Today we are very excited to share an interview with author Jordan Steven Sher!
Read on to learn more about the author, the book, and a giveaway!
Meet the Author: Jordan Steven Sher
I was a middle school teacher in 2018 when a few students approached me with their fears that their undocumented parents would be deported. Thus began my journey with my previous three books to depict those who flee the profound hardships they face to come to the United States, not as criminals as some describe them, but as survivors. In my forthcoming biographical fiction, DARK SHADOWS HOVER, to be released on January 26, 2025, revealed is the saga of Moris Albahari’s early life, a Sephardic Jew who fights the Nazis and their collaborators for Tito’s Partisans in the former Yugoslavia during World War II. Though Moris did not emigrate to the U.S., his story explores the universal theme of overcoming the trauma of war to reach the jgged edges of resilience.
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About the Book: Dark Shadows Hover
A young Bosnian-Jewish boy escapes transport to a WWII death camp, joining Tito’s Partisans to fight the Nazi and Axis powers, and faces what no child should ever have to.
This biographical fiction based on the early adolescence of Moris Albahari dives into the little-known events in the former Yugoslavia during World War II. Moris’s harrowing story takes him from the small city of Drvar, Bosnia, escaping transport to a Croatian death camp, and eventually joining Tito’s Partisans. Now, he must face the onslaught of the Nazis and their collaborators.
As a Partisan, Moris hides his Jewish identity fearing reprisals. This adds a layer to the hardships he endures as a liberation fighter in a country that has many factions fighting each other, while trying to defeat the fascist invaders. All the while, he doesn’t know if his family is alive. He feels alone within his fighting unit, except for a few trusted friends. His is a story of loneliness, grief, heartache, inner conflict, and ultimately the jagged edges of resilience.
Moris’s traumatic wartime experience will touch you with its heart-wrenching saga during the most heinous event in human history in a region steeped in its own long-standing history of conflict.
~Author Chat~
YABC: How did you first come across this topic, and why did it capture your attention?
I have written three previous books, one historical fiction, and two nonfictions. The last two books are centered around the 1990s war in Bosnia, which is in central Europe. I learned of this war from two women interviewed in my very first book, who had been children in Bosnia during the war, both of whom fled to U.S. with their families as refugees. My intense interest in that war and the impact on people led to research and interviews of others who’d fled Bosnia, and to the next two books. Still, as a second-generation American Jew with relatives who perished in the Holocaust, I wanted to know more about what happened to Jews during that most horrible period in human history. This led me to Moris Albahari, a Jewish boy who fought at the ages of 12-15 with the resistance in the former Yugoslavia against the Nazis and their collaborators. DARK SHADOWS HOVER is the result.
YABC: How much of your research comes from firsthand experience versus secondary sources?
I had learned about Moris, who died at the age of 93 in 2022, from a friend who knew him while he was alive. Moris lived in Bosnia his whole life. The closest I came to meeting him was by interviewing his son, who lives in Croatia, and finding videotaped interviews Moris did in his native language of Bosnian, through the University of Southern California’s Shoah Foundation. A friend of mine whose family also fled to the U.S. after the Bosnian War, was able to put English subtitles on the tapes for me. What an amazing source this turned out to be—hearing and seeing Moris himself. I also viewed a documentary called, “Saved by Language,” in which Moris is featured talking about the language of Spanish Jews called Ladino who developed it beginning 400 years ago after fleeing the Spanish Inquisition which unjustly put Jews on trial as heretics, imprisoned tortured them, and murdered many. This is a fascinating documentary if you’re interested.
YABC: Who do you imagine as your ideal reader for this book?
Most books about the Holocaust like The Diary of Anne Frank, take place in countries that those familiar with the events of the day are familiar with. Dark Shadows Hover takes place in the former Yugoslavia, a country that many know little or nothing about. I hope that is part of the draw to this book. I learned a lot about what happened there and I believe the reader will too. Not to mention what it’s like to be a young boy fighting in a war.
YABC: How did you determine the most appropriate age range for this book’s content?
My publisher saw this book as appropriate for young adults, which can range from ages 12-18. However, my daughter, who’s 32, thought it to be a wonderful read for adults. In fact, she thought that high school and up is most appropriate. For me, a former sixth grade English teacher, a very mature upper middle schooler would be into it, but I agree with my daughter that adults will easily find this compelling.
YABC: How do you strike a balance between facts and storytelling to keep readers interested?
