Facebook Live Interview with Author Jean Meltzer–The Matzah Ball

#MEAction is excited to interview ME advocate and author Jean Meltzer who just released her first novel, The Matzah Ball, which features a protagonist with ME on Friday, October 22nd on Facebook Live at 11am PST/2pm EST. We will be discussing the book, why it was important to write the lead character with ME, and take questions from the community Live! Plus, we will be doing a book giveaway for residents of US/Canada–you will not want to miss this!

Sign-up to be notified when #MEAction goes live on Facebook here! (the word here is a hyperlink)

To purchase the book beforehand, Jean is encouraging people to purchase the book from her local bookstore, Fountain Bookstore. (the name of the book store is a hyperlink)

Here is a list of the other places you can purchase the book. (the word list is a hyperlink)

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Rachel Rubenstein-Goldblatt is a nice Jewish girl with a shameful secret: she loves Christmas. For a decade she’s hidden her career as a Christmas romance novelist from her family. Her talent has made her a mega-bestseller even as her chronic illness has always kept the kind of love she writes about out of reach.

But when her diversity-conscious publisher insists she write a Hanukkah romance, her well of inspiration suddenly runs dry. Hanukkah’s not magical. It’s not merry. It’s not Christmas. Desperate not to lose her contract, Rachel’s determined to find her muse at the Matzah Ball, a Jewish music celebration on the last night of Hanukkah, even if it means working with her summer camp archenemy—Jacob Greenberg.

Though Rachel and Jacob haven’t seen each other since they were kids, their grudge (and chemistry) is as strong as ever. But as they spend more time together, Rachel finds herself drawn to Hanukkah—and Jacob—in a way she never expected. Maybe this holiday of lights will be the spark she needed to set her heart ablaze.

MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Jean Meltzer studied dramatic writing at NYU Tisch and has earned numerous awards for her work in television, including a daytime Emmy. Like her protagonist, Jean is also a chronically-ill and disabled Jewish woman. She is an outspoken advocate for ME/CFS (Chronic Fatigue Syndrome), has attended visibility actions in Washington DC, meeting with members of Senate and Congress to raise funds for ME/CFS. She inspires 9,000 followers on WW Connect to live their best life, come out of the chronic illness closet, and embrace the hashtag #chronicallyfabulous. Also, while she was raised in what would be considered a secular home, she grew up kosher and attended Hebrew School. She spent five years in rabbinical school before her chronic illness forced her to withdraw, and her father told her she should write a book―just not a Jewish one because no one reads those. The Matzah Ball is her first novel.