Menu

Posts Tagged ‘bookish’

On to the Next

Friday, December 9th, 2022

Dear Readers,

One thing to always remember is that when opportunity comes, it never goes away. My time as a Beaufort Books intern may have reached its time, but I know that I have made a valuable connection with four amazing individuals throughout these three months and will continue to apply what I have been taught to whatever opportunity approaches next. 

I came across the internship out of the blue. I discovered a callout for submissions through a sponsored Spencer Hill Press Instagram story. I followed them with the hope that when I finally write a manuscript that I could possibly pitch it to SHP or work with them in some way. After a few days, I saw the job posting for Fall Editorial Interns. I applied with the hope that securing this position would truly make me an equal, if not a standout candidate for a future publishing career. 

By the end of the summer, I was offered the position and I felt so proud of myself for shooting my shot and feeling like I was worthy enough to pursue this career that I have worked towards for what feels like only a short time. They tell you that a career in publishing is competitive and that is certainly true for many aspects of it. However, I find that when you look hard enough for chance opportunities (or sometimes even stumble upon them), the rewards will be so valuable and beneficial. 

I learned that I have an ability to design graphics which I had never properly known how to do before. Outside of taking and editing pictures, I never thought that I had the eye to put an image together from scratch that would be appealing and marketable. I designed many graphics that I look forward to seeing on Amazon some day. 

Beyond that, I read a manuscript that I felt very strongly about, and got a glimpse at what it felt like to fall in love with an unpublished piece of writing. I learned about contracts and how authors get paid. I even had the chance to assist in publicity research which further enforced how much I cherish that field of work. 

This internship has given me more passion and knowledge for the publishing industry, and fostered a new level of confidence because of the experience and the people who helped me along the way. I am so grateful and excited for all that is ahead of me. I am even more excited to apply what I learned throughout this experience onto others because I only have one semester left before I am able to navigate true adult life. I am scared about so much beyond graduation, but one thing I am definitely confident in now is the career field I will be in. 

Thank you to Beaufort Books for granting me a place here and for being such a bright spot as I get ready for everything that’s ahead of me. 

Sincerely,

Kaliisha of Woods BEAUyond

What Makes Author Events So Appealing?

Thursday, October 6th, 2022

Dear Readers,

One of my favorite pastimes is to attend author events. I have gone to more events this year than ever before. The last time I attended a bookish event was when I attended the Boston Book Festival back in 2019. It was the first time I ever covered an event for my university’s newspaper and my first experience with journalism. 

When COVID hit, bookstores had to figure something out. If these events could not continue in-person, what were the alternatives? I am sure that many of the questions asked were in line with how to bring together many people in one setting in order to hear an author speak. Then, online events came in full swing. It allowed for people with busy schedules or long commute times to be able to see an author from the comfort of wherever they were. 

At the beginning of 2022, author events began to return to in-person, with an added bonus of hybrid events. Being able to meet authors face-to-face again and hear them discuss their works that they have spent time on, often in the hopes of giving an audience something to love or learn from, is utterly inspiring to me. 

It has made me wonder what makes author events so appealing? On the one hand, author events are like celebrity meet-and-greets for readers. If one loves an author’s book, one may hope that they can meet the author in-person and pick their brains. On the other hand, readers just love to hear about books, but this is a step above a simple recommendation.

Another thing that I personally love about author discussions is that they are super inspiring and motivating. I never leave an author event without immediately yearning for my laptop to continue writing my own manuscript. 

For introverts, author events can either be a completely solo experience or it can be a great opportunity to make bookish friends that may be hard to come by in a different environment. 

For go-getters, these events are great ways to branch out and connect with people in various industries related to books. Sometimes author’s friends, publicists, editors, and/or agents tag along. If you can find a way to put yourself out there, author events are a great avenue for your career. 

I love the excitement that author discussions bring. It feels so amazing to know that an author is just a regular person who found the time to put their imagination on a page and sought out the right people in order to give people a story to love. Since the majority of events I go to feature Young Adult writers, it reminds me that no matter how old I get, I was a teenager once who fell in love with reading, and I want nothing more than to share that same feeling with teens in the future. 

