Join me for a fun evening in Beit Shemesh at Keramikli. Paint on ceramics (optional) during a literary evening where I'm pleased to host two other Anglo-Israeli authors. When: 7:45 PM, open to the public. Where: 13 Ha'uman Beit Shemesh (Industrial area) I will be reading from newly released novel in stories White Zion. Julie Zuckerman w...
I'm so excited to be reading at my alma matter Carleton University. The English Department has courteously invited me to be one of their readers at their Back to School event, the largest event of the year. Current Schedule: September 16, JCC Library. Reading from White Zion, my new novel in stories from C...
I've known Kathryn virtually for years and was thrilled when she asked to interview me for her author site. I hope you enjoy the interview. Busy author Gila Green has written several fiction books, traveled the world, and teaches courses for WOW-Women On Writing. She grew up in Ottawa, Canada, then moved to Israel for a year where she met her...
I had to repost this article by Catherine Nichols. Fascinating. The plan made me feel dishonest and creepy, so it took me a long time to send my novel out under a man's name. But each time I read a study about unconscious bias, I got a little closer to trying it. I set up a new e-mail address under a name—let's say it was George Leyer, though ...
This is a fascinating post by Kristen Lamb. Goliath has fallen. The leviathan Barnes & Noble, the big-box chain that reinvented retail and defined a generation…is no more. SOLD! Reuters announced early last Friday that the hedge fund Elliot Management Corp. would be purchasing the former book giant for roughly the equivalent of Kim Kardashian's...
Save the date! July 7th. I am pleased to announce an author evening with authors Miryam Sivan and Julie Zuckerman. We will be reading from Make it Concrete, The Book of Jeremiah, and my own newly released novel in stories White Zion respectively. Where: Keramikli, 13 Ha'uman (Industrial Area, Beit Shemesh). Ye...
Like many authors who create their own cultural worlds, in White Zion, Green has developed worlds filled with everyday details that are poignant and often cruel and difficult. White Zion is a collection of short stories by an author whose parents come from distinct cultures. Her father was born and raised in British Mandate Israel while her mo...
Guest Post by author Larry Lefkowitz A few years back I told somebody that I was a writer. "Do you support yourself writing?" he asked. "No," I replied. "So it's a hobby," he said. Inwardly offended, I nodded in unconvinced agreement. Later, I thought about it. Almost all of my stories, articles or poems appeared in 'little magazines that paid in c...
Join the more than 841 people participating in my Goodreads Giveaway for my new novel in stories White Zion. Thanks to the publisher, Cervena Barva, for the courtesy copy. Recent review from writer Susan Weintrob Your writing is wonderfully evocative, in your characters, in your plot, and in the difficulties you pre...
I am delighted to share an initial White Zion review from writer Susan Weintrob. A longer review and interview is forthcoming. Stay tuned. Your writing is wonderfully evocative, in your characters, in your plot, and in the difficulties you present. I was drawn in immediately and thought to myself, "She is a serious writer." Th...
Thank you Oregon Jewish Life for including White Zion in their summer reading list.
I am delighted to share the latest NovelClass podcast featuring my novel Passport Control. Thanks to Dave Pezza and Daniel Ford for taking the time to read and review Passport Control in a lively and engaging discussion. To give you a taste of their excellent podcast, check out their five-star Goodreads reviews:...
Have you ever met someone virtually and thought, I would love to meet this person in real life?That's my experience with Miryam Sivan. It might be because she also grew up in North America with Israeli parents and growing up for me that was an extremely small club (me and my brother). In my day Israelis who left the country were looked upon differe...
I am excited to tell you that my short story "The Talk of Sephardim" was accepted to Sephardic Horizons for their summer issue. It's one of those stories that I started more than a decade ago and every once in a while, I took it out, asked someone to read it, frowned over their feedback, played with it some more. Then I would put it out o...
Like millions of other authors, I write because I have a message I'm passionate about; I want to express myself to the world. The problems with messages are long and complicated: people suffer from denial and refuse to hear them; they don't buy books to read sermons; preaching can engender resentment, come across as heavy- handed, and read as thoug...
