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As the end of August approaches and school begins, my time as an editorial intern at Beaufort Books has drawn to an end. While my 3 months at the company may have been short, the amount of experience I have gained is invaluable. Whether I was reading my fifth submission of the day or creating a social media post for an upcoming bookish holiday, I truly learned what it was like to work amongst the organized chaos of the book publishing world. 

I wouldn’t have been able to learn all of the intricate workings of the industry if it wasn’t for Megan, our editorial director, and Emma, our publicity and editorial associate. When you are working for two people who are so willing to give you both the hands-on experience you wanted and the hands-on experience you didn’t know you needed, it is easy to grow into a well-rounded intern with more knowledge about book publishing than you thought possible. 

While there are many valuable lessons and insights I have acquired during my time working for Beaufort, I thought for my final blog post I would share my top five takeaways from participating in this internship program. Of course, it wouldn’t be a bookish blog post without books, so I’ve decided to attach a Beaufort or Spencer Hill Press title that I think fits with the takeaway I am sharing. 

1. Copyediting is a superpower. A Few Words about Words by Joe Diorio

If there is one thing I have done more than anything else during my time as an intern, it was read, read, and reread copy. Whether I was checking out the latest submission or reading a book description that was going to be posted online, I had to make sure that there wasn’t one grammatical error. Searching for a misplaced comma or a misused word became second nature to me, and I even found myself looking for errors everywhere I could in the world around me. Being able to spot mistakes in copy quickly truly is a super power, and it is one that I definitely strengthened throughout my time as an intern.

But, everyone isn’t perfect, and sometimes mistakes can easily slip through the cracks. However, you don’t have to be a master to learn how to identify common grammatical mistakes. In the book A Few Words About Words, Joe Diorio stresses that it isn’t about mastering English grammar, but rather writing carefully. Diorio teaches his readers through quick-witted anecdotes about the most common and uncommon mistakes most people make when it comes to writing. He lends a hand to those who panic when it’s time to decide between “your” and “you’re” or those who don’t truly understand the significance of the Oxford comma. This grammar guide is not only informative but humorous, making a book about learning about English grammar one that is almost impossible to put down.

2. Submissions are full of surprises. Bone Deep by Kim O’Brien 

That old cliche saying that everyone has a story does not ring more true than in the submissions box of a publishing company. I have read at least 20 to 35 submissions during my time at Beaufort and not one of them was like another. Reading submissions feels like a gift to me. I get to read something that someone has spent years crafting and perfecting and be one of the first people to listen to the story they have been dying to tell. After a while of looking at submissions, you think you would be able to get the hang of what a book is going to be about just by the title, but that is not the case. Every time I clicked a submission, it was like opening a wrapped present and there was always a surprise inside, but that was the best part. I loved getting to experience the unexpected and always be on my toes while reading. This is the exact reason why reading a submission never gets old, and every now and again you find a real treasure of a story. 

While going through submissions can be like digging for gold, Paige Patterson’s father’s job is to literally dig for bones. In the novel Bone Deep by Kim O’Brien, Paige goes to visit her father who works as an archaeologist in Arizona. However, things quickly go wrong when her new friend Emily goes missing and no one has any answers. Paige takes it upon herself to try and solve the mystery of her friend’s disappearance, but no one is helpful, not even her father. While Paige races against the clock to search for the clues to help her solve the mystery, she learns she isn’t the only one who is good at hiding things. 

3. Editorial work is not the only job in the publishing industry. Souls in the Twilight by Roger Scruton

When I applied to the Beaufort Editorial Internship, all I could think about was editorial work. Of course I knew there were different elements to book publishing, but it made sense to me that the central focus of the publishing industry was editorial. While that is a major part of the job, there are a plethora of other jobs in the publishing industry that don’t focus on reading submissions or editing novels. 

Throughout my internship, I was able to work alongside Emma, our publicity and editorial associate, who handles the majority of book marketing and social media management. As soon as she joined our team this summer, I was more than eager to help her create the graphics necessary to keep our social media platforms looking up to date and engaging to readers. I found myself so excited to research the next bookish holiday, discover our titles that best fit the day, and create a graphic to promote those novels. Without expanding past my obsession with the editorial side of the industry, I would have never discovered my love of the publicity side of books.  