What do you love about author events?

Sincerely,

Kaliisha of Woods BEAUyond

Greetings From Woods Beyond

Thursday, September 8th, 2022
This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is Soman-3-900x1200.jpg

Hello to you all! My name is Kaliisha. I have just begun my senior year of college. My school journey is almost at a close, but like most great books, the story is never truly over once you reach “The End.” A little bit more about me is that I adore Young Adult books of any genre. Some of my favorites are And They Lived by Steven Salvatore, Six Crimson Cranes by Elizabeth Lim, and Anger is a Gift by Mark Oshiro! However, my all time favorite book/ book series of all time is The School for Good and Evil by Soman Chainani! Fun fact: I actually got to meet the School Master in person this year (which you can see in the image)!

I thought that for my first post I would recommend some titles that are fairly similar to my favorite series!

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is Almost-Magic-2.jpg
  1. Almost Magic by Kathleen Bullock (Spencer Hill Press)

Ever since she turned twelve, Apple Bramblewood’s life has been plagued by visits from weird creatures from the magical realms.

It seems she is a rare Attractor, a Wizard whose sole talent is solving the clamorous demands of very odd beings, usually in the most unorthodox, haphazard, and klutzy ways. Apple doesn’t want to be an Attractor; her most passionate goal is to attend the ordinary high school with ordinary kids where her perfect older sister, Cornelia, is allowed to go. Her parents have no doubts about Cornelia’s magical prowess, but Apple seems destined to be home-schooled forever if she can’t pass the entrance exam and perfect at least one magical enchantment.

Almost Magic is Apple’s first-person account of that magic summer between childhood and adolescence and, in Apple’s case, one filled with the most amazing, hilarious, and often dangerous events.

Buy Almost Magic Now!

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is Wildseed-1-822x1200.jpg

2. Wildseed Witch by Marti Dumas (Abrams Books)

Hasani’s post-seventh-grade summer to-do list is pretty simple: get a bigger following for her makeup YouTube channel and figure out how to get her parents back together. What she does NOT expect is that an emotional outburst will spark a latent magical ability in her. Or that the magic will be strong enough to attract the attention of witches. Or that before she can say #BlackGirlMagic, she’ll be shipped off on a scholarship to a fancy finishing school for talented young ladies.

Les Belles Demoiselles is a literal charm school. Here, generations of young ladies from old-money witch families have learned to harness their magic, and alumnae grow to become some of the most powerful women across industries, including politicians, philanthropists, CEOs, entrepreneurs—and yes, even social media influencers. Needless to say, admission to the school is highly coveted, very exclusive . . . and Hasani sticks out like a weed in a rose bouquet.

While the other girls have always known they were destined to be witches, Hasani is a Wildseed––a stray witch from a family of non-witches, with no background knowledge, no way to control her magic, and a lot to catch up on. “Wildseed” may be an insult that the other girls throw at her, but Wildseeds are more powerful than they know. And Hasani will learn that there are ways to use magic and thrive that can never be taught in a classroom.

Buy Wildseed Witch Now!

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is Kingston-2.jpg

3. Kingston and The Magician’s Lost and Found by Rucker Moses and Theo Gangi (Penguin Random House)

Twelve-year-old Kingston has just moved from the suburbs back to Echo City, Brooklyn—the last place his father was seen alive. Kingston’s father was King Preston, one of the world’s greatest magicians. Until one trick went wrong and he disappeared. Now that Kingston is back in Echo City, he’s determined to find his father.

Somehow, though, when his father disappeared, he took all of Echo City’s magic with him. Now Echo City—a ghost of its past—is living up to its name. With no magic left, the magicians have packed up and left town and those who’ve stayed behind don’t look too kindly on any who reminds them of what they once had.

