I lived in Jerusalem through my teens and for the latter half of my twenties, when I worked as a journalist. Almost the entirety of Last Song Before Night was written in Jerusalem, and the city found its way into the atmosphere of Tamryllin. So I’m especially pleased to have been interviewed for The Times of Israel, where editor Amanda Borschel-Dan delves into the roots of the novel.

There’s something special about being from such a warm community as that of the English-speakers in Jerusalem. They saw me hard at work on the book for years, in cafes all over the city. The outpouring of support since the book came out has been tremendous. When we visit family in Israel–hopefully soon–I expect to be signing quite a few books.