Books
For fans of Ariel Lawhon and Rhys Bowen, Oppenheimer meets The Rose Code in this World War II novel of a young mother’s self-discovery as she is drawn into a love triangle with an atomic spy in Oak Ridge during the Manhattan Project.
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When nineteen-year-old Doris Friedman marries Rob in 1941 and has a sickly, premature baby, she trades in her dreams of being a concert pianist or a lawyer to become the ideal wife and mother. Within months, Rob is recruited to work on the Manhattan Project, and the young family moves to Oak Ridge, Tennessee.
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Just like fission splits an atom’s nucleus, Doris’s marriage threatens to break her heart in two as she is left struggling to nurture her daughter while Rob works around the clock. In an effort to find connection, Doris befriends Betty, a Southern debutante. Even though they come from different backgrounds, the two women sustain each other through difficult moments: Betty’s miscarriage, Rob’s radiation exposure, and his subsequent attempt to enlist to fight at the front.
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Despite her attempts to make life in Oak Ridge work, Doris falls for an army engineer—only to realize that he may be a Soviet spy. Should she turn him in and risk losing her marriage? As the end of the war nears, Doris must decide what’s most important—and what she’s willing to lose.
TO BE PUBLISHED BY SHEWRITES PRESS, JANUARY 27, 2026
Praise and Reviews
“I found it enjoyable to read and very believable as it describes life in Oak Ridge well.”
Now available for preorder
Fission (2026)
A Novel of Atomic Heartbreak
D. Ray Smith, City of Oak Ridge Historian
"An evocative, richly detailed portrayal of love and betrayal during one of history’s most secretive operations. The dialogue is masterfully penned to give us these nuances without ever having to spoon-feed it. The themes of patriotism, loyalty, and identity build gently into a powerful and impactful story that I’ll certainly remember long after setting it down. A compelling blend of history, romance, and moral complexity that I would highly recommend.”
K. C. Finn, author and reviewer for Readers' Favorites
"Fission touches on the moral issues faced by those who took part in the Manhattan Project and delves into the constraints imposed on women who dared to harbor ambitions beyond being homemakers and mothers. Fission offers an interesting and highly accessible account of this world-changing time and place.”
Galina Vromen, author of Hill of Secrets
"The story is inspired by the author's parents, and the research that went into it was an education for me. The young wife who is suddenly thrust into this town from a life in Chicago finds it hard to adjust. Any reader who's had to move because of her husband's job will sympathise as she tries to find a way to make things work. Silence and secrets make everything more difficult for her, and the dangerous research and possible Russian spies in their midst add elements of drama to heighten the action. Recommended for book clubs, because there's a lot to discuss here."
Gabi Coatsworth, author of A Beginner's Guide to Starting Over
Boundaries
A Novel
A psychologist is supposed to keep her private life—private. But what if her new patient knows all too much about her?
Dr. Rina Ostrov is burned out, despite her professional success. She ended her long-distance relationship with a narcissistic psychiatrist, Philippe, only to find that he has moved nearby and is hawking a self-help book, The Paleo Dyad, with his current wife. To add to Rina’s worries, she cannot figure out why her new patient, Lilah, is so hostile. Lilah is a volatile incest survivor but has qualities that Rina envies: unusual beauty, a baby on the way, and a tech mogul husband. After in-session tensions climax, Lilah confesses that she has been testing Rina before enlisting her help in exposing Philippe’s malpractice. Philippe had sex with Lilah during therapy in the guise of “treating” her sexual problems. Can these two women work together despite jealousy and distrust in order to protect others from an unethical doctor?
Rina reluctantly continues to treat Lilah, consulting with a colleague. They file a case to revoke Philippe’s medical license. When Philippe is called to testify before the medical board, he devises a plan to silence his accusers for good.
FINAL DRAFT, QUERIES IN PROGRESS
Golden Pearls
A Novel
One in eight American women will have breast cancer and one in forty-three will die from it. Julia’s story is not about “fighting cancer,” but about living with grace and humor, and finding meaning until the last minute.
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Julia was successfully treated for breast cancer seven years ago, but as a physician, she knows that cancer cells can lurk, floating around the bloodstream until a napping immune system allows them to take root. During a Hawaiian vacation to celebrate retirement with her lover, she discovers new lumps. Determined to stay vital, she splurges on a necklace of golden pearls.
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Julia endures a string of tests and treatments. She is not fooled by TV ads that mask drug side effects with gauzy scenes of women living their best lives. Her boyfriend ghosts her but she finds solace with a fellow cancer survivor who has desired her since their residency years. She explores the black hole of her astrophysicist son’s mind and bonds with her prickly daughter-in-law, who is going through IVF.
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Metastasis by metastasis, cancer dims Julia’s hopes. Her self-centered sister nags her to try an endless stream of bogus remedies. She gets a hospice counselor fired after he claims that an atheist cannot have a good death. In the end, Julia learns what is most important in life and what she hopes to leave behind for the people she loves.
FIRST DRAFT IN PROGRESS