February 2024 - I've had some good news about my novel and have been submitting short stories for publication, one about the terrible events of October 7. I've been volunteering with ReGrow Israel whose aim to raise awareness and donations for the destroyed Israeli agriculture by the Gaza border. I've written four essays after interviewing survivors from the attacked kibbutzes. Writing non fiction has definitely been a challenge for me, not least because I badly want to do their stories justice, which show their experiences of devastation and hope. I hope to publish them soon.
January 2024 - I'm so excited to learn that my story, 'Cycles' has been nominated for a Pushcart Prize!
December 2023 - The events of October 7 have first stunned, then horrified us here in Israel. The tragic and barbaric events committed by Hamas terrorists will be ones we are still mourning and will never forget. Though it feels impossible to put our experience into words, this short story collection, 'Shelter' by Israeli authors Maayan Eitan, Dror Mishani and others shows a small fraction of it. I highly recommend it: the writing is beautiful and often quirky in its approach. It's available to read for free here
September 2023 - My short story 'Cycles' has been accepted for publication by The Chestnut Review in their fall issue and is available to read for free here. This is a story I've been trying to get right for a few years, and one I worked on at UEA, so I'm so happy it's found a home here.
June 2023 - My short story 'Cake' will be published in the winter/spring issue of The New Orleans Review! I'm honoured that my strange, Israeli, motherhood themed story will be published in this prestigious journal.
February 2023 - I took part in a graduate reading, to celebrate the 20 year anniversary of the Shaindy Rudolph Graduate Programme in Creative Writing. You can watch me read part of my short story, 'Cake' (at 45 mins in) as well as the other fantastic graduates here
December 2022 - Looking for a holiday read? For a taster of my latest novel, the opening is now available to read here! Wishing everyone a restful and joyful holiday break and an exciting new year ahead.
October 2022 - I have handed in my dissertation at UEA and we are back in Tel Aviv, getting used to Israel again. Excitingly, the UEA creative writing anthology, in which the opening of my new novel features, is about to launch! My novel opening shows Kat, a reflexologist, experiencing a vision of strangers in her house, a danger to her babies, after having infertility treatment. You can pre-order it here
August 2022 - I gave a reading at The National Centre for Writing's 'New Writing Live' event, where the fantastic Joe Browning Wroe came to talk about her Sunday Times Bestseller, 'A Terrible Kindness.' It was so exciting to read from my novel 'Choking Water,' in front of an audience! You can view the clip here
July 2022 - A chapter of a new novel opening, entitled 'Stutter' has been shortlisted for 'The Space to Write Project.' This competition looks for BAME writers who have the 'potential to write the next smash hit novel.' This is so encouraging for my new novel idea, a thriller set in Israel. I am 1 of 15 selected for the shortlist. The winners are announced in September and I hope I'll be one of them!
May 2022 - So proud to share that my short story, 'Shelter' is now published in New Letters. You can buy the issue here and read my full story here
December 2021 - My short story 'Shelter', has been accepted by New Letters for their April 2022 issue. I am proud and excited to join the community of authors published in this journal, JD Salinger and Joyce Carol Oates among them.
October 2021 - we've made the move to Norwich from tel Aviv and I've started studying creative writing at UEA. I'm inspired and excited to become part of this 'city of stories' and get workshopping again!
June 2021 - More and more, I am taking inspiration from my identical twin daughters, a new thriller based on twins forming in my mind. Their connection and type of shared telepathy, even at aged 2, continues to amaze me. More details coming soon.
April 2021 - I am loving Dream Author, the writing coaching programme I am part of, taught by the amazing Sophie Hannah. I have been coached on how to approach submission, writing relationships and how to think about success, amongst other things and it has been amazingly helpful. I strongly recommend it.
January 2021- Happy New Year! To kick the year off, I've been working on some novel edits as well as a COVID themed short story, which I did not expect of myself, though I loved Curtis Sittenfeld's version (called 'The Hug'.)
November 2020 - what should I write next? I love mystery as a vehicle to push a novel forward - I want to explore issues of motherhood, marriage and womens' identity and sexuality after children. My mind is full of new ideas!
