This week, we hear from Kate Medina, Executive Vice President, Associate Publisher, and Executive Editorial Director at Random House.

Kate describes her career at Random House, where she’s worked with such writers as EL Doctorow, John Irving, Anna Quindlen, John Meacham, Nancy Reagan, and many others. She tells us what it takes to work in publishing: an entrepreneurial spirit, for one, plus a commitment to creative, intimate relationships—even friendships—between writers and editors.

Our conversation starts with Kate describing her first encounter with James Joyce’s "Ulysses" while she was a student at Smith, and how it inspired her, ultimately, to become an editor.