Author Helen Schwartz

The City of Light in the dark years of Nazi Occupation is the setting of my story. I’ve researched the topic of Nazi art theft and the glorious and beleaguered history of Jews in France for many years. Thieves of Paris brings these two interests together.

My publications

Author, software programmer, on-line educator, murder mystery writer. In my career as university professor and then as mystery writer I’ve enjoyed many jobs and produced quite a range of publications large and small.

Thieves of Paris, my historical suspense novel, is my first published book-length fiction. In addition I’ve published  two short stories. (Both stories are available on-line under my Writings tab.)

My life changed when I explored the use of computers in teaching the humanities. I published the first writing textbook, Interactive Writing, to incorporate word processing in writing instruction. My award-winning computer software, SEEN, became the basis of a federal grant from the National Science Foundation. And I worked as lead writer and editor with a team writing an on-line course on a contract with the Institute for Museum and Library Services (IMLS).

In addition, I published several articles on literary criticism and then free-lance articles on a variety of subjects.

Education

English degrees–BA from Cornell University, MA and PhD from the University of Washington.

Prestigious institutions where I learned a lot. Why is it then that I feel the place where I learned to think was  at Monroe High School in Rochester, NY? The other great learning experiences were from what my students taught me and what I’ve learned from my writing group.

“I learn by going where I have to go.” Theodore Roethke