August 2020 - my novel is complete (for now) and being looked over my agent and I'm so excited! In this interim, I am thinking about next steps, both writing and life-wise. I'll keep you posted!
June 2020 - Unfortunately, due to COVID19, studying at UEA this year is not possible. There is some good news though: the tutors have been very flexible and have extended my offer to 2021, though they usually do not allow deferrals. I have accepted my offer and though it is still a year away, I am already excited to make the move and study on this prestigious course.
March 2020 - COVID-19 has sent us all into turmoil and my husband, the twins and I are in close quarters together all day long! I'm teaching creative writing classes on Zoom and loving how creative and positive my students are every week.
February 2020 - I have been teaching a new group of creative writing students in fiction and poetry for 3 months now and am so impressed with how far they have come in such a short time. I feel very lucky for their motivation and willingness to advance in creative writing.
January 2020 - I've had a busy few months on maternity leave and trying to edit my novel, which is nearly at the finishing stages. I'm so excited to have been awarded a place on UEA's prestigious MA in prose fiction. I'm looking forward to learning creative writing again in September 2020 and getting back into workshops!
October 2019 - My new spooky short story, 'Mind the Pixies in the River' is now published, just in time for Halloween! It is available to read online here: http://www.eastoftheweb.com/short-stories/UBooks/MindPixi1092.shtml
August 2019 - I gave birth to identical twin girls on 11th August. It has been such a crazy and exciting time but my husband and I are managing well. Thinking about going back to writing over the next few weeks...my mystery still needs a major plot change and I'm keen to work on it.
June 2019 - it is nearly the end of the school year and, since I am going on maternity leave in September, it will be my last time at school for a while. I will be sad to leave my amazing students but can't wait for an entire summer to focus on writing my book.
April 2019 -Very excited and honoured to have my short story published in the literary journal, jewishfiction.net. You can read my story online here: https://jewishfiction.net/index.php/publisher/articleview/frmArticleID/600
March 2019 - I have been awarded the Israel Immigrant Artists' Grant! I have to use the money on writing related projects so planning on much more travel to residencies if I can in the coming months!
February 2019 - I have sent a third draft of my novel to my agent and am waiting to hear what he thinks. I found out yesterday I was accepted to 3Rock residency in Crete with half scholarship! I love Greece...the food, the weather and this residency is on a remote island! Ideal. I hope I can make the dates work to attend.
January 2019 - Happy New Year! On New Years' Eve, I finished my second draft of my thriller, tentatively called 'The Tourist.' What a great feeling! There's still more work to do but I feel it works and the plotting is solid so I'm excited to get a good third draft together. Wish me luck!
November 2018 - Chanukah is coming up and wondering whether to zip back to London for a visit to the cold and Christmas lights! (The sales might also play a small part...) I've been working hard on a second draft of my latest novel and though I was nervous about sending him a section, I'm relieved my agent likes my initial chapters. I feel very happy and lucky to have him on board.
October 2018 - I was a semi-finalist in The Ghost Story Supernatural Fiction Awards, for my short fiction. I'm very excited and honoured to have been under consideration for this award.
September 2018 - After 2 months of writing and no alarms, its back to school! I'm excited to do lots of creative things with my new students and start thinking about which residencies to apply to over the Passover break next year!
August 2018 - I'm now at Lakkos Artists Residency in Crete, Greece, working on my second novel. Thanks Matthew, Tiger, Betty and Freddy for having me here!
July 2018 - My short fiction, 'Instructions Printed Inside the Box' will be published in jewishfiction.net next April. I can't wait to see it in print!
June 2018 - After over a year of hard work. I have finished the first draft of my (as of yet) untitled novel. Trying to figure out which residency to go to this summer to work on a second draft!
May 2018 - The end of the school year is coming up and I am teaching creative writing workshops in my high school classes. The students are enjoying it though it's very new for them. The wonderfully talented and enthusiastic students make me so proud!
March 2018 - I'm nearing the end of my draft of my second novel, set in a British coastal town. Any takers to come with me for a coastal visit as part of my research?!
December 2017 - I'm loving my residency here at VSC, Vermont studio center! It's freezing here but getting some great writing done on editing my first novel and tentatively playing with a second.
