Read an Excerpt of

      Heavenly Heights

      Read an Exceprt of
      My Before and After Life

My Before and After Life

St. Martin’s Press (January 19, 2010)
256 pp.

A story of the sometimes prickly relationship between adult
children and their parents

In Risa Miller’s new novel, the first since the highly acclaimed
Welcome to Heavenly Heights--one family member tries on a
faith that feels like a bad fit for the rest. Honey and Susan, two sisters in Boston, are shocked to learn that their elderly father has embraced Orthodox Judaism while on vacation in the Holy Land. His daughters fly to Israel to convince him to return, but when they get there they find it hard to communicate their concerns as he tries to educate them on the finer points of religious life. Honey feels abandoned and angry. But the anger turns into an emotion she can’t quite identify or accept during the course of the trip. And while she is still enraged, it becomes increasingly difficult for Honey to figure out exactly why she has condemned her father’s choice.

Advance praise for MY BEFORE AND AFTER LIFE

"This is a beautifully told family story--witty, intelligent, and quietly powerful.the conflicting claims of love and faith feels wonderfully close to the bone and grounded in hard-won truths." -- Elinor Lipman

"A unique and intriguing twist on the conflicts of faith and the family dynamic.a heartwarming and thought provoking novel"-- Binnie Kirshenbaum

"With wit, wisdom, and wonderful humour.explores the complicated relationships between adult children and parents, and believers and non-believers. This is a delightful and surprisingly profound novel."-- Margot Livesey

"This gorgeously written novel about connecting with the spiritual is transcendent."-- Caroline Leavitt

"Miller is extremely skilled in her exploration of religion as a personal decision, a profound experience and a source of surprise and wonder."-- Publisher's Week