News

Social Media is Hand-selling!

 

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Today, I was speaking to a web guy discussing how to get a blog up onto the site of a new and growing Jewish publisher.  We were talking about how helpful a blog is for sharing material with people.  The web guy described how he has been setting up more stores on Facebook lately.  I asked if people actually shop that way and he said “Probably not too much. But it puts the images in front of people, they start thinking about what we are selling and then down the line they often do buy.”  I knew the answer before I asked but, I still always ask.  As he spoke about how social media is often just getting people aware and interested in something for a later purchase, I had a “eureka” moment and I thought “social media is hand-selling”. I’d never connected the two so clearly.

A little explanation is in order. When I started working in the publishing world, a big part of how we promoted books was by getting the staff of bookstores knowledgeable and excited about our books. We sent them covers and then when there were advance reader copies ready, we sent those. And finally, when the book was published, we often sent them copies of those as well. We even visited the stores and met the people (I know, hard to believe, no email, no online chat but a real live encounter with another book person!) We schmoozed about the book, we told them about the plot, the author, who might read it and why we loved it. And then we hoped they’d read the book and feel the same as we did because if so, they’d share it with their customers. And this led to book sales. It still does.  It was (and still is) a process that sells books. And social media today is a new version of  hand-selling.

We share book reviews on social media. We quote them. Others share them. Readers talk about books they read. Others react. And so on. And all of this leads to books being sold and read. And that is a good thing.

Holocaust Memorial Day. Books and Memory. Which Book Impacted You the Most?

War Against the Jews cover

Holocaust Memorial Day or “Yom Hashoah” will be commemorated in Israel and much of the Jewish world beginning Sunday evening, April 27, a siren will pierce the air across Israel for a few moments of silence, prayers will be recited, ceremonies will be held. As the years go on and the generation of survivors leave us, the commemoration is less raw but maybe even more important.

I knew about the Holocaust from a very young age. I was aware that my family had lost 119 members to the Nazis (on my Mother’s side) and survivors were people one could meet regularly. There was always someone to hear stories from – a friend’s parent, or grandparent, a guest speaker at school.

Despite my familiarity with so much of the Holocaust, it was a book which changed my perspective. Reading The War Against the Jews by Lucy Dawidowicz while in college was the point where I was hit with how unbelievably horrible the Holocaust was (as much as I could really understand that 40 years later).  Dawidowicz’s  descriptions of mass murder, torture and destruction left me speechless and often in total despair or filled with fierce, hot anger.  I recall being almost unable to contain the knowledge and pain. Her book impacted me greatly.  I sometimes found it almost impossible to read but I was driven to finish it. I think it is a “must read” book about the Holocaust.

There are many ways to confront the Holocaust: hearing from survivors, films and of course, the popular visits to Eastern Europe.  Books continue to play an important role in documenting and remembering the holocaust. Over the past few years I have worked on the publicity of a number of Holocaust memoirs which seems to be part of a rush to get memories documented before it is too late. Pointing out one book over another feels unfair but I think it is better to mention a few titles rather than none at all. One of the strongest books I have read in years was A World after This by Lola Liebler. The author tells of the unraveling of her middle class life under the boots of the Nazis while honestly sharing her doubts and personal flaws as she experienced them. The recent Sori’s Story was also valuable as it showed how a normal life could be turned upside down overnight for an average Jewish child and her family. I am currently honored to be working on the new Running from Giants which is a memoir  about an 8 year old boy’s survival of the war – written by his granddaughter. Filled with illustrations and sharp prose, it is a worthy new addition to the literature.

What book about the Holocaust has impacted you the most?

 

The Jonathan Sacks Haggada. Different Than All Others?

 

Sacks Haggada side A Koren11

Occasionally I buy a new Passover Haggada  filled with enough commentary to last for a few years of Passover preparation and learning during the holiday. Eventually another Haggada joins my shelf and takes over. I recently used the “Higionei Halacha” Haggada, and afterwards a Haggada called “Marei Cohen” which is based on the commentary of Rav Pam z’l of NY.

