Jay Barrett/KMXT

            Everyone knows the Biblical story of how God came to Moses in the form of a burning bush to inform him he must lead the Israelites out of Egypt and into the Promised Land. A new novel by Kodiak author Dave Kaplan puts a modern twist on that tale on a much smaller scale: Protagonist Leo Brotsky, who runs the family delicatessen in Hoboken, New Jersey, is told by God - through a burning bush - to lead his family to the promised land of Boca Raton, Florida. Kaplan talked about the book Tuesday on KMXT's Talk of the Rock with Jay Barrett.

--          (Burning Bush 1                     26 sec              "A lot of Jews in ... comes to mind: Boca Raton.")

            In the book, Brotsky must then convince his family that he has indeed spoken with God, and that indeed, they must leave the land of Jersey.

--          (Burning Bush 2                     34 sec              "Leo's father believes ... to convince his wife."

            How the family - especially his very skeptical mother-in-law - comes to trust Leo is the central theme of the book:

--          (Burning Bush 3                     48 sec              "The premise of the book ... and his family.")

            Kaplan, who is a filmmaker, said he originally conceived of the story as a screenplay:

--          (Burning Bush 4                     16 sec              "But after an epiphany ... into the novel.")

            He said some of his mother is in the character of Leo's wife, and the Brotsky family's rabbi is definitely based on the one he grew up with.

            The Burning Bush of Hoboken is available locally at The Next Page Bookstore, and as an e-book online.

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