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A Few Podcasts
For the last two weeks I have been traveling forty five minutes in the morning and forty five minutes in the evening, participating in a ritual that modern humans refer to as a “commute.” I stand or sit in the 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 or Q trains, and I try not to touch the people near me, although sometimes this cannot be avoided. This morning I touched a rabbi’s hand, for example. I try to focus on my shoes and discretely look out the windows to see whether I am close to my stop (I have not yet attuned my circadian rhythms to the subway system) and inevitably make eye contact with someone across from me. I look back at my shoes.
Such is the true life cliché that I live, a Californian transplant in New York City, used to my hermetically sealed box with wheels that modern humans refer to as a “car” but thrust into the sardine box/melting pot/other anthropological-food metaphor that is the MTA. It is both nerve-wracking and utterly boring, and so I have had to develop a few habits to keep my mind occupied in a productive way. Of course by habits I mean “podcasts,” and by develop I mean “find.” So, without further ado, here are some of the (writing-relevant) programs I have been listening to:
1. The New Yorker Fiction Podcast
Are you a fan of Italo Calvino, Colum Mcann, John Cheever, Donald Antrim, Donald Barthelme, Denis Johnson, George Saunders, or any other authors published in the New Yorker? Do you appreciate an ethos of studious consideration of and respect for literature? Did you enjoy having stories read to you in soft tones as a child? Welcome to the New Yorker Fiction Podcast, brought to you by Deborah Treisman, the magazine’s very own fiction editor.
In this podcast, Treisman welcomes a New Yorker author, has them read their favorite story published in the magazine, and concludes by discussing with them the story they have read. The podcast is like a double feature in this way: not only do you hear the work of great literary geniuses that the magazine helped establish, you also learn the names and writer-ly habits of the next generation of literary geniuses fostered in its offices. Check in on the first of every month for a new update.
2. The New Yorker Political Scene
Dorothy Wickenden, who I recently heard lecture at Columbia, hosts this weekly podcast, in which she discusses new political events with New Yorker writers. Wickenden is the Executive Editor at the magazine; shrewd and gracious, she has a great radio presence. She also has the uncanny ability to speak in fully-formed paragraphs and speaks with an awesome but unplaceable accent. I highly recommend any of the podcasts that feature George Packer, famous for his books Assassin’s Gate and The Unwinding (and his general pessimism about America’s future). Check in on Wednesdays or Thursdays for new updates.
The New Yorker Out Loud has two hosts. The first is Colin Fox, who is an editor of the website and introduces the podcast. The second host, Sasha Weiss, who is the literary editor of the magazine, usually interviews one New Yorker writer about their piece that came out that week. It’s great and highly variable. My favorites are the ones with Emily Nussbaum, the magazine’s TV critic, a former PhD candidate and writer for Lingua Franca. Check in on Mondays for new updates.
4. Longform
Longform.org is a website that aggregates long-form journalism from both the past and the present. You can find both the famous “Frank Sinatra Has a Cold” and the newest profile in GQ, so long as it isn’t behind a pay wall. They are also lucky to have their offices right across the hall from the Atavist, a similar upstart founded by Evan Ratliff, Jefferson Rabb, and Nicholas Thompson that created a platform for multimedia storytelling.
I haven’t quite figured out whether these two companies distinguish between themselves (since Evan Ratliff often serves as a host and has been interviewed on the podcast and in his interview referred to “the office” as if it was the Atavist office), nor can I figure out who the host is. Regardless, they have managed to interview really awesome talents like Jay Caspian Kang, Molly Young, and Emily Nussbaum. Writers interviewing writers about writing is the premise; the shows last for 45 minutes to an hour; check in Wednesdays for new content.
All of these podcasts are free and available on iTunes. So go subscribe! Expand your mind amidst the metal squeals and casual intimacy of Gotham’s subway.
Happy listening,
BEAUseph Conrad
Short Stories, Little Patience
A Little Beau here! Mind blowing news update—I have actually kept my promise. If you read my last blog post, you might remember my tendency to buy books and then never read them. I vowed to pick up one of those poor, neglected books, and this morning I did! (To be honest, the real reason is that I finished book four of Game of Thrones and haven’t managed to pick up book five yet, but let’s focus on the positives here).