This year I purchased the (Rabbi) Jonathan Sacks Haggada published by Koren.  While quite different than my recent choices, I am glad I did. This Haggada offers big picture, “macro” explanations of Passover and the seder. Rabbi Sacks puts the seder into a mix of historical, religious and philosophical contexts illustrating that the seder is no simple holiday meal or even an important holiday meal. It may be the most important activity Jews take part in all year.  Yet, no matter how important his ideas and interpretations are (and they are), Rabbi Sacks serves them up in a very digestible way. Profound ideas can also be understandable, and this seems to be a hallmark of Rabbi Sack’s writing.  Rabbi Sacks explains how the seder is THE tool for ensuring the continuation of the Jewish people and religion  by inculcating values such as compassion for the downtrodden and the belief that there is a Creator writing the script of human history while giving meaning to our lives.  Almost any reader will approach the seder with a renewed sense of mission and appreciation after reading the Sacks Haggada.

While the mention of secular Zionist heroes in a Haggada may seem jarring to some readers, Rabbi Sacks brings them to illustrate important points such the inability for even the most assimilated Jews to escape Jewish destiny.  On the other end of the spectrum, Rav Pam z”l mentions the UN in his Haggada commentary and alludes to the reality of modern Jewish statehood. It seems fitting that current historical figures or events be considered when looking at the Haggada, even if one doesn’t identify with all of them. They illustrate how the story and ideas of the Haggada have been relevant throughout history and today. Modern events and ideas can be considered without participating in what has become the almost annual re-branding farce of Jewish holidays to match current trends (so Jewish holidays can now be “green” etc.).

The Sacks Haggada has an attractive cover and is typeset elegantly. Yes, this Haggada is different than all others because Rabbi Sacks offers new perspectives on Passover while being strongly rooted in Jewish tradition. It is not just “another Haggada”. Thanks to both Rabbi Sacks and Koren for this new addition to the modern Passover library.

 

 

 

Bestselling Cookbook Author Tamar Ansh on New Let My Children Cook! A Passover Cookbook for Kids

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One of first cookbooks for which I did publicity was Taste of Challah by Tamar Ansh. What a blast! I worked hard. Tamar worked hard.  And the book received great exposure and sold quite well. Tamar and I have been in touch ever since and it was a real honor when she asked her current publisher, The Judaica Press, to bring me on as publicist for her latest book  Let My Children Cook! A Passover Cookbook for Kids. Tamar has really done it again, producing a book which both kids and adults love which is also accessible to probably every sort of Jew. I am still a big believer that some books can have a real impact on people and Tamar’s latest book is one of them. This book can bring families together while  connecting with Passover in a fun, non threatening way.

I asked Tamar for an interview and despite a hectic pre-Passover schedule, she graciously agreed. I am excited to welcome her!

Tamar, How did you start writing cookbooks?

My first cookbook was a Pesach cookbook and it started off as a bit of a joke. The gluten free/ non gebrochts market was not in existence then and most people tended to look at those who didn’t eat gebrochts as slightly crazy and of course, having ‘nothing to eat on Pesach’. After making Pesach myself from nearly the beginning of my marriage, I had experience with having lots of choices even though we did not eat gebrochts so I began compiling some of my notes. The clincher was when we had some guests (young women who were newly observant) who told us that they heard that people who don’t eat gebrochts on Pesach have nothing to eat. Yet, they were pretty impressed by all I had laid out for them! That exchange is what got me moving on the book for real. In fact, I originally titled my first document as the “What??? He doesn’t gebrocht?” cookbook! That was too wordy though so I called it A Taste of Tradition.

What have you found difficult in writing cookbooks? What has been unexpected?

The only part of the writing in cookbooks that can be difficult is the sheer size of the task at hand. It’s a LOT of typing and can be overwhelming. And the details are very consuming. One has to make sure all the format of the recipes stays the same, that all the amounts are accurate, that the terms used throughout the book are exact, and then the checking over of everything can take weeks.

On the other hand, one of the perks is that you suddenly find creativity inside yourself that you never knew you had before! You invent new recipes, you find different ways to show how to serve the same old things, people stop you to tell you how much your book or your recipes really made a difference in their Pesach – this makes it all worth it.

How long does it usually take you to write a new book?

This varies and depends greatly on how many other projects I am involved in concurrently, how great my motivation is, what time of year the project is aimed at and how much time I have to the ‘finish line’ and other factors. With Let My Children Cook! I came to the publisher with the idea, outline and book already completed so the book’s creation  took less time.

 Do your books usually turn out as you’d planned?

