When We Return

 

 


When We Return

by Eliana Tobias

GENRE:   historical fiction



Who should be held responsible for public wrong? By 2008, it finally seems that the Peruvian government is ready to make amends to its citizens after the violent guerilla movement of the last three decades.


Otilia and Salvador, a mother and son torn apart during the conflict and separated for twenty years, are eager to have their pain and suffering acknowledged. But they hit a roadblock when the government denies responsibility in their legal case.


Things begin to look up however when Otilia meets Jerry, a kind man and the son of Jewish parents who escaped the Holocaust. Grappling with his own upbringing and the psychological struggled his parents endured, Jerry is just the person to empathize with Otilia's feelings. Together, Otilia, Jerry and Salvador must support one another through the turbulent journey that is healing from historical trauma. And through it, find the courage to rebuild their lives and open themselves to love and companionship.


Artfully weaving together different timelines and countries, this novel examines the nuanced topic of grief a community endures after a collective tragedy. In this exploration of the culture of remembrance following displacement and loss, we discover what happens when out past calls us back to what we must do to achieve justice and reconciliation when we return.


Excerpt:



The email came late one night as Jerry Gold lay at home in his bed. He rubbed liniment on his right knee before applying an ice pack and, a little apprehensive, asked himself if he should consider giving up jogging at his age. Jerry didn’t make it a habit to look at his messages this late, but the pain kept him awake. When he reached for his cell, he noticed an unfamiliar name. Jerry almost deleted the message, but for some reason, opened it.


Mr Gol, my name is DarioAlvarez and I’m reaching out to you, wondering if you could be my relative. I was born in La Paz, Bolivia in 1949 to my mother Soledad Figueroa. When she was close to her death, my mother confessed that I was not the son of the man I lived with and called my father, but of a foreigner she had known by the name of Milan Goldberg. If you have any information about Milan Goldberf, I would appreciate hearing from you. Thank you for your help.


As Jery lay in bed, he remembered how, at the end of his life, his father began to talk more about his time in Bolivia. Jerry tried to remember what his father had said about his time as a refugee, when he had been known as “Milan” but Jerry hadn’t paid much attention. At the time, he thought it was best the old man dream about his romantic entanglements rather than what he would have faced had he remained in his homeland in Eastern Europe. Jerry's father had rambled on about his relationships with Latin women in Bolivia, extolling the virtues of one in particular named Soledad. He said he’d had a serious relationship with this Soledad, who lived in a sheltered environment and had to lie every time she sneaked out of the house.


But had his dad fathered a child? This went ‘round and ‘round in Jerry’s mind. Would communication with Dario expose a family secret? He wondered if he should ask Dario for more information before committing to becoming involved. Young adult relationships came and went, and sometimes tough choices had to be made, but Jerry hadn’t really believed his father was in an intimate relationship with Soledad. Not in Jerry’s wildest dreams had he thought the relationship his father had described had, in fact, taken place.



About the Author:


Eliana Tobias was born in Santiago, Chile, to immigrant parents who escaped

the Holocaust. She graduated from the University of Chile then completed

other degrees in early childhood and special education in the United States and

Canada. After working in this field in various capacities, including teaching at

the National University of Trujillo in Peru, she moved to Vancouver, where she

has lived for thirty years and where she discovered her love of writing. Her rich

experience of political turmoil, of listening to stories of the Holocaust when

Jewish communities in Europe were shattered, of losing family in Chile under

military dictatorship, and living in Peru during a time of intense civil conflict,

fueled her passion to write about the ways in which people caught in devastation

rebuild their lives. Eliana Tobias lives in Vancouver, B.C.


https://elianatobias.com/

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/16635485.Eliana_Tobias

http://www.twitter.com/TobiasElliana



GIVEAWAY:


Eliana Tobias will be awarding a $25 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.






Comments

  1. Sounds like a great book. I like the cover and excerpt.

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    1. Thank you Susan for sharing your comments. I'm glad you enjoyed the excerpt. I agree with you that the graphic designer did a great job capturing the essence of the story.

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  2. I appreciate Literary Gold for hosting today. Thank you!

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  3. I enjoy historical fiction and love the Peruvian setting

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  4. Thank you for sharing the author's bio and book details, this sounds like such and interesting and emotional story and I am looking forward to reading it. Ms. Tobias, what type of resources did you refer to for your historical research?

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    1. Thanks Bea for your question. I lived in Peru during a time of turmoil, but most of the disturbances were taking place in remote locations and reported in ambiguous ways. Years later, when I started to write, I read more about the history of that time and how a guerrilla group had terrorized the country with the intent of destroying people's ways of life. I read primary sources and news accounts in order to be able to convey accurate facts. The historical event informed my plot points. I hope my love of the Peruvian culture comes alive in the story.


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  5. Thank you Katie for your comment. Have you been to Peru? It's a lovely country with such different geographical areas; the desert on the coast, the rugged Andes mountains in the central part of the country and the jungle located in the Amazon basin. Each have their own feel and people have different ways of life. It's worth a trip!

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  6. This sounds like an interesting read and I love the cover.

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    1. Thank you Sherry for stopping by and leaving your comments. I really like the cover too and think the designer did a great job.

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  7. I like the cover. So, is this told in flashbacks?

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  8. Hello Mary: Thank you for your comment and your interesting question. The story is told from three character's point of view: a mother and son who got separated during Peru's civil conflict and the adult son of a Holocaust survivor who befriends them. As readers engage with the characters they come to understand their background and their psychological make-up. The story is not told in flashbacks, but I included some flashbacks to add another element to the main narrative.

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  9. Enjoyed learning about your historical story, really captures me. Sounds like a lot going on in this book, Jerry is a neat character.

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    1. Thank you Calvin for your comments. Happy to hear that Jerry intrigues you. He has his own special story given his background and his experiences.

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  10. My favorite genre to read is historical fiction. What made you decide to become a writer? Do you use an outline to write your book? Good Luck with your book!

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  11. Thank you Diane for your comment, your good wishes and questions. After leaving the teaching profession I began to write. One short story lead to the other and I thought I might have a book. That first 'book' ended up in a drawer! No, I don't outline. I research a lot but let my characters decide where they want to go or do next. I like to ride a bike and ideas about the character's paths come up as I pedal along!!

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  12. Thank you Literary Gold for hosting today and thank you to all readers who provided comments and wonderful questions! I appreciate spending time with you!! Best Wishes, Eliana

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  13. When We Return by Eliana Tobias sounds like a fascinating and informative book.

    Nancy
    allibrary (at) aol (dot) com

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    1. Thanks for your comment and your address. Would you mind if I send you an email?

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  14. Thank you for your comment. I hope you will get the book so we can talk about it. All the best, Eliana

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  15. This sounds like a great book.

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  16. I love the cover! It sets the stage for the book.

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  17. Thanks Jeanna for your comment. I agree with you, the cover is great and I hope it gives an accurate representation of what is inside.

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