I bought this sometime around last January at Book Revue in Huntington. The book is a collection of short stories written by Connolly that share a common theme: they’re all somewhat on the other side of creepy. I’m only on the first story so far, entitled “The Cancer Cowboy Rides.” It’s about a man who has some sort of affliction (possibly an alien parasite? some kind of supernatural power?) that causes him to fill with a black cancer. The only way to rid himself of this is to touch others and cause them to fall prey to the black cancer. The story takes place in various locations of Small Town America and reminds me of The Twilight Zone. So far I’m very much enjoying it, though perhaps my decision to read it on the train in a dark tunnel wasn’t such a great idea. Will this stop me from doing it again tomorrow? Not a chance.
I can’t remember what exactly drew me to pick up the book but I know what caused me to buy it; I adore short stories. There’s just something about not having to be tied down to one story line and one cast of characters for 200 or so pages. With a collection of short stories you get just a taste of that world, discover the main conflict, and have it solved in just a few pages. And there’s always something left out in a short story—What happened to the main character after he got that job? What happened in her childhood that led this character to act out in that way? How did those characters manage to escape? A creative writing professor once told me that allowing your audience to interact with your book, by filling in some of the blanks or by leaving questions unanswered, makes for a gripping story. I’ve always found this to be true, and I think that’s something I love about short stories.
Speaking of that creative writing professor, here’s a book of short stories he assigned for our class that I loved:
This book is composed of very, very short stories. Often, the stories are no more than a page or two long. It’s a great way to pick up a book if you know you don’t have a lot of time to commit to it. I don’t think I can sum it up any better than this user review on the book’s Amazon page: “It’s like a big sampler box of chocolates, only there are no yucky ones, none of those jelly-centered losers.” Thanks, Lou Beach, I couldn’t have said it any better.
Do you have a favorite collection of short stories? Do you hate short stories with a burning passion? Post below in the comments!
-A Little Beau Told Me
Independent Bookstores in the City
Hello readers! I am Ryan, one of the new fall interns at Beaufort. I thought for my introductory blog post I would talk about some of the independent bookstores in the city. I just heard the good news on Shelf Awareness that Michael de Zayas, of gourmet cheese fame in Crown Heights, is creating a new bookstore on the corner of Bedford and Park Place (just one block from my apartment). De Zayas has already proven himself a capable businessman in the neighborhood: he’s the man behind Wedge, an artisan cheese and bread store, and Little Zelda, a coffeehouse next door. Given his success on Franklin Ave. with two such hipster retreats, hopes should be high for a third, especially since the nearest local bookstore is a twenty minute walk away (though some would undoubtedly claim that Unnameable Books is worth the walk).
Beaufort’s office is actually located in a particularly dense bookstore cluster, only a few blocks from the iconic Union Square triumvirate of The Strand, St. Mark’s Bookshop, and Shakespeare & Co. Booksellers.
The Strand is the biggest of the three with a huge fiction selection, three floors, great prices, and good vibes.
The Strand * 828 Broadway New York, NY 10003 * (212) 473-1452
St. Mark’s Bookshop is a bit more arty and spare and is located right in the heart of St. Mark’s (hence the name)—stop in for that anthology on Foucault and you will pass by the Continental bar, with its infamous 5 shots for $10 deal.
St. Mark’s * 31 3rd Ave New York, NY 10003 * (212) 260-7853
Shakespeare & Co. is part of a small NYC chain of three bookstores that form an axis on the East Side. The one I’m talking about is right next to NYU and has a definite college feel in terms of its staff and its course book offerings. It lives up to the hype of its name both in the selection for Shakespeare titles and in its smell, mahogany shelves, and comfy chairs.
Shakespeare & Co. * 716 Broadway New York, NY 10003 * (212) 529-1330
The country’s largest Barnes and Noble is also right on Union Square, and, given its huge collection, it’s a great place to find that sought after book you just can’t find anywhere else. It’s also a great place to find that sought after bathroom after drinking three cups of coffee at the Farmer’s Market.
B&N * 33 E 17th St New York, NY 10003 * (212) 253-0810
I’ve recently been working at Book Culture, an independent bookstore in Morningside Heights beloved by Columbia students. Come by our main location on 112th mid-block between Broadway and Amsterdam, or, if you are with kids or are just looking for bestselling fiction, try our newish location on 114th and Broadway.
