Jesus versus the Volcano

This is one of those “hour of need” posts. I was going to paraphrase Lavie Tidhar, but why bother, when he’s such a great writer?

Two months ago Liz and I moved to Israel for the first time. We were getting married (‘At last!’ as friends were heard to comment) and we wanted it to be a special occasion, with many of our friends and family. Our wedding was a simple affair in Cyprus (we can’t legally get married in Israel, thanks to Israel’s medieval religious law) followed by a large party on the shores of the Sea of Galilee back in Israel. We had just moved into our new apartment, a one-bedroom place in Jaffa, and were looking forward to seeing all our guests, finally getting the promised sofa cushions, and then settling into a new life together – in my case writing the third book I’m contracted for with Angry Robot Books.

We had a wonderful wedding. We had a wonderful party. Our amazing friends came from all over – people we’d met in Russia, in Vanuatu, in England. Liz’s mum came, and our friends who have a gorgeous four year old kid, Jack (the life and soul of any party). Our teacher friends came from London, and our friend Rob, last seen in Africa fifteen years ago, flew in the day before to surprise us. So many people came, to be with us and travel around for a few days and go for a drink or a meal and celebrate.

Then came the volcano in Iceland.

And now our wedding guests, our lovely, patient, wonderful guests, are stuck in Israel.

Through no fault of their own. And they have to get back – to jobs, and houses being renovated, and children left behind – and they can’t.

Lavie and his guests need your help.

Please,  please, please head on over to the Apex Blog to read the rest of this post, plus the first instalment in Lavie’s Jesus and the Eightfold Path and see how you can help.