As my son says, “We are all the things.” Ours is a truly multicultural and multiracial household—Black, White, and Jewish. Our holidays beautifully blend my Black Mississippi roots with Jewish traditions. For example, Hanukkah in our home has become a “fry fest.” We celebrate with latkes, fried chicken, and sufganiyot, infusing Southern and Jewish flavors into a big dinner on the first night of Hanukkah.

In our first house, we discovered that all of our neighbors were Catholic. One day, there was a knock at the door, and a mom from down the street stood on my porch. With a shy smile, she asked if we could teach her boys how to play dreidel. Although they were Catholic, she wanted her three sons to learn about different holiday traditions. From that simple request, our annual Hanukkah party was born.

Every year, all the Catholic kids and their parents from our street would come to our house to light candles, devour as many latkes and sufganiyot as I could make, and join a raucous game of dreidel. Everyone went home with a bag of gelt and their own dreidel.

The kids are all grown now, but whenever I run into any of them, they still reminisce about those Hanukkah parties. We laugh about how there’s a whole group of Catholic kids who know the rules of dreidel and can recite the Hanukkah blessings!

Those Hanukkah parties and our multiracial family inspired Dreidel Date and A Homemade Hanukkah. I love writing romance with characters and worlds that reflect the diversity of our family, friends, and neighbors. I also think it’s important to show the diversity within the Jewish community. You know the old saying, “Funny, you don’t look Jewish”? Well, there’s some truth in that. Jews come in all hues and from a wide variety of cultures and backgrounds. It’s an honor to have the privilege of sharing just a small glimpse into the diverse experiences and perspectives within the Jewish community, in the stories I tell.

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Meet the Author

I’m Eliana West. I’m passionate about writing stories that captivate readers and incorporate diverse characters and blend them with the rich backdrop of history. Love, hope, and history are the key ingredients that I bring to my stories that reflect the diversity of the world we live in. My books will tug at your heartstrings and keep you spellbound.

When I’m not busy helping my characters find their happily ever after, you can find me on an adventure with my husband in our Volkswagen Westfalia, lovingly named Bianca. We love exploring small towns and wineries around the Pacific Northwest and beyond. I have two wonderful children, a daughter, and a son who are now making their way in the world. They are loving, kind, and compassionate, and every day I’m proud I get to be their mom.

But it’s not just about storytelling for me. I’m also an advocate for diversity in literature. In fact, I started a Facebook group called Writers for Diversity back in 2017. It’s a place where writers can come together, have meaningful conversations, and promote inclusivity in storytelling. I want to encourage writers all over the world to create diverse characters and build immersive worlds that truly reflect the beautiful tapestry of humanity.

In 2022, I was honored to have won the Nancy Pearl Award for genre fiction for my book, The Way Home.

So that’s me! Eliana West, the storyteller, adventurer, and diversity advocate. It’s all about crafting captivating tales while making a positive impact on the world.

Website: www.elianawest.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/elianawestauthor 
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