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Posts Tagged ‘Writing’

Book Villians Beware, the New Intern is Here

Friday, September 8th, 2023

Call me, beep me, if you want to reach me, it’s Kim Beaussible reporting for duty as one of your new Beaufort Books Interns for Fall of 2023 (somehow it’s that year). Allow me to introduce myself.

I’m a freelance editor from Oregon with a Master’s degree in Book Publishing from Portland State University and a former member of Ooligan Press. Before then, I graduated from the University of Denver Publishing Institute and completed my undergraduate degree at the University of Oregon where I majored in English with a minor in Writing, Public Speaking, and Critical Reasoning. Books and great writing have always been my passion, but growing up somewhere that cable TV can’t reach may have influenced that (I didn’t actually get to watch Kim Possible unless I was at a friend’s house or until we got satellite when I was in high school). Now that I’m here at Beaufort, I’m excited to continue to learn and share my knowledge with authors and audiences who love the world of books just as much as I do.

Personally, I read far and wide across the bookstore from literary fiction, fantasy, general/contemporary fiction, thrillers, mythological retellings, and many more. Much like the rest of the Beaufort staff, I mainly just enjoy a well-written book, but the genre varies. Now that we know each other a little better, let’s talk about BOOKS because I don’t know about you but I’ve read some interesting ones in the past few years that I can’t stop thinking about and I have to tell someone else about this one.

As a reader and editor, I’ve been thinking about expectations lately. Years ago when I had creative writing classes, the issue I ran into was that my plots always felt somewhat predictable or lacked the creativity other writers had. However, being an editor is rather different. You’re presented with someone else’s story, fact or fiction, and are asked to help package it. Packaging can mean different things (editing, cover design, etc.) but it’s largely about meeting the audience’s expectations, whether that’s for genre, form, or other book-loving criteria. And there’s nothing worse than reading a book that doesn’t meet them, and I expect a lot from my authors. Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin is one book I went into with somewhat high expectations. As a story about a platonic male-female, two-decade friendship I expected to be moved by the ups and downs of having friends for that long, especially one of the other sex and who you work with. Sam, the male protagonist, had characterizations and mannerisms as a shy, too-smart-for-his-own-good nerd that reminded me of my older brother. He has a unique worldview, finding comfort in the world of video game development, and Zevin’s writing allowed me to connect him with someone in my own life. That’s all to say, she had already started to meet my expectations. What I hadn’t anticipated was the gut wrenching chapter entitled NPC: The Nonplayable Character. If you’ve read the book, you’ll remember it as the one where you’re sobbing so hard you actually have to put the book down. That chapter exceeded any expectations I had. It was one of those moments as an editor that I knew this was the reason the book had made it out of the slush pile, I had never read anything like it. Zevin had shifted her writing style entirely for the chapter, giving us an unexpected perspective and changing the entire dynamic of the book. The defiance of my expectations is why I still talk about this book more than a year after completing it.

In writing, much like in life, things don’t always turn out the way we expect, which can be the best part of reading. The mark of a good writer or editor is to know what expectations to uphold and when to deliver the unexpected, managing and balancing them in perfect harmony.

You can expect (wink) to hear more from me in the coming months with my thoughts on books and maybe even a spooky treat for Spooky Season. 

Signing off, your basic average girl, here to save the world of books,

Kim Beaussible


Beaufort Titles I Will Read in 2023

Tuesday, January 31st, 2023

Hello, readers! My name is Beau Henry, and I am one of Beafort’s newest interns. As a new intern, I’m very excited to dig a bit deeper into Beaufort’s incredible list. Aside from the bestsellers like If I Did it and I Shall Live, I’m hoping to explore some frontlist titles in genres I’m not as familiar with. As someone who has mostly been interested in literary fiction, I’m hoping to get a better grasp on genres such as romance, mystery, and science fiction and to expand my reading habits. The following books are a few that I’m very excited to explore.

On top of an excellent title, the plot’s labyrinthine twists and turns look fascinating, and the sardonic humor in the narrative voice is endearing. The layers to the relationships within the novel and the warped Americana at the center of the novel are very much in line with my interests.

The tragedy of the plot is deeply layered, and the criminal conspiracy that pushes the narrative forward is appealing. I love when books have the capability to draw you in with carefully crafted narrative turns, and Hidden Falls certainly does that. The austerity of the main character’s voice adds additional weight to the themes in the novel.

As a huge grammar nerd, I am always on the lookout for new books about grammar and language. Grammar is fascinating because it allows you to view language as equations where there are right answers and wrong answers. While art is subjective, grammar is not, and I find that to be very reassuring.

As someone who finds expansive, maximalist novels to be very exciting, this historical fiction novel is intriguing. The parallels between family connections and lives marred by tragedy across decades is incredible, and I’m hoping to find out how Probert pulls off a narrative with such a vast scope.

While these four are at the top of my list, I’m looking forward to seeing the new titles that Beaufort has in store for this year!

Until next time,

Beau Henry

A Few Words About Words

2022 IABC MUSIC CITY GOLD PEN AWARD WINNER

HONORED AS A NOTABLE 100 BOOK IN THE 2021 SHELF UNBOUND BEST INDIE BOOK COMPETITION

FINALIST FOR THE 2021 FOREWORD INDIES AWARDS

Penned by a writer who had to teach himself the rules of English grammar, A Few Words About Words offers an easy and accessible approach to understanding and using the English language.

