{"title":"Michelle Brafman","description":"\u003cp\u003eMichelle Brafman grew up in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and now lives in Glen Echo, Maryland with her husband and two children. She is a graduate of the University of California, San Diego and Johns Hopkins University, where she now teaches fiction writing. Her award-winning short stories and essays have appeared in the Washington Post, Slate, Tablet, Lilith Magazine, Bethesda Magazine, Superstition Review, Potomac Review, minnesota review, Fifth Wednesday Journal, Gargoyle and elsewhere. A regular contributor to the Lilith Magazine blog, she has led its salon discussions at theaters and arts centers throughout the Washington, DC area. Brafman is also a former documentary filmmaker whose film American Lives: Jewish Stories, like her debut novel Washing the Dead, illuminates seldom told stories of the Jewish experience.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eMichelle Brafman’s books are published by Prospect Park Books, Keylight Books, imprints of Turner Publishing.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBrowse more: \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/books-new-releases\"\u003eNew Releases\u003c\/a\u003e · \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/award-winning-books\"\u003eAward-Winning Books\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"bertrand-court","title":"Bertrand Court","description":"\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e“Brafman’s talent for drawing human emotion shines through in this episodic, deeply sensitive, and introspective novel of the human psyche.”\u003c\/strong\u003e ―\u003cb data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003ci data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eBooklist\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003ci data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eBertrand Court\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/i\u003eis a captivating novel told in story form, intertwining seventeen luminous narratives about the secrets of a cast of politicos, filmmakers, and housewives, all tied to a suburban Washington, DC, cul-de-sac. Linked through bloodlines and grocery lines, they respond to life's bruises by grabbing power, sex, or the family silver. As they atone and forgive, they unmask the love and truth that hop white picket fences.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- amazon-buylink --\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003csmall\u003eWe earn a commission for purchases made through the following links.\u003c\/small\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/dp\/1938849809\/ref=nosim?tag=tpcecomm-20\" rel=\"sponsored nofollow\"\u003eshop for this title at Amazon\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c!-- \/amazon-buylink --\u003e\u003c!-- bookshop-buylink --\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/bookshop.org\/book\/9781938849800\" rel=\"nofollow\"\u003eshop for this title at Bookshop.org\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c!-- \/bookshop-buylink --\u003e","brand":"Michelle Brafman","offers":[{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":42443584602328,"sku":"9781938849800","price":14.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Hardcover","offer_id":42443584667864,"sku":"9781938849794","price":22.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0563\/7786\/8475\/files\/817iBUrtd_L_mockup_v2_1643317674_7e9abcb2-392e-4793-bd48-9819df318aa3.jpg?v=1792011826"},{"product_id":"washing-the-dead","title":"Washing the Dead","description":"\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e“Intimate, big-hearted, compassionate and clear-eyed, Brafman’s novel turns secrets into truths and the truth into the heart of fiction.” —\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eAMY BLOOM\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e, author of \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eLucky Us\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e and \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eAway\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e“From roots in one religious tradition, comes a tale of emotional redemption for all of us. Michelle Brafman’s astonishing compassion for all human frailty infuses this story about the need for truth and the promise of forgiveness.” —\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eHELEN SIMONSON\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e, author of \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eMajor Pettigrew’s Last Stand\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e“Heartfelt and genuine, Washing the Dead never betrays the complicated truths of family and tradition.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e— \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eDAVID BEZMOZGIS\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e, author of \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eNatasha and Other Stories\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e and \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eThe Betrayers\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e“Like a Jewish Anne Lamott, Brafman reels you in with warmth, depth and heart.” —\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eSUSAN COLL\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e, author of \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eThe Stager\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e and \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eAcceptance\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eThree generations of women confront family secrets in this exquisitely wrought debut novel that examines the experience of religious community, the perilous emotional path to adulthood, and the power of sacred rituals to repair damaged bonds between mothers and daughters.\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c!-- amazon-buylink --\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003csmall\u003eWe earn a commission for purchases made through the following links.\u003c\/small\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/dp\/1938849515\/ref=nosim?tag=tpcecomm-20\" rel=\"sponsored nofollow\"\u003eshop for this title at Amazon\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c!-- \/amazon-buylink --\u003e\u003c!-- bookshop-buylink --\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/bookshop.org\/book\/9781938849510\" rel=\"nofollow\"\u003eshop for this title at Bookshop.org\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c!-- \/bookshop-buylink --\u003e","brand":"Michelle Brafman","offers":[{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":42468181410008,"sku":"9781938849510","price":14.