Alvin Abram

Alvin Abram is a storyteller, writer and graphic designer of books. He attended York University's Creative Fourth Year writing course in 1995 at the age of 59, returning to the dream of his youth. In 1996 followed with an Outline Course at University of Toronto, finishing with a Creative Summer Writing Course at Humber College in 1997.

Has had more than 30 short stories published since 1998: Wordscape murder anthologies, Women’s World magazine (New York), Winners’ Circle, Chicken Soup for the Parent’s Soul, North York Post, Bayview Post, The Israeli Magazine, Canadian Jewish News and in April 2007, ARS Medica, Mount Sinai Hospital’s Journal of Psychiatry and others.

Self-published The Light After the Dark in 1997, a 244-page hard cover book of six true stories about children who had experiences of chance and circumstance during the Holocaust. In 1998, Key Porter Books bought the rights. It has been published three times and sold in several countries as well as reunited people thought dead.

Self-published Why, Zaida? in 2000, a fully coloured illustrated, hard cover fictional story of a nine-year-old boy who asks his grandfather why the old man has no father or mother. The grandfather uses a squirrel, a dog, a robin, a stick and a stream, grass and weeds as metaphors to answer the boy's question.

Self-published The Light After the Dark II in 2001, a 271-page soft cover book of an additional six true stories about children who had a chance and circumstance experience during the Holocaust.

Self-published The Unlikely Victims in 2002, a 244-page book about a Jewish Toronto homicide detective, Gabe Garshowitz, who becomes involved in six cases, resolving them as he deals with his own personal problems – aging and the loss of his wife. Nominated for the Arthur Ellis Award by Crime Writers of Canada as one of the five Best First Novels for 2002.

Self-published Stories I Wrote in 2003, a 274-page book of 18 stories from the more than 30 stories and articles that have appeared in print since 1997.

Self-published An Eye for an Eye in 2004 (a trilogy), a 428-page epic novel described as, “a monumental work…a magnificent tragic tale.” A murder/mystery centered in Lodz, Poland that spans the years 1921-1946. The novel is about the Ackerman's (Jewish) and the Zwonarz families (Catholic) whose lives intertwine in the ebb and flow of true historical incidents before, during and after the Second World War. Winner of the 2005 International BookAdz Award for the Best Novel for 2004 published by a Canadian and American author and published by independent, university, small press and self-publishers or print-on-demand (POD) or self-published authors.

Self-published The Minyan in 2006. Is the second novel in the trilogy. A 428-page soft cover novel that continues with the Ackerman and Zonarz families and takes into account current events in the year 2000, neo-Nazis, Simon Wiesthenthal and the threat to Israel. Currently it is being judged by Jewish Book Award.

The third novel, Justice Delayed, will complete the story in 2008. This novel brings Detective Gabe Garshowitz, the Ackermans, Burt Anthony and Janusz Zwonarz together to combat the remnants of the evil that they had encountered in The Minyan.

Alvin Abram has had more than 100 speaking engagements, been interviewed on radio and television in Ontario, Quebec and Saskatchewan.

A volunteer in the Toronto Jewish community all his life. Past President of Leonard Mayzel Ontario Lodge B'nai Brith, Board Member, Jewish National Fund (Toronto), Board Member of Canadian Friends of Boys Town of Jerusalem, etc. Founder of the Myasthenia Gravis Foundation of Ontario and part of the inaugural committee forming Bernard Betel Centre and Ileitis and Colitis Foundation. Member of Crime Writers of Canada and Writers Union of Canada.

Website:
www.alvinabram.ca