About Diana Spechler

Diana Spechler’s writing has appeared or is forthcoming in Glimmer Train Stories, Nerve, Moment, Lilith, and elsewhere. She received her MFA degree from the University of Montana and was a Steinbeck Fellow at San Jose State University. She lives in New York City, where she is at work on her second novel.

A Rabbi Walks Into A Bar

By Diana Spechler February 14, 2009

There are lots of jokes that begin, "A rabbi walks into a bar." Sometimes the punch line comes immediately: "And he said ‘Ouch.’" But more often, in the jokes, he’s with a clergy member from another religion. "A rabbi and … Read More

Valentine’s Day Top Ten

By Diana Spechler February 12, 2009

I’ve noticed a pattern in my posts this week: I’ve been making lists. Lists indicate a tendency toward organization, which I fail to exhibit elsewhere in my life. So in honor of my newfound organizational skills and of the upcoming … Read More

The Inevitable Awkwardness of Book Readings

By Diana Spechler February 11, 2009

Since my debut novel hit the shelves in September, I’ve given about thirty public readings. I gave one yesterday, and I’m giving another one tonight (New Yorkers, I’d love to see you there…details at the bottom of this post). Readings … Read More

Ways to Spot a Miracle

By Diana Spechler February 10, 2009

Yesterday was Tu B’shvat, which falls between Chanukah, the holiday of miracles, and Purim, the holiday that, according to Talmud, is "the end of all miracles." In other words, this is a miraculous time, which is great, because who doesn’t … Read More

25 Things You Didn’t Know about Diana Spechler

By Diana Spechler February 9, 2009

Diana Spechler, author of Who By Fire, is guest blogging this week as one of Jewcy‘s Lit Klatsch bloggers.  Her novel is about a family’s struggle for survival after the youngest daughter is abducted.  I wanted to start my week of guest-blogging with … Read More