Kelli Christiansen’s After the End Explores a Holocaust Survivor’s Journey to Rebuild a Life After World War II

MEDIA: Request a review copy or an interview with the author.

SAN DIEGO, CA, UNITED STATES, October 21, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Sibylline Press announces the release of After the End: A Postwar Novel, by Kelli Christiansen, a moving work of historical fiction that explores the aftermath of World War II through the journey of a Holocaust survivor. Examining the challenges of life after unimaginable loss, Christiansen’s novel considers what it means to move forward, reclaim a sense of self, and find a path toward a future shaped by both memory and possibility.

For Sarah Morgenstern, the end of the war is only the beginning of the battle. On May 2, 1945, the gates of Wöbbelin concentration camp swing open. But for Sarah, liberation is not a celebration. It marks an emptiness she does not yet know how to fill. Clad in a ragged uniform and stripped of everything but her will to live, she is no longer a prisoner, yet she is far from free.

Now labeled a “displaced person,” Sarah must navigate a fractured world of barbed wire and bureaucracy under the watchful eyes of her American liberators. From the crowded barracks of Feldafing to a desk as a translator for the U.S. Army, she begins a painful search for what remains of her family and the girl she once was.

In the chaotic year that follows, Sarah confronts the shadows of her past while daring to imagine a future beyond them. After the End is a luminous story of survival after survival, of grief and resilience, and of the fragile, stubborn hope that makes a new beginning possible even after everything has been lost.

“What happened after the end of World War II for thousands of Holocaust survivors is a little-known story that needed telling. Kelli Christiansen has risen to the challenge in this beautifully told historical fiction,” said Vicki DeArmon, publisher of Sibylline Press.

Kelli Christiansen will celebrate the release of her debut novel, After the End: A Postwar Novel, on Thursday, November 5, at 6 p.m. at the Glen Ellyn Public Library in Glen Ellyn, Illinois. She will share insights into her writing process, present short readings from the novel, and participate in a Q&A with attendees. More info: HERE

Advanced Praise for After the End:

“A Jewish girl searches for her family in the aftermath of the Holocaust in Christiansen’s historical novel... The novel’s strengths are its characters, especially the determined Sarah, who will no doubt serve as an inspirational heroine.” --Kirkus Reviews

“Christiansen’s nuanced debut details a Holocaust survivor’s journey after WWI… the result will move readers.” --Publishers Weekly

“After the End is a must-read novel that puts flesh on the bones of what it truly means, on the individual level, to begin—and live—again.” --Patricia Crisafulli, New York Times bestselling author of the Ohnita Harbor Mystery Series

About the Author
Kelli Christiansen has spent her career in publishing as a writer, editor, agent, instructor, and bookseller. Her work has appeared in various media, including Chicago Book Review; Chicago Life; Faith, Hope & Fiction; Midwest Book Review; Midwestern Gothic; and San Francisco Book Review. She graduated cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts in journalism from Northern Illinois University, and she earned a Master of Liberal Arts (MLA) from University of Chicago.

After the End: A Postwar Novel
By Kelli Christiansen
Historical Fiction
ISBN: 9798897400324
Trade Paperback: $21.00
380 Pages
October 20, 2026
Published by Sibylline Press — Publishing the brilliant work of women authors over 50.

About Sibylline Press:
Sibylline Press publishes the brilliant work of women authors over 50, exclusively. Founded in August 2022, Sibylline is owned by ten women of a certain age. The press currently publishes nearly 50 titles a year. Sibylline Press titles encompass the genres of fiction (commercial and literary, as well as mystery, adventure, fantasy, and romance) plus memoir and writing craft. Sibylline Press takes its name from the Sibylline Scrolls, the ancient writings of wise older women, the Sibyls. More at sibyllinepress.com; and follow us on FB and IG @sibyllinepress.

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JMPR
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