This week’s twitter interview was with Julie Wilson, the proprietor of Seen Reading, an exercise in either literary stalking or literary voyeurism. (You decide.) If you don’t know about Seen Reading yet, this is how it works: Julie spots you reading on the subway. She tries to figure out where you are in the book. She then heads to the bookstore to note the text, imagines your life, and then shares the literary adventure at SeenReading.com.

What began as a fun side project in 2006 has rapidly evolved -Seen Reading now has it’s own podcast, a Readers Reading segment, and Julie certainly isn’t done!

When Julie isn’t busy being the “Gossip Girl of the book world”, she’s pushing books at her day job as publicist at House of Anansi Press. She somehow found enough time to twitter with me about Seen Reading.

Be sure to connect with Julie at the Seen Reading website and follow her on Twitter @seenreading.

Hi Julie! Ready for this? 1 DM per answer! In 140 characters, tell me about Seen Reading.

SR is an exercise in literary voyeurism: what you’re reading, and my response to that in the form of a piece of microfiction. Reader fandom!

What inspired you to move into “literary voyeurism” and not, say, the pure observation of person, place, book?

As long as I can remember I’ve been enthralled by how one inhabits a character. (Film, theatre.) A reader experiences that on page one.

Given that, when/where/how did you devise Seen Reading as it is now?

Where all serious reading is done, a bar. A woman ran out, hugging her book, b/c “it’s not the right place to finish this.” I had to know.

That’s great!! How does “seeing” work? Are you “on the prowl” or is it more passive and spontaneous?

I prefer serendipity, to turn around and have the reader right there. I don’t feel rushed; they don’t get creeped out. Everyone’s happy!

Aah. On average, how often does it happen?

That’s the cool part. Literally, to turn on my heel and see a reader thisclose happens about 10x in a 40 min commute. Tippy toe views=30+.

Wow, I wasn’t expecting THAT many! Do you follow through on all your sightings?

While I’ll ‘see’ that many, I’ll only ‘sight’ abt 3. I’ll ‘research’ abt 6/week. I won’t find at least 1 title, leaving 5 to have fun with.

How does the research aspect work? What draws you to particular passages for each sighting?

Working from the page # the reader was on, the challenge is to pick the best bit to showcase a writer’s voice. A challenge. It’s hit & miss.

Any favorite/memorable sightings?

Funny enough, not actual sightings b/c the project is more abt the intersection btwn reader/passage. But ask me again. I have another answr!

Yes, “sightings” isn’t the right word for the whole experience. Any particularly memorable voyeuring? (Not sure if that works better!)

There’s a sincere joy in just knowing someone’s reading w/out knowing what they’re reading. FAVE=man reading a kid’s book to learn English.

My heart just melted. Have you ever been caught?

Not really, b/c ppl don’t know what I’m doing. One guy *did* angle his cell toward me. The screensaver was someone flipping the bird. Heh.

It would be impossible for me not to be obvious about it! How does this project intersect/affect your day job as publicist at Anansi?

It keeps me engaged in readership, which keeps me optimistic in an otherwise tough industry. I know & report that people *are* reading.

Have ebooks changed the subway lit landscape yet? How will Seen Reading change as they become more popular?

Barely. That’ll change in the next year, but not much. SR won’t change b/c the necessary info isn’t displayed in full *glorious* view.

How has SR evolved since it’s inception? Do you see evolving in the future?

A few ways. It’s now also a podcast. And on Mondays I invite ppl to submit short recordings of them reading. Next, an interactive story map?

I like the idea of a story map! I can’t think of anything else – can you?

Feels good! Thanks for the chat!

Thanks!