Since I generally have a very clear vision of what I want my books to look like, and in general I work with the graphic artist very closely, they do come out very close to what I’ve planned and more often, even better!

What have you found are the best ways to promote your books?

Promotion of a book is an all encompassing project. There is no real end to it which can sometimes be draining. For myself as the author and promoter, the most vital aspect is remembering that the work begins 8 months in advance of the book’s projected publication date. If you can remember that and work with this in mind  you will be far more successful at getting popular sites, magazines, newspapers and bloggers to say yes to you when you offer them  your material. Plain hard work and planning is the best way to promote any book. I have enjoyed working with my publicist Stuart Schnee and his staff – they do great work (how is that for a good plug?)

 Your newest book, Let My Children Cook! was written with kids in mind. Why?

I wrote Let My Children Cook! for kids because it was a GREAT idea and has vast potential. It was also a really fun project and since I love working with children and could plug into how kids think about food, I realized there were lots of ideas to share. And a kids’ cookbook that focuses on Passover (not only “Pesach”), a time of year that is so traditional and that Jews of every type will spend together with family just seemed ideal.

It was an enjoyable project, and I feel that Jewish children everywhere, the entire spectrum over will be able to utilize and gain from it. Passover is a family time and I have been cooking with my kids for so many years (we do so all year, not only Passover); it occurred to me that others would enjoy using many of the ideas we do, and that it can even help strengthen other’s family bonding time through time spent in the kitchen – together.

Kids like food that appeals to them, and that use foods with tastes they are used to. When you write a cookbook for kids that you expect them to also be able to use themselves, you need to choose ideas they can execute easily and that have less steps to them. Some recipes are not a full recipe but more a food idea and how to prepare it and make it look nice.

People mistakenly think that letting kids help in the kitchen is, or even should be, a real help. Let me tell you a secret – it’s usually not, especially when they are small! It IS often more mess and time than just ‘doing it yourself.’ HOWEVER, it is something that really creates a beautiful bond and if you realize that you will just have to do less for that hour or two in order to GIVE that fun to your children, it’s very worth it. You only get your kids as kids for a few short years – it’s you to YOU to use these years to create meaningful memories now, before the chance runs away from you.

Kids and memories are built very much around the kitchen, the traditional foods your family uses, the aromas, the tastes, even the build-up to how you made them. You don’t get too many years with your kids; before you know it, they will be teenagers with other people in their lives besides you. You need to grab that opportunity NOW when they are available to you…

At the end of the day it’s “just food.”  But the part that lasts are the memories created because of the food…

What 3 tips can you share for making Passover amazing for kids?

When my kids were little we had ten plagues finger puppets and my husband made a whole little show out of them at the table for the kids. They loved it and even though they are teenagers now, they still remember that particular Seder very fondly.

For very little children, the work they do in kindergarten/gan preparing for Pesach is really important to them. It’s vital that you remember to show it off at the table and ask them questions about whatever they have learned. They are eagerly anticipating doing so with you.

I used to prepare a small dish with some special treats in it, Pesach soft candies, chocolate chips and the like, and for every child no matter the age, every time they either asked a question or answered a question, they got to pick one thing from that dish. This worked wonders at getting them to participate, to look forward to the Seder, and to really stay awake and want to say things.

After all, that is the main purpose of the Seder: “To get the children to ask.”

 What tips can you give to adults for making Passover amazing?

  • As much as possible, don’t leave anything you absolutely don’t have to do for the day of Erev Pesach. Try to get most of everything done beforehand and leave only the essentials for that day.
  • Try to get a nap.
  • Turning off the phones by a certain time, turning off the computers, emails, handhelds, cell phones, etc by a certain time will also give you a lot more tranquility and not to mention, ability to focus without constant interruptions.
  • If you pre-plan a sort of format to what you will do each day of the intermediary days (Chol Hamoed) it will go smoother. Even simple things like this park one day, a different park a different day, will make your little ones and even the older ones happier. Even if they complain, once you’re doing it and you’re all out enjoying, you’ll see that they will relax and enjoy it. Older teenagers can bring along a book or reading material if they really think it is “so boring”.
  • When you focus on the good you have around you – your family, a home, good food, tranquility – you will see that you have a lot to be grateful for and all the “hard” work and stress of getting ready will fade away to second place. Not everyone has this privilege and not every generation was able to celebrate Pesach in peace…
  • I usually prepare something filling to feed the entire family with on the day of Erev Pesach; this way everyone is more relaxed by not arriving at candle lighting time completely famished. For us it works to have a fresh, piping hot crunchy potato kugel after our nap and some cool water or juice.

