“So how is this different from all of those other Holocaust novels?” a literary agent who was considering representing my first novel asked in an e-mail years ago.  I wasn’t offended by the question – I knew what he meant and so I replied with a detailed and passionate answer about one young woman’s story of survival against the odds and the true historical events that had inspired the book.  He liked my answer and took on representation THE KOMMANDANT’S GIRL. Years later, as I’ve been promoting my latest novel, THE THINGS WE CHERISHED, which is also set during the Second World War, I’ve had the chance to reflect upon a similar question: what keeps bringing me – and my readers – back to this troubled time period? I was always captivated by stories set during World War II, even as a child. And my love for the topic was solidified during my years living in Poland and working on Holocaust issues for the State Department and becoming close to many survivors. But I know I’m not alone in my passion as either a writer or reader – the bestseller lists of recent years have been flush with wonderful stories…