!

WSK Front Cover CMYKThe Kindle version of What She Knew goes on sale this Monday, February 29! US Review of Books says:  “What She Knew is a wonderful balance of a human-interest tale, romance, and history, €”all wrapped up in a riveting thriller.”

The release date for the paperback version is March 29.

But wait…there’s more!

The Foreign Language of Friends, my first novel, will be free on Amazon Kindle from February 29 through March 4. FLOF can be found here:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00CPAX3GQ

The Foreign Language of Friends was a finalist in the 2012 Next Generation Indie Book Awards and a gold medal winner in the 2011 eLit Book Awards.

When four women meet in a foreign language class, their different backgrounds make them unlikely friends. In fact, at first they don’t get along at all! Yet as each faces a major life challenge, they will have to learn to lean on one another. Ultimately, the foreign language each needs to learn is: friendship.

I hope you’ll share this special promotion with all your friends!

DonorsChoose: A Great Organization! #givingback

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IMG_3936I am a lucky woman.

Healthy, married to a wonderful man, with freedom to travel and to write? It doesn’t get any better than that.

Yet my life was not always so charmed. In my lifetime, like most people, I have dealt with my share of problems: illness, financial problems, difficult relationships, and more. Not a human being on this planet escapes without some level of suffering, and I’ve had my share.

Those problems, though, have brought me a deep sense of gratitude for the life I have now, as well as the desire to share some of our abundance.

One of our favorite non-profit organizations is DonorsChoose. Founded in 2000 by Charles Best, a history teacher, DonorsChoose allows hard-working teachers to post classroom projects to the website, where donors like me (and you!) can contribute.donors-1

We’ve been involved since 2009. My husband’s company, SAS, provides matching funds to our donations, allowing us to help many teachers get the resources they need to do their jobs well.

Last week we visited the DonorsChoose offices in Manhattan, where we got a firsthand look behind the scenes! We met with Margie Cadet, Marketing Manager, who gave us a tour of the offices. They are bright and cheerful, with lots of open space and natural light. The organization is growing by leaps and bounds thanks to board members such as Stephen Colbert and Oprah Winfrey, who use their celebrity to promote this fine organization.

Teams work to connect donors with teachers, but also to connect teachers with vendors who will offer the best prices for materials. When a teacher puts a project on the website, it’s open for four months (or until it’s fully funded). DonorsChoose also works with corporate partners who provide matching gifts. Working together, we can leverage donations to allow more projects to be funded…and the better educated our children are, the better off we are as a country.

If you know a teacher who, like many, dips into his or her own pockets to buy school supplies…or if you are looking for a great organization to support, consider DonorsChoose.org.

Maybe, like me, you already know about DonorsChoose. Won’t you help me spread the word?

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