New Jersey is a place unlike any other, and Kerri Sullivan, the mastermind behind Jersey Collective, knows it better than anyone. Ms. Sullivan is a writer, librarian, and editor of New Jersey Fan Club: Artists & Writers Celebrate the Garden State (Rutgers University Press). She founded Jersey Collective, a multifaceted project that includes an artist sticker vending machine, a literary series, a line of Jersey-centric artist-designed products (like New Jersey Go Fish!), and a newsletter.
New Jersey Makes the World Takes
I was enamored with the project when I heard about the New Jersey Fan Club: Artists & Writers Celebrate the Garden State. I love New Jersey. I love being from here, the history, the spectrum of ecosystems and communities, and what we offer in such a small state–we pack a punch.
The collection of creations in New Jersey Fan Club showcases the vivaciousness of our diversity. As New Jerseyans, that’s one of our strengths. The unique artists and writers who celebrate the state in this book are no exception.
Ms. Sullivan edited and spearheaded the project, collecting personal essays, conducting interviews, and adding comics from known and unknown Jersey talent. As a New Jersey native and fan of the state, the book was a dream. It’s the type of collection that invites you to read and re-read time and again to celebrate our fabulous, unique state.
Ms. Sullivan kindly answered some of The Siren’s most pressing questions. Enjoy!
What were your favorite books growing up?
I always read anything I could get my hands on. Mostly fiction, but then when I got to high school I read a lot more nonfiction.
Was there a particular author you idolized, loved, or wanted to be?
Not really. This is probably corny, but I think one result of being widely read was that I understood there were so many different ways to do it, and I mostly aspired to do it my way.
What’s your most asked question (and answer) about being an author & editor, and what do you think people should understand about it?
A lot of people hear “editor” and assume I fixed the typos. I’ve had to explain to a lot of people that I conceptualized the whole book, wrote the proposal that interested my publisher, managed a call for submissions while also seeking out specific people, and kept track of all of the files and versions of everything in the book. I did rounds of edits with each writer, and I caught some typos (but the book’s copyeditor caught more). I also think people may not realize how many hats authors are forced to wear when they have a book out: promoting your book is a whole other job that requires whole other skills.
After publishing the essays about NJ, did you feel like there’s more to explore in the state?
Absolutely. New Jersey Fan Club was not the first book about New Jersey and certainly won’t be the last. I never aspired to create the final word on our state and really just wanted to add something to an ongoing conversation.
What did you learn about NJ through the process?
One thing I often considered during the process was how many different versions of the same book I could make. Even subtle changes would’ve made an entirely different collection.
Tell me about your favorite things about New Jersey:
I love eating so many good things from all over the world without having to drive more than an hour. I love the nature and the history and the intersection of those things. Above all, I love the people.
Will you be publishing a book as the sole author in the future?
I don’t have any immediate plans for this, but maybe! I always wanted to write an essay collection, and I have some ideas. I haven’t done any real work on it, so I can’t say I’m writing one at this point.
What advice would you give yourself when you were starting out?
Everything takes so much time, so start now. Also, don’t be afraid to just email people and ask questions; people like to help!
Rapid Fire Questions, go:
What’s your reading hot take?
That all reading–any genre, any format–is good reading!
What’s one book you recommend the most?
For aspiring writers: Before and After the Book Deal by Courtney Maum.
In general: I’m always pushing The Red Parts by Maggie Nelson on people.
Pork Roll or Taylor Ham?
Either way, everyone knows what you’re referring to!
What’s your NJ hot take?
That the previous debate is just genuinely uninteresting to me! (Sorry!)
Siren’s Note: LOL! We love all things Jersey, even bad questions that could be a hot take. Fair enough answer! (It’s pork roll, though, readers.) I once ordered a pork roll egg and cheese on a hard roll with ketchup at a local deli, and the lady behind the counter intended to start a fight because I said pork roll instead of Taylor Ham. My response was “Lady I’m trying to give you cash for my pork roll egg and cheese, do you want it or not?” and while that worked, it was not well-received. I think she still wants to fight me.
What’s a genre you’ve always wanted to tackle as a writer?
I used to write more fiction and short stories but stopped almost entirely when I was in my mid-20s I’d say. Sometimes, I wonder how I’d find the experience of working in fiction at this point in my life.
What’s next for you?
I haven’t written as much lately because I’ve been working on some Jersey Collective stuff. I’m hoping to find more of a balance and figure out when I can write more. In the meantime, I’ve been enjoying putting together the monthly Jersey Collective newsletters. I also have some podcast-related news I’ll be sharing soon!
Buy New Jersey Fan Club: Artists & Writers Celebrate the Garden State in the Jersey Proud section, which features all New Jersey-centric fiction and non-fiction books!
If you’re an author and would like to be featured in the Author Interview Series, please get in touch!
You can find Kerri Sullivan here:
Thanks for introducing me to The Jersey Collective! I can’t wait to dig into the essays. By the way, it’s Pork roll all the way!