The idea of letting go of your past ideas and self in order to reach your full potential is the exact theme of the novel Souls in the Twilight by Roger Scruton. The novel follows multiple characters as they try to maneuver through life to try and end up exactly where they want to be. That challenge isn’t easy, and the characters must let go of their past lives if they even want to begin stepping in the right direction of who they hope to be one day. These short stories will encapsulate the reader within words as Scruton expresses their stories through poetic drama and direct insight into their perceptions of the world around them. 

4. Get ready to read out of your comfort zone and learn a lot. Lacie’s Secrets by Teresa Sorkin and Tullan Holmqvist

When I read in my spare time, I am a lover of young adult and romance novels. Basically if it’s gone viral on BookTok, I’ve read it. However, when working for a publishing company that has a variety of genres in its catalog, it’s impossible to not have to read or work on books that you would normally never pick up. Whether I was reading a memoir by a person I had never heard of before or learning in detail about a certain topic that I never had any interest in before, I was enjoying every minute because it allowed me to get a broader understanding of the publishing world and what it expects from a novel of a certain genre. I was able to learn so much more about a variety of genres and really understand what makes them stand out against others on the market. Not only is it a useful skill to have, but you also learn a lot about subjects that you can turn into fun trivia facts with your friends. 

While I was uncovering secrets about different types of books, Kate Williams has much bigger and darker secrets to unfold. In the novel Lacie’s Secrets by Teresa Sorkin and Tullan Holmvqist, Kate has been trying her whole life to forget about the summer that ripped her family apart. But when her estranged mother dies and the will gives Kate the family summer home, it is nearly impossible for her to ignore the secrets that have been pestering her for years. As the walls of the home and its visitors begin to torment Kate, she can barely believe it when a  body appears in her pool. Kate no longer can suppress the memories of the summer that ruined her family, but rather dive into them and figure out once and for all what really happened. 

5. Book publishing is just as magical as you’ve dreamed about. Bookishly Ever After by Isabel Bandeira

If there is one thing that working as an editorial intern didn’t do, it was ruin the magic of books. I was a little worried in the beginning of my internship about how my understanding of the business side of the book publishing industry might change my perspective of books. I feared that once I learned the secrets, these books were no longer just books, but items that I now understand every little detail about. However, I worried for no reason because the internship did the exact opposite. By learning about the entire lifespan of a book from query to shelf, I have developed an even deeper love and appreciation for the books on my own bookshelf. It is such a special feeling to read a submission and be able to write the reader’s report for it knowing that there is a chance you helped that author get published. It’s also amazing to understand how the business side of books work and the importance of sales and marketing. Without those elements of the industry, books wouldn’t even get the chance to land in the hands of so many people. I’m forever grateful for the opportunity to go behind the pages of a novel and really learn what it means to read between the lines.

Just like I’m obsessed with the magic of books, so is Phoebe Martin in Bookishly Ever After by Isabel Bandeira. Phoebe’s perfect world would be to live within the confines of a book where the boys are perfect and there is always a happily ever after. However, that isn’t Phoebe’s reality, until she learns that the hottest boy in the clarinet section, Dev,  just might actually have a crush on her. With the chance of her fairytale romance sitting just in front of her, Phoebe wonders if this is finally going to be the book romance she’s always dreamed of. But books are never without their conflicts, and when another girl steals him from right under her nose, Phoebe thinks it can’t get worse… Until she’s stuck as co-camp counselor with Dev when she’s still possibly in love with him. Will the happily ever after Phoebe hopes for come true, or will she never get to live the fantasy of a perfect book romance.

To the next round of interns who might be reading this, I hope you find your time at Beaufort as valuable and precious as I did. In the words of Elizabeth Bennet, “the distance is nothing when one has motive.” Let your time at Beaufort Books take you one step closer  to your publishing dream. 

Final Farewell,

Elizabeth BEAUnnet. 

Hey everyone! It’s intern What Makes You BEAUtiful back for my final blog post. I’m so sad to be leaving Beaufort and the lovely people I’ve been working with this summer (shoutout to our editorial director Megan, publicity and editorial associate Emma, and the three other interns!) but soon, it will be time for the fall interns to take up the torch.

The best part of this internship has been reading some amazing Beaufort and Spencer Hill titles (and saving them on my computer for “marketing” purposes, of course). Since it’s my last week, I like to imagine myself in the office in New York, making a mad dash to shove as many books in my bag as possible without arousing suspicion. But since all of us are working remotely reality is way less dramatic—just me staring at a screen and downloading all the epub files my laptop storage can handle. 