Only 23 days left to enter my Goodreads giveaway for White Zion. Enter now for a free copy of White Zion courtesy of Cervena Barva Press.
White Zion is now available on Amazon. Gritty Yet Shimmering Stories! I'm not exaggerating here one bit.It's titled 'White Zion' but Gila Green paints from all the colors/hues of the Jewish palette. These gritty yet shimmering stories get into you. I read them all in two swoops, then stayed up for an hour or two, maybe four, waiting for my heart to...
I'm honored to be part of the May 22 podcast on NovelClass. It's very exciting to be part of such an amazing pool of talent. Thank you to host Dave Pezza for your warm welcome. The next edition of #NovelClass airs on May 22 and will feature @green_gila's Passport Control. Start reading, subscribe, and tune in! https://podcasts.apple.com/...
Thank you so much to my publisher Gloria Mindock who was kind enough to send me a photo of the first copy of White Zion. Right now I have a White Zion giveaway on Goodreads. Join me! And here's a new review from author Tara Lynn Masih: Gila Green has assembled a wonderful, atmospheric collage that depicts a family's historical jour...
I love author interviews. Please let me know in the comments if there's an author you'd like me to interview.
Serendipity day. I'm sharing my exciting moment today of finding my novel No Entry on Dragonfly. It's such a great feeling to find your novel unexpectedly on a site you admire and it makes the release date feel that much more tangible. September 1, you're only three months (and a couple of weeks away).
I am absolutely thrilled to have Norene Gilletz on my blog today. Norene's motto is "Food that's good for you should taste good!" Her first cookbook Second Helpings, Please! is a true classic. I received it for my wedding and it still has a prominent place on my kitchen shelf all these years later. It's a pleasure to interview her on the occasion ...
I was excited to read this email from author Miryam Sivan. I've never met her but hopefully one day I will have the opportunity to meet her and thank her in person for this lovely message. "I read Passport Control and thoroughly enjoyed it! Miriam's story was very moving. Her pain and needs were palpable and often heart breaking. I love...
I'm excited to share a guest post by fellow author living in Israel/writing in English, Miryam Sivan. Today she shares her instructive experience on what is a struggle for many writers: how to choose the ideal point of view for your novel. Stay tuned for an interview with Miryam this summer. The Many Shades of Point of View My recently ...
I'm thrilled to tell you that a Flash story I workshopped with you last winter is a Finalist for a WOW contest! (The story was "Shared Calendars", about a trapeze student).I'm so appreciative of your guidance, and look forward to another class - I'm a Flash addict now. I hope all is well with you. Thank you again, and I look forward to working with...
I'm so excited to share that White Zion is coming out in May with Cervena Barva Press, USA. This novel-in-stories takes readers into the worlds of 19th century Yemen, pre-State Israel, modern Israel and modern Canada. You will hear the voices of a young boy marveling at Israel's first air force on his own roof, the cry of a newly married woman help...
I'm thrilled to tell you that my first young adult, environmental fiction novel No Entry is available for pre order. You can also request a review copy. Broken-hearted after losing her brother in a terrorist attack, 17-year-old Yael Amar seeks solace on an elephant conservation program in South Africa's Kruger National Park. Catapu...
I was thrilled to spend half an hour with author Janet Groom. You can listen to it on ITunes or watch it on YouTube. We discuss writing fiction and why I think we have to get away from characterizing fiction as either plot driven or character driven. Thank you so much for having me on your show, Janet. Stay tuned for a review of Janet's novel...
I'm delighted to announce my daughter's engagement. Welcome to the family! May you be blessed until 120!
I am excited to present this month's 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. For me April&nb...
I love it when I'm surfing and find something unexpected. Just found this review of Passport Control on Amazon Canada posted on behalf of Tommy Dewar (unfortunately, reviews put on Amazon USA and Amazon Canada are separate). I've never met Tommy but thank you so much and I hope you enjoy White Zion coming out April 25. 5.0 out of 5 stars Great...
