SquawkRadio Comments

Can I apply, Shauna?  You had me at “I bring baked goods to the office.”

And in the Intro comments, we’ve already had several ask what Mary Balogh is up to next.  Inquiring readers want to know!

Oh man #4..no flip-flops! It’s amazing what passes for the office these days. Amazing.

I was wondering about #1, do you steer clear of people who say they only read romance, or only fiction? This would seem to be a purely subjective job..is it? Is it dependent upon what’s “now” vs. what’s good?  Did that make sense? I’m wondering how much trends/tastes matter.  Sounds like a neat job!  Thanks for dropping by!

Thanks for coming, Shauna.  Is it any comfort that job candidates are generally similar to what you describe regardless of the position?  I wonder what happened to common sense.

I read the funniest job application last week.  The application was just a few questions.  The company has a number of admin and computer tech positions.  The questions include: 
Who was the first president of the United States? (majority did not get this right)
If you receive an email saying you won a free ipod, what do you do? (goal is to know NOT to click on it)
If you come in and your monitor and computer isn’t working, what do you do?  (goal is to say turn on the power switch)
Have you been convicted of a felony? (The point was to see if they would say, since the job required a criminal background check).
There were a number of questions like that and they have had surprisingly few candidates get past the application. 
Good luck with your newest assistant.
And you may have missed the site that Teresa told us about last week, but if you need a good laugh about the work world, go visit http://www.despair.com It has some of the funniest things I’ve read in ages and I plan on investing in a few products.

As soon as you find a way to have an off-site assistant – I’m yours! (I’m thinking the commute from upstate NY would be a bit much…) Just think: you wouldn’t have to worry about faces!

As a college teacher, my concern isn’t limited to flip flops.  I have some truly out standing writers (I mean that literally: I wish they were out standing in a field somewhere, far far removed from writing implements. “Put down the pencil and back away slowly”). 

My current favorite student contribution is:

“Being a cheerleader for 13 years has definitely helped me draw inspiration and motivation from absolutely nowhere.”

Followed closely by:

“Lastly, I am a daughter.  If I were not a daughter, I wouldn’t exist as a person at all.  This would defeat the purpose of my life.”

I leave you with a wistful sigh and a grin…

Flip flops?  Man, if you’re gonna suck up to a potential boss with some Tolstoy and Italian weirdness; at least don’t show toe-jam.  Sucking up is a whole body experience, after all.

You’ve been with some of my favorites, Shauna:

Mary Balogh
Gaelen Foley
Shana Abe

And weren’t/aren’t you also with Diana Gabeldon?

My (loaded) question is this:

What if you really don’t like an author’s personality?  How do you deal with that?  Can you give them to some other editor or do you just have to take deep breaths (and Xanax, St. John’s Wort, etc...) when dealing with them? 

Because I keep thinking, no one gets along with everybody (though I may be wrong, what with your baked goods and no-temper-ness--and how did you get that gene and where can I get it?).

Welcome Shauna! 

I will actually be searching for a job as an editorial assistant this summer after I complete the Columbia Publishing Course, so this information is great for me.  I do have a few questions though:

1.  When interviewing, is a light summer suit appropriate, or do you recommend the traditional black suit?

2.  How many interviews does an applicant have to go through to get to you, the fabulous editor?  Do we get screened by HR first?  What characteristics stand out to them that might be different from what you’re looking for?

3.  Could you tell us a bit about your career path?  (since you said it was a good question, and I honestly want to know since I hope to enter the business)

4.  If I cannot find an editorial assistant position, do you recommend trying to get into publicity or marketing and trying to make a lateral move?  Is that possible? 

(and incidentally I love romance novels, don’t wear flip flops to interviews, and have written readers reports, tip sheets, and cover copy during an editorial internship, but I can make no promises about my face . . .)

*grumble* just great!  Everytime some idiot does something inappropriately at an interview, the rest of us students trying to find a job are lumped together with that student and there will be some article about how students don’t know how to conduct themselves in the working world.

Flip flops...sheesh!

Flip-flops? LMAO!  I once had a woman come to my weather station to apply for a weather job...wearing a BELLY DANCING outfit.

She didn’t get the job.

What are colleges teaching these days?

Thanks for the laugh--the Sunni/Shiite/vamp thing was hilarious, too!

Looking forward to meeting your new assistant—I promise to be nice...*snickers*

Hi Shauna!

Flip flops. love that one. Back in my old corporate life, I was frequently appalled at what people would show up wearing and looking like for an interview. They really should teach these skills in high school. Or college. Or somewhere. Yikes!

Hope your offeree accepts! I’ve loved working with all your assistants so far. You’ve done a great job and I’m looking forward to the next one. (I promise it’s so not my fault they keep leaving...heh)

"Larissa Ione said…

What are colleges teaching these days?”

SEE??! SEE?!! It’s already started. One bad apple does not spoil the bunch.

I’m sorry, