When I took on writing an historical novel, I knew that research was going to be a top priority before any serious writing even began. Here are some of the ways and sources I used to research the background for Born Under Fire, which takes place from 1934-1949 under the British Mandate of Palestine.
- A majority of my story takes place in the city of Tel Aviv, and I was able to make a trip to Israel early on in the research process. Walking the streets where scenes in the book occur was a way to soak in the smells, sights and sounds of a place, which I could later transfer to the story. I conducted several in-person interviews with her friends and relatives, which were invaluable to verify facts and get a feel for how certain events transpired.
- Firsthand accounts from this time period were available through books and websites. By searching topics such as “British troops stationed in Palestine 1940s” I was able to find actual accounts and photos of veterans from that era. Reading these accounts gave me a good understanding of how a particular group of people felt about events happening at the time.
- Academic books about a specific topic gave me a better understanding of the forces that led creation of the “Sabra” generation (1949: The First Israelis), architecture of the time (Bauhaus Tel Aviv: An Architectural Guide) and history of the region (Out of Palestine: The Making of Modern Israel).
- Movies from that era and historical documentaries gave me a sense of what it was like at the time, and there is nothing better than hearing about an event than from the people that were there. Above and Beyond: The Untold True Story gave me a wonderful history of the birth of the Israel Air Force that I used as background for one of the main characters.
- Director Steven Spielberg’s The Spielberg Collection is an invaluable source for Jewish themed films and newsreels. Newsreels with narration give a sense of what public perception was about a particular event of the day.
- Reading original archived newspaper reports about an event are accessible via the internet or your local library. For Jewish-themed newspapers, the Historical Jewish Press archives is a great resource. There are websites of newspaper archives depending on your area of interest, and your local library has loads of resources that you can use.
For a full list of resources and links I used for my novel, see: https://www.bornunderfire.com/links
Rina Z. Neiman recently published her first book, Born Under Fire, an historical novel based on her mother who was born in Tel Aviv in 1928. As she comes of age the State of Israel is born. #bornunderfirethebook https://www.amazon.com/author/rinaneiman www.bornunderfire.com
About the Author, Rina Z. Neiman
Rina Z. Neiman is a writer, event producer and public relations professional. Born Under Fire is based on the true story of her mother, Shulamit Dubno Neiman, a Sabra, a musician and one of the first generation of modern-day Israelis. Rina lives in Marin County, California with her husband and son. This is her first novel.
You may find out more about the author and her book by visiting the website https://www.bornunderfire.com/. Also, you may find her on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram
— Blog Tour Dates
May 20th @ The Muffin
What goes better in the morning than a muffin! So, grab your coffee and join us today as we celebrate the launch of Rina Z. Neiman’s book Born Under Fire. Read an interview with the author and enter to win a copy of the book.
http://muffin.wow-womenonwriting.com/
May 21st @ Karen Brown Tyson Blog
Make sure you stop by Karen’s blog today where you can read Rina Z. Neiman’s guest post about how to manage time and distractions during the book writing process. If you are writing a book – or thinking about writing one – this one is a post you don’t want to miss!
https://karenbrowntyson.com/blog/
May 22nd @ Coffee with Lacey
Grab some coffee and visit Lacey’s blog today where you can read her review about Rina Z. Neiman’s book Born Under Fire.
May 23rd @ Coffee with Lacey
Stop by Lacey’s blog again where you can read the author Rina Z. Neiman’s guest post about why researching primary sources is so effective.
May 23rd @ Bri’s Book Nook
Looking for a new book? Make sure to stop by Bri’s Book Nook and find out why you need to add Rina Z. Neiman’s book Born Under Fire to your reading list.
May 24th @ One Sister’s Journey
Today is a can’t miss review by Lisa over at One Sister’s Journey blog. She’s sharing her thoughts about Rina Z. Neiman’s historical fiction book Born Under Fire.
May 26th @ Reading Whale
You won’t want to miss today’s stop at the blog Reading Whale where you can read this Rina Z. Neiman’s guest post about when you can finally start writing your book after all that research.
