I have read many Jewish books. Rabbi Paysach Krohn is one of the few talented Jewish writers. However, you have still missed my point and still failed to recognise that in my original post I very clearly wrote than it was my sem teacher that I asked. You would not judge me if you really knew me – nothing I have written in this thread has ‘exposed’ me, as you write. I am true to myself, I always have been. Yes, I love literature and fiction – how can you ask someone with a vivid and colourful imagination not to read fiction? And don’t tell me there is decent Jewish fiction because there is not. Trust me. However, if you were ever to come to my house, you would see a great ahavas torah u’mitzvos. I play my part in our nation with pride, I teach my child how wonderfully lucky we are, I sing to her, I look forward to Shabbos and Yamim Tovim with joy and enjoy every single moment of keeping the Torah. I am also, by the way, a kindergarten teacher and I love my job, being able to pass our heritage onto even more children. I don’t think that my love of well-written, suitable fiction is in any way affecting me as a person, and I do try to stay away from novels that are unclean. However, if the book has no adult language or content, is not heretical or atheistic and contains no avoda zara then it is perfectly acceptable to read.
On the other note, there are many gifted Jewish artists who are frum (Gadi Pollack, for example???). I happen to know quite a few personally. By the way I also paint, although I don’t sell my paintings. However, what you said about being a mentsch can extend to our book issue. I am a mentsch, have always acted in a way that can only be described as honest and hardworking. I have a family. I teach (which is likened to Torah learning for a woman), and my reading does not contravene any halachos – since I steer clear of those questionable issues that can come up in literature.
Ready now, I see that perhaps you sincerely pity me since you feel like maybe I am either a misguided modern othodox person or baalas teshuva who finds it difficult to let go of past enjoyment. I am neither, and am proud to be part of a yeshivish community. And really, I pity you more for your inability to be honest and open with all of us on this thread.