July 2017 - I have been accepted with scholarship into VSC (Vermont Studio Center) I've heard its -15 degrees there in December! I can't wait to experience my first writers' residency!
January 2024 - I'm so excited to learn that my story, 'Cycles' has been nominated for a Pushcart Prize!
December 2023 - The events of October 7 have first stunned, then horrified us here in Israel. The tragic and barbaric events committed by Hamas terrorists will be ones we are still mourning and will never forget. Though it feels impossible to put our experience into words, this short story collection, 'Shelter' by Israeli authors Maayan Eitan, Dror Mishani and others shows a small fraction of it. I highly recommend it: the writing is beautiful and often quirky in its approach. It's available to read for free here
September 2023 - My short story 'Cycles' has been accepted for publication by The Chestnut Review in their fall issue and is available to read for free here. This is a story I've been trying to get right for a few years, and one I worked on at UEA, so I'm so happy it's found a home here.
June 2023 - My short story 'Cake' will be published in the winter/spring issue of The New Orleans Review! I'm honoured that my strange, Israeli, motherhood themed story will be published in this prestigious journal.
February 2023 - I took part in a graduate reading, to celebrate the 20 year anniversary of the Shaindy Rudolph Graduate Programme in Creative Writing. You can watch me read part of my short story, 'Cake' (at 45 mins in) as well as the other fantastic graduates here
December 2022 - Looking for a holiday read? For a taster of my latest novel, the opening is now available to read here! Wishing everyone a restful and joyful holiday break and an exciting new year ahead.
October 2022 - I have handed in my dissertation at UEA and we are back in Tel Aviv, getting used to Israel again. Excitingly, the UEA creative writing anthology, in which the opening of my new novel features, is about to launch! My novel opening shows Kat, a reflexologist, experiencing a vision of strangers in her house, a danger to her babies, after having infertility treatment. You can pre-order it here
August 2022 - I gave a reading at The National Centre for Writing's 'New Writing Live' event, where the fantastic Joe Browning Wroe came to talk about her Sunday Times Bestseller, 'A Terrible Kindness.' It was so exciting to read from my novel 'Choking Water,' in front of an audience! You can view the clip here
July 2022 - A chapter of a new novel opening, entitled 'Stutter' has been shortlisted for 'The Space to Write Project.' This competition looks for BAME writers who have the 'potential to write the next smash hit novel.' This is so encouraging for my new novel idea, a thriller set in Israel. I am 1 of 15 selected for the shortlist. The winners are announced in September and I hope I'll be one of them!
May 2022 - So proud to share that my short story, 'Shelter' is now published in New Letters. You can buy the issue here and read my full story here
December 2021 - My short story 'Shelter', has been accepted by New Letters for their April 2022 issue. I am proud and excited to join the community of authors published in this journal, JD Salinger and Joyce Carol Oates among them.
October 2021 - we've made the move to Norwich from tel Aviv and I've started studying creative writing at UEA. I'm inspired and excited to become part of this 'city of stories' and get workshopping again!
June 2021 - More and more, I am taking inspiration from my identical twin daughters, a new thriller based on twins forming in my mind. Their connection and type of shared telepathy, even at aged 2, continues to amaze me. More details coming soon.
April 2021 - I am loving Dream Author, the writing coaching programme I am part of, taught by the amazing Sophie Hannah. I have been coached on how to approach submission, writing relationships and how to think about success, amongst other things and it has been amazingly helpful. I strongly recommend it.
January 2021- Happy New Year! To kick the year off, I've been working on some novel edits as well as a COVID themed short story, which I did not expect of myself, though I loved Curtis Sittenfeld's version (called 'The Hug'.)
November 2020 - what should I write next? I love mystery as a vehicle to push a novel forward - I want to explore issues of motherhood, marriage and womens' identity and sexuality after children. My mind is full of new ideas!
August 2020 - my novel is complete (for now) and being looked over my agent and I'm so excited! In this interim, I am thinking about next steps, both writing and life-wise. I'll keep you posted!
