Death Will Help You Leave Him, Liz's new mystery, out in October 2009

Elizabeth Zelvin, Mystery Writer

Death Will Get You Sober, my first mystery, was published by Thomas Dunne/St. Martin's Minotaur in 2008. The first in a series, it's a whodunit about recovery from alcoholism and codependency and also a story about friendship and second chances. The sequel, Death Will Help You Leave Him, appears in October 2009. It deals with addictive relationships. A related story, "Death Will Clean Your Closet," appeared in an anthology in 2007 and was nominated for an Agatha award for Best Short Story. Another story won an honorable mention in the Crimespace Short Story Contest and was accepted for publication in Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine.For more information, visit my author website at elizabethzelvin.com.

What Others Have Said

"Smooth prose and outstanding storytelling ability....a remarkable and strongly recommended first novel."
Library Journal

"A hell of a job....Great characters and a wonderful voice. Zelvin is an author to keep your eye on."
CrimespreeMagazine

Liz Zelvin, Poet

My first book, I Am the Daughter, came out in 1981,
and in 1983 I received a CAPS award in poetry from
the New York State Council on the Arts. My 1999 book,
Gifts and Secrets: Poems of the Therapeutic Relationship, expresses the love and connection between therapist and client and explores the themes of family, friendship,
aging, dying, and growth. It also takes a look
at the garden, whales, and the occasional mermaid.
I’m proud to say that, so far, no one has ever said,
“I didn’t understand your poems.” I hope you too
will find my work accessible, relevant, and moving.

What Others Have Said

“Liz Zelvin’s poetry carries off a rich and lyrical balancing act. It moves with dignity, poise, and humor into places of deep longing and moments of joyous celebration.”
Leslie Simon, poet, coauthor of A Music I No Longer Heard: The Early Death of a Parent

[Zelvin writes] “with humor, compassion and vigorous language…Early death, death in one’s prime, death just before one might have made a major contribution, these are the deaths that challenge the survivor’s maturity, which might be defined as the ability to find opportunity in an unjust universe. Through her poetry, Zelvin rises to the challenge….[with] her gift for connection….She has made that gift her art.”
Nancy Shiffrin, PhD, poet, author of The Holy Letters

[Gifts and Secrets] “would make an excellent gift for a friend…the passage of time, memories, gifts of nature, coping with death and dying: these are the major themes of…Zelvin’s poetry. Reading her…words is like having an intimate conversation with a newly made friend in the wee hours of the morning.”
Katherine van Wormer, PhD, professor and author

I grew up with hootenannies and the People’s Songbook as well as the Fireside Book of Folk Songs, sang a capella harmonies around the campfire at Girl Scout camp, spent countless hours sitting on the floor (high school) and the grass (college) with my guitar, and packed that guitar around the world in the Sixties. My aim as a songwriter is to touch your heart, sometimes your funnybone, and tell some of the many stories that have come my way over the years. In the past few years I’ve had the opportunity to learn from some outstanding singer/songwriters, especially Jimmie Dale Gilmore, Amy Fradon, and Bernice Lewis. I love to work with other musicians, especially accomplished instrumentalists and harmony vocalists.

Some other fine singer/songwriters and music resources

Page contents ©2001,2005, 2009 Elizabeth Zelvin. Revised page design ©2005, 2009 Elizabeth Zelvin and COIN Services. Webmaster: COIN Services. Original page design ©2001 Paradiso Interactive. Flower images adapted from and used by permission of JacquieLawson.com. All line drawings ©2001, 2005 Elizabeth Zelvin