Q&A: Jud Ashman Previews The 2013 Gaithersburg Book Festival (Pt. II)

The fourth annual Gaithersburg Book Festival is Saturday, May 18 and City Councilman Jud Ashman—the festival's founder and chairperson—took some time to talk with Patch about the event and its evolution.

On Thursday, . Part II of the interview continues below:

Gaithersburg Patch: The event has been packed in year's past. What kind of attendance numbers do you anticipate?

Jud Ashman: My goal has always been to top 20,000 attendees, and I'm hoping we do that on Saturday.

Patch: What books are you reading now? What recent reads have you really enjoyed?

Ashman: I just read "Judging a Book by Its Lover," by GBF author Lauren Leto. It was a clever and snarky guide to books, authors, and readers and had me laughing out loud. Also just read "Charlie Joe Jackson's Guide to Not Reading," by children's author Tommy Greenwald. Hysterically funny and great for middle grade boys!  

Before that, I read Vaddey Ratner's "In the Shadow of the Banyan," a fictionalized version of her true story of being born into the Cambodian royal family and, as a 5-year-old with her family, being evicted and forced into labor camps by the Khmer Rouge. Amazing, terrifying, and beautifully written.

Patch: Looking ahead to 2014—the fifth anniversary of the book festival—what's your vision and how does it compare to what you imagined it would be in year one?

Ashman: Hard for me to think past Saturday, much less to 2014. But, due to the tireless work of our volunteers and the talent of our staff, the GBF exceeds my dreams every year. It is an outstanding world-class cultural event but it still feels intimate, welcoming, and friendly; the perfect combination. And a true representation of what Gaithersburg is all about.

Editor's Note: This is part two of a two part Q&A with Jud Ashman. Part one appeared Monday morning.