Lisa Saffron Author of one novel and several non-fiction books on parenting

Author Biography

Lisa Saffron grew up in the United States and moved to England in her twenties where she raised her family and worked in parenting support, health research and women's health information.
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Influences

Checkpoint is my first novel. I wrote it in order to work through my own painful and confused feelings about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Visits to Israel and the occupied territories with a study tour and a Compassionate Listening delegation inspired and informed me. I came home to England wanting to share what I had gained with others who are also disturbed and confused by this ongoing conflict. I’ve been in a creative writing group for years and have written and published non-fiction books, but the idea of writing a novel had never appealed to me. So it was a surprise to me when the idea popped into my head and took root. I was winding down a charity I’d set up that wasn’t going anywhere, and I was open to another big project.
At that time, a woman in my writing group recommended Evan Marshall’s book, Novel Writing—16 Steps to Success. I read all 16 steps in one evening and knew exactly what I’d be doing for the next year. I realised that writing a novel would be an effective and powerful way for me to express the feelings I have about Israel and Palestine. Marshall’s book gave me a strategy, which I followed to the letter. It appealed to the logical, organized side of my brain. I nourished the creative side with Deena Metzger’s Writing for Your Life—a guide and companion to the inner worlds.

Web Links

Checkpoint

Date of Review:

06/01/2008

Published Work:

Checkpoint

Reviewer:

James A. Cox, editor in chief

Source:

Midwest Book Review - Cowper's Bookshelf MBR Bookwatch Volume 7, Number 6

Review Excerpt:

The Israeli/Palestinian Conflict is not simply a battle between two opposing countries – it's a conflict between two groups of people who are close enough- and are– neighbors. "Checkpoint" is a novel of growing relationships – and how those relationships can tear a family apart. The Shapiros are split by loyalties of friendship on both sides of the cause, and must figure out a way to remain a family all while staying loyal to their friends in this deftly written look at the conflict from the fictional perspective of a family torn asunder - "Checkpoint" is highly recommended to community library collections dedicated to world fiction and fiction focusing on current events.