About the Author: Maya Ross
Maya Ross is a fiction writer who met Holocaust survivor Abe Peck while serving on the board of a not-for-profit philanthropic organization, and was so fascinated by his tale of courage and survival that she set out to write his true life story. Out of all the different writing projects Maya has worked on - from children's books to young adult to a legal thriller - she is the most proud of this one. Delving into Abe's heart-wrenching saga of tragedy and loss took her far outside her comfort zone, into a sinister world of unfathomable evil far scarier than any she could have imagined.
Having been deeply disturbed by a visit to Anne Frank's house years ago as a college student, Maya could never have anticipated writing a book on the Holocaust. In fact, prior to working with Abe, Maya had never met a survivor and was unnerved by all things Holocaust. It was only after meeting Abe and other survivors that she was struck by their remarkable stories and the urgency to tell them before it’s too late.
About halfway through the first draft of Abe's story, it occurred to Maya that in order to reach the broadest possible audience and have the greatest appeal to younger generations, she needed to do more than just write his epic tale—she needed to share it visually as well. This is when her simple print book evolved into a multimedia video book project, one that she hopes will attract the interest of students and educators around the globe. There is no better way for future generations to gain a true understanding of what happened to the Jewish people of Europe during the Holocaust than for them to experience it firsthand, through the eyewitness account of a survivor.
Maya spent countless hours interviewing Abe in order to write this book, and she enjoyed every moment. Unfortunately, because of health issues, Abe is no longer able to visit schools and personally tell his incredible story, which makes his video book invaluable. He will be able to continue to teach others about the importance of tolerance and acceptance in perpetuity, giving his extraordinary life the utmost meaning.