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The Jewish Book Council’s Annual Event Goes Virtual — And Offers A Peek Into Authors’ Living Rooms

By Josefin Dolsten

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Authors presented their books virtually during the Jewish Book Council's annual conference. (Courtesy of Jewish Book Council) (JTA) — In a normal year, the Jewish Book Council’s annual conference is something of a variety show where hundreds of authors take to the podium with two minutes each to convey what makes their book special.

The event is part of the council’s attempt to connect writers with Jewish communities across the country. In the audience are about 200 representatives from Jewish community centers, synagogues and other Jewish institutions across the country. On the stage are authors trying to win a coveted spot in the upcoming season of book events.

“That energy, it’s amazing,” said the council’s executive director, Naomi Firestone-Teeter.

Things looked very different this year as the event, like so many others, went virtual because of the coronavirus pandemic. For the first time in the conference’s 22-year history, authors couldn’t see the audience’s reactions and attendees couldn’t schmooze with each other over coffee. Instead, participants watched from their living rooms as authors gave their pitches over Zoom during sessions spread over three days this week.

“Being able to be among a crowd of book lovers, or people excited about a particular subject, at our conference — the energy that you just feel when we’re all together you can’t fully replicate that experience as much as we try,” FirestoneTeeter said.

Some 240 people tuned in to the program, an increase from the number of attendees last year. Nearly 250 authors — both Jewish writers and non-Jewish authors whose books address Jewish themes — participated in eight sessions of author talks, slightly fewer than in 2019 but in line with previous years.

One silver lining — at least for the attendees — was getting a peek into their favorite authors’ lives.

Novelist Caroline Leavitt spoke about her book “With Or Without You,” about a longtime couple running into relationship problems, from a living room with a small trampoline on the floor and a blue miniature guitar and several large pieces of artwork hanging on a brick-lined wall.

Journalist Caroline Cenziper spoke about “Citizen 865,” a narrative history of a team of Nazi hunters searching for Nazis who fled to the United States, from a sparsely decorated room with a black and white striped couch and a single frame with a photo on a white dresser.

And Author Hallie Ephron had several large posters featuring her own book covers — including her latest, “Careful What You Wish For,” a thriller about a woman who works as a professional home declutterer — among a handful of other photographs and drawings hanging on her wall.

Another upside, for the council, was that the event didn’t require getting on a plane to participate.

“It makes it more accessible to communities and people who maybe wouldn’t have been able to travel to

BOOK COUNCIL events just for the local community. Continued from Page 12 Local-only events are “communitybuilding” and “more intimate” even New York City in May, weren’t able when virtual, said Phyllis Wolf, the to commit the time, the financial Albuquerque JCC’s director of arts resources and otherwise,” Firestoneand education. Teeter said. “So, in a way I think by The conference also hosted a moving to the virtual arena, the propanel on how to plan literary events gram is a more accessible program in the time of coronavirus, which for more people.” included a breakout group on how

The big question is what happens to plan socially distanced events. next. Usually, the book council Iris Krasnow isn’t worried about helps facilitate around 1,300 events selling books. Prior to the book every year as a result of the confercouncil conference, she spoke at a ence. Synagogues and other local virtual event with 1,100 attendees organizations pay travel expenses and managed to sell 400 copies of and put writers up in their commuher new memoir, “Camp Girls: nities for the talks. And while the Fireside Lessons on Friendship, authors aren’t paid, they get the Courage, and Loyalty.” opportunity to sell books in person “I’m really optimistic about it,” to audiences that have spent time she said of the prospect of virtual with them — and may feel pressure events stemming from this year’s to show their appreciation by buyconference. ing a copy. Mary Morris, who spoke about

Now, those talks will be schedher memoir “All the Way to the uled virtually, and it remains to be Tiger,” said she wasn’t worried seen how many will happen. about personally losing out on

The book council is working to bookings since she had made many come up with creative ways to host connections during her three previvirtual events, including possibly ous Jewish Book Council events. having authors sign labels that can But she thought that not being able be put inside book covers and to connect after the two-minute allowing attendees to have short pitches could hurt less established personal conversations with authors authors who have not developed in breakout rooms. It might also relationships with the various sites. facilitate joint events for several “It’s a very energizing event institutions for popular authors. when it’s in person,” Morris said.

“The virtual event space is allow“And one of the things I found ing our communities to take risks,” about the in-person part is that a lot Firestone-Teeter said. “It’s allowof times there will be a site that will ing them to actually create many come up to me and they will ask me more programs, perhaps than they questions and then I can tell they maybe would’ve in a physical get interested in having me come. space. Obviously the costs are difAnd a couple times I felt that those ferent.” conversations afterwards have actu

Indeed, that is happening at the ally led to me having postings.” JCC of Greater Albuquerque, which Having virtual events isn’t the typically invites between six and long term goal for the book council. eight authors to speak at its annual “For the authors, not being able book festival in the fall and an addito necessarily travel and visit some tional one or two throughout the of these communities in person is year. This year, since it won’t have disappointing and we hope that in to cover travel expenses, the JCC is the future they will return to that thinking about inviting the same again,” said Firestone-Teeter. “And number of authors for the book fest, I think for them getting to really which it is doing virtually, as well meet their readers in person and as one author a month after. sign their books physically and see

The JCC is also interested in a book sale and see their book out partnering with other Jewish orgathere in the world, that is something nizations to host joint events, though that won’t replace hosting very special.”  CHRIS PAVING NEW INSTALLATION & MAINTENANCE COMMERCIAL • RESIDENTIAL Streets•Parking Lots•Driveways Asphalt•Limestone•Sealcoating•Concrete 985-960-2131

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