What's the story behind your latest book?
All four of my grandparents emigrated from Germany between the two world wars, and while I grew up one grandmother lived with us. So my German heritage was all around – the boisterous songs, the rich language, the ethnic food, and the beautiful photos of the land of my grandparents’ youth.
My younger sister Joyce had multiple disabilities, and she was an enormously positive influence on my life. (Risking Exposure is dedicated to her.) Because of what I learned from her about joy and patience and the value of human dignity, I became a physical therapist. I’ve worked most of my career with children with disabilities. Supporting them and their families is a life-long passion for me.
As an adult I learned about a Nazi-era pogrom in which people with disabilities were exterminated. The seeds for Risking Exposure came from my attempt to mix the oil and water of these disparate feelings – pride in my German heritage and the horror of realizing that people with disabilities (like my sister and my patients) were also Nazi targets.
What are you working on next?
I'm working on a sequel, but not written from Sophie's point of view. The story is told by her best friend Renate, Rennie as she is called, as she tries to learn Sophie's fate. Stay tuned!
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