Book Culture’s 112th location
Book Culture’s Broadway location
Since the advent of e-readers, independent booksellers have been characterized in the media as a relic of the past, but the truth is that they have actually become more important than ever. With their carefully curated selection and knowledgeable staff, they have become cultural beacons, as important as publishers in determining the trajectory of literature. Amazon may have millions of titles, but it has no way of sifting through its offerings and determining what is relevant to you, unlike the former English majors roaming the stacks and re-shelving overstock who can make recommendations, tell you what people are buying, and talk to you about your favorite authors. Apple offers great convenience with e-books, but independent bookstores offer you one-of-a-kind events in the form of author readings, lectures, and Q&As.
It’s not that Amazon and Apple are worse than independent booksellers, or vice versa—they’re just different and provide equally necessary services for the book world. So stop by and support your local store: they’ll appreciate your business and, who knows, maybe you will get to meet a really interesting person.
Cheerio,
BEAUseph Conrad
A Little Beau Told Me
Hi there! I’m Sarah, the new publicity intern. Henceforth I’ll go by A Little Beau Told Me, so chosen because of my family’s tendency to use nicknames based on birds.
Lately I’ve had a tendency to collect books faster than I can read them. I just can’t help picking up a book if, say, I peruse a used bookstore or if a friend is passing off a few unwanted titles. I give them a home on my increasingly overfilled bookshelf and it is there that they go to die under a layer of dust. But yes, I needed to buy that copy of Great Expectations because I was an English major and I should read that, shouldn’t I? And I just have to pick up this copy of Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil from my friend who doesn’t even remember buying it because I liked that movie three years ago, didn’t I?
You really don’t want to know how many copies of Jane Eyre I’ve collected. There was a book I read, or possibly a movie I watched, where the protagonist once owned a book that had an inscription from her father. She proceeds to lose it, so she develops a habit of picking up copies of the book at used bookstores in an attempt to find the missing copy. Every time I mention this someone tells me what movie it’s from and every time I forget, but I still feel the need to own 5 copies of Jane Eyre. My favorite is a 100 year old copy that I picked up for £3 while studying abroad, but I digress.
These books deserve to be read, and I resolve to read them all! I must give Les Miserables another chance, I must try the silly novels I keep telling myself will be great for beach reading, and I must stop buying books that I know I won’t read. Or at least, I should try. At some point. Maybe after I’m done reading Game of Thrones.
I’ll get back to you on that.
There Goes Honey Beau Beau
I cannot believe it is my last week at Beaufort! In my first blog post I wrote about wanting to discover the type of book that I enjoy most, and finishing books even if I am not a fan of them from the start. While the later is proving to be more difficult, I definitely think I took a step in the right direction and did some experimenting with different genres this summer.
Memoirs, unless written by Bill Bryson or David Sedaris and filled with laugh out loud jokes, have never been a section of the bookstore I had felt inclined to explore. This summer however, I worked on creating media contact lists for our author Jennifer Pharr Davis’ book tour centered around Called Again: A Story of Love and Triumph. About two weeks ago I decided, that after spending so much of my internship promoting Jen’s unbelievable hiking memoir, and of course after meeting her and her beautiful daughter Charley at BEA, that I should read Called Again. Being obsessive about reading books in order, this required reading Becoming Odyssa first.
Let me tell you, if you haven’t read either of these books, especially as a young female, you are missing out! Picture a 5-foot tall female who can’t run more than 3 miles without having an asthma attack, attracts mosquitoes like it’s her job, and loves curling up in a blanket, on the couch with a cup of hot tea more than anything else. Now picture this person actually contemplating hiking the Appalachian Trail in its entirety, all 2,180 miles, as a thru-hiker. If Jen’s books can move my lazy self – with my far from athletic stature – to even consider a day hike, much less a four month journey, then she has quite possibly performed a miracle.
All jokes aside, both books give a beautiful look at her journeys through the Appalachian Trail, their expected hardships, and their unexpected joys – all of which will make the reader wish they had been right alongside Jen for the experience.
I came into my internship at Beaufort with expectations of learning about the publishing industry, both from the publicity side and the editorial side. While I’ve learned so much more than I could have imagined about the industry, it also allowed me to determine my answer to the popular question “What is your favorite kind of book to read?” I no longer feel pressured to have a distinct genre in mind, but can take pride in my answer: I like a little bit of everything, and am still exploring my options.
