The Silence of Trees Book Launch to be Held at The Book Cellar

Debut novel honors post-war immigrant experience

CHICAGO, Illinois – October 18, 2010 – Chicago writer Valya Dudycz Lupescu will celebrate the launch of her novel, The Silence of Trees on Saturday, October 23, 2010, at the Book Cellar, 4736 N. Lincoln Avenue, Chicago, Illinois. Dudycz Lupescu will read an excerpt from The Silence of Trees, followed by a book signing.

The Silence of Trees first gained public attention in January 2008 when it garnered more than 200 positive reviews from around the world as a part of the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Awards. As a result, Dudycz Lupescu was interviewed by Radio Free Europe and featured in a number of newspapers and blogs.

The story begins in WWII Ukraine, when protagonist Nadya Lysenko flees her village following the death of her parents and sisters. After forced labor and displaced persons camps, Nadya moves to Chicago and clings to her Ukrainian traditions and stories—the only parts of her past that she dares to share with her family. Years later, her beloved dead insist on being heard, through dreams and whispers in the night.

Dudycz Lupescu’s novel is rich in the folklore and customs of her Ukrainian heritage. Her family history inspired the writing of the book, which she began while still a graduate student at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.

Fellow Ukrainian American writer Irene Zabytko, author of When Luba Leaves Home and The Sky Unwashed, writes of Dudycz Lupescu, “In The Silence of Trees, Nadya, the astonishing matriarch, war survivor, and narrator, weaves a remarkable life centered on fate, love, luck and choice while honoring the ghosts of her past. Her voice is an important and unforgettable addition to the post-war immigrant experience.”

“So few women who lived through WWII have had their stories told. So many voices have been silenced,” said Dudycz Lupescu. “While fictional, The Silence of Trees is intended to honor those women–my grandmothers and the others who sacrificed so much.”

Valya Dudycz Lupescu is currently planning her book tour, with dates and locations to be posted at www.thesilenceoftrees.com

The Silence of Trees may be purchased online at Amazon.com, WolfswordPress.org, and through additional wholesale and retail channels. Find more information at www.wolfswordpress.org

About the Author:
Valya Dudycz Lupescu is a writer and the founding editor of the literary magazine, Conclave: A Journal of Character. Born and raised in Chicago, Valya received her degree in English at DePaul University and earned her MFA in Writing as part of the inaugural class at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Valya is on the Board of Directors for the Chicago Writers Association and on the Executive Planning Committee for the Chicago Literary Hall of Fame. She occasionally teaches workshops around the city and online and helps to facilitate a monthly gathering of writers and artists in Chicago. For more information and to contact the author, visit her website at: http://www.vdlupescu.com

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Valya Dudycz Lupescu

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Wolfsword Press

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