Just had a fantastic WiSh (Wisdom Share) with Bev Joy Ehrlich and shared a tip to help you create your next dream. Can't wait for this to air! I'll post the details to the WiSh as soon as it goes live. Meantime don't you love this photo from the Jerusalem Mahane Yehudah Market? Took it last night.
This is a repost by fellow Stormbird Press author Rick Hodges. I enjoyed it so much I'm sharing it with you. You can read more about Rick on his site and check out his new book To Follow Elephants. I'm delighted that we are both writing about elephants and older teens traveling to Africa. I am thrilled to be publishing my first young adu...
Contests With Deadlines in April April 7 (contest runs on Australian time, so deadline may be considerably earlier than midnight depending on your timezone) Up to 500 words based on prompt (released April 5). Prize: 500AUD https://www.writerscentre.com.au/furious-fiction/ April 10: Up to 2,500 words on topic "Identity." Prizes: £10,000, £3,000, £2,...
Check back on April 15th! Looking forward to sharing more Jewish creativity with you soon.
Thank you to Brian Henry for re-posting my article originally published on Mark Mirsky's Fiction Magazine website which I titled "My Ironic Story" and Brian re-titled "Sensitivity Readings." I've followed Brian's site Quick Brown Fox for years and I am always grateful for Brian's support of my work. I recommend his site, pa...
I get excited about author interviews and I never imagined when I began chatting with other authors how much I would enjoy it (shout-out to you authors, yes, I love hearing from you). This month I interview Tara Lynn Masih and it turns out we are both being published by Cervena Barva Press, something I did not know when we first connected and...
I am honored to host the next April Jewish Book Carnival right here, so check back April 15 for all new links. Also, this week my podcast on Janet Groom just in time for the Purim holiday this Wednesday. I'll post that, too.
I enjoyed this so much, I'm reposting this article by Jody J. Sperling on BookFox. I'd like to ask Sperling if this advice equally applies to young adult. If I get a response, I'll share it. Stories are only truly great when they confront the great fears. Bernard Malamud knew this. His character of Roy Hobbs, a naturally gifted baseball playe...
I am not very well versed in Jewish and Middle Eastern culture and politics. And while some of the historically impactful events the author refers to throughout this book were familiar to me, I'm relieved to say that my general lack of cultural awareness did not hinder my enjoyment of Passport Control in the least. In fact, it was quite easy ...
Wanted to share this quotation I read today from prose editor at Tahoma Literary Review, Yi Shun Lai. "Years ago, I decided to stop telling young creatives that they should find what they're passionate about. Now I tell them to hunt down what they're willing to work towards. (I stole this from someone on LinkedIn and can't remember who ...
Ellen MarcantanoSat, Mar 2, 4:00 AM (1 day ago)Hi Gila,I just wanted to share my fantastic news. The Dime Show Review wants to publish a flash piece I sent to them. There are no words to express my thanks to you because without you this would not be happening. I bow to you my writing Goddess!!You are an amazing teacher and mentor who gave me the co...
White Zion, my novel in stories, will be released mid-April by Cervena Barva Press. I started this collection a dozen years ago and it was almost published a handful of times. Finally, it has found its proper home. So excited! I plan to do a giveaway on Goodreads, so stay tuned for that. Grateful for early reviews: In a journey of generations from ...
In 2013, I published my first novel, King of the Class (KOTC). Three months later, I wrote a post titled, "What I Learned from Publishing my First Novel." It was a necessary integration of what I'd gleaned after three months of full-time, dedicated hard work—the kind of twenty-four-hour work after which you can't even think about the topic. I...
Today I'm excited to bring you an author interview with Jeff Gerstenfeld, a fellow writer in Israel writing in English. While I have not had the pleasure of meeting Jeff in person, I'm so pleased that he contacted me about his new book Downsized and Oversized. Often genre writers get sidelined and it's a great opportunity for me today to introduce...
If you haven't had a chance to read my interviews with these authors about their new works, this is a friendly reminder. I'm honored to be able to help spread the word about so much talent and creativity. If you have comments on my interviews or a question you'd like me to ask authors for future interviews, please comment below. Check out my...
I am excited to present this month's 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. For me February ...
