Stumbling Stones
by Bonnie Suchman
Shortlisted for the Hawthorn Prize 2024
“Alice knew that Selma sometimes felt judged by their mother and didn’t always like it when Alice was praised and Selma was not. Alice glanced over at her sister, but Selma was smiling at Alice. In what Alice understood might be Selma’s last act of generosity towards her sister, Selma was going to let Alice bask in the glow of Emma’s pride toward her elder daughter. Then the three shared a hug, a hug that seemed to last forever.”
Alice Heppenheimer, born into a prosperous German Jewish family around the turn of the twentieth century, comes of age at a time of growing opportunities for women.
So, when she turns 21 years old, she convinces her strict family to allow her to attend art school, and then pursues a career in women’s fashion. Alice prospers in her career and settles into married life, but she could not anticipate a Nazi Germany, where simply being Jewish has become an existential threat. Stumbling Stones is a novel based on the true story of a woman driven to achieve at a time of persecution and hatred, and who is reluctant to leave the only home she has ever known.
But as strong and resilient as Alice is, she now faces the ultimate challenge – will she and her husband be able to escape Nazi Germany or have they waited too long to leave?
Buy Link:
Universal Buy Link: https://books2read.com/u/4ND1x8
Interview with Bonnie Suchman
How long have you been writing, and how long did it take before your first book was published?
As an attorney for more than 40 years, I have been writing my whole work life. Three years ago, I published a non-fiction book about my husband’s German Jewish family. I realized I was not done writing about Alice Heppenheimer, but decided to write Stumbling Stones as a novel to provide a fuller and richer story. I was fortunate to find a publisher, Black Rose Writing, to publish my first novel.
Do you have a routine you follow when you’re working on a book? A certain time of day when you write, or a snack you keep nearby?
I still have a full-time job, so I have to work around my work schedule. Sometimes I write before work, sometimes in the evening, and sometimes on the weekend. And my goldendoodle, Teddy, is almost always by my side as I write.
If you could pick your top 3 favorite books of all time, what would they be?
I don’t think I really have favorite books as much as I have favorite authors. Any time I see a new book by Kate Atkinson, Ian McEwan or Kazuo Ishiguro, I race to download it. All three are masters of their craft, and there is never a wasted word in any of their books. I would love to write like them, but, for now, I will have to settle for reading them.
What do you think is the most important thing to remember when following your dreams?
In following your dreams, I have two suggestions: be open to new opportunities and don’t be afraid to fail. Throughout my life, I have always been interested in trying new things, and have sometimes been surprised by the outcome. Being a published author was never one of my dreams, but I am so grateful that I tried it and I am loving writing about the Heppenheimer family. And it is rare that I have regretted giving something a try. Even if I try something and it doesn’t work out, I have found that what I have learned from the experience has helped me on the next stops of my journey. Certainly, if I worried about failing as an author, Stumbling Stones would not have been published.
Does your family support your writing?
My husband supports every new thing I have tried. But he is especially supportive of my writing, and has read and provided helpful comments on everything I have written. Of course, it helps that he is also a lawyer and that I am writing about his family.
About the Author
Bonnie Suchman is an attorney who has been practicing law for forty years. Using her legal skills, she researched her husband’s family’s 250-year history in Germany, and published a non-fiction book about the family, Broken Promises: The Story of a Jewish Family in Germany. Bonnie found one member of the family, Alice Heppenheimer, particularly compelling. Stumbling Stones tells Alice’s story. Bonnie has two adult children and lives in Maryland with her husband, Bruce.
Author Links:
Website: www.bonniesuchman.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/BonnieSuchman
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61556457672565
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Book Bub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/bonnie-suchman
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Bonnie-Suchman/author/B09L3BDVRQ
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/21796158.Bonnie_Suchman