When Kingston finds a magic box his father left behind as a clue, Kingston knows there’s more to his father’s disappearance than meets the eye. He’ll have to keep it a secret—that is, until he can restore magic to Echo City. With his cousin Veronica and childhood friend Too Tall Eddie, Kingston works to solve the clues, but one wrong move and his father might not be the only one who goes missing.

Buy Kingston and The Magician’s Lost and Found Now!

I am so excited to be able to work with Beaufort Books and Spencer Hill Press for this fall season. I love books, but I also just love talking about them, too! 

Sincerely,

Kaliisha of Woods BEAUyond

5 of the Best Romance Series to Curl Up With

Friday, February 11th, 2022

With a few more weeks of winter heading our way, Beau Weasley predicts the forecast will be staying inside with a book (or four). Here is a list of recent romance series to help keep you warm at night!

Heart of the Duke Series by Christi Caldwell

for-love-of-the-duke-cover

For the Love of the Duke is the first book in the series. After the tragic death of his wife, Jasper, the 8th Duke of Bainbridge, buried himself away in the dark cold walls of his home, Castle Blackwood. When he’s coaxed out of his self-imposed exile to attend the amusements of the Frost Fair, his life is irrevocably changed by his fateful meeting with Lady Katherine Adamson.

With her tight brown ringlets and silly white-ruffled gowns, Lady Katherine Adamson has found her dance card empty for two Seasons. After her father’s passing, Katherine learned the unreliability of men and is determined to depend on no one, except herself. Until she meets Jasper…

In a desperate bid to avoid a match arranged by her family, Katherine makes the Duke of Bainbridge a shocking proposition—one that he accepts.

Only, as Katherine begins to love Jasper, she finds the arrangement agreed upon is not enough. And Jasper is left to decide if protecting his heart is more important than fighting for Katherine’s love.

The English Brothers Series by Kate Regnery

Breaking Up with Barrett is the first book about the Philadelphia-based, wildly handsome English brothers who are all on the lookout for love.

Barrett English, aka “the Shark,” is the fair-haired, first-born of the English brothers, and the CEO of the oldest, most prestigious investment banking firm in Philadelphia. He rules the boardroom with an iron fist, refusing to take no for an answer and always getting his way.

Emily Edwards, a first-year doctoral student at the University of Pennsylvania, grew up in the gatehouse on the outskirts of Barrett’s childhood estate. The daughter of his family’s gardener and housekeeper, she was always looking through the window of privilege but forced to remember her place at the very periphery of the kingdom.

When business partners suggest that a fiancée might soften Barrett’s image over business dinners, he approaches Emily for the “job” of fiancée. And while love wasn’t necessarily on Barrett’s radar, he begins to realize that Emily always has been. But will his take-no-prisoners boardroom tactics work on the heart of the woman he loves?

Best Kept Secrets Series by Kandi Steiner

The first novel in this series is called What He Doesn’t Know

On the northeast side of town, there is a house. 

The house was once magical, filled with love and joy and plans for the future. Inside its walls are many things that belong to me — my books, the china from my mother on my wedding day, the beautiful cage once home to two birds, now empty, just like me.

And a man.

A man who also belongs to me.

A man I no longer wish to keep.

A man who, no doubt, has not slept, though the sun is rising. Because the house where he waits is where I laid my head to rest every night for eight years. Until last night.

No one who knows me would believe Charlie Pierce, the quiet, bookish girl who never made waves is pulling out of the driveway of a man who isn’t her husband. But they don’t know me at all.

I don’t even know me. Not anymore.

They say there are two sides to every story, and I suppose in most cases, that’s true. But the one I live inside of? It has three.

On the northeast side of town, there is a house.

But there is no longer a home.

London Celebrities Series by Lucy Parker

Act Like It is the first book in the series.

This just in: romance takes center stage as West End theatre’s Richard Troy steps out with none other than castmate Elaine Graham

Richard Troy used to be the hottest actor in London, but the only thing firing up lately is his temper. We all love to love a bad boy, but Richard’s antics have made him Enemy Number One, breaking the hearts of fans across the city.

