Waiting for Beirut
First generation Lebanese-American George Lahoud is a young man with dreams of a career in medicine, far from the immigrant life of his family. However, he must put aside his studies in Washington DC and return home to Danbury, Connecticut to run the family’ s market when his father becomes terminally ill.
As George settles reluctantly into the life he longed to leave, he faces the weight of family and community expectations. He marries Eleanor Rizkallah, the daughter of a wealthy and respected local Lebanese businessman. On the surface, this is a picture-perfect coupling, but on their honeymoon trip to Beirut, disaster manifests in the unlikely personage of Andros Seleukos, a young war veteran and painter. George’ s heart opens up, and he experiences a love that he’ s never allowed himself to imagine.
Rebecca Dimyan is an award-winning writer, editor, and teacher. Her work has been published in national and international publications including Vox, the CT Post, YahooHealth, 34th Parallel, Glassworks Magazine, The Mighty and many others. She has taught college writing at several universities in Connecticut for nearly a decade. Rebecca is also an experienced editor and conference director. Her memoir Chronic was published in 2023 and delves into her experience with chronic illness and alternative medicine. Waiting for Beirut is her debut novel and a finalist for the 2021 Fairfield Book Prize.