Empress Editions : Pre-order now for you and your bookclub, and I will come via Zoom to answer q.s—My discovery is the miracle of Substack: Empress Editions read me, found me, will publish the book! Heart and hope and courage hold me!
Who by Fire is told by Robert, Lena’s husband, as he attempts to understand her affair with Isaac, an affair he’s become aware of after her death. He imagines the story of his wife and her lover. Robert, the narrator, is trying to know himself in the story he is writing as he tells his imagined version of his wife’s betrayal. The story becomes a paradoxical tale of his own undoing that he comes to realize by telling it.
Robert Olen Butler, winner of the Pulitzer says: Mary L. Tabor’s Who by Fire is a lovely, innovative, deeply engaging novel about how it is that human beings make their way through the mysteries of existence.
Lee Martin, finalist for the Pulitzer says: Mary L. Tabor’s Who by Fire is a lyric meditation on love and desire, one that will catch you up in the blaze of its eroticism, its tender evocation of love and the passions and accommodations of a life lived through the flesh and through the imagination. Can memory lead to forgiveness? Who by Fire explores that question in a story I won’t soon forget. The beauty of the prose, the nuances of the characters, the ever-building plot—everything is in place for a novel that will touch you in all the right ways.
Matthew Long (here on Substack): This is a poignant novel about love, loss, and forgiveness. Narrated by Robert, a widower reflecting on his late wife Lena's infidelity, the story explores his journey to understand their relationship and come to terms with his grief. Tabor's lyrical prose and symbolic depth create an emotionally rich narrative that examines the complexities of human connection, betrayal, and healing. Its poetic storytelling and nuanced portrayal of relationships make it a compelling exploration of the human condition.
This is a great idea, Mary. I'm going to save this page.