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0563\/7786\/8475\/files\/91SCExQAp4L_mockup_v2_1643988813_7997cf6c-0728-40de-97ce-5a42bd0e6608.jpg?v=1791989867"},{"product_id":"swimming-with-ghosts","title":"Swimming with Ghosts","description":"\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a-text-bold\"\u003eFrom the acclaimed author of\u003cem\u003e \u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a-text-bold a-text-italic\"\u003eWashing the Dead\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a-text-bold\"\u003e\u003cem\u003e \u003c\/em\u003eand \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a-text-bold a-text-italic\"\u003eBertrand Court\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a-text-bold\"\u003e comes a satirical and chilling, yet deeply-sensitive, tale that captures the ethos and ruin of children’s competitive swimming, where parents must face the haunting spirits of their own tumultuous upbringings or risk losing their way and—in turn—themselves.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIt’s June 2012. The magical and slightly cultish River Run swim club is alive with the spirit of fun competition when a perfect storm brews between team moms and best friends, Gillian Cloud and Kristy Weinstein. The ghost of family addiction has turned up, looming over their carefully planned pasta parties, tie-dye nights, and pep rallies, forcing them to face their unresolved childhood trauma.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eGillian responds by trying to control everyone around her, while Kristy relapses into her dangerous addiction to love. Real sparks fly on the night of the derecho—a freak land hurricane—which sweeps through Northern Virginia, knocking out power for days. The storm ignites a tinder box of secrets, leaving Gillian and Kristy alone in the hot dark—their shame their only company.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAt times humorous and devastating, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a-text-italic\"\u003eSwimming with Ghosts\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e is a hauntingly dark, yet uniquely tender story of the various entrapments of addiction and lingering trauma, and what it takes to overcome our hidden legacies of disgrace and discover a once unimaginable freedom made possible by confronting life’s greatest storms with the people closest to us.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- amazon-buylink --\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003csmall\u003eWe earn a commission for purchases made through the following links.\u003c\/small\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/dp\/1684429552\/ref=nosim?tag=tpcecomm-20\" rel=\"sponsored nofollow\"\u003eshop for this title at Amazon\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- \/amazon-buylink --\u003e\u003c!-- bookshop-buylink --\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/bookshop.org\/book\/9781684429554\" rel=\"nofollow\"\u003eshop for this title at Bookshop.org\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- \/bookshop-buylink --\u003e","brand":"Michelle Brafman","offers":[{"title":"Hardcover","offer_id":43522599682264,"sku":"9781684429547","price":33.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":44068119216344,"sku":"9781684429554","price":15.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0563\/7786\/8475\/files\/9781684429547_FChigh_mockup_v2_1669133597_5b3e1ea6-f576-4983-b1c1-b297cad09a59.jpg?v=1791063308"},{"product_id":"draw-near-to-me","title":"Draw Near to Me","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eIn this highly-anticipated sequel to \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/turnerpublishing.com\/products\/swimming-with-ghosts\" title=\"Swimming with Ghosts by Michelle Brafman\"\u003e\u003ci\u003eSwimming with Ghosts\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e, the discovery of a desperately-hidden secret brings a family to the brink of collapse—the exact place where they may ultimately find true healing and forgiveness.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOne day before a freak accident lands devoted wife and mother Kristy Weinstein in a coma, her husband, David, discovers a devastating secret she’d been keeping for months. While Kristy’s life hangs in the balance, broken-hearted David, a high-risk OB with a God complex, must grapple with his pride and demons in order to make impossible decisions about his career, wife, and the new baby that has served as a joyful family distraction from the roiling tensions of Kristy’s betrayal. Their college-aged daughter Mia, nicknamed “Scoop,” clashes with her family as she tries to solve the mystery of the events leading up to her mother’s coma, and Patrick, Kristy’s half-brother, fights to hold on to his sobriety and his beloved fiancée while he nearly crumbles under the fear of losing his sister and the responsibility of showing up for Kristy’s family.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWith Kristy increasingly unavailable to them, each family member is pushed to find kinship in surprising places and to heal old wounds by drawing near those who have damaged them the most. This is a timely story about the emotional and spiritual work it takes to repair an impossible rupture in a marriage, a relationship, a family, and in turn the larger communities in which we live, hope, and love.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/turnerpublishing.com\/collections\/vendors?q=Michelle%20Brafman\" title=\"Books by Michelle Brafman\"\u003eView Michelle's other books here.\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- amazon-buylink --\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003csmall\u003eWe earn a commission for purchases made through the following links.\u003c\/small\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/dp\/B0FBFFD9T2\/ref=nosim?tag=tpcecomm-20\" rel=\"sponsored nofollow\"\u003eshop for this title at Amazon\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c!-- \/amazon-buylink --\u003e\u003c!-- bookshop-buylink --\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/bookshop.org\/book\/9798887981352\" rel=\"nofollow\"\u003eshop for this title at Bookshop.org\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c!-- \/bookshop-buylink --\u003e","brand":"Michelle Brafman","offers":[{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":50732529320152,"sku":"9798887981352","price":16.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Hardcover","offer_id":50732529352920,"sku":"9798887981345","price":33.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0563\/7786\/8475\/files\/DrawNeartoMe_FChigh_mockup_v2_1761075780_8b85e5ea-5fa8-40f6-bd1a-0d2a1c982674.jpg?v=1791086270"}],"url":"https:\/\/turnerpublishing.com\/collections\/author-michelle-brafman.oembed","provider":"Turner Publishing","version":"1.0","type":"link"}