Thank you Debra Martens for hosting me and my dear friend and colleague, Anna Levine, on your site today. It was a pleasure. Working in silence, alone with your thoughts, writing can be a lonely business. But have you looked at the list of acknowledgements at the back of some books lately? They seem to be getting longer, as if a bo...
I'm always excited to share author Q&A articles with you and I'm particularly interested in letting you know more about fellow Canadian, Jewish writers. I heard about Sharon from a mutual friend from Toronto and, as often happens, she suddenly appeared on my Linked-In and we connected right away. Sharon Hart-Green is a Canadian writer and acade...
My poem Late Night on the Phone is out on The Dime Show Review. Thank you again. Late Night on the Phone by Gila Green I so rarely have time to write poetry, so I'm thrilled this was accepted. https://www.dimeshowreview.com/late-night-on-the-phone-by-gila-green/
A new short story has been accepted to The Bookends Review. I have a podcast interview lined up there as well (in August), so stay tuned. I originally titled the story The Kike Caller then probably in the politically correct climate changed it to Summer Job. Now, I'm unsure. I might change it back to its original title which reson...
I was planning to break until the fall but, due to demand, I am offering two new classes in June: WRITING FICTION: SETTING AND DESCRIPTION START DATE: Wednesday, June 12, 2019 DURATION: 4 weeks COURSE DESCRIPTION: Great story has a memorable sense of place. In this four-week course you will discover why setting and description are the...
I'm thrilled to be hosted on Joanna Penn's The Creative Penn today. Thank you so much for having me on your site. Writing Tips: Writing Beyond The 5 Senses The most useful way to show what you want to say is to tap into the five senses: touch, taste, smell, sight, and hearing and get into the 'why' behind each sense. In other words, you must ...
California's Dime Show Review! I'm thrilled to share that my poem, "Late Night on the Phone" was just accepted to Dime Show Review for online publication and they are considering it for their three times a year print run. Thank you to editor Kae Sable for accepting my poem.
In South Africa's Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden, I discuss improving setting in your story.
Enjoy the view. Today's vlog was filmed at Chapman's Peak, a mountain on the western side of the Cape Peninsula, between Hout Bay and Noordhoek in Cape Town, South Africa.
How beautiful are these backgrounds? The cover photo is Cape Town's Table Mountain and this vlog was filmed at Chapman's Peak, overlooking Hout Bay, Cape Town, South Africa.
Symbolism is one of the most underused techniques when it comes to story setting. There's no better place to talk about setting than in Cape Town's beautiful Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden.
I've been publishing in literary magazines since 2005 and, I admit, I'm addicted. I've had four novels accepted for publication to small presses, an offer of a young adult series and yet I always have at least a handful of submissions out there, far beyond what's considered the usual expiry date for writers. I can't seem to stop, though that's craz...
Today's question is about adding some levity to your flash fiction. You don't want to write an extended joke. What's the difference?
Today's question: How do I know when to extend my flash into a short story?
He sighs and holds his glass up remembering things that happened years ago. I try to diminish myself in my chair, so he'll see his memories and share them instead of seeing me."I begged your father to run away to the kibbutz with me. So many young people were doing it then. There was no food in Jerusalem. But he was the oldest, and he wouldn't leav...
It was a pleasure to talk with Laura Parish, who hosts the fiction readers and writers blog, Novel Kicks. Thank you so much for having me. My first interview of 2019 and my first in the UK! Hi Gila, thank you for joining me today. Your novel is called Passport Control. Can you tell me about it and what inspired the story? Passport Control is a comi...
I'm so pleased to share Rebecca Klempner's review of Passport Control with you. Reviewed by Rebecca Klempner Gila Green's recent novel, Passport Control, is not light entertainment. But it's perfect for those readers interested in a suspenseful, well-written, and thought-provoking piece of literary fiction that may make them deeply uncom...
Register Now: Come as you are, with a fifth version of a piece you've been working on since your high school graduation or as a writer who has never heard of flash until you saw this advertisement and rushed to sign up. In the first part of this masterclass, we'll define flash fiction and take you all the way from idea to premise to micro fla...
