Award-winning author Ellen Kushner reads from her charming children’s book The Golden Dreidel and talks about how it developed out of a yearning for Jewish kids to have a Chanukah “Nutcracker.”
She and Sally also talked about her queer fantasy cult classic Swordspoint and other her novels.
Their discussion then winded around to an exploration of the characters of the biblical Book of Esther, through a feminist lens, and Ellen’s performance piece “Esther: Feast of Masks” which brings that story to life through four modern characters inspired by Esther and Vashti.
In addition, Ellen and Sally explored how being Jewish has influenced her work and her life, with stories about her grandparents’ Judaism as well as our modern day interpretations of our heritage.
About Ellen Kushner
In addition to The Golden Dreidel, Ellen Kushner is the author of Thomas the Rhymer (World Fantasy and Mythopoeic awards), the interconnected novels Swordspoint, The Privilege of the Sword (Locus Award, Nebula nominee), and The Fall of the Kings (written with Delia Sherman). She narrated these as audiobooks for Neil Gaiman Presents (Audie Award). With Holly Black, she co-edited Welcome to Bordertown. Ellen was also the longtime host of the national public radio show Sound & Spirit. She has taught creative writing at Clarion, the Odyssey Workshop, and is an instructor at Hollins University’s Children’s Literature M.F.A. program. She lives in New York City with Delia Sherman and no cats whatsoever. Visit her website at EllenKushner.com and her Substack at substack.com/@ellenkushner
About Sally Wiener Grotta
Sally Wiener Grotta (she/her), the host of Judith Magazine’s Tell Me More video interviews, is an award-winning writer, photographer, and speaker. Her most recent book is Daughters of Eve (Bayit Publishing), an essay-based discussion workbook and journaling guide that mines the tales of biblical female archetypes to explore modern life, concerns, and crises. Her experience as a globetrotting journalist covering a wide diversity of cultures flavors her stories, art, and presentations with a sense of wonder, appreciation for human potential, and a healthy dose of common sense. Grotta is a member of the Authors Guild and SFWA. Visit her website at SallyWienerGrotta.com and her Substack at SallyWienerGrotta.substack.com.
