Barbara Stark-Nemon is the author of the award-winning novels, Even in Darkness (historical fiction) and Hard Cider (contemporary women’s fiction).
Her historical novel, Isabela’s Way that arrived in September, 2025.
In early-seventeenth-century Portugal, Spain, France, and Germany, dangers are plentiful—especially for those of Jewish heritage. Non-Catholics have been expelled from Spain, and the Inquisition has now come to Portugal to impose its prohibitions. Fourteen-year-old Isabela, an obedient “New Christian” with a talent for needlework, believes she has nothing to fear from the Inquisition. But when a mysterious woman arrives with a message from Isabela’s traveling father, the girl must leave her home and embroider her way along the clandestine network of sanctuaries created to conduct Conversos, or secret Jews, to safety.
Barbara lives in Ann Arbor and Northport, Michigan. She has degrees in English literature, art history and speech-language pathology from the University of Michigan and worked with deaf and language disabled children. Even in Darkness is historical fiction based on a family story in 20th century Germany. Hard Cider, contemporary fiction, is set in northern Michigan, and her Fall, 2025 novel is a 17th century European coming of age refugee story.
Read more Thursday in the newspaper!