I can't sum up how I feel about libraries better than this. I already have a vlog on writers block. Here's another take. This is my prompt to remind me to write a longer piece on podcasts. For now, This American Life podcast is an excellent cure for writer's block.
"What I draw from is not a photographic memory, but an emotional one." Thank you, Amy Tan. I reread that again and again. I must use this as a prompt to write about the truths in fiction. What is the purpose of fiction? To write what I cannot say. Though I cannot tell you what happened for so many reasons (pain, shame), if I...
Live Write thrive, Writers Write, Christi Craig, Kathy Steinemann, Kathryn Schleich, Writers Helping Writers, Fiction Magazine, The Book Designer, The Millions, WOW-Women on Writing hailing from USA, Canada, and South Africa. The writing community is global. Writers take note and think BIG.
Thank you so much to life coach Bev Ehrlich, originally of Cape Town, South Africa, now of Modiin, Israel for her interview today. I am thrilled to be part of her "make your dream come true" series on Youtube, which she has titled Wisdom Wednesdays.
I'm so excited to have Yael Shahar with me on my blog. I love introducing people to new fellow authors who live in Israel. We've met in cyberspace a few times but I find an interview is really a great way to connect with a writer and her work and this work I find particularly intriguing. Please welcome Yael Shahar. Bio Yael Shahar was born in ...
A Phone Call from Mom "Do you know what your brother did when he finished reading your novel?" my mother asks. "He WhatsApped me," I answer. "'Just finished your book. Great read'." I reread my brother's exact words from my phone. There is a cheery note in my voice because I've already won this conversation. With this book publication there will be...
Publishing Your Story While publication is never guaranteed (unless you're self-publishing, but that's another post), there are a number of things you can do to help your story find a home. Start with this seven-point guide: 1. Don't rush. Is your story ready for publication? One of the biggest mistakes new writers make is sending out th...
A word after a word after a word is power." –Margaret Atwood Writing isn't just for writers, it's for anyone with a small business to promote. You might think as an author and book editor that most of my clients are other authors. Think again. People don't write new books every month. Many people take years to finish a first draft. If I waited unti...
In 2013, I published my first novel King of the Class (KOTC). Three months later I wrote a post titled "What I learned from Publishing my First Novel." It was a necessary integration of what I'd gleaned after three months of full-time, dedicated hard work—the kind of 24-hour work after which you can't even think about the topic. I was burnt out of...
I won't make you wait. Here are three things I learned from writing my second novel Passport Control. 1. You can deviate from the traditional coming-of-age structure. Classically, protagonists in coming-of-age stories encounter a singularly painful experience that make them realize once and for all that they are alone in the world. They soon ...
I am thrilled to be hosted today by Christi Craig. In addition to my guest post, we are having a book giveaway courtesy of my publisher S&H Publishing.
Thank you Sasson Magazine for posting "Roller Coaster," an excerpt from my novel in stories White Zion, forthcoming from Cervena Barva Press, April 2019. Faith was too late getting down the stairs. By the time she made it into the living room it was over. She could only look from her son to her husband. Shock parachuted into the room li...
Today I was thrilled to be hosted on the Ottawa Mommy Club blog. Your Failure to Thrive Baby Doesn't make you a Failure as a Mother When most mothers think of challenging events in the first two years of an average child's life, they might think of vaccinations, fevers, tantrums, and night-waking. What about weighings? Believe it or not, for some m...
My new article is out in the latest Wrapt. On Balance: The Biggest Mistake Working Mothers Make Got hot nit gekent zayn umetum, hot er beshafn mames. "God couldn't be everywhere, so He created mothers." A Yiddish proverb I won't write about work-life balance or for many of us, work-life-work balance. It's not because I think you've read...
Warm up with a free copy of Passport Control. Thank you to Christi Craig who is hosting me this week on her blog. To add to the occasion I'm doing my first ever book giveaway courtesy of my publisher S&H Publishing.
I'm excited to share with you that my vlog: "What is the difference between non fiction flash & essay writing?" is on today's The Muffin on the WOW-women on writing site. If you have a question about writing, contact me and I'll do my best to vlog the answer in one minute or less. I'd love to hear from you.