In honor of the end of my internship, I made a list of a few of the Beaufort books I’m going to download/steal/beg Megan to send to me when they come out.

If I Did It by The Goldman Family

All author royalties from the sale of this book are awarded to the Goldman Family.

In 1994, Ron Goldman and Nicole Brown Simpson were brutally murdered at her home in Brentwood, California. O.J. Simpson was tried for the crime in a case that captured the attention of the American people, but he was ultimately acquitted of criminal charges. The victims’ families brought a civil case against Simpson, which found him liable for willfully and wrongfully causing the deaths of Ron and Nicole committing battery with malice and oppression.

Twelve years later, HarperCollins announced the publication of a book in which O.J. Simpson revealed how he would have committed the murders—under the pretense that his confession was “hypothetical.” In response to public outrage that Simpson stood to profit from these crimes, HarperCollins canceled the book. Just one year later, Federal Court Judge A. Jay Cristol awarded the Goldman family the rights to If I Did It. Thus began one of the strangest odysseys in publishing history.

Originally written by O.J. Simpson, the Goldmans published a new edition of the book in the fall of 2007, which included essays written by members of the Goldman family, a member of the Goldman family legal team, and O.J.’s ghostwriter that reveal the fascinating story behind the bankruptcy case, the book’s publication, and the looming court proceedings, which would eventually lead to his conviction. The book, called “one of the most chilling things I have ever read” by Barbara Walters, skyrocketed up bestseller lists across the country in the months following publication as the national media relentlessly covered O.J. Simpson’s dramatic Las Vegas arrest for armed robbery and kidnapping.

The Goldman family views the book as his confession and has worked hard to ensure that the public will read this book and learn the truth. This is O.J. Simpson’s original manuscript with up to 14,000 words of additional key commentary from those whose lives were forever changed by the heinous crime.

The Mad, Mad Murders of Marigold Way by Raymond Benson

For Scott Hatcher, a former television writer turned struggling novelist with a failing marriage to boot, social-distancing and mask-wearing feel like fitting additions to his already surreal life. When his wife Marie and neighbor John Bergman disappear in the middle of the raging COVID-19 pandemic, Scott is naturally mystified and disturbed, but he is also about to learn that his picturesque neighborhood hides more than just the mundane routines of suburban life. When a fire claims the empty house for sale next door, the entire community is shocked when the charred remains of Marie and John are found inside. Stranger still, stockpiles of valuable Personal Protection Equipment, clearly stolen, were destroyed in the blaze alongside them. As the neighborhood reels from the loss, Scott and Bergman’s earthy and enticing widow, Rachel, not only find themselves under investigation for the crime, but also inexorably drawn to one another. As tensions reach a fever pitch, the tale—which is at once familiar and ordinary, yet bizarre and eerie— shows that, just like life in 2020’s uncertain times, dread and danger lurk below the hidden underside of everyday suburbia.

Release date: October 4, 2022

Illusions of Camelot: A Memoir by Peter Boal

Written by a former principal dancer for the New York City Ballet, Peter Boal’s memoir, Illusions of Camelot, starts in the pastoral and privileged town of Bedford, New York: a rare enclave where private schools, country clubs, and families hold their own rules and secrets. Within the town, views of race, morality, and sexuality are unspoken yet evident. Meanwhile, at home, Peter and his family are left to grapple with his father’s alcoholism and untimely death. As a young boy finding his way, Peter soon turns to ballet. Ultimately his passion becomes a beacon, leading him to work at the New York City Ballet as a teenager, living on his own while discovering the pitfalls and pleasures Manhattan has to offer. Throughout Peter’s deeply personal work, you’ll step onto the floor during ballroom dancing lessons in Bedford, into the studios of the School of American Ballet at Lincoln Center, and onto the stage in George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker as Peter performs the title role of the Nutcracker Prince. Peter’s journey takes us to the start of a storied career as a dancer and leaves us with insights into the life of an artist shaped by environment, circumstance, and family.