Farewell from ElizaBEAU
At my last day here at Beaufort I am reflecting on what a great experience this has been. I have learned more about publishing than I could ever imagine, and I am now an expert mailer! Although some tasks may have been quite mundane, I have a new appreciation for and perspective on how labor intensive the publication of books is. This is a detail oriented industry. No matter how many “passes” are done on a book, there is always something that someone will want to change—perfection is something to strive for, but not to achieve.
I am thrilled that I was given the opportunity to take a dip into the publicity area of publishing (writing pitch letters is fun!) and it was something I had zero experience in. However, one of my favorite moments of this internship was meeting a foreign rights representative. She told me one thing that has since become embossed into my mind: people who are passionate about publishing can never stay too far away from books, and most of them are convinced that if they do anything else, they will fail. I can honestly say that this internship has allowed me to become enthralled by an industry that is driven by passion. On that note, when I leave here today, I will not say “good bye” to my fellow associates, but “see you later!”
To new interns and to people who think they may have an interest in publishing: jump in head first! You won’t regret the experience, and the knowledge that you will gain is invaluable.
-ElizaBEAU
The Inside of That Book
This past week I’ve been answering some InDesign questions for our editors. I’m talking about a program used to design and layout ads and books and all sorts of print materials. See, before starting at Beaufort, I worked as a print production artist for advertisers; InDesign was my bread and butter.
It reminds me just how important book design is. Everyone talks about the great cover—the kind that makes a person want to pick up a book. But good interiors makes them not want to put it down. This post is about that: the under-appreciated art of interior design. It’s harder than it looks; because there are so few elements it becomes increasingly difficult to successfully design a quality book interior!
Let’s roll up our sleeves! Is your work a piece of fiction? You’ll want a pretty clean layout and a larger font that’s easy on the eyes. The spacing between lines is going to be wide: simple readability is your goal here. But be careful; too large and too spaced out runs the risk of appearing as a short essay being padded out in pages by a college freshman. Non-fiction? Your font is going to be smaller, tighter, and you can get away with more page elements (footnotes, bullet points). The inverse here is true: too tight and your text appears too dense to be penetrated. And there is such a thing as over-designing, the symptom of an artist’s self-indulgence. Keep those cute elements to a minimum, the design is there to assist the reader!
I need to cut myself off. Oh, I could go on, but it’s difficult to speak in absolutes or squeeze years of lessons learned into a paragraph. It is still an art, and art does deal with subjective decisions.
But it all boils down to this: The best design is invisible. You don’t notice that something’s been “designed” because it rests ergonomically upon your eyes. So next time you read a book and you don’t find yourself marveling at how great the design is, (and conversely, how awful the design is) then what you’ve got in your hands is some great design. Shake that designer’s hand.
And hey, comment below with some of your favorite book designs! Thanks!
-Michael
Granted, it is on my bookshelf…
First, the info dump: Last week, Amazon Publishing had its very first million-copy-selling author. The imprint is AmazonCrossing, the author is Oliver Pötzch, and the figures are the combined print, audio, and eBook sales of his Hangman’s Daughter series. Pötzch’s books were originally published in his native German and subsequently acquired and translated by Amazon for digital distribution.
Now, the question: What does this mean? Smarter people than I can investigate the business ramifications of this. But my research to make heads or tails of this development has brought me up against a lot less examination and a lot more feelings. Amazon seems to be a lynchpin. It’s at the center of the push and pull between print and digital; and the loudest voices are emotional ones.
I’ve written about this before: I love a good brick-and-mortar bookstore, and I love holding a physical book in my hands. (And perhaps, selfishly, I love showing off my small library to people as well.) But what I love more is people reading. And right now, we can see teens buying more books more quickly than ever, and it’s all thanks to them embracing eBooks and discovering reading material through social networking. We’re going to get a generation of literate readers because good books are more accessible and kids are talking about them.
“You’re a hopeless romantic,” said Faber. “It would be funny if it were not serious. It’s not books you need, it’s some of the things that once were in books. The same things could be in the ‘parlor families’ today. The same infinite detail and awareness could be projected through the radios, and televisors, but are not. No,no it’s not books at all you’re looking for! Take it where you can find it, in old phonograph records, old motion pictures, and in old friends; look for it in nature and look for it in yourself. Books were only one type or receptacle where we stored a lot of things we were afraid we might forget. There is nothing magical in them at all. The magic is only in what books say, how they stitched the patches of the universe together into one garment for us. Of course you couldn’t know this, of course you still can’t understand what i mean when i say all this. You are intuitively right, that’s what counts.”
