Book Excerpt...
Chapter One, Grazia

Edict of Expulsion:
31st of March, 1492
 
Accused of ritual murder in Granada and not under jurisdiction of the Inquisition, the Church orders expulsion of all Jews and Marranos from Spain within four months.
 
Granada, Spain
2 Ab 5252 (4 August 1492)
 
“Hermando, no. Please. Hanna’s still a girl. She made a mistake.” My mother appealed to my father even as she, too, made preparations for our long journey. The air in the front room of our home that served as our place of trade reeked with anger and frustration. Despair replaced hope. Three months had passed since the Edict of Expulsion on the thirty-first of Adar. Originally we were to leave on the first day of Ab but the monarchs in their cruel contempt gave us one more day.

“No!” my father shouted, gathering stacks of Byzantine silks and flax linen. Furious, he stuffed them into large hemp bags. A swath of crimson tapestry fell to the floor.

“But Hanna’s only fourteen.”
  
More...
 

SIGN UP TODAY!!
Enter your email address below to stay up to date with Marcia's events, information, and more.
    

For Email Newsletters you can trust

What people are saying about Stressed in Scottsdale

Click Here for More Reviews

Multitasking Jean Rubin is stressed in Scottsdale: endless errands, caring for an elderly mother, helping with her kid's fertility problems and her husband's political campaign. Marcia Fine, the writer behind Jean Rubin, swears she is less stressed. And why should she be? Stressed in Scottsdale is the third book in her Jean Rubin series. No stress, right? Marcia handed me a copy of her book at the workshop, and it's had me laughing for the last two weeks. - Matt Dewald, Director, Erma Bombeck Humor Conference, University of Dayton

Multi-tasking JEAN RUBIN races to accomplish endless errands, care for an elderly mother forced to move to assisted living, help with her kid’s fertility problems, manage a job and fight roof rats while her anxiety level climbs to unmanageable proportions. She employs a variety of soothing techniques from daily stress tips to meditation, affirmations, deep breathing and a self-help group. Nothing seems to work.  Jean’s keen observant eye of the modes and mores of an upscale community enhance a fast-paced life, rife with satirical situations including an Asian nail salon, the most expensive gourmet food store in town and mammogram hell. - USA Book News

"Do you need to de-stress your life? Then pick up a copy of Fine’s book and escape from the chaotic pace of life with fits of laughter. Fine has taken the life of one stressed out, over committed woman and made her into someone we can all relate to and learn from. You will see parts of yourself and friends in the lead character, Jean Rubin as she faces some of life’s challenges with grace and humor." 
4.5 out of five stars. - Ember in Wrilogonzia

"“A Split Your Pants, Laugh Aloud Hit” - Okay listen up folks, when reading “Stressed in Scottsdale” make sure your bladder is empty because due to excessive laughter you are likely to pee your pants!  Jean Rubin, portrayed as the witty protagonist in “Stressed in Scottsdale” made her début in Marcia Fine’s satire series beginning with “Gossip.com followed by “Boomerang.” Fans of the award-winning author can take delight in knowing Jean Rubin is back in all her glory in this latest installment, as Fine continues to create a chaotic and comical ambiance for her readers’ enjoyment..."
- Barbara Watkins, Bookpleasures.com 
Read the Full Review

"It made me laugh from start to finish. You can easily relate to Jean if you are in college or post-college. I see my stress through her and think "thank god that's not me!" Jean is relateable as opposed to her kooky friends and children. But they make life all the more interesting. I really enjoyed the flow of the book but I thought the ending was rather abrupt it seemed unfinished. Yes, the day is saved time to relax but there's got to be something else just around the corner that could have been alluded to! The authors sarcasm was refreshing it's nice to hear a woman author who's not afraid to put it out there. I really enjoyed the little stress tips at the beginning of each chapter (they were so amusing)." -  Rheanna, Try Reading My Mind. 
Read the Full Review
 
More Reviews...
   

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Click Here for More Reviews

Meg, we enjoyed our evening the Marcia Fine and hope that the "J" will put on more events like this. We were thoroughly impressed by her and engrossed in her presentation. Being a "book-aholic," the program gave me the chance to add to my large book collection. - Charlene and Al Kersch

"It was not a good idea for me to start Paper Children on a weekend when I had many things to do. I didn't put it down until Sunday afternoon and by then was out of the mood to do any work. I thoroughly enjoyed it."
- Adell Heinemann, Inner Radiance

"I could hardly put it down. The history was quite a reminder." 
- Marianne Mitchell

"I love the way Paper Children is written with the grandmother's life, the daughter and granddaughter's. I would recommend this to others."  - Marcia Cohen-Robins

"A few chapters into Marcia Fine's novel "Paper Children", and you will feel like a part of her family....."
- Jenna Lee Dillon, Trends Magazine  Read the Full Review

"I had no idea how wonderful this book was going to be! The compelling story progressed so quickly, I couldn't put it down."
- Pat Ternes
 
More Reviews...
 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Click Here for More Reviews

"I would finish a chapter with tears in my eyes for the suffering of Grazia and bellina and the next chapter would have me laughing with Alegra." - Janet Welk-Forsch

"From one who never reads historical novels -- I loved this book! It was riveting and very easy to read; the story flowed, educating, while never getting bogged down in excessive historical details. Totally enjoyable!" - Roxanne Henderson

"A mesmerizing account of the Jews in Spain and Portugal during the Inquisition, the "Blind Eye" is important reading for everyone, Jews and non-Jews alike. I couldn't put it down, and finished it in two days. I've recommended it to several people, and it will make wonderful gifts for family and friends." - Ellen De Domenico

"Remarkable story of the survival of the Jews expelled from Spain and Portugal. Compelling and heart-breaking." 
- Marcia Roth
  
More Reviews...
 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Click Here for More Reviews

First-rate humor!
Jessica Leigh Lebos from Fairfax, CA United States, Amazon.com

The beautiful, shiny people of Scottsdale receive another hilarious send-up by Marcia Fine (her first book, GOSSIP.COM, infiltrated the world of the fashionistas with a deft hand.)

Jeanne, a part-time English professor, lives just on the outskirts of fabulous wealth, over-the-top parties and the right zip code. Fortunately, she has generous friends who invite her into the intrigue of nudist colonies and posh Sedona getaways while she and her hard-working doctor husband live in the real world of snotty bosses and grown children living at home -- in this case, a slacker son and his pregnant girlfriend.

Fraught with one-liners that will give you the giggles for days, BOOMERANG sluices through the phony-baloney silliness of Scottsdale society to reveal what's true. Excellent poolside reading, goes great with margaritas!

More Reviews...