June 2020 - Unfortunately, due to COVID19, studying at UEA this year is not possible. There is some good news though: the tutors have been very flexible and have extended my offer to 2021, though they usually do not allow deferrals. I have accepted my offer and though it is still a year away, I am already excited to make the move and study on this prestigious course.
March 2020 - COVID-19 has sent us all into turmoil and my husband, the twins and I are in close quarters together all day long! I'm teaching creative writing classes on Zoom and loving how creative and positive my students are every week.
February 2020 - I have been teaching a new group of creative writing students in fiction and poetry for 3 months now and am so impressed with how far they have come in such a short time. I feel very lucky for their motivation and willingness to advance in creative writing.
January 2020 - I've had a busy few months on maternity leave and trying to edit my novel, which is nearly at the finishing stages. I'm so excited to have been awarded a place on UEA's prestigious MA in prose fiction. I'm looking forward to learning creative writing again in September 2020 and getting back into workshops!
October 2019 - My new spooky short story, 'Mind the Pixies in the River' is now published, just in time for Halloween! It is available to read online here: http://www.eastoftheweb.com/short-stories/UBooks/MindPixi1092.shtml
August 2019 - I gave birth to identical twin girls on 11th August. It has been such a crazy and exciting time but my husband and I are managing well. Thinking about going back to writing over the next few weeks...my mystery still needs a major plot change and I'm keen to work on it.
June 2019 - it is nearly the end of the school year and, since I am going on maternity leave in September, it will be my last time at school for a while. I will be sad to leave my amazing students but can't wait for an entire summer to focus on writing my book.
April 2019 -Very excited and honoured to have my short story published in the literary journal, jewishfiction.net. You can read my story online here: https://jewishfiction.net/index.php/publisher/articleview/frmArticleID/600
March 2019 - I have been awarded the Israel Immigrant Artists' Grant! I have to use the money on writing related projects so planning on much more travel to residencies if I can in the coming months!
February 2019 - I have sent a third draft of my novel to my agent and am waiting to hear what he thinks. I found out yesterday I was accepted to 3Rock residency in Crete with half scholarship! I love Greece...the food, the weather and this residency is on a remote island! Ideal. I hope I can make the dates work to attend.
January 2019 - Happy New Year! On New Years' Eve, I finished my second draft of my thriller, tentatively called 'The Tourist.' What a great feeling! There's still more work to do but I feel it works and the plotting is solid so I'm excited to get a good third draft together. Wish me luck!
November 2018 - Chanukah is coming up and wondering whether to zip back to London for a visit to the cold and Christmas lights! (The sales might also play a small part...) I've been working hard on a second draft of my latest novel and though I was nervous about sending him a section, I'm relieved my agent likes my initial chapters. I feel very happy and lucky to have him on board.
October 2018 - I was a semi-finalist in The Ghost Story Supernatural Fiction Awards, for my short fiction. I'm very excited and honoured to have been under consideration for this award.
September 2018 - After 2 months of writing and no alarms, its back to school! I'm excited to do lots of creative things with my new students and start thinking about which residencies to apply to over the Passover break next year!
August 2018 - I'm now at Lakkos Artists Residency in Crete, Greece, working on my second novel. Thanks Matthew, Tiger, Betty and Freddy for having me here!
July 2018 - My short fiction, 'Instructions Printed Inside the Box' will be published in jewishfiction.net next April. I can't wait to see it in print!
June 2018 - After over a year of hard work. I have finished the first draft of my (as of yet) untitled novel. Trying to figure out which residency to go to this summer to work on a second draft!
May 2018 - The end of the school year is coming up and I am teaching creative writing workshops in my high school classes. The students are enjoying it though it's very new for them. The wonderfully talented and enthusiastic students make me so proud!
March 2018 - I'm nearing the end of my draft of my second novel, set in a British coastal town. Any takers to come with me for a coastal visit as part of my research?!
December 2017 - I'm loving my residency here at VSC, Vermont studio center! It's freezing here but getting some great writing done on editing my first novel and tentatively playing with a second.
July 2017 - I have been accepted with scholarship into VSC (Vermont Studio Center) I've heard its -15 degrees there in December! I can't wait to experience my first writers' residency!
Photography: Talya Gutman Elk