When it comes to reading, it’s not the mode of delivery, it’s the content.
—Michael
And Scene.
Michael again, and I’d like to talk about a book I’m re-reading right now. It’s called Days and Nights at the Second City by Bernie Sahlins. Days and Nights is one-half memoir and one-half direction on putting up a Second City-style revue performance. I’m digging deep into this book with good reason: come this Fall I’ll be performing on a cruise ship as part of a Second City show. That’s right, when not talking books, I perform improv and sketch in front of paying audiences. If you’re not laughing at my blog posts now then I assure you that I am a fantastic straight man.
I’d like to take a minute to talk about the author, Bernie Sahlins. You see, a week ago, Bernie passed away. Now, I never met him, but Bernie has touched my life in some ways. He was one of the founders of the Second City Theater. He remained with the Second City as a producer and director through to the 1990s, and he’s credited with discovering talents like John Candy and Bill Murray. He’s a pretty big deal for people like me.
My first connection with the Second City Theater is through their training program: that’s where I received my first professional training as a performer. The mainstage players at Second City were my rock stars. And I devoured as much information as I could about the theater—its sense of history and relevance was exciting to be part of, even in my small way. So I read every book about improv and the Second City I could get my hands on. And thus I found Days and Nights. Bernie’s book is filled with comedy wisdom, and has provided me inspiration and ideas for years. Now, when my contract begins, I get to be one of my rock stars and call myself a Second City performer. A big part of that name is filled with Bernie’s heart and soul. So, I want to say thank you, Mr. Sahlins, for everything you’ve done. I hope to make you proud.
BEA 2013!
As an intern, the Book Expo of America is, initially, hugely overwhelming.
The colossal floor of the Javits Center is lined with booths from publishing house giants to independent booksellers, and hundreds of people are busily making connections and shilling books. By the second day, it all falls into place, and I moved easily through the aisles, pausing to scoop up the best complimentary tote bags, sample snacks from cookbook writers, and even getting to speak to authors! The variety of writers was one of my favorite aspects of the expo—I was able to talk at length with fledgling authors signing their first book, and catch starry-eyed glimpses of famous authors as well. Or, in the case of Internet sensation Grumpy Cat, a famous cat with a book due in the fall.
BEA is a great opportunity to get people interested in Beaufort books, and as an intern one of my chief assignments was to publicize our author’s book signings. One of our most popular authors was certainly Jennifer Pharr Davis, shown here with her lovely and well-behaved baby Charlotte. Called Again is an engaging memoir about a record-breaking hike on the Appalacian Trail—Jen was walking an average 47 miles a day!
Another Beaufort favorite was Jeff Alt’s Get Your Kids Hiking—BEA has a tons of kids books, so as a result there were lots of children’s librarians, booksellers, as well as excited parents and kids who wanted to meet Jeff and receive a signed copy of the book. Get Your Kids Hiking is especially timely now, with school letting out for the summer and kids often leaning more towards Super Smash Brothers than getting outside.
The carnival aspect of BEA is also fun—there were Lego sculptures and balloon animals and people dressed as pirates and fairies, sprinkling glitter on enchanted passersby. While the days were long–most exhibitors arrived by 8 in the morning and stayed until 5—there’s an absolute sense of camaraderie to be surrounded by so many book-loving people. The sheer scope of the expo was also reassuring: if you want to write, publish, or just read books, there is certainly a place for you at BEA.
An Independent Study
Michael again, and I wanted to share a news story about my neck the woods that caught my eye: In August, partners Lexi Beach and Connie Rourke will open a true brick-and-mortar bookstore in Astoria—a first in two years. And I’m particularly excited because this bookstore will be just a short walk from my apartment.
Now, the usual prophets of doom may naysay the opening of a new bookstore (Especially the naysayers in my neighborhood, who grumble at anything that isn’t a new brunch spot). Granted, the prophets of doom aren’t completely off base (Though there are plenty of brunch spots already). After all, 1000 bookstore went out of business in 2000-2007. But I don’t believe it’s all strum und drang. The closures may have put a Darwinian effect on the indie bookshops and stabilized their numbers, which are now at a 10 percent market share (compared to Barnes & Noble’s 20 percent and Amazon’s 27).