May 27th @ The Burgeoning Bookshelf
Fill your bookshelf with good books! Stop by Veronica’s blog and read author Rina Z. Neiman’s guest post about writing biographical fiction and when to dramatize real events.
https://theburgeoningbookshelf.blogspot.com/
May 28th @ Helen Hollick’s World of Books
Join Helen Hollick’s Tuesday Talk over at her blog and read Rina Z. Neiman’s guest post about how videos can reinforce your historical novel.
May 28th @ Book Collab Blog
Make sure you stop by Morgan’s blog Book Collab where you can find out what she has to say about Rina Z. Neiman’s historical fiction book Born Under Fire.
https://morganbray15.wixsite.com/mysite
May 29th @ Author Anthony Avina’s Blog
If you love historical fiction, make sure you visit Anthony Avina’s blog today where he features author Rina Z. Neiman’s blog post about how she researched her historical fiction novel Born Under Fire. You won’t want to miss this!
https://authoranthonyavinablog.com/
May 31st @ Jess Reading Blog
Are you interested in writing history for young adults? If you are, you will absolutely want to visit Jess’ blog today where author Rina Z. Neiman talks about writing history for young adults and what grabs them and what loses them.
https://jessbookishlife.wordpress.com/
June 1st @ The World of My Imagination
Come by Nicole’s blog today where you can read her review of Rina Z. Neiman’s book Born Under Fire and enter to win a copy of the book.
http://theworldofmyimagination.blogspot.com
June 2nd @ Author Anthony Avina’s Blog
Can’t resist a good book? Visit author Anthony Avina’s blog today when he reviews Rina Z. Neiman’s incredible historical fiction book Born Under Fire.
https://authoranthonyavinablog.com/
June 3rd @ Beverley A. Baird’s Blog
Looking for your next great read? Make sure you stop by Bev’s blog today and catch her opinion on this fascinating historical fiction novel Born Under Fire.
https://beverleyabaird.wordpress.com/
June 4th @ Amanda Diaries
Today’s stop is at Amanda’s blog where you can read what she thinks about Rina Z. Neiman’s historical fiction book Born Under Fire.
https://amandalsanders1989.wordpress.com/
June 5th @ The Frugalista Mom
Visit Rozelyn’s blog today where you can not only read her review of Born Under Fire but also enter to win a copy of the book!
June 7th @ Bookworm Blog
Feeling bookish today? Make sure you stop by Anjanette’s Bookworm blog where you can read her thoughts about Rina Z. Neiman’s powerful historical fiction book Born Under Fire plus read an interview with the author.
https://bookworm66.wordpress.com/
June 8th @ Jessica’s Reading Room
Today’s tour stop is a fantastic guest post written by author Rina Z. Neiman about how to make stories interactive. A must-read for all the writers out there!
http://jessicasreadingroom.com/
June 9th @ Jess Bookish Life
Need a new book in your life? Stop by Jess’ blog today where she shares her opinion about the historical fiction book Born Under Fire.
https://jessbookishlife.wordpress.com/
June 10th @ Beverley A. Baird’s Blog
Are you doing research for your novel? Make sure you visit Bev’s blog today where author Rina Z. Neiman is talking about top 5 ways to research secondary sources.
https://beverleyabaird.wordpress.com/
June 12th @ Author Anthony Avina’s Blog
Get to know author Rina Z. Neiman at today’s stop over at author Anthony Avina’s blog where he interviews the author.
https://authoranthonyavinablog.com/
June 14th @ Bookworm Blog
Visit Anjanette’s blog today and read a guest post by the author who talks about making your story interactive and why adding music is so effective.
https://bookworm66.wordpress.com/
June 15th @ Strength 4 Spouses
Visit Wendi’s blog at Strength 4 Spouses where you can read Rina Z. Neiman’s guest post about the importance of writing during deployment.
June 17th @ 12 Books
Visit Louise’s blog over at 12 Books and find out her thoughts about Rina Z. Neiman’s book Born Under Fire.
June 21st @ Choices Blog
Interviewing someone for your book? Make sure you visit Madeline Sharples’ blog today where Rina Z. Neiman talks about how to conduct interviews with people who are (and who are not) willing to talk with you.
June 23rd @ Strength 4 Spouses Blog
Need a new book? Make sure you stop by Wendi’s blog where she reviews Born Under Fire by Rina Z. Neiman.
Author Anthony Avina's Blog 
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