Supporting Palestinian women writers...new book release

Those of you who know me personally know how much I respect the written word. It is in this spirit that I write you as part of my ongoing efforts to support Palestinian culture and arts, especially writing, and more specifically women writers.

One of the up and coming woman writers whom I’m supporting is Fida Jiryis. Fida is from the Palestinian village of Fassouta, near the border with Lebanon. She is a dear friend and dedicated colleague.

Fida recently wrote this article about Palestinians living in Israel. A few years back, she and I penned this joint piece about Land Day in Haaretz:

Fida’s second Arabic collection of short stories, titled AL-KHAWAJA, has just been released by a publisher in Haifa, Kul Shee Library. It is getting rave reviews as you can see at: http://bit.ly/al-khawaja

AL-KHAWAJA is a sequel to Fida’s first book of short stories titled Hayatuna Elsagheera (OUR SMALL LIFE). Both books depict daily life in a Palestinian village in the Galilee, which could be a village anywhere in the world. With wit, humor and an always present sense of reality, Fida brings villagers and their daily trials and tribulations to life in a light, comic setting.

As part of supporting this new publication, I’m reaching out here to the Palestinian Diaspora communities and our communities of solidarity to help get this book distributed. The book is in ARABIC and is an easy read.

We are asking for each community to commit to selling 10 or more copies. If you are not an Arabic reader, consider ordering the book and passing it on as a gift to those who are. The funds received from book sales are going to cover the costs of publication, distribution, and getting the book into Palestinian high schools, along with book readings.

PRICE (shipping and handling included when purchased directly): $12 each

TO ORDER:

1. USA/CANADA: Send check payable to SAM BAHOUR along with return mailing address to:

Sam Bahour

2909 Biscayne Ave.

Youngstown, OH 44505-2111

2. PALESTINE: available at the following bookstores

3. eBay: http://bit.ly/buy-alkhawaja-ebay

4. eKtab: ebook version at http://bit.ly/buy-alkhawaja-ektab

5. REST OF WORLD, contact Sam at sbahour@gmail.com

PLEASE PASS THIS ON AND TELL YOUR FRIENDS.

P.S. Fida has also recently completed her first English manuscript of a non-political, women's fiction novel and is seeking to get it published, so we would be grateful to anyone who can link us to a publisher/agent.