Today I’m delighted to be sharing an excerpt from Victoria Atamian Waterman’s newly released novel, Who She Left Behind, as part of a blog tour hosted by The Coffee Pot Book Club.

Blurb

Who She Left Behind is a captivating historical fiction novel that spans generations and delves into the emotional lives of its characters. Set in various time periods, from the declining days of the Ottoman Empire in Turkey in 1915 to the Armenian neighborhoods of Rhode Island and Massachusetts in the 1990s, the novel completely immerses its reader in a lesser-known era and the untold stories of the brave and resilient women who became the pillars of reconstructed communities after the Armenian Genocide.

It is a story of survival, motherhood, love, and redemption based on the recounted stories from the author’s own family history. The narrative is framed by a mysterious discovery made almost six decades later of a pair of Armenian dolls left at a gravesite.

Excerpt

The night before Lucy’s wedding, Vicky crawled into bed long after midnight, sore and chilled, but the dress and veil were finished and pressed, waiting on a hanger for the bride to arrive before church in the morning.

“You give us all so much, my love,” Pesa whispered into the dark. “I hope your sister knows how fortunate she is in you.”

Vicky kissed her husband’s shoulder and lay still while his breathing slowed, and he slipped back into sleep. Her heart banged against her chest, as though all her secrets might burst from her chest.

I failed everyone who needed me most.
I failed my living child. I lost her forever.
I lied to everyone I loved and hid her from the world.
I failed our baby girl. My body wasn’t strong enough to keep her alive.
I failed you, my love.

Rolling over, Vicky let her silent tears soak into the pillowcase. She would not fail Lucy and that would make up for all the secrets.

Who She Left Behind is available via the links below
Universal links: Hardcover • Ebook
Amazon UK • Amazon US • Amazon CA • Amazon AU
Barnes&Noble • Kobo • Historium Press

Victoria Atamian Waterman

Victoria Atamian Waterman is an Armenian American storyteller and speaker who draws inspiration from the quirky multigenerational, multilingual home in which she was raised with her grandparents, survivors of the Armenian Genocide.

Her empowerment of today’s women and girls makes her voice ideal for telling the little-known stories of yesterday’s women leaders. Her TED Talk, Today’s Girls are Tomorrow’s Leaders has been seen by thousands of viewers. When she is not writing and speaking, she is reading, puzzle-making and volunteering.

Victoria lives in Rhode Island and is enjoying this next chapter of life with her husband, children, and grandchildren. Who She Left Behind is her first novel. 

For more information about Victoria and her writing click on the links below
Website • Facebook • Facebook Author Page
LinkedIn • LinkedIn Author Page • Instagram

More information on the Coffee Pot Book Club and other works of quality historical fiction can be found on Twitter and Instagram.

Book Title: Who She Left Behind
Author: Victoria Atamian Waterman
Publication Date: 17 October 2023
Publisher: Historium Press
Page Length: 230 Pages
Genre: Historical Fiction