Alumna Lisajoy Sachs ’92 (B.F.A.) has had a busy year, publishing two award-winning historical novels over a nine-month period. Bright One, the first novel in a planned six-book series, was published in October 2025, followed by Golden Flight in July 2026.
The Bright One series, published by Historium Press, grew from an extraordinary collection of family photographs, letters, documents, and heirlooms preserved across generations, Sachs explained. Using this archive alongside extensive historical research, she has transformed the experiences of her own family into historical fiction, following their lives through Europe and the Middle East during the turbulent years surrounding the Holocaust.
The first two novels have already earned seven literary honors. Bright One was named a Distinguished Favorite for Religious Fiction by the Independent Press Awards, a Finalist in Women’s Fiction in the International Book Awards, and a Storytrade Awards Finalist in both Women’s Fiction and Historical Religious Fiction. Golden Flight was named a Winner for Historical Religious Fiction in both the International Book Awards and the Storytrade Awards, as well as a Storytrade Awards Finalist for Young Adult Fiction Adventure.
Since the publication of Bright One, Sachs has been traveling for author appearances, book festivals, book clubs, and community programs, where she speaks not only about the novels but also about the remarkable family archive behind them and the importance of preserving family history. She is currently working on the third novel in the six-book series as well as a new time-travel novel.
After earning her B.F.A. from Alfred in 1992, Sachs went on to earn an M.F.A. from Queens College, City University of New York. She now lives in New York’s Catskill Mountains, where life has brought her back to something else she loved during her Alfred years: the mountains. A member of the ski team while at Alfred, she is still skiing today, as well as hiking and spending as much time outdoors as possible.
“My years at Alfred remain an important part of who I am as an artist,” she said. “Although my medium has changed over the years, from the visual arts to writing novels, storytelling and creativity have remained at the center of my life. There is something especially meaningful about looking back at where that creative life began and being able to share where it has taken me more than thirty years later.”