The story behind the story

My novel, Crows in the Nightingale's Tree, was published in Spring 2007 and is now available from booksellers including Amazon.com.

This novel was inspired by the true story of a woman who was a member of the Iranian resistance movement around the time of the 1979 revolution. She became politicized while studying at Berkeley, where she joined the Association of Iranian Students in their efforts to change the Shah’s oppressive regime. At the time, the United States was a strong supporter of the monarch, Reza Pahlavi, and did extensive trade with Iran: buying oil and selling weapons.

When the Shah abruptly left the throne, and Ayatollah Khomeini returned from exile, this woman returned to Iran with hopes of helping to shape a new government. The Islamic Republic that took root was not what she had envisioned.

The historical information in Crows in the Nightingale’s Tree is based on my interviews with this woman and two of her contemporaries from the resistance movement. I also reviewed archival documents, conducted extensive library research, and traveled throughout Iran.The narrative was inspired by real-life experiences, but the story and the characters in it are works of fiction.

You can visit the publisher's site for a free preview of the first chapter.

Comments

[Jen]

i'm so looking forward to reading it! very impressive! (and i so appreciate that have time to read these days....) xox!