Leonore H. Dvorkin

Leonore H. Dvorkin was born in 1946 in Chicago, Illinois. She and her author husband, David Dvorkin, have lived in Denver, Colorado, since 1971. Their son, Daniel Dvorkin, has written two science fiction novels with his father. Leonore works as a tutor of German and Spanish, a German to English translator, a proofreader/editor, and a weight training instructor. Her novel APART FROM YOU was first published by Wildside Press in 2000, and the revised version was published in 2010 by CreateSpace. It is available in e-book from Smashwords and Amazon and from Amazon in print. Leonore's nonfiction memoir is ANOTHER CHANCE AT LIFE: A BREAST CANCER SURVIVOR'S JOURNEY, updated in 2012 and widely available in e-book and print.

Apart from You cover photo copyright 2010 by Leonore H. Dvorkin.

Another Chance at Life cover photo copyright 1988 by Leonore H. Dvorkin.

Website: http://www.leonoredvorkin.com
Twitter: @LeonoreDvorkin
Facebook: Facebook profile
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/pub/leonore-dvorkin/6/b55/473
Blog: http://denverspanishtutor.blogspot.com/

http://www.amazon.com

• Henrietta of Valley View Farm on May 09, 2010
  
  This story has everything: adventure, drama, believable animal and human characters, a happy ending, and values that are taught in an entirely unpreachy way. I also think that children older than eight would enjoy it. They would surely enjoy reading it to their younger siblings! I like the fact that the book is not illustrated, except for the cover photo of a vigorous white hen who is a perfect match to Henrietta. That is, the vivid images in the story really encourage children to use their imaginations as they get caught up in the exciting story.
  
• Midnight to the Rescue on May 20, 2010
  
  I am so happy to see another book set on Valley View Farm! This one is every bit as charming as HENRIETTA, but quite a bit deeper. Both the animals and the people have some real problems, here, but by helping each other, they solve them beautifully. I guarantee that the part about the owls and the cats will bring tears to your eyes, and any child who has ever been teased for whatever reason can't help but empathize at least a little with Razzie. I won't reveal here just HOW the boy comes to change his worse than naughty behavior, but I will say that I found his transformation quite believable. This is a wonderful story on every level.
  
• Damon the Caiman on May 22, 2010
  
  David wrote this story for our son, Daniel, when Daniel was decades younger than he is now and in his long stage of tremendous enthusiasm for dinosaurs and reptiles. But I can assure you that my praise of this charming story is utterly sincere, not just an attempt to boost the book. The rhymes are ingenious and often amusing. The message concerning the need to care for and about animals and the environment is a timeless one. Best of all, this is a story that is sure to bring smiles to the faces of readers of many ages.
  
• Christmas on Valley View Farm on Nov. 13, 2010
  
  The author says that this book is for kids from 9-12, but I'll bet that their older siblings, parents and grandparents will love it, too. Just as in the previous two Valley View Farm books, the wonderful animal characters are true to their species, as well as to each other and their human friends. The disgusting villain in this book, Marshall Mims, is so real you can practically smell him. You can definitely feel the combined courage and nervousness of 11-year-old Daniel Riggs as he sets out to rescue his cat friend, Midnight. The last part of the book, in which Daniel meets a vicious panther, "the Boss," and then rides the 717 Express ghost train, will give you chills and thrills for sure. All aboard, folks, for a fabulous literary ride! The cover is perfect as well.
  
• Two Best Friends on Nov. 17, 2011
  
  I've enjoyed all of Brian Nash's sweet, imaginative books for children, but this is the first one so far to be published with illustrations. Those are no doubt a very valuable addition for little kids. He has found a wonderful illustrator in Glenda Felbush. This is the shortest and simplest of Mr. Nash's books to date, but it has the same themes of friendship, working hard to find solutions to problems, and the value of helping others. I really recommend his other books: Henrietta of Valley View Farm, Midnight to the Rescue (my own favorite), and Christmas on Valley View Farm. They are all on Smashwords.
  
• Talking with Kids - Everything You’ve Always Wanted to Know about Blindness on Dec. 23, 2011
  
  It's probably hard for most sighted people, if they imagine being blind from birth, to imagine being anywhere near as bold, adventurous, athletic, and upbeat as the young Brian Nash obviously was. His lectures to schoolchildren must have been highly entertaining, as well as informative. You won't find anything approaching self-pity here, just a great deal of good information and some excellent tips on how to interact with blind people in a variety of circumstances. Mr. Nash's can-do attitude will surely serve as an inspiration to virtually any reader.
  