Conspiracy 101 by Paul Debole

For decades, society has viewed “conspiracy theorists” as people who live in their parents’ basement, wearing baseball caps lined with aluminum to keep the Martian death rays away. But the truth is that conspiracies are not reserved for people with a tenuous grasp of reality; to some extent, we all want to know the unknowable. In Conspiracy 101, political science professor Paul DeBole delves into the why, how, and what of conspiracy theories: why humans are prone to believing—and spreading—misinformation; how the nature of our political institutions fosters distrust, paving the way for conspiracy theories to run rampant; and what we can do to filter out theories that are not based on fact, but rather hearsay, innuendo, or just a “strong feeling.” He then breaks down the most notorious conspiracy theories in American politics, including the Lincoln kidnapping plot and his subsequent assassination, the possible escape and eventual suicide of John Wilkes Booth, the JFK assassination, the RFK assassination, Watergate, the Vast Right-Wing conspiracy, as well as modern-day conspiracies based on misinformation and “fake news.”

Honestly, I would list every one of our titles here if I could—I’ll be treating our catalog as my personal library for as long as it takes me to finish them. I hope you all will join me on this journey and pick up one of these books (and maybe a few more) next time you’re at your local indie bookstore!

For the last time:

With love,

What Makes You BEAUtiful

Hello, intern Shoto here—and for my final blog post, I am going to give you some reading recommendations for stories with ridiculously smart, cunning, and quick-thinking protagonists. 

It can be refreshing to read from the POV of an intelligent character who knows what they want and how to get it. But it seems such characters are few and far between, with most villains of the story being the masterminds in favor of the MC. Here are a few of the notable exceptions as we dive into manga, novel, and light novel protagonists who are too smart for their own good. 

Death Note

First on the list had to be Death Note. If you want to see a dark, nail-biting, dread-inducing intellectual battle between two of the greatest minds in fiction, this is the story for you. It’s a 12 volume psychological thriller manga series—written by Tsugumi Ohba and illustrated by Takeshi Obata—and truly offers one of the best, if not the best, games of cat and mouse ever created. The protagonist, Light Yagami, begins as a “normal” high school student who is bored with life until he finds a notebook that has been dropped from another realm titled the Death Note. Light discovers if he writes a person’s name in the Death Note, that person will die. Thus begins his journey of becoming the “god of the new world” as he vows to wipe out all criminal activity and create a society of true justice.

But of course things can’t be so easy for him … Enter onto the scene the world’s smartest detective, a mysterious, anonymous man who has been solving cases that stump even the most renowned investigators since he was only a child: L. After successfully provoking Light into killing a death row inmate on live television, L challenges Light and promises he will catch him no matter what. Light eagerly accepts the challenge, making his own plans to force L into revealing himself. Whoever’s identity is discovered first will die. But who will outsmart who in the end? 

Classroom of the Elite

Classroom of the Elite (COTE) is a light novel series written by Syougo Kinugasa and illustrated by Tomoseshunsaku. For reference, a light novel is essentially a (typically) YA novel that includes some illustrations. COTE takes place at the prestigious Tokyo Metropolitan Advanced Nurturing High School, a cutthroat institution that ranks students by class and awards points for passing tests and outsmarting one another. The protagonist, Kyotaka Ayanokouji, starts out at the bottom of the ranks in Class D and desires nothing more than to live out his high school days peacefully flying under the radar. But unforeseen circumstances and his complicated past force him to begin moving his class up toward Class A.

While Ayanokouji appears at first glance to be a normal, unremarkable student, he is in fact a cold, ruthless genius who, when faced against someone in his way, never loses. Now, he must take out the competition while ensuring his class’s success in order to protect his own, new-found life here at this advanced high school for the elite. 

Sherlock Holmes

Haha! Of course Sherlock had to be here! He doesn’t require an introduction, so this is really just a reminder to check out the series if you have yet to do so. It offers the perfect books for anyone who wants to read about murder, solving seemingly impossible mysteries, and a protagonist who is famous for his sharp, inquisitive mind. If you’re just starting out, begin first with A Study in Scarlet and continue on from there.

Stalking Jack the Ripper

Another mystery series, the first book of Stalking Jack the Ripper is, of course, inspired by the Ripper murders and throws its protagonist, seventeen-year-old Audrey Rose Wadsworth, right into the middle of these chillingly gruesome crimes. Determined to discover who Jack the Ripper is and prevent him from murdering anyone else, Audrey Rose must team up with her rival, the cocky but brilliant Thomas Crestwell, offering what is essentially the Sherlock to Audrey Rose’s Watson. But the adventures don’t stop with Jack the Ripper, the two teenage sleuths continue to find themselves surrounded by dark circumstances and dangerous mysteries as they go from the bloodstained streets of London to a castle haunted by Prince Dracula, a cruise ship with a cursed carnival aboard, and a murder hotel in America. 

