THE APPLE TREE BLOSSOMS IN THE FALL – A NEW READ FOR CHRISTMAS
Sacramento Bee, CA
Dec 17 2012
By SJHCommunications
NEW YORK, December 17, 2012 — /PRNewswire/ — -Stories of a young
Armenian woman and her journey through life -Unique insights into Iran,
Islam and Armenian culture -A memoir, a history lesson, a love story
Author Armineh Ohanian grew up as a young Armenian woman in Iran. Now
she draws on her experiences in a new novel, The Apple Tree Blossoms
in the Fall, which follows the story of Carineh who confronts a series
of struggles taking her from Iran to Europe and to the US. (Photo:
)
As she faces the upheaval of leaving her homeland and the many trials
of marriage, Carineh discovers that impossible situations can resolve
themselves in the most unexpected of ways: including apple trees
that miraculously blossom out of season to provide food for her
starving family.
Carineh’s journey begins as she spends her first eleven years in a
small, strict Islamic town in Iran where her father runs his thriving
export business in a busy bazaar and entertains guests extensively,
including a young mullah called Khomeini. It moves swiftly through
short interconnected episodes spiced by the unfolding events of the
night when Carineh finds her one true love.
As life unfurls, Carineh discovers that husband Caro has deceived her
about his true identity; her family tumbles from comfort to poverty
when her Father dies following baptism in freezing Hamadan waters;
her reluctance to wear the veil convinces her to leave Iran at the
onset of the Islamic revolution, and, as a young mother she and her
two teenage children desperately seek to board the last Pan Am flight
out of Tehran.
With resilience and humor, Carineh travels the four corners of the
world with her husband and children, finally finding herself settled on
the shores of Westhampton Beach, New York. Each episode is engagingly
narrated with warm affection in rich, Armenian storytelling tradition.
Comments Armineh Ohanian, “For some reason, writing this book was
much harder than writing Nine Years to Freedom. Probably, because the
theme was about the life experiences of an Armenian woman like myself.
However, I enjoyed the work, it reminded me of my own life back
in Iran, both as a child and a young girl. At some point during my
writing, I laughed like mad, and I cried bitterly while composing
certain other chapters. I am happy that the book is already appealing
to women internationally.”
Armineh Ohanian will be participating in Oxfam’s International Women’s
Day on March 8, 2013, reading extracts from her novel at the invitation
of Oxford University.
Extract: Shattered Hopes…
To me, Caro was perfect and the best fiancé one could ask for. I found
him to be gallant, charming, handsome, sexy, adventurous, outspoken,
open-minded, and fun. Like me, he loved music and going to cinemas
and parties. What’s more, he accepted my family as his own because he
had no brothers or sisters. Before meeting me, he would spend most of
his time at the movies or at his Armenian and Russian friends’ houses.
Every day he came directly to our house after work. Now and then
he even slept at our place during Iranian weekends, which began on
Thursday afternoons and ended on Friday nights.
Unfortunately, my happiness and hopes tumbled down the day after our
engagement party…
Reviewers have commented:
“This true story is recounted through the eyes of a truly international
woman. She opened my heart and mind to the culture and geography of
a part of the world that dominates our politics today. It broadens
its scope as this courageous and charming woman lives her life as a
mother, wife and working woman”
“Armineh brings a lovely, graphic and rather innocent description of
life in a part of the world that is now totally different”
“Her story-telling is wonderfully interwoven with acute observations
and an endearing sense of humour throughout”
Published by Lazy Day Publishing, The AppleTree Blossoms in the Fall
is available from Amazon at ;
. For a complimentary
taste of the novel, please click here for Chapters 25 and 35
Notes to Editors:
Please contact us if you would like to interview Armineh Ohanian,
or require her biography or photo.
About the Author: Born in Iran, from Armenian origin, Armineh Ohanian
has lived in Europe and the United States since 1962. She published her
first storybook for children in Tehran at the age of fifteen. In August
21, 2012, Armineh published her first novel “Dreaming of America”, now
known as “Nine Years to Freedom”. She has since published two volumes
of children’s story books from her “The Talking Animals” series.
Recently, she has completed volume three – co-authored with her
thirteen yearâ~@~Pold grandson, Alec Ohanian. She is now busy writing a
memoir called “Letters from Abu Dhabi.” Armineh lives in Westhampton
with her husband and three cats – her writing companions. She is
passionate about writing, reading novels and playing tennis.
For more about Armineh Ohanian:
Author’s Den: Facebook:
Please contact: Sarah Hazell
or Maria van Vlodrop [email protected] +44(0)9700-227-200
(UK) +1-516-302-3072 (US)