Author Discovers Half-sister At Book Signing In Norway

What began arsenic a quiet book signing successful Oslo became nan crippled twist of a life for Nina B. Lichtenstein, a writer from Maine and autochthonal of Norway.

As she signed nan last transcript of her memoir, a female approached her table, smiled, and said words that would alteration everything: “Hi, I’m Heidi. I’m your sister.”

Lichtenstein, who was promoting her caller book Body: My Life successful Parts astatine nan Literature House successful Oslo, was stunned. Heidi went connected to explicate that they shared nan aforesaid father, who had initially denied paternity successful 1963 earlier nan matter was later confirmed successful court. “I was calved 2 years earlier you,” Heidi said, showing documents proving nan relationship.

The writer wrote successful HuffPost that nan infinitesimal was “a chaotic operation of joy, sadness and shock.” The 2 women hugged and exchanged numbers, some promising to support successful touch. “I’d ever wished for a bigger family,” she added. “And present was my wish, successful nan soma – a large sister.”

Their father, who died successful 2012, was a colourful fig successful Oslo’s history. Nina described him arsenic affectionate yet eccentric, known for a drawstring of ineligible troubles, including taxation evasion. But he was a devoted begetter to Nina and her younger sister.

Ironically, Heidi now useful successful nan Norwegian constabulary department, dealing pinch confiscated items for illustration intoxicant and weapons – a occupation that erstwhile brought her crossed her father’s sanction successful charismatic archives. It was during this investigation that she decided to scope out, saying she wanted to link “for nan liking of my children.”

Raised separately successful nan coastal municipality of Molde, Heidi had grown up pinch her grandparents and without a begetter figure. The 2 sisters person since exchanged countless WhatsApp messages, photos and family stories, pinch plans to reunite connected Lichtenstein’s adjacent sojourn to Norway.

Reflecting connected nan encounter, Lichtenstein said it gave caller meaning to her father’s aged advice: “Write to nan assemblage of one.” “I now realise,” she said, “I unknowingly wrote this book for my half-sister.”

Her memoir, published successful May 2025 by Vine Leaves Press, explores memory, personality and nan assemblage done a bid of essays, but this latest section of her life, she admits, “no writer could person scripted better.”

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