1.
How do you help market the books of The Jewish Publication
Society?
It is a joint effort
between me and the marketing/publicity staff at The University of Nebraska
Press (UNP). Our publishing relationship means JPS is both an imprint of UNP
and our own independent entity. We craft a publicity plan for each book and
incorporate social media community building, targeted newsletters and seasonal
discounts. In many ways, I serve as a liaison between the authors and the staff
at UNP. Since we are a small niche company, we have found that leveraging
authors’ strengths helps us to find our readers and keep them coming back. Our
team, which also includes the JPS director and its managing editor, is always
working to come up with new ways to market books– including special sales and book
events. Our goal is to keep things fresh, while also maintaining our brand as a
source for quality Jewish books for over 125 years.
2.
Any titles especially good for the holidays?
The Talmud of Relationships (Vols 1&2) by Rabbi Amy Scheinerman is a popular new
book that is appropriate for the holiday season as it asks what ancient
Talmudic wisdom has to say about our relationships with family, community, God
and self, while The Hanukkah Anthology,
edited by Philip Goodman provides a good overview of the holiday. Kids books for Hanukkah include The Kids’ Catalog of Hanukkah by David
Adler and One Night, One Hanukkah Night
by Aidel Blackman.
3.
What do you like about working with authors and books?
Books are one of my first
loves. I’m just crazy about them -and I include e-books and audio in that – so
anything I can do to help others enjoy them makes me smile. As I have learned,
giving birth to a book often takes years – sometimes decades for our
labor-intensive Bible commentaries – and it’s amazing to be able to help folks bring
their creative labor to fruition. Some authors are great at sustained detail
work but not entirely comfortable in the more extraverted marketing sphere, and
I serve as a conduit for them – to help them bring their vision to a larger
audience. In other cases, we work with veteran authors with high expectations
for marketing campaigns. They keep me on my toes and that’s great for getting
better at what I do!
4.
How important is it to promote Jewish history and culture?
Very important. When we
don’t study and celebrate a culture, it tends to just fade. That’s what history
has taught us all. Books are a wonderful way to pass on traditions – and
Judaism is a book and narrative-oriented tradition. JPS is blessed to have a
diverse readership from Jewish scholars to Jews learning more about their faith
to readers of other faiths or no faith who enjoy the window into a different
cultural world. It’s such a pleasure to have that kind of deep connection with
our readers. It’s one of the perks of the job!
5.
What advice do you have for struggling writers?
I’m not sure I’m the best
person for that question. I have been a freelance feature writer for many years,
but I still have a mini panic attack every time I start a new article. I have
noticed that our most successful writers are those that believe in their
vision. Whether it is historical research, a biography, or a book about
mysticism, the best writers seem to be those who have genuine pride in their
work. I don’t think being the best is always necessary. But confidence is
key. And the zitsfleish (Yiddish for patience) to get the job done even when
obstacles get in your way.
6.
You also served as an internet editor at The Jerusalem
Post. How different is it to work in real-time news vs books that take months
and years to put together?
There is nothing like a
newsroom for an exciting, stressful work life. I remember working the graveyard
shift in Jerusalem: translating breaking news, fielding calls from journalists
and trying to find a good image for the homepage, all at 2 am! Luckily, I was
young enough not to realize how insane that was. Media is about catching
eyeballs and being accurate. It’s rarely about creating something beautiful and
long-lasting. Books are different. In our fast-paced world, books are still a
place where we can tell a nuanced story. Of course, selling that kind of thing
to people addicted to thrills is not easy. As book marketers, we are tasked
with becoming extra creative! Read this blog for tips on that.
7.
With an MA in English Literature from Hebrew University,
can you give me insights as to what makes Jewish-themed texts so important?
First, all texts are
important. I am interested in literature from other traditions and read those
with great enjoyment as well. As for Jewish texts, traditionally, oral and
written learning are some of the key ways Jewish culture is passed on to the
next generation. Lessons such as how to treat others, how to cultivate a
relationship with the self and what values are important for a good life are
all part of the larger pursuit of Jewish scholarship. Also, Jewish texts –
especially Biblical and legal treatises –do not generally teach in a dogmatic way. Forming
your own opinion is a part of Jewish tradition, and this is rather apparent in
many Jewish books. So, I would say Jewish texts help us both to preserve an
ancient tradition and also to keep it fresh by asking hard questions and trying
to find new answers.
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