In a world dominated by countless print media and social media outlets, written communication is king. Writing “your” when you mean “you’re” and “there” when you mean “they’re” can make the difference between getting or not getting new business. A missing comma can result in a PR catastrophe, and a well-written line can be remembered for generations.

And yet, many native speakers struggle with the English language.

Spawned from the widely-circulated and beloved newsletter of the same name, Joe Diorio’s A Few Words About Words blends quick-witted anecdotes from more than 30 years of newsletter entries that highlight the common, uncommon, and surprising grammar mistakes most English speakers make. The result is a digestible, all-encompassing look at English grammar.

For anyone who has ever wondered whether “also” should follow or precede the verb; if there’s a difference between ‘preventive’ or ‘preventative’; or whether the Oxford comma is as important as everyone says it is, A Few Words About Words provides relief for many common grammar anxieties.

Humorous, enlightening, and completely comprehensible, A Few Words About Words will be the go-to grammar guide you pick up and can’t put down.

About: Joe Diorio

Paperback: $16.95 (ISBN: 9780825309472)

E-book $9.99 (ISBN: 9780825308512)

Writing/Grammar & Punctuation

250 pages

Order Here:

An Interview With Author Anne Gross

Monday, August 24th, 2015
  • How much emphasis do you put on strong voice/character?

A plot-driven story is fun to read and to write because it’s easy to lose yourself in the rhythm. However, if the characters involved aren’t well developed, I tend to roll my eyes with the more dramatic plot twists. My ability to suspend disbelief is damaged by a character that feels flat. So I place a lot of emphasis, or at least try to, on voice.

Here’s my favorite writing spot in my house. My own teensy forest grove in the city.

Here’s my favorite writing spot in my house. My own teensy forest grove in the city.

When my characters are developed enough, I can anticipate what they might do in each nutty situation I throw at them. I know if they will react on instinct or pause to think while digging the dirt out of their ears, throw a punch or run. And if they run, I know if they’re the type to sneak back to loosen the saddle straps or wet down the gunpowder. That being said, Elise and Adelaide still surprise me all the time. I’m pretty gullible like that.

  • What is one message you want your readers to take away from reading The Quiet Woman?

People don’t usually think about the limitations of the past, and I think that’s too bad because in all social classes, women struggled. In the lower classes, women often faltered. Any time I read historical fiction, I feel a bit nostalgic for the past—the clothes, the conversations, the endless knitting and needlework. I imagine long walks on expansive estate lawns with my hand on a gentleman’s elbow, rooms lit with candles and a warm fireplace, dinners that last long into the night, maybe a ballroom with a string quintet in the corner. I get caught up in the romance, and that annoys me, later, when I pop back from the book into real life and consider how those women must have smelled.

Instead of a picturesque Austen landscape, I wrote my heroine into a tavern with no running water, no closet full of gowns, and a front lawn that’s nothing more than a wet, reeking, manure filled alley. My message is to enjoy the present, because nostalgia places unrealistic veils of gold over the past.

I tend to write in a variety of spaces. I took this photo in a cafe in San Francisco where I wrote a lot of The Quiet Woman.

I tend to write in a variety of spaces. I took this photo in a cafe in San Francisco where I wrote a lot of The Quiet Woman.

Despite the grim landscape I created (or maybe because of it) I laughed a lot while I was writing. I hope my reader is as entertained reading The Quiet Woman as I was writing it.

  • Is there any advice you want to impart to aspiring authors?

Advice is something I look for too. I always keep Stephen King’s book On Writing and Annie Dillard’s The Writing Life within reach at all times. I also read blogs that dole out tips for writers.

Here’s my bookshelf. I’ll spare you the photograph of the books piled next to my bed with all the wine glasses, dirty dishes and unmentionables.

Here’s my bookshelf. I’ll spare you the photograph of the books piled next to my bed with all the wine glasses, dirty dishes and unmentionables.

One thing I’ve read in a couple of different places is the caution not to tell anyone about your novel in progress. It’s a conversation killer at a party, they say. You’ll be as dull as someone who starts a conversation with, “I had this weird dream last night…” Furthermore, people will have their own ideas about the path of your novel and will veer you off course. Don’t tell anyone because you’ll end up writing a book by committee and will lose your own voice.

I think this is bad advice for aspiring authors. Even if you live a dull life, as a person who enjoys stringing words together you’re probably a great conversationalist, so it’s doubtful you’d bore people with details about your novel. Also, most artists aren’t easily steered from their vision by Committees with Other Ideas. If they were, they wouldn’t be artists. It’s why artists are interesting (stubborn).

Go ahead and give yourself permission to be obnoxious. Tell everyone. Talk about your novel constantly. Be enthusiastic and excited. Imposter syndrome is real, and when you’re just starting out it can make you want to give up. Talking about your novel undercuts self-doubt because you’re practicing saying the words, “I’m writing.” It’s positive reinforcement.

From a business perspective, the more people you tell, the more anticipation you build for the product you’re developing. Not only are you creating a market, but you’re also networking. You never know if a friend of a friend of a friend has the name of an agent in their address book.