Love is War 

Kaguya Shinomiya and Miyuki Shirogane are the Vice President and President of their high school’s student council. Both of them are intelligent, egotistical overachievers who refuse to ever admit their feelings for one another, seeing that as a sign of defeat. Instead, they play a long cat and mouse game to trick each other into confessing the truth. Love is War has been described as “if Death Note was a romantic comedy”, and that pretty much sums it up. Both protagonists are sharp as hell, and absolutely determined to “win” this game of love, no matter the cost. If you enjoy light hearted comedy as well as high emotional stakes and excessive mind games, this is a great manga to get into.

Tomodachi Game  

Last but absolutely, most certainly, not least, is Tomodachi Game. Translating to “Friends Game” in English, this manga follows Yuuichi Katagiri and the rest of his friends after they are kidnapped and forced to play in a mysterious, horrible game meant to tear apart your friendships and throw you into debt and despair. But Yuuichi is no normal high school student, and the Tomodachi Game doesn’t realize the mistake it’s made by letting him inside … 

The situations the characters find themselves in seem so impossible at times that the dread you will feel for them is palpable. But each and every time, no matter the odds, our genius protagonist Yuuichi finds a way to spin the situation on its head. Never have I read about such hopeless circumstances only to have them turn around so completely—and in a way that is explained and makes sense, no less! The plans he pulls off are so inventive and clever, it’s truly impossible to see what’s coming next. I’m not joking when I say this is the twistiest story I have ever read. If you think you know where it’s going, you don’t. If you think you know what Yuuichi is planning, you don’t. This is a series where both the plot and the protagonist himself keep you on the edge of your seat, occasionally pushing you off that seat entirely. But just when you think you can’t take the suspense and potential anxiety-caused heart-attacks a minute longer, you’ll look up from the ground to see Yuuichi smiling at you as he holds out his hand for you to take. And once you take that hand the first time, you’ll never want to let go. 

images: pinterest, instagram, hulu, wiki

Hey y’all! It’s intern What Makes You BEAUtiful here to talk about two things I love more than anything: 1) book-to-film and -series adaptations and 2) films and series with amazing soundtracks. Luckily for me, the TV series The Summer I Turned Pretty is both of those things—it’s adapted from the books by Jenny Han and has one of the best soundtracks I’ve ever seen. I mean, five Taylor Swift songs? It’s perfect for a teen romance!

To me, music and books go hand in hand. I’m one of those people who listens to music while reading, and I always try to match the ~vibes~ of my music to however I feel as I’m reading. So, in honor of The Summer I Turned Pretty and its spotless soundtrack, I made playlists for a few of my upcoming reads. If you don’t like to listen to music while reading, maybe you can press play while going for a snack break (if you can tear your eyes away from these books for that long). And, most importantly, if any of these books get adapted, I think these songs would fit perfectly into their soundtracks.

The Summer I Turned Pretty

Some summers are just destined to be pretty.

Belly measures her life in summers. Everything good, everything magical happens between the months of June and August. Winters are simply a time to count the weeks until the next summer, a place away from the beach house, away from Susannah, and most importantly, away from Jeremiah and Conrad. They are the boys that Belly has known since her very first summer—they have been her brother figures, her crushes, and everything in between. But one summer, one wonderful and terrible summer, the more everything changes, the more it all ends up just the way it should have been all along.

—Description from publisher’s Amazon page

The Spanish Love Deception

Catalina Martín desperately needs a date to her sister’s wedding. Especially since her little white lie about her American boyfriend has spiraled out of control. Now everyone she knows—including her ex and his fiancée—will be there and eager to meet him.

She only has four weeks to find someone willing to cross the Atlantic and aid in her deception. New York to Spain is no short flight and her raucous family won’t be easy to fool.

Enter Aaron Blackford—her tall, handsome, condescending colleague—who surprisingly offers to step in. She’d rather refuse; never has there been a more aggravating, blood-boiling, and insufferable man.

But Catalina is desperate, and as the wedding draws nearer, Aaron looks like her best option. And she begins to realize he might not be as terrible in the real world as he is at the office.

