This talk explores the personal journey behind Abigail’s Song. Although the novel is set in 19th-century England, its themes: prejudice, the search for religious freedom, and finding oneself through faith—are drawn from my own life. I grew up Jewish in the USSR, where discrimination was woven into daily existence and identity was something to hide rather than celebrate. After emigrating to the United States in 1991, my path led first to a long career in IT, and eventually—after more than two decades—to writing historical fiction.