I did a lot of research about World War II in Yugoslavia. I love history, especially more recent European history. But if I were to dryly include what I researched the reader might take a couple of naps, or put the book down altogether. So, weaving Moris’s story within the facts of the war therein is what makes the story flow and much more compelling to read.
YABC: What specific techniques did you use to simplify challenging concepts?
I find that dialogue, thoughts that a character has, and action brings the reader closer to the storyline. I’m always thinking to myself when I write, “is this going to be connecting with the reader? Will this feel real to them?” That’s my litmus test. If it feels real to me, then I’m hoping it’ll feel authentic to the readers.
YABC: Tell us a little about Moris. What makes his story unique in addition to the setting in the former Yugoslavia.
Adolescence is a challenging time for most of us. It’s a time of great physical and psychological change. I remember my own struggles during that time. I especially recall how difficult it was socially, therefore emotionally. So, imagine you’re in a war and you have to hide your identity, whatever that is. For Moris it was fear of reprisal from some of his fighting unit’s comrades who might hate him just because he was Jewish. Then, think about that period of human development while fighting in a war, not knowing if your parents and sisters are alive or dead, being at-risk for getting wounded or killed, and witnessing losing your comrades and the friends you made on the battlefield at such a young age. I still don’t know how Moris managed. That’s not to say he was untouched by what he experienced. In fact, hew was. But he still managed to have a successful long life, and was a tremendous humanitarian always striving for peace among people of different faiths.
YABC: What makes the story relevant for today’s world?
Sadly, there were genocides before and have been since World War II like the ones in the Bosnian War in the 1990s. But also, in other places like Syria, Rwanda, Sudan, the Rohingya of Myanmar, and there are many questions about the Israelis actions against the Palestinians as to whether it constitutes genocide. The Holocaust was the most heinous genocide in human history. We all need to be educated about the signs that lead to it, and how we can try to prevent them. Today, there are many young people who know little about the Holocaust. Surveys have proven this. There are also those who deny it happened or deny the degree to which it did. Reading books about the Holocaust can educate readers about it and open eyes about other war crimes that exist in hopes of advocating for measures that can address the causes and find solutions to end this despicable practice of evil.
YABC: What’s one fact or story from the book that you’re especially excited for readers to discover?
I believe the reader will find several incredible stories about Moris’s time as a child soldier, but the important thing here is that he is human, and it is reflected in how he questions himself about how he can survive such a traumatic existence. Yet, he finds a resilience that is perhaps like no other child you’ve read about. However, I know that there are many children and adolescents faced with this around the world who also do extraordinary things, usually with the consequences of what trauma can bring, if and until they’re able to reconcile what happened to them, and find ways to move forward, as Moris did throughout his life.
YABC: Do you have an unusual office supply that helps you in your writing routine?
I’m a recent first-time grandpa. My daughter and husband gave me a mousepad that has my grandson’s picture on it. There’s nothing more heartwarming than to see his sweet little face on my desk. He was born in September, 2024, so before that mousepad my daughter gave me one of her and my son, my wife and me from a few years back. I guess I just love mousepads with my family on them!
YABC: What would you say is your superpower?
I was a middle school teacher for 13 years, and a social worker before that for 22 years. Being a teacher at a later age after having worked with people who were challenged by life’s difficulties and helping them find their way prepared me for developing strong relationships with my students, and understanding what makes adolescents tick. I put that knowledge into my books, especially Dark Shadows Hover
YABC: What’s up next for you?
With the book’s release in early 2025, I’m focused on spreading the word about it. I also would love to give presentations about Moris and how I came to write the book, including what the Holocaust in Yugoslavia was like. It’s important to connect with people to enlighten them about the war through the eyes of one young, incredible boy who can teach us a lot about humanity.
YABC: Is there anything that you would like to add?
I hope you’ve been inspired to read Dark Shadows Hover and share it with others young and older. Write your own reviews and put them on Amazon and other sites like Goodreads. My aim is never about profits, it’s about getting readers to think, reflect, and gain new perspectives about critical issues and events. Believe me, as a former social worker and teacher, I never put dollars at the forefront of my work!
Title: Dark Shadows Hover
Author: Jordan Steven Sher
Release Date: January 26, 2025
Publisher: Amsterdam Publishers
ISBN-13: 9789493322912
Genre: Historical fiction (biographical fiction)
Age Range: Young Adult (better suited for 16+) and mature young adult readers of any age
~ Giveaway Details ~
Two (2) winners will receive a copy of Dark Shadows Hover (Jordan Steven Sher) ~US Only!
*Click the Rafflecopter link below to enter the giveaway*
