« I'm Ba-ack | Main | Brooklyn Was Murder »
November 21, 2005
Action, Adventure, Romance
On Sunday, November 13, Karen and I drove to San Diego for the Jewish Book Festival. When we arrived we were told by the organizers that they were going to try something new this year: the young adult authors were not going to make their presentation to general audiences, instead they were going to be resricted to teen audiences who were "invited" to show up.
Karen and I looked at each other sensing doom.
If you know anything about teens you know that they will not show up at authors readings. You have to go to them.
And so, along with the other authors, we braved near empty rooms. It was nice to hear the professional reader read, and we did sell a bunch of books, but the organizers kind of misread the teen audience and in the end they vowed to do it differently next year.
I met some amazing writers: JT Waldman a grapic novelist who has just published an astonishing version of Megillat Esther. Not to be missed. And Nancy Oswald, an author from Colorado who discovered that a Jewish community once lived on a corner of her ranch. She became so curious that she wrote a facinating novel about this long forgotten settlement. Her book Nothing Here But Stones, is a fine work. Nancy is not Jewish, and I salute all the research that went into this work. It's a sensitive and deeply moving novel.
The next day, I flew to Newark for my Book Tour hosted by the JCC of Rockland County. I landed in the late morning, had time to get settled in a nice big hotel room which was stocked with kosher food. The JCC people, Mrs. Micki Leader and Susie Tzedek went out of their way to make sure I was comfortable. That evening I was interviewed by the local TV station and then spoke at the JCC to a large and enthusiastic audience. I signed about fifty copies of my book and then I spied a familiar figure at the back of the room. It was my friend Glen Holman. We met over a Chai Lifeline Shabbos where his description of the death of his daughter Nechama Liba, brought me to tears. We have been in touch ever since. He drove all the way from Far Rockaway to hear my talk. I was, as you can imagine, deeply touched. We spoke for a few minutes.
"You're doing kiruv, " said Glen.
Kiruv means bringing people closer to Judaism.
"I am? I thought I was just talking about my work."
Over the next two days, I went to the teens. I spoke at the Solomon Schechter grade school, the local Conservative school; at the Alisa M. Flatow High School for Girls, an Orthodox Yeshiva; at Ma'ayanot, another all girls HS Yeshiva; and Ashar, a yeshiva elementary school. I signed hundreds of copies of The Hebrew Kid and the Apache Maiden, answered hundreds of questions, and had a great time. I learned that Jewish kids are hungry for stories that feature Jewish heroes, that they are eager to read well written tales of action, adventure, romance -- stories that convey true Jewish values.
I'm home now, exhausted, but happy.
My distributor tells me that there are only about 100 copies of hardcover edition of The Hebrew Kid and the Apache Maiden left in the warehouse. We are preparing the softcover edition right now. It will be published in February.
Posted by Robert J. Avrech at November 21, 2005 08:00 AM
Comments
Seraphic Secret is private property, that's right, it's an extension of our home, and as such, Karen and I have instituted two Seraphic Rules and we ask commentors to act respectfully.
1. No profanity.2. No Israel bashing. We debate, we discuss, we are respectful. You know what Israel bashing is. The world is full of it. Seraphic Secret is one of the few places in the world that will not tolerate this form of anti-Semitism. That's it. Break either of these rules and you will be banned.
Congratulations Robert...only 100 books left...that means that many have been touched by The Hebrew Kid...that's a great thing!
Posted by: Randi at November 21, 2005 08:54 AM
Razel:
Touched and tired. Thanks so much.
Posted by: Robert at November 21, 2005 09:07 AM
Kol HaKavod to you and Karen -- that's great news, Robert. And no doubt that "seraph" that hangs around with you is equally responsible...
Posted by: Pearl at November 21, 2005 09:27 AM
Man, I went to Yeshiva high school at the wrong time! What an inspiration getting to meet someone doing work like you would have been to me and my friends 20 years ago. The schools need to do more to introduce the kids to Orthodox role models who are still doing great and interesting things even if they're not Rebbeim, doctors or lawyers. I really think the working world is opening up to observant Jews more and more these days, and the kids today need to know they have a lot more choices when in comes to careers. Sadly, I think too many of the day schools just don't care enough to impress this on the students. So bravo to those schools in Westchester and Rockland, and thanks to Robert for taking the time to do it.
Posted by: Jake at November 21, 2005 11:59 AM
Jake:
I went to Yeshiva at the wrong time too. You should have seen the faces of these kids. At the all girls yeshivas, at least 10 girls came over to me after the lecture to talk to me very seriously about screenwriting.
At all the schools the teachers and faculty told me how much I inspired the kids. Truth is, I was hugely ispired by the students.
Jake, call the man I told you to call. He said it's fine.
Posted by: Robert at November 21, 2005 12:09 PM
wow - sounds great. maaynot is right near the school i teach in, frisch.
Posted by: rabbi neil fleischmann at November 27, 2005 07:24 PM
Rabbi Fleischmann:
Sorry I couldn't make it to your school. My schedule was set by the JCC of Rockland County. Next time I'm back east and have some time, I'll try and stop by Frisch.
Posted by: Robert Avrech at November 27, 2005 11:21 PM
if you can i'd be thrilled! if not, i understand.
Posted by: rabbi neil fleischmann at December 3, 2005 06:49 PM