NL: Can you share a bio with us?
BD: I’m a mom, a former, two-term school board member and Rockland County Legislator for District 10 which includes Nyack Library!

​NL: What are you currently reading? Do you like it?
BD: The Magician’s Assistant by Ann Patchett. I’m also listening to Gentlemen Prefer Blondes by Anita Loos in my car and loving both.

NL: If you could have any author speak at Nyack Library, who would it be and why?
BD: Amber Ruffin and her sister, Lacey! And I hear Amber lives locally! I have listened to both their books on Audible.

NL: Which character in a book do you most identify with?
BD: Anne Shirley, from the “Anne” series by L.M. Montgomery

NL: What books are on your night stand?
BD: Within Arm’s Reach by Ann Napolitano; Kingmaker (bio of Pamela Harriman) by Sonia Purnell, The Personal Librarian by Marie Benedict, The Backyard Bird Chronicles by Amy Ta.

NL: Are there any books that you feel are overrated?
BD: Catcher in the Rye, Moby Dick, Wolf Hall (sorry!)

NL: Do you have a literary “guilty pleasure”?
BD: Nancy Drew books! I loved reading about their outfits and cars. I also love anything by Philippa Gregory

NL: Are you a re-reader?
BD: Yes.

NL: How do you get out of a reading rut? 
BD: At 52, if I’m not into a book by chapter 3, I bail and switch genres, like to a memoir.

NL: Thoughts on prologues? Epilogues?
BD: The Epilogue to the Willoughbys by Lois Lowry is…epic. Especially on audiobook.

NL: What’s your least favorite book?
BD: Grapes of Wrath

NL: If you were to own a bookstore, what would it be like? How would you arrange the books? Would you serve coffee and food? Play music? Where would it be? 
BD: I would arrange the book by mood. “Just Broke Up With Someone.” “Want to Feel Smarter for a Day” “Need to Escape Life.” I would serve cheese and purple-frosted cupcakes and dandelion wine.

NL: Are you a one-book-at-a-time reader? Or do you like reading multiple books at the same time?  
BD: I can read one fiction and listen to a memoir in the car (and usually do).

NL: Do you DNF (do not finish) books or always read until the end?
BD: See Question 8 above.