• The Arm and Flanagan on Feb. 21, 2012
  
  This is a wonderfully creepy story, a little gem. It's part horror story (minus more than a small amount of blood) and part psychological study. It gripped me from the very beginning to the surprising end. I love the cover, too.
  
• Cry Purple on Jan. 31, 2013
  
  This is, quite simply, an astonishing book. I know of no other that combines subjects as diverse as street-corner prostitution, drug addiction, homelessness, what it's like to go to jail numerous times, losing one's sight, motherhood, open adoption, and then heartfelt advocacy for the poor and ex-cons. The author's straightforward style and amazing lack of self-pity make her very personal story and then her important social messages all the more hard-hitting. I'm sure they'll stay with me for a long, long time.
  
• Dust Net on July 03, 2013
  
  This well-researched book is a work of nonfiction plus some speculation. It's largely about drones and their very rapid miniaturization, their present and coming use in law enforcement and war, and a potential future in which spy and communication equipment will literally be the size of dust motes, almost impossible to see and impossible to escape. It's also about the complete lack of privacy that is coming in the future. Parts of the book are very encouraging, detailing how such devices will help rescue people after disasters, help people escape the control of repressive governments, and simply communicate more easily with one another. But most of the book is chilling indeed, portraying a future that will be very, very different from our past. What's really important is that this is NOT a work of science fiction. Many of the devices described here either exist already or are in the development stage. No matter where you fall on the political spectrum, you need to read this book, because to know the future is to help yourself prepare for it.
  
• Andrew's Angels: A Volunteer's Story of Hurricane Andrew on Aug. 18, 2013
  
  A very informative and moving book Prior to reading Andrew's Angels: A Common Thread, I had no idea that Hurricane Andrew was the most destructive hurricane in U.S. history before Katrina. Nor did I have any idea what it was like to be a Red Cross volunteer serving in a disaster area. The author's descriptions of the damage are simply heartbreaking. And after reading about the very difficult physical conditions that both the survivors and the Red Cross workers had to endure, I know that I would never have the patience and fortitude to do what the author and so many others did to aid the suffering, traumatized residents of Homestead, Florida. In short, this book is extremely informative about both the hurricane and the Red Cross. However, it's also deeply personal. Nancy Pelletier is obviously a very caring and generous person, whose best reward for her months of hard work and tremendous stress were a deep sense of accomplishment and the lifelong friendships she made. I'm glad that photos were included with the text. Ms. Pelletier's descriptions of her fellow workers, their work places, and some of the damage they witnessed were precise and good, but the photos certainly add to the impact of the book. Note that they are in color in the e-book and in black and white in the print version.
  
• Blocked on Nov. 12, 2014
  
  Very entertaining! I'm not a regular reader of romance novels, but I really enjoyed this one. The main male character, the cheating doctor, Jimmy, is especially well done. You despise the handsome, manipulative rat from the get-go. Jennifer's bed-hopping friend Diane seems so glossy and sexy and self-assured, but she comes off as kind of pitiful in the end. Jimmy's colleague Peter is another of my favorite characters; it's great to see him go from being a shy, nerdy type to being the one who gives Jimmy just what he deserves. Having been married for over 40 years, I've never tried online dating myself, and at first I was somewhat skeptical that a modern woman could fall for the the degree of deception that's portrayed in this book. However, friends of mine who have tried online dating assure me that yes, everything that the author describes could happen and does. To sum this book up: It's a very good read. The story moves along well, and you find yourself really wanting to know what will come next. All the characters, both male and female, are well done and believable, as is the dialog. It's an impressive first novel from an author who will write more, I hope.
  
• Campbell's Rambles: How a Seeing Eye Dog Retrieved My Life on Dec. 08, 2014
  
  A very informative and touching book. Roughly the first half of the book deals with the sometimes grueling training that the author had with her guide dog, Campbell, at the Seeing Eye, in Morristown, New Jersey. As a sighted person, I knew nothing about what that training would entail, and so it was quite an education for me. The second half of the book has to do with the author's life after she returned home to Tennessee. Thank goodness she had Campbell to protect her from her abusive partner! She also talks frankly about her struggles with bipolar disorder and some about her employment; kindly and courageously, she works helping others. In fact, the beautiful cover photo was taken at a work-related event honoring the victims of domestic abuse. The author's courage, passion, and frequent humor shine throughout this book.