—Description from publisher’s Amazon page

This rom-com is actually being adapted for film, and I definitely think they should include these tracks!

The Vibes: a little bit of love/hate, a lot of frustration and lust. You have to fake date your hated coworker but somehow fell for them along the way, so now you’re screaming at the top of your lungs to some pop and Spanish indie tunes.

For Love of the Duke

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 Vibes: romantic, magical, nostalgic. You’re dancing to slow songs at a ball with someone you’re falling in love with.

Lacie’s Secrets

For the past 18 years, Kate Williams has tried to forget the fateful summer in which her sister Lacie’s disappearance ripped their family apart. But when their estranged mother unexpectedly dies and Kate inherits Villa Magda, the family’s summer home on the Maine coast, Kate decides that enough time has passed. With the help of her husband, her son, and their close group of friends, Kate decides to face the past and go back to Villa Magda for one last trip.

But the sprawling, ocean-side house isn’t as picturesque as it seems, and as the week goes on, inexplicable incidents and suspicious visitors begin to torment Kate, threatening to expose her deepest secrets. The closer Kate gets to learning the truth about what happened that summer, the faster she realizes the house might be holding more secrets than she can handle.

As tensions run high and friendships unravel, Kate starts to question her decision to return to Villa Magda. But when tragedy strikes and a body is found floating in the pool, questions arise that demand answers: What really happened at Villa Magda 18 years ago? How much did Kate know? And how can the house be stopped from claiming its next victim?

Set on a remote and gorgeous Maine estate, Lacie’s Secrets is an exciting and cinematic psychological thriller with surprising twists that will keep the reader guessing until the very last page.

The Vibes: unsettling, somber, foreboding. You’re about to uncover a terrible secret while low vocals and eerie instrumentals echo in the background.

For the Wolf

As the only Second Daughter born in centuries, Red has one purpose—to be sacrificed to the Wolf in the Wood in the hope he’ll return the world’s captured gods.

Red is almost relieved to go. Plagued by a dangerous power she can’t control, at least she knows that in the Wilderwood, she can’t hurt those she loves. Again.

But the legends lie. The Wolf is a man, not a monster. Her magic is a calling, not a curse. And if she doesn’t learn how to use it, the monsters the gods have become will swallow the Wilderwood—and her world—whole.

—Description from publisher’s Amazon page

The Vibes: dark forests, unknown enemies. You’re headstrong and terrified and surrounded by exactly the kind of power you feel radiating from a Hozier song.

Happy reading and listening! And for any film execs reading this: get in touch, because I’ll be waiting.

With love,

What Makes You BEAUtiful

Hi y’all! 

This is one of the four summer interns at Beaufort Books writing under the nom-de-plume Elizabeth BEAUnnet. Pride and Prejudice will forever and always be one of my favorite books and movies of all time, so I had to pay homage when choosing my nom-de-plume. 

I am over the moon excited to be interning at Beaufort Books for the summer! As someone who has loved reading since the minute I learned to do it, working in book publishing has always been a dream. Throughout my entire academic career, I have always been the friend that you call when you need a good book recommendation or someone to proofread and edit your latest essay. When you combine those tasks, you get my two favorite things to do: reading and writing. 

As with many readers, writing has always been one of my passions. I always knew that writing was something I wanted to pursue in life, and at the tender age of 8, I had already started writing my first novel. After starting that book, I never stopped writing. When I joined the yearbook club my freshman year of high school, I realized how much I loved the editorial side of publishing. Joining the yearbook club quite literally changed my life, as it is what inspired me to choose my two college majors: journalism and communication. 

As a rising senior in college, I am thrilled to be getting hands-on experience in the publishing industry here at Beaufort. After graduation, I plan to attend a university in New York, where I will hopefully obtain my Master’s degree in publishing. Or maybe I’ll end up receiving my Master’s in England… I have to live up to my nom-de-plume somehow! 

I am so excited to see what amazing opportunities my internship has ahead of me this summer! 

Best, 

Elizabeth BEAUnnet

Hello and welcome to my blog post. 

My name is Shoto and I am officially an intern at Beaufort for the summer. Naturally, I am also a college student and, after changing my area of study an absurd amount of times, I now major in screenwriting and creative writing. Though it is a great shock to all, my favorite hobby is a combination of reading and writing. However, I also love to draw and my ideal future is one that includes both writing novels and creating comics. 