So how will Beach and Rourke ensure they rise above that Darwinian tide? I think a customer goes into a small bookshop looking for a comfortable and more personal feel than a large chain or ebook retailer—I know that’s why I do. Plus independent bookstores can tap into the buy-local movement and stock indie books more easily than larger chain stores. Simply put, a small indie bookstore means community spirit. So that’s what Beach and Rourke are fostering. From their website (emphasis mine):
As the Astoria Bookshop gets closer to opening, we’ll start posting events to the calendar on our website. Our goal is to host events for every kind of reader out there — book clubs, writers’ groups, author signings, children’s story hours, tastings of sample recipes from cookbooks, even table readings. To us, events are one of the most important aspects of our business — we’re designing the Astoria Bookshop to be a space for the community to gather and interact.
This is all to say that I know where a huge portion of my paycheck will be going come mid-August. Lexi and Connie, I’ll see you at your bookshop. And then I’ll go get brunch somewhere… but where?
So Long, And Thanks for All the Fish
Here it is: my last day interning at Beaufort Books. It’s been a surprisingly quick five months, and I’m definitely going to miss my thrice-weekly trip into Manhattan. Last week was my first-ever BEA, and it was absolutely the best ending to the best internship.
I went into this internship with very few expectations, and a very little knowledge of the publishing world. I knew I liked books, and I liked reading, and publishers made books, so that sounded fun; but I had no idea of the breadth of work that turned an idea in someone’s head into a completed book on a bookstore shelf. Now I do. And I’ve managed, in my small part, to contribute to that process.
I walk out now, having met and talked to authors, proofread manuscripts, helped arrange blog tours, cultivated relationships with reviewers and bookstores, learned publishing lingo, messengered books and press kits all over the city, and even designed my first book cover. I’ve experienced BEA in all its footsore, backbreaking, lack-of-sleep, starry-eyed wonder. And, what’s more, I still want to work in publishing.
Even with all the unexpected and sometimes monotonous tasks, the plethora of papercuts, and the long commute (where, let’s be honest, I got a lot of reading done), I would not have given up this internship for the world. I’ve gotten such a better understanding of the publishing industry and the place I want to have in it, and I’ve picked up and honed the skills I’ll need in my future career. I’ve met a lot of great people, interns and professionals alike, and hope to run into them all again someday, preferably when we’re all high-level publishing executives who have single-handedly courted a dozen best-selling and award-winning authors apiece.
So to Beaufort, I say so long, and thanks for all the fish.
-Placebeau
P.S. Incidentally… anybody in the market for an Assistant Editor? *winkwinknudgenudge*
On Buying Books You Already Own
Hello! I’m Theresa, a new intern here at Beaufort, henceforth known as Beau Soleil. I feel my moniker is appropriate for two reasons–beautiful sun, for a summer intern–and it’s also a coy nod to my other job at an oyster bar–Beau Soleil is, of course, a boutique oyster from Canada. But anyway! Back to books!
A used bookstore in my neighborhood in Brooklyn has some vintage copies of my favorite books–not expensive first editions of classics, but hardcovers from the 70s with fantastic covers
It’s hard to justify buying a copy of a book I already own–but the delicately frayed jackets, the charmingly dated font, that old book smell–and how nice they would look displayed on my bookshelves! (Once I have bookshelves, I mean–my library is currently supported by a wire kitchen rack.)
While you really don’t need more than one copy of a book, a beloved book is hard to say no to–especially if the cover is unique, ancient, or foreign. New covers on classic books, while fun, don’t have the same thrill as unearthing a dusty relic with crumbling pages, last read decades ago. And especially treasured are old books gifted to you by someone you love–a book of my grandmother’s whose title frightened me my entire childhood (The Naked and the Dead), or my father’s copy of War and Peace from college, with his notes scratched in the margins.
So sometimes buying books is no longer just about reading them–they are for collecting, to remind yourself of earlier days and people from your past, for displaying as art objects, in lieu of wallpaper–
But yes, mostly for reading.
Here Comes Honey Beau Beau
Do not worry, I am not the six-year-old beauty pageant diva “Honey Boo Boo,” I am just one of the humble new interns at Beaufort! While Honey Beau Beau will be my pen-name for the summer here in New York, my real name is Emily and I am a junior from Elon University. While The Big Apple is a drastic change from North Carolina, where I spend most of the year at school, my humble abode for the summer is just an hour away in New Jersey.
