Lighting the Flames: A Hanukkah Story

As I mentioned in Podcast 119, I have a rule that if I complain about something twice, I either have to do something about it, or shut up already. And as you’ve probably noticed, every year, I get irritated with the lack of holiday romances that are about a holiday other than Christmas. I wanted to read more Hanukkah romances.

So, I wrote one. And since tonight is the first night of Hanukkah, here it is!

Lighting the Flames is a contemporary Hanukkah romance. It takes place at a Jewish summer sleepaway camp, but in winter — right now, in fact: during Hanukkah 2014.

Here’s the cover copy:

Genevieve and Jeremy have known each other since they were seven, and have been summertime best friends at Camp Meira, a Jewish overnight camp in the mountains. As campers, and then as staff, their friendship was a constant, something neither wanted to change, no matter how tempting those changes might be.

Then, last year, with little warning, Jeremy left camp early. After that summer, Gen left the country on a graduate fellowship.

Now, a little over a year since they were last at Meira, Gen and Jeremy are back together to help run a special Winter Camp during Hanukkah. Any water under the bridge is frozen this time of year, and with so much left unspoken and unexplained, this week may be their chance to rekindle their friendship, or turn it into something new.

This story was edited by Angela James, and copyedited by Sara Brady. The cover was designed by me and by Mollie Smith. It’s a little over 51,000 words, or about 150-or-so pages, so it’s slightly long for a novella. Maybe it’s a novellllllllllla.

I’m self publishing it as a kind of holiday gift to anyone who has felt like I have, and for anyone who might like to read a Hanukkah romance.

Right now it’s available for free at the following vendors: Apple iBookstore, Google Play, Smashwords, Kobo, and on Scribd. ETA: it’s also available on AllRomance and BN, too!

It’s lendable, and should be DRM-free where that’s possible. I’m working on getting it into AllRomance’s catalog, and onto BN.com. Stay tuned!

It’s still .99 at Amazon, despite my friendly nagging, but when/if that price drops, I shall let you know. If I earn any royalties on this story while the price is .99, I will report that total here and donate that sum to the American Jewish World Service (CNav: 4 stars), which world around the world to alleviate poverty and hunger.

ETA: the price is now free on Amazon – YAY! I will be totaling the royalty amount and posting the donation details with screencaps by the end of the month.

I had a lot of fun writing this, as much as it was a challenge for me. I hope that you enjoy it as much as I have.

Happy Hanukkah!