Have the tides turned? Has English-rose Lainie Graham made him into a new man? Sources say the mismatched pair has been spotted at multiple events, arm in arm and hip to hip. From fits of jealousy to longing looks and heated whispers, onlookers are stunned by this blooming romance.

Could the rumors be right? Could this unlikely romance be the real thing? Or are these gifted stage actors playing us all?

CONTENT WARNINGS: mention of childhood cancer and past death of a family member, past suicide, sexual assault. 


Transcend Series by Jewel E. Ann

Transcend is the first book in the series.

“In another life, she was my forever.” 

An unexpected tragedy leaves Professor Nathaniel Hunt a widower alone with a newborn baby. 

He hires a nanny. She’s young, but well-qualified, with a simple life, a crazy name obsession, and a boyfriend she met at the grocery store. 

Over time, he discovers she knows things about him—things that happened before she was born—like a hidden scar on his head, his favorite pizza, and how he cheated on a high school Spanish test. 

She speaks familiar words and shares haunting memories that take him back to over two decades earlier when he lost his best friend in a tragic accident. 

“I’m afraid of what’s going to happen when you realize I’m not her.”

Transcend is a sexy, mind-bending journey that uncovers possibilities, challenges beliefs, and begets the age-old question: is there life after death?

As Valentine’s Day comes and goes, don’t forget to treat yourshelves, too…

Happy Reading!

Beau Weasley

Salutations!

Thursday, February 3rd, 2022

Dear Readers,

Hello and Happy Lunar New Year! Judy BEAUlume here—one of Beaufort Books’ newest interns and an insatiable bibliophile!

A little about me: I’m originally from Dallas, Texas where I grew up with my wonderful parents, one younger brother, and many, many pets! Through the years, my family has had lizards, turtles, a cockatiel, a cat, a tarantula (rescued from our swimming pool), and many, many wonderful dogs. My love of reading started very young (thank you Mom!) and some of my favorite childhood series included Gregor the Overlander by Suzanne Collins, Percy Jackson by Rick Riordan, and Chasing Vermeer by Blue Balliett!

Nowadays, I live in NYC where I work at a bookstore, intern with Beaufort Books, and read as many books on the subway as I possibly can! Some of my favorite authors include TJ Klune, Erin Morgenstern, Casey McQuiston, and Neil Gaiman. I’m currently finishing up the Poppy War Trilogy by R. F. Kuang which I highly recommend to anyone who loves history, fantasy, or Avatar the Last Airbender.

When I’m not reading, I also love watching animated movies/tv shows, doodling, listening to fictional podcasts (if you haven’t listened to The Magnus Archives, you absolutely should!), and taking dance classes! I strongly dislike asparagus, white chocolate, and when people don’t use the Oxford comma. I look forward to sharing all things Beaufort Books with you!

Until next time!

Judy BEAUlume

Welcome to NYC, BookExpo Style

Tuesday, June 18th, 2019

Hello!

I’m Beaufort’s newest intern here to report back that, yes, BookExpo is exactly as cool as our previous post promises!

I’ve never been part of the publishing world before, but I had heard tell of a magical event where all the industry people came together to network and best of all—talk about books! I was very excited when Beaufort asked if I’d like to go to this paradise, so of course I said yes.

And BookExpo and BookCon did not disappoint! I hit the ground running on this internship, starting my first day by helping set up the booth. For the next three days I helped out there, meeting authors and helping with signings, and of course, exploring this mecca of the book world.

The Javits Center was full of larger-than-life posters of books and authors. It was like they were movie stars—some of whom I got to meet in real life! Just sharing a room with people whose books I’ve admired since I was little is enough to make my nerdy heart swoon, let alone all of the other fantastic things going on.

It was really interesting to see all the different people who came to BookExpo—not just publishers, but librarians, booksellers, and educators as well. I saw a few people from around where I live and said hello. It was nice to see a little bit of home in the big city.

But of course, for a young hopeful such as myself, it was great to see the variety of publishers there. From the big four to small presses, academics to picture books, a wide range of organizations came to BookExpo. Everyone was excited to show off the projects they’d been working on and even standing in line, attendees would talk about the exciting things they’d done or were planning to do during the convention.