There is one thing that Honey Boo Boo and I do have in common, and that is our diva-like tendencies. Honey Boo Boo is a diva when it comes to beauty pageants; I, Honey Beau Beau, however, am more of a diva when it comes to books. If a book doesn’t draw my attention within the first chapter, I will put it down. My shelves are filled with half-started books, that I refuse to get rid of because “maybe I just wasn’t in the right mood,” or “that is more of a beach read and less of a before-bed read; I’ll take it to the beach next time I go.”
From a family of book-worms, each with a distinct reading preference, this diva has felt a pressure to answer the age old question: “What is your favorite kind of book?” While I could tell you my grandfathers answer to that question would be crime and mystery novels, my mother’s: fantasy, my grandmother: historical-fiction, and my father: anything that can manage to make him laugh out loud, I have always struggled with deciding on my favorite genre. Making decisions is hard enough for me, but decisions about books – even tougher!
So with this in mind I have set two goals for myself this summer:
To stop being such a book snob, to shake free of my Honey Boo Boo tendencies and to give those seemingly slow-reads a fighting chance.
To try and find an answer to the age-old question: “What is your favorite kind of book?”
Hey Kids, Comics!
Good afternoon! I’m Michael, Beaufort’s newest intern, aka “Beau-ba Fett.” You can guess with a nom de guerre like that I’m a bit of Star Wars and comics nerd. So I always get a little excited when I see kids making comics. That’s why I took notice when I saw a recent Newsarama article about one of those kids, 15 year-old Emma T. Capps. In the upcoming June installment of Dark Horse Presents, Capps will become the youngest cartoonist ever published by Dark Horse.
But don’t think that Capps is some wunderkind, sprouting fully-formed like Athena, nor is she an amateurish l’enfant terrible. She’s been developing her skills as a writer and illustrator for years now, getting work published in Stone Soup, Cicada, and Creative Kids as far back as 2009. Now in tenth grade, Capps began her comic, Chapel, when she was a home-schooled eighth-grader. And believe me, she’s got the chops. Capps is pushing herself beyond the bounds of the typical semi-autobiographical faire that plagues indie comics. Chapel features a completely fictional 11 year-old girl as its protagonist. And it’s this quote from her Newsarama interview that made me take notice:
“I wanted to create a character who felt very real and had her own faults and quirks. But at the same time, I wanted her to be a person people could relate to. So I wouldn’t want to make the comic about the tales of a 16-year-old cartoonist, because that’s not something that people can relate to. And while some things that Chapel does are things that the readers of the comic may have never done, such as dress up in crazy costume or make hats, I still try to make it relatable.”
The best comics, whether featuring funny animals, spandex superheroes, or completely average humans, are about interesting, relatable characters. I think Capps is in good company. She reminds me of Colleen Doran, a 30-year comics veteran. Doran, notable for her work on Neil Gaiman’s Sandman, scored her first professional comics work at age 15. And though Doran work is filled with fantasy characters, they’re still believable people. Comics needs more young women like Emma T. Capps – enthusiastic, mature, and making good toons. I’m excited to see what happens next for Emma; I wish her all the best luck!
Patricia Sexton: Why I’ve Hesitated to Leave New York City
Forthcoming Beaufort author Patricia Sexton writes about her love affair with New York City, and how difficult it was to finally leave in her latest blog post.
As a native New Yorker, I fully understand how simultaneously exciting and disheartening it can sometimes be to live in the city that never sleeps. You’re surrounded by visible proof of the best and the worst humanity has to offer: glittering marvels of modern engineering, museums and galleries on seemingly every street, and five star restaurants offering cuisine from every corner of the globe versus homelessness and poverty, crime, and air pollution. Sometimes, I’m tempted to pack everything and move far, far away.
Forthcoming Beaufort author Patricia Sexton did just that. In her upcoming memoir, LIVE From Mongolia!, she talks about her decision to leave a Wall Street career to follow her dream of becoming a news anchor in Mongolia. In her latest blog post, she discusses how difficult her decision to leave New York City “for good” was, and what helped her make the final push to go. Check out this, and the rest of her blog, here.
-Placebeau