Roni (Aharona) Rosenthal, PhD, was born in Haifa, Israel. She is named after her grandfather Aharon, who passed away eight months before her birth.
Roni is the Director of Judaic Studies and a
Hebrew Literature Professor at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County.
Ruyi: Tell
us something about yourself, where you are based, and how you came to be a
writer.
RR: From a young age I loved reading books,
but I never thought I had the ability to interest another person through my
words. I started writing only when I reached my 30’s. I wish I knew it before.
I always knew I would be a teacher
because I loved working with students. At some point I realized that a good
school needs a good leader and I found myself in the position of a school
principal. Later I went back to school and completed my Ph.D. I really enjoy
working and supporting my college students now.
Ruyi: Tell
us something about the books/contents that you have written or created and the
story behind them.
RR: In December 2009 my father passed away. I
went home for the funeral and found an old family photo album, a handwritten
family tree, and a note that read "Write their stories, tell the world
what really happened to them."
And so, I did.
I’ve recently published a new book titled
“Where the Lilacs Bloom Once Again” based on a true story and real events of my
Jewish family in Romania.
Ruyi: Are your books available as eBooks? How
involved were you in that process? Do you read eBooks or is it paper all the
way?
RR: Yes
absolutely, I enjoy various book formats, including E-books, audiobooks and
paperback. It was especially important for me to make my books accessible to
all readers.
“Where the Lilacs Bloom Once Again” is available as a Kindle here:
Ruyi: Which of your book is your favorite?
RR: The
book “Where the Lilacs Bloom Once Again” is a culmination of 12 years of family
research. I was able to find a lot of supporting and personal documents, but there
are still many questions that remain open.
I’ve
done my best to honor my father’s wishes and pay respect to the hardships
endured by my great-grandmother Rosa Isopovichi and her niece (my grandmother’s
cousin), Friddie Stoleru.
Ruyi: If any of your books were made into a
movie, who would you have as the leading actor.
RR: Interesting
question. I recently watched (once again) the movie: "Woman in Gold"
based on a true story. I believe that the excellent relation between the two
wonderful actors: Helen Mirren and Ryan Reynolds creates something magical on
the screen.
Ruyi: Do you think self-publishing is the future
of book publishing?
RR: Yes,
it allows writers to express their unique voice and literary works in various
ways and encourages diversity. It also
exposes readers to a wider range of literature and cultural aspects that might
not have been available to readers within the traditional publishing
industry.
Ruyi: What
place does writing or content creation hold in your life?
RR: Writing is part of the air I breathe.
Over the years, despite the daily hardships, I never stopped creating and
writing. Today I feel that writing is an essential part of my daily life and I
wish I had more time to focus only on writing.
Ruyi: What
is your writing process or a typical writing day routine?
RR: The best hours for me to sit and write
are at night. Often, I set the alarm to 4am or just write after midnight until
the early morning hours. These are the quiet hours. When everything is calm, I
allow myself to connect with my feelings and thoughts and give my whole to the
world of writing and creation.
Ruyi: What
marketing techniques have been most effective for you?
RR: I wish I had a good advice to share with
other writers. I believe in word of mouth when it comes to book recommendation.
Ruyi: What
do you think makes a book or content sell?
RR: I personally enjoy reading books based on
true stories. When I wrote this book: “Where the Lilacs Bloom Once Again” I let
reality and real events dictate the book. I remember having a sort of argument
with my editor who suggested changing the ending of one of the events. My
answer was, but it happened like that in reality. I can't revive the woman and
give the event a happy ending, if reality outlined the end in a certain way.
I believe that sometimes reality is
greater than imagination.
Ruyi: What
is the most moving or affecting thing a reader has said to you?
RR: Readers really liked the book and that moved me. I was told that my book is a “page-turner”. I was told by some readers that they had tears in their eyes while reading Fridie’s story. That the story reminded them of their lost family members, and a reader who said that she wished my book would never end.
I have tears in my eyes thinking about
those readers, their families and so many lost lives.
Ruyi: What
are your favorite books, and why?
RR: I enjoy memoirs and historical-fictions.
I mostly read stories based on real life experience.
Ruyi: Who
are your favorite authors and what do you like the most about them?
RR: With intention and foreknowledge, I
decided years ago not to choose one favorite author. (The same goes for my
music taste). I have many authors whose writing I enjoy. I prefer to keep all
options open and read a wide variety of different writers and literary works.
Ruyi: Tell
us about the works that you are currently working on and their progress.
RR: I was asked to translate the book “Wherethe Lilacs Bloom Once Again” into Hebrew and I am working to accomplish this
task day and night. It is important for me to publish the book in other
languages as well. It is important for me that the book and my family's
memories resonate in different parts of the world. It is important that we
learn from history. It is important that we hear the silenced voices. It is
important to know, it is important to learn from history and most importantly -
to remember.
Ruyi: What
challenges do you think are faced by writers, content creators like you, and
what is the worst thing about the industry according to you?
RR:The downside of the system is that there
is a huge variety of books that are printed every year but receive very little
attention. These are the books that I, as a reader, prefer to read. I will
choose to devote my already limited time to reading the books that do not have
a well-oiled machine of advertising relations and money behind them. I prefer
the books published by writers who are just starting out, local or anonymous
writers.
Ruyi: What
message do you want to share with budding writers and content creators?
RR: Keep writing. Your words touch and can
move mountains. Even by reaching the heart of one reader, consider it as your
true success.
Ruyi: Where
can readers find you on social media?
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