BookExpo was a really great way to kick off my internship because not only did I get to be dazzled by all of the cool things happening in the industry, I also got to know the Beaufort & Spencer Hill teams better than I would have just starting behind the desk.

Signing off for now,
Beauseidon

P.S. These are some of the cool tote bags I got while I was there!

This is a shared blog post for Beaufort Books and Spencer Hill Press.

Bookish Dream Come True!

Friday, May 17th, 2019

Hello Readers!

It’s been a while since I’ve posted, but I wanted to share some exciting news. As most of you may know, BookExpo and BookCon are coming up soon, and I’ll be attending both for the very first time! Now this is exciting for several reasons, but for those of you who aren’t familiar with either, I’ll elaborate.

BookExpo is the publishing industry’s leading trade event. Publishers, booksellers, librarians, and tastemakers all gather to find out what’s new and happening with authors, the latest titles, distribution channels, and new technologies and trends. It’s a great space to network and make connections within the industry, keep up to date with the comings and goings of the publishing world, and if you have a business, it’s a great event to attend because you can learn how to give it an edge.

Equally exciting will be Unbound, the adjacent show and new exhibit floor dedicated to unique non-book items to help businesses grow: “aka” the goodies show. Let’s face it, though we love books, we also like the toys and trinkets that bookshops sell to accompany and enrich our book reading experience. I’ll have to bring a tote bag!Running concurrently to BooxExpo will be the New York Rights Fair, which is the international adult and children’s content and licensing marketplace. This is where rights professionals, publishers, acquisitions editors, agents, scouts, film producers, and other attendees do business, discuss rights sales and the distribution of content across all formats.

As an intern at a publishing house, I am extremely excited to see up close what happens at these trade shows because A) they’re not really open to the general public, unless you’re in the books business and B) they form the biggest and most important U.S. publishing event of the year.[

Between author panels and talks, and sessions meant to educate on the publishing business, book swag, and networking, this three-day-event is sure to be thrilling for book fanatics like me!

If you’re never been and can go, it’s an event you won’t want to miss. Be sure to stop by our booth and say hi!

BookExpo will take place May 29-31, 2019 at the Javits Center in NYC.

Wednesday, May 29: 12:00 PM – 5:00 PM
Thursday, May 30: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Friday, May 31: 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM

Just as BookExpo closes on Friday, BookCon opens on Saturday. Now BookCon is an entirely different atmosphere. But what is it? In their own words, “BookCon is the event where storytelling and pop culture collide.” One of my friends described it as “Comic Con for book nerds,” and I couldn’t agree more.

So, while BookExpo runs more on the business side of books, BookCon is tailored for all the readers and book fans out there. Open to the public, and targeting all ages, eager bibliophiles like me will have the opportunity to meet & greet authors, attend workshops and panels, and get all our favorite books autographed.

I’ve been living in NYC for almost three years, but this will be my first time attending (finally!).  For two years I have stared in awe (and felt very jealous…) of my friends’ hauls after attending. Though I will sadly be leaving this wonderful city in August, and I probably don’t need to add any more books to my packing list, I am anticipating eagerly all the fantastic reads I will leave the event with.

So, if you’re planning to attend, BookExpo (which I am hoping you are), you seriously CANNOT pass up on BookCon!

Sadly, weekend tickets are sold out, but you can still purchase tickets onsite & online. Adult tix go between $30-$45 depending on the day, and Kid tix (aged 6-12) are priced at $10 for either day.

BookCon will take place June 1-2, 2019 at the Javits Center in NYC.

Saturday, June 1: 10:00 PM – 6:00 PM
Sunday, June 2: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM

I cannot wait for this fun-packed week to arrive! For more information on either event, please click on the links below.

www.bookexpoamerica.com

www.bookcon

Til’ next time, readers!

-Sir Arthur Conan Beauyle

This is a shared blog post for Beaufort Books and Spencer Hill Press.