"Shelter from the Texas Heat" Listed in Top 50 JFK Books

ATLANTA - Dec. 4, 2013 - PRLog -- Award-winning novel Shelter from the Texas Heat by Bobbi Kornblit was selected by the American Library Association as one of the 50 best novels about JFK. Listed in an article in BookList Online, Kornblit’s tale that is set in Dallas and Austin during the “Kennedy Camelot Years” of the 1960s to the present, is included with other works of fiction by noted authors such as Stephen King, Don DeLillo, and Richard Condon.

Compared in reviews to The Help and The Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood, Shelter from the Texas Heat has garnered awards, including the Multicultural-Fiction category of the National Indie Excellence Awards and Best Book/Women’s Fiction for the NABE Pinnacle Achievement Awards.

The novel shows the aftermath of the JFK tragedy, and how it affected a schoolgirl and her family for years to come—one of the few books in the marketplace that is not focused on the conspiracy, but on the human drama. It is about the coming-of-age of the characters, and of America itself.

Kornblit stated, “The novel is fiction, but the chapter about JFK reflects my personal experience growing up in Dallas, where the assassination took place ‘in my own backyard.’” The city of Dallas suffered for years from being painted with a negative brush, and now it proudly presents an image of decades of change and social growth, as reflected in Mayor Mike Rawlings’ remarks in Dealey Plaza at the commemoration on November 22.”

Protagonist Rachel and her best friend P.J. Rutherford, the daughter of a Texas tycoon, share their adventures from childhood to adulthood. As schoolgirls, they learn about the shooting of JFK during recess, an event that shows Rachel that not even the president of the United States is safe from violence.

Adult Rachel seems to have it all: a happy marriage, a house in a prestigious neighborhood, and a daughter who is a coed at UT Austin. Then suddenly, Rachel’s world turns upside down, and that’s when the page-turner heats up.

The work of fiction attracts readers of a wide range of ages because it blends the tales of three generations of women. Although there are plenty of laughs and some quirky Texans in the story, Kornblit tackles some tough subjects: the notion random violence, and racial and religious prejudice. The multicultural book is sprinkled with Yiddish and Spanish, in a diverse cast of characters. Fans report that they laugh, cry and cheer while reading the fast-paced book.

Although the main spotlight has moved from the 50^th anniversary of the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, a new generation has become more aware of the impact he had on the nation. Shelter from the Texas Heat captures the pain of the tragic loss, but above all, the novel is about keeping secrets and the power of friendship.

Kornblit currently instructs advanced grammar at Emory's Professional Learning Programs in Atlanta, Georgia. For over a decade, she covered the arts for newspapers. She graduated from The University of Texas at Austin and holds a Master of Arts in Professional Writing degree from Kennesaw State University.

Shelter from the Texas Heat is available in print and ebook. Visit www.ShelterfromtheTexasHeat.com

Kornblit is a frequent speaker at book clubs and literary conferences. For a complete list of events, please visit www.BobbiKornblit.com.

Contact info@peachtwigpress.com

Author: Bobbi Kornblit

Publisher: Peach Twig Press

Paperback and e-book

Pages: 324

www.BobbiKornblit.com (http://www.PeachTwigPress.com)

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