Meryl Ain
Author Interview - Meryl Ain
Author of Shadows We Carry
In this eagerly anticipated sequel to Meryl Ain’s award-winning post-Holocaust novel The Takeaway Men, we follow Bronka and JoJo Lubinski as they find themselves on the cusp of momentous change for women in the late 1960s. With the United States in the grip of political and social upheaval, the twins and a number of their peers, including a Catholic priest and the son of a Nazi, struggle with their family’s ancestry and how much influence it has on their lives. Meanwhile, both young women seek to define their roles as women, and as individuals.
Enlightening and evocative, Shadows We Carry explores the experience of navigating deeply held family secrets and bloodlines, confusing religious identities, and the scars of World War II in the wake of revolutionary societal changes.
Author Interview - Meryl Ain
Author I draw inspiration from:
Abraham Verghese. I loved "Cutting for Stone" and am looking forward to reading his new novel, "Covenant of Water."
Author Interview - Meryl Ain | Author I Draw Inspiration From
Favorite place to read a book:
In bed
Book character I’d like to be stuck in an elevator with:
Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout. Olive's observations and snarky comments would keep me entertained and distracted until we were rescued.
Author Interview - Meryl Ain | Book Character I’d Like to be Stuck in an Elevator With
The moment I knew I wanted to become an author:
I wanted to be an author ever since I saw my mother sitting at the typewriter writing her memoir about army life when I was in kindergarten. Although it was never published, it spurred a lifelong desire in me to write a book. I co-authored a non-fiction book in 2014. After I joined a book club shortly after that, I began reading many novels. I decided then that I wanted to write fiction. I took some classes and read a number of books and novels and finally my debut novel, "The Takeaway Men," was published in 2020.
Hardback, paperback, ebook or audiobook:
Hardback -- too heavy. Paperback -- can't read in bed at night while my husband is sleeping. Ebook -- difficult to go back and review what I've already read. Audiobook -- just can't get used to the concept of "listening" to a book instead of reading it.
The last book I read:
"Once We Were Home," by Jennifer Rosner, is a gorgeously written, poignant book about displaced children of the Holocaust. The author transports us into the hearts and minds of these young people as they grapple with the decisions and circumstances adults have thrust upon them – both during and after WW II. Rosner brilliantly parlays her meticulous research into a heartfelt, probing novel, raising timeless issues about the meaning of family.
Author Interview - Meryl Ain | The Last Book I Read
Pen & paper or computer:
I write on a laptop. Since I write historical fiction, I research intensively on the subject before I start the book and I continue to do meticulous research as I'm writing.I do my best work early in the morning and when I'm in flow I write for three or four hours at a time. I don't write an outline, but before I start I want to know the arc of the story, the main characters, and themes/questions that I want readers to think about. I edit constantly as I go along. I am reminded of my high school English teacher's maxim: "Remember, your words are not immortal."
Book character I think I’d be best friends with:
Ida Chagall in "The Bridal Chair" by Gloria Goldreich. As the only daughter of the famed artist Marc Chagall, she came in touch with historic personalities from WWII Europe, America and Israel. We would have endless conversations about the events and people of the times and also about Ida's complicated relationship with her father.
Author Interview - Meryl Ain | Book Character I’d be Best Friends With
If I weren’t an author, I’d be a:
Before I became an author, I was a high school history teacher, a journalist, a cooking columnist, a PR person, and a school administrator. I always wanted to be a talk show host and now I have a podcast, People of the Book with Meryl Ain. I interview authors and others in the book world. I love being an author, interacting with readers, and visiting book clubs. During the pandemic after my first novel was published in 2020, I did 80 virtual programs and now I'm scheduling in-person and virtual events for "Shadows We Carry.."
Favorite decade in fashion history:
The early sixties when Jackie Kennedy was a style setter with Oleg Cassini's gorgeous outfits and pillbox hats.
Place I’d most like to travel:
Austin, Texas. My son, daughter-in-law and family recently moved there and I've never been to Texas.
My signature drink:
Chardonnay
Favorite artist:
The Beatles
Number one on my bucket list:
Visiting all the Presidential libraries in the country.
Find more from the author:
Website: merylain.com/
People of the Book: https://www.facebook.com/PeopleOfTheBookWithMerylAin
Facebook: facebook.com/MerylAinAuthor/
Twitter: @DrMerylAin
Instagram: meryl_ain
Author Bio:
Meryl Ain is the author of two post-Holocaust novels, "Shadows We Carry" and "The Takeaway Men." Her articles and essays have appeared in numerous publications and she is the author of two nonfiction books. A member of The International Advisory Board for Holocaust Survivor Day, she is the host of the podcast "People of the Book" on the Authors on the Air Global Radio Network. She holds a BA from Queens College, an MA from Columbia University, and a doctorate in education from Hofstra University. She and her husband, Stewart, live in New York.
