Meryl Ain
Meryl Ain is a writer, author, podcaster, and career educator. The Takeaway Men, her award-winning post-Holocaust debut novel, was published in 2020. 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, and the founder of the Facebook group “Jews Love To Read!” 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, a journalist, live in New York. They have three married sons and six grandchildren.
Facebook: @MerylAinAuthor
Instagram: @Meryl_Ain
Twitter: @DrMerylAin
Are there particular films that have influenced your writing?
There's no question that Steven Spielberg's movie, Schindler's List, had a major impact on me and influenced my desire to write post-Holocaust novels. It's the only movie that I've watched half a dozen times. The way that one person made a difference in saving the lives of Jews during the Holocaust continues to inspire me. In my novels, I write about the impact of the Holocaust on both survivors and their children. Characters in my books include Both Righteous Gentiles, who risked their own lives to save Jews, and Nazis, who perpetrated unspeakable evil, are characters in my books.
Is there a genre of music that influences your writing/thinking? Do you listen to music while you write?
The music that inspires and influences me is from the '60s, '70s, and '80s. My latest novel, Shadows We Carry, is set in those years, and the music brings me back to the feel of those times -- the social unrest, the political turmoil, and the yearning for love. I don't listen to music while I'm writing, but I find if I take a walk and listen to songs from this era, it puts me in a mood to start writing when I'm back at my computer.
What period of history do you wish you knew more about?
As a former history teacher and a lifelong learner, I am constantly researching the 1930's and 1940's, both for my books and my own knowledge. I want to find out everything I can about both Europe and the United States in those years. The more I know, the more mind-boggling I find that Hitler was able to come to power democratically, and had the U.S. not entered the war, he might have taken over Europe. I want to understand how the average German not only allowed this to happen, but embraced it.
Is your go to comfort food sweet or savory? Is it something you make yourself? Does food inspire your writing?
My comfort food is ice cream. Actually, anything sweet and creamy soothes me. I don't make ice cream, but I do make fruit smoothies in my Vitamix. My first job on a newspaper was writing a cooking column, so food and recipes are second nature to me. I do write about food in my books
Not all books are for all readers… when you start a book and you just don’t like it, how long do you read until you bail?
I have a great deal of empathy and sympathy for other authors and I know that sometimes a book really picks up after awhile. I usually don't abandon it after a few pages. Sometimes, I'll read through the whole thing, especially if it's a book that has been highly recommended. I want to understand why other readers like it. But if it's not speaking to me, I sometimes stop reading about half way through.