My favorite books are No Longer Human, Howl’s Moving Castle, The Call of the Wild, The Catcher in the Rye, the A Court of Thorns & Roses series, the Percy Jackson series, and I Want To Eat Your Pancreas. It’s true that nearly all people think their own reading lists are superior to those of others, but I will still “highly recommend” that you try out No Longer Human all the same. Perhaps my greatest current desire is to find another person whom I can speak to about that novel, for there is no doubt in my mind that a good conversation about a good book can be all but life changing. Likewise, I would be most interested to find out what your all-time favorite novel is. 

Outside of the purely literary realm, I am a big fan of the tv series Supernatural, Sherlock, Attack on Titan, Tokyo Ghoul, Haikyuu, Demon Slayer, Jujutsu Kaisen, Bungo Stray Dogs, and Death Note. There is one more that you may be able to guess given my name … 

In addition to reading, drawing, and writing, a pastime of mine is to obsessively create and listen to character playlists. One of my best, if not unsolicited, pieces of advice for other writers is to come up with different character playlists/story playlists to listen to as you write your work. It is both a fun and useful hobby to cultivate. And always remember to consider, if your YA book fails to include the words “glass,” “ash,” “blood,” “throne,” “curse,” “shadow,” or “crown”  in its title, can it really be YA? The answer is no. You can do better.

Stay icy, stay hot,

Shoto Todoroki (alternatively: Beaudoroki) 

images: pinterest

Beaufort Readers,

I’m here with exciting news: Beaulla Swan is escaping the bitter Michigan winter on a journey down south to the beautiful island of Puerto Rico! 

And, as every book lover knows, no carry-on is fully packed without a novel or two. So, I am here to share the three books that I’m taking with me on my three-week-long adventure! Fingers crossed that I finish them all while I’m away!

North of the Tension Line by J.F. Riordan

First, we have North of the Tension Line, book one of the series written by J.F. Riordan. To be honest, what initially drew me to this book was the exquisite cover art. And after reading its description, my suspicion was confirmed: this book will be perfect for a long flight littered with multiple layovers.

The story follows Fiona Campbell on her daring journey to conquer the furthest tip of the Door County peninsula in Wisconsin. Fiona shacks up in a decrepit home on the island for the winter, expecting little action from the peninsula’s small population. However, as she navigates ruthless drama, hard-to-handle neighbors, and unrelenting animals, Fiona experiences a spiritual renewal that she was surely unprepared for. 

I’m looking forward to diving into this wonderful story, and hopefully picking up the next book in the series when I’m back in Michigan!

The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah

Next up on the list is The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah! Once again, beautiful cover, but I picked this up because of the endless recommendations I’ve received. I’ve seen and heard about this novel everywhere, from TikTok to blog posts, and all reviews have one thing in common: this heart-wrenching novel is a must-read. 

The story follows Ernt and Cora Allbright, and their thirteen-year-old daughter Leni, on their spontaneous move to Alaska. Leni desperately hopes that their new off-the-grid home will lead to a more stable family dynamic and calm the tumultuous storm that is her parents’ marriage, and at first, this seems to be the case. But, as winter approaches, the family crumbles, and the Allbright women are faced with the heart-breaking reality that Ernt has abandoned them. Now alone in frigid and remote Alaska, Cora and Leni must learn to survive on their own. 

I am incredibly excited to dive into this widely loved masterpiece.

The Woman in the Park by Teresa Sorkin and Tullan Holmqvist

Last, but certainly not least, I’m packing The Woman in the Park by Teresa Sorkin and Tullan Holmqvist with me. I’m a sucker for a good thriller and a bona fide page-turner, which is why I picked up this book. 

This story follows Sarah Rock who is desperate to get away from her cheating husband, stressful children, and emotionless therapist. When Sarah meets a handsome stranger in the park, she thinks she’s found an escape from her dramatically un-perfect life. But later on, when a woman from that same park goes missing, Sarah’s life is turned upside down as she becomes a prime suspect in the case.

With The Girl on the Train vibes, this book promises to be filled with suspense, drama, and passion. I can’t wait to dive in.

Be on the lookout for reviews soon, and maybe even some adventurous anecdotes from Puerto Rico as well!

Until next time, 

Beaulla Swan