What interested you in this kind of work?<\/strong><\/p>\n I studied literature in college, a passion of mine from as early as I can remember, so the importance of both having literature in my own life as I moved forward, and helping to cultivate that interest in others has been one of my key drivers. In academic environments, reading and literature are a natural part of the culture, but beyond these institutions it often requires effort to both keep up with one\u2019s reading and also create situations in which one can engage with others about what they\u2019re reading. On the Jewish side, I grew up in a family that took Judaism very seriously and was surrounded (literally, wall to wall in some rooms) by both Jewish and secular texts.<\/p>\n I know that you have done a great deal with using the Web and social media to create a presence for Jewish books.\u00a0How does the Internet affect reading habits?<\/strong><\/p>\n I think the Internet is a very exciting place for the literary community and has created many new paths for discovery for readers and many new opportunities for authors to find their readers. Essentially, in a way, it mirrors what has always existed \u2014 mega-sites serving a similar function as big-box stores that sell books and smaller, literary sites serving a role that\u2019s similar to independent bookstores (with both usually working in tandem with their physical counterpart). But it has expanded opportunities across the board. People have more access to authors and more opportunities to engage with others about their ideas \u2014 even if they\u2019re not geographically in the same area \u2014 including publishers.<\/p>\n \u00a0What literary sites do you recommend?<\/strong><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/strong>For all things Jewish and literary, obviously everyone should be using\u00a0Jewish Book Council<\/a>‘s online resources, but for more general literary resources, some of my favorite sites include\u00a0Electric Literature<\/a>,\u00a0PEN American Center<\/a>,\u00a0Largehearted Boy<\/a>,\u00a0One Story<\/a>,\u00a0MobyLives!<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0Words Without Borders<\/a>, among others!<\/p>\n Who are your favorite Jewish authors?\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n My list is constantly changing, and I work with so many incredible authors, that this is truly an impossible question to answer! I can say, though, that in the current crop of writers, I\u2019m very excited about the most recent batch of Sami Rohr Prize winners and finalists:\u00a0Ayelet Tsabari<\/a>, Kenneth Bonert, Molly Antopol, Boris Fishman and Yelena Akhtiorskaya. And of course, I\u2019m over the moon about the nine authors who are participating in JBC\u2019s literary series Unpacking the Book: Jewish Writers in Conversation. You can find all of their names\u00a0here<\/a>.<\/p>\n Do you have time to keep up with all the required\u00a0reading, and do you have time to read any non-Jewish authors?<\/strong><\/p>\n It\u2019s definitely difficult to keep up, as I\u2019m also in two book clubs, both of which started about a year after college and are still going strong. I do the best I can though and always have a towering stack of books at my bedside, much to my husband\u2019s chagrin! I don’t have time to read books by non-Jewish authors, but I make time! I think it’s important for me both personally and professionally to be in tune with what’s happening in the literary scene in general as well as filling in classics, Jewish and non-Jewish, along the way.<\/p>\n What Jewish literary trends have you been noticing lately?<\/strong><\/p>\n One of the most obvious trends has been the influence of immigrant. Both as Americans and as Jews, we are a nation of immigrants and this is represented in our literature.\u00a0We’re also seeing more about more great works by Jewish authors from around the world that have been translated into English, and new publishers that are devoted to bringing these works to the United States.\u00a0And in conjunction with these trends, we’re seeing more books that reflect the experience of Jews in English-speaking places like South Africa, England and Australia. All of these works create a greater understanding of the breadth and variety within the Jewish experience as well as the links and traditions that connect Jews across the world.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n![\"Share](\"https:\/\/static.hupso.com\/share\/buttons\/share-medium.png\")