Leslie Lacin
Uncovering lost stories — one novel at a time.
Leslie Lacin
I travelled to Russia, Georgia and Azerbaijan over a period of ten years to gather the stories of elderly Holocaust survivors and to experience the places where their lives unfolded. I was exhilarated to be back, a kind of strange homecoming to the places I'd experienced in a former life. The survivors, witnesses to the tumult of both the 20th and 21st centuries, were gracious, hospitable and eager to share their stories. They fed me, held my hand, and shared medals, stamp albums and letters from long dead fathers. I will never forget them.
What I've written.
You, With Your Waiting
Soviet Union, 1941. Two Jewish children. A breathtaking quest to survive.
Bronya, a violin prodigy, dreams of the Moscow Conservatory. Her younger brother, Avsey, cherishes his secret box of treasures and longs to have friends. But when the Nazis invade and they are torn from their family, the children are forced on a perilous trek across a burning land — hunted, hungry and alone.
Fraternité
A novel about survival after survival, and the long search for identity, belonging and justice.
Leslie's next novel, set in post-war France, traces the lives of Holocaust survivors as they navigate the aftermath of war, the search for justice, and the fragile possibility of home.
The past is not past.
I write historical fiction to tell stories that have never been told, to remember, to add nuance to the historical narratives we think we know. And because I owe a debt of gratitude to those who have shared their stories with me. I write because in a world grown indifferent to the facts of the Shoah, and to history in general, these stories matter more than ever.
Write, now and then.
For readings, festival invitations, or a note about the book — letters are always welcome, and answered when the desk allows.
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