My newest flash fiction piece is out on Writer's Bone. Britannia is a hilly area with duplexes and triplexes on tree-lined streets. The Dillain's new convenience store is on the corner at the bottom of the hill. It has a picturesque frontal view of the large, local park and the Ottawa River, the chief tributary of the Saint Lawrence Ri...
I wrote this post back in 2013 and it's fascinating for me to read now. The landscape has changed so much in five years that I felt compelled to repost. Yet, much of it remains spot on #2, #4, #8 #9 and did I mention #4? It also serves as a prompt for me to write a "Ten Things I learned from Publishing Passport Control" post at the end of this year...
Do you have burning questions about the publication process and how to publicize your book once it's "out there"? We've paired a Canadian-Israeli novelist and short-story writer together with a German-American essayist and memoirist to share the fruits of their hard-won knowledge with you. Sign up and submit your question in advance so you can get ...
Come as you are, with a fifth version of a piece you've been working on since your high school graduation or as a writer who has never heard of flash until you saw this advertisement and rushed to sign up. In the first part of this masterclass, we'll define flash fiction and take you all the way from idea to premise to micro flash, threading imager...
I'm thrilled to have one of the most influential editors on my work here today on my blog. I met Mark as a student at Bar Ilan University fourteen years ago and I've been lucky enough to continue to learn from him. He is a constant support. Mark Jay Mirsky is professor of English at the City College of New York, a former director of its ...
Jerusalem's Old City is the ideal place to vlog about setting
The tribalism that reigned in Beit Shemesh for a decade is over Female mayor's election curtails runaway extremism in Beit Shemesh | Arizona Jewish Life Enter some description here... http://azjewishlife.com/female-mayors-election-curtails-runaway-extremism-in-beit-shemesh/
I recommend this emotional page-turner by Pinar Tarhan, Addicted to Writing Thank you, Pinar, for the review on your excellent blog Addicted to Writing. I look forward to our upcoming interview. I'll try to keep the plot summary short and sweet as to avoid spoilers. There are several twists, and they are pretty jaw-dropping. Plot Summary Due ...
When I tell people I teach a virtual flash fiction course, I sometimes get strange responses, even laughter. Isn't flash fiction just really short fiction? What's the point of taking a specific flash class? No, flash is its own genre deserving of its own class, and it's still underrated as a way to break into publication. I say "still" because I ta...
Are Arabic-speaking Christian writers ever advised to make their heroines Hebrew-speaking Jews? Gila Green Gila Green sent me a very talented novel "Passport Control," that raised some of the most painful and yet important questions about contemporary Israel and how its political riddles touched the lives both of Israelis, Palestinians. What ...
A big thank you to fellow Canadian scribe Kathy Steinemann for hosting this guest post on her site today. When my youngest child was finally old enough for me to leave her without feeling guilt-ridden, I decided to attend a writing seminar in Montreal—an ocean way from my home. You know, those seminars you're always reading about and thinkin...
I'll Bet You Think This Story's about You: When People Keep Finding Themselves in Your Fiction It was an honor today to be hosted on The Millions site. In today's post you can read a conversation with my mother. https://themillions.com/2018/11/ill-bet-you-think-this-storys-about-you-the-un-omitted-omissions-and-the-real.html
This suspense/thriller asks, if you were to walk away from your family, would you ever go back, even if you received a desperate text message?
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This family drama is part crime fiction and part domestic noir. With A Good Eye will make you question: can you ever save anyone but yourself and do any of us ever really leave home?
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White Zion is a novel in stories forthcoming from Cervena Barva Press (April 2019). The novel takes readers into the worlds of 19th century Yemen, pre-State Israel, modern Israel and modern Canada...
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Miriam Gil knows little about Israel. Her father won’t talk about his life there or the brother he left behind when he came to Canada. Hurt and angry when he tells her to move out to make room for his new girlfriend, she enrolls in an Israeli university. She falls in love with Guy...
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Eve and Manny are engaged in post-civil war Israel, but Manny has a secret: he’s falling in love with his religious roots and turning his back on moral relativism. As their wedding date approaches...
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