 

What tips do you have to make pre-Passover prep a great experience for families?

  • Get decent sleep so you have energy to work without losing your cool.
  • Make a list of what you’d like to see done that day or for that week. Be specific with the list and be funny too. Ex: one checkbox can be “Eat up all the chocolate in xx drawer after you’ve cleaned it out.” Tell each member of the family to check off what they’ve done from this master list and put their name next to it. You can choose to reward those who have at least 5 or 10 or whatever number you feel appropriate, checks that week.
  • Turn on some music while working.
  • Work with them, don’t just assign jobs and walk away. It’s the togetherness that makes it feel fun.

There are tons of ideas if you put your head to it. These are just some of the ones that work for me.

Above all else, don’t expect that “Helping” will be something your kids will do all day, every day. If you get two hours or so, that’s a big deal. Thank them and let them have down time as well.

My friend Chava Dumas put out a really nice book on this subject that Judaica Press is selling right now also, called Prepare for Pesach—b’simcha! which is all about how to prepare for Pesach with a good attitude. She’s got tons of tips and ideas in the book and I suggest reading it.

Have a wonderful Passover!

 

 

 

Meet Orly Ziv Creator of Cook in Israel – Our First Author Interview.

Authors are fascinating and important people. I also admit that as a publicist, I am biased. However, it is important to remember these are the people who actually have dreamed of a book and published it. I always say “Mazel Tov” to an author when they contact me. I explain that just getting the book out is worthy of being acknowledged. If authors didn’t stick to it and actually publish their books, what would the world be like? It is not a pretty thought.

I work with authors every day. They are often unsung heroes, many times well known. Some are confident of success, others quite doubtful. But they all share the success of publishing their books. Their experiences are interesting and often quite helpful to others. With that in mind I am going to offer occasional interviews here with published authors. I will usually focus on people who are or have been clients. I am confident that their reflections and experiences will be of interest to many and might just help the person writing a book right now or an author wondering how to make their book a success.

Cook in Israel

For our initial interview I am excited to introduce Orly Ziv who is a culinary tour guide from Tel Aviv, Israel. A lifelong food lover, Orly worked for many years as a clinical nutritionist before launching her company Cook in Israel in 2009 where she offers culinary tours around Israel and intimate cooking classes in her home. Orly’s first book Cook in Israel: Home Cooking Inspiration has received wonderful reviews and has been selling well in the US and Israel. A quick look at the reader reviews on Amazon and the excitement of readers is obvious. I have had the honor of being the publicist for Cook in Israel and it has been a terrific process (plus the preserved lemons recipe is amazing!).

 Orly, what made you decide to write a cookbook?

I’ve been asked several times by my guests about a cookbook of my own. I was encouraged to do it by one of my guests who is a chef from California who told me “just do it” so I did! I also wanted to leave some of my recipes as a legacy to my children.

What vision did you have in mind when you set out to write the book? Did the finished book match that?  How long did it take?

I had in mind to bring out the inspiration of the Israeli melting pot through cultures and flavors and of course my personal home cooking based on my family’s preference and my personal taste. I included all the recipes I teach in my classes that are successful and added recipes for Jewish holidays. I wanted to emphasize daily home cooking  and easy to make recipes with a short list of ingredients and very simple, easy to follow instructions. My vision is to use ingredients as everywhere else but the spices and the cooking techniques we use are different and this what makes it Israeli. My vision was also to bring the flavors of Israel to the world and to introduce Israel to more people through our food, culture and flavors.

The finished book matches exactly what I had in mind. It took 6 month to work on the book.

 What surprised you while writing the book? Is there anything you would do differently?

What surprised me is how easy it can be when you follow your vision.

 What advice do you have for someone who would like to publish a cookbook?

Make sure to have a personal touch in your book and include  added value for the readers. My added value is the simplicity of preparing the recipes and the inspiration of the flavors. For example, including a recipe for a typical Israeli salad with the addition of avocado and pomegranate seeds is an unusual combination which makes for a really nice difference.

