Shirley Russak Wachtel is the author of the just-released novel, The Music Makers, a touching exploration of the struggles and triumphs of five individuals living in upstate New York.  The author of the acclaimed memoir, My Mother’s Shoes, which follows her mother’s journey during the Holocaust and as a new American citizen, she currently teaches English at a college in New Jersey and holds a Doctor of Letters Degree from Drew University.  She is also the author of a book of poetry, In the Mellow Light, several books for children, and a series, Spotlight on Reading, a college-level text.  Her personal essays have been published in The New York Times OpEd section.  Her short stories and poems have appeared in various literary journals.