 Now that your book is published, how have you found the experience? What is it like to see your book in stores? On Amazon?

It is exciting to see my cookbook in the stores and also to know that the book now has a life of its own. Marketing and bringing the book to the knowledge the readers is the hard work.

 What have been some of the most effective methods for promoting your book?

Reviews, Facebook and email marketing.

What are 3 food tips you can offer people for Passover?

If you like almonds there are delicious cakes you can make based on almond meal.

Look for flourless cakes instead of trying to substitute the flour in regular cakes.

I always prefer bake instead of frying.

 Can you please share a recipe  which you didn’t include in your book?

Sure! Chocolate and Almonds Cake great for Pesach (Passover). Recipe below.

 

A Personal Recipe from Orly Ziv

Chocolate and Almond Cake - Kosher for Passover. Great year round.
Chocolate and Almond Cake – Kosher for Passover. Great year round.

Chocolate & Almonds Cake

Kosher for Passover

 

Ingredients

200 gr. chocolate chopped

200 gr. butter

200 gr. ground almonds

1 cup sugar

5 eggs separated

 

 

 

 

Instructions

  1. Heat the oven to 1800C (3500F).
  2. Melt the chocolate with the butter.
  3. Mix gently into the melted chocolate the yolks and the almonds.
  4. Beat the whites with the sugar until a firm foam is created.
  5. Fold gently the beaten whites into the chocolate almonds mixture.
  6. Bake about 30 min until a toothpick inserted in the center comes up clean.

 

Translating Hebrew Literature to English…..What About Slang and Natalie Portman?!

Jessica Steinberg has an interesting new piece on The Times of Israel about writer and translator Assaf Gavron. He describes stepping into the lives of the characters he writes about as well the challenge of translating Hebrew into English. What does he do with idioms such as “chaval al hazman”…..is it ““a waste of time” or  “fuhgeddaboudit”? Read more here.writers-block

New Law Defends Authors in Israel

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The Knesset – Israeli Parliament, Jerusalem

Next month  a new Israeli law (Law for the Protection of Literature and Authors in Israel)  will take effect which aims to protect the income of authors. Israel is a book crazy country. And to cash in on this, the large bookstore chains have taken to offering books for sale in bundles or in “buy one get one free” deals which translate to impossibly low prices for books while hurting the royalties of authors.  In addition, the killer prices have skewed the market often ignoring quality books in favor of those that store owners see as a sure thing. Time will tell if lawmakers have been able to help Israeli authors and literature against what often seems to be the heartless industry of book selling.

National Jewish Book Awards for 2013 Announced

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It is a big day for the Jewish publishing world today as The Jewish Book Council announces the winners of the 2013 National Jewish Book Awards.  Like Dreamers by Yossi Klein Halevi has won Jewish Book of the Year.  It is worth looking at the list of all the winners. There are some surprises (in my opinion) and a very solid list of great books that have received great reviews over the past year.

 

Enjoy.

Cook in Israel – If Life Gives You Lemons…..Preserve Them.

I am excited to be working on publicity for the new cookbook succinctly entitled Cook in Israel. Author Orly Ziv is a culinary tour guide in Israel. She takes people to the places that provide the best produce and food making for a different experience than most tourists have. For foodies…..this is really a great way to get to know Israel from a different angle. Orly also teaches cooking in her home in Tel Aviv. Her new book is a great way to take the flavors and colors of Israeli food home or for those abroad to experience and learn Israeli cooking at home. After looking through the book (there are 100 recipes, they all look terrific) I chose to make the preserved lemons. I buy something like this in the supermarket and have been looking for a way to make it home. I am providing some pictures here. This is not professional food photography but I think it  may get you to pucker your lips anyway. Check back here in a week or so when I open the jar and test this lemon delicacy.

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8 Books for 8 Days. (Chanukah is coming!)

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Chanukah is approaching and I am interested in hearing from folks;  what are your top 8 books for this Chanukah?  Based on feedback, I will be posting a list of “8 Books for 8 Days (of Chanukah)”. So please share the books you suggest. They don’t have to be connected to Chanukah but…they ought to be great books with Jewish content. So, what have you been reading?What have you loved reading lately? I look forward to hearing from you!  Please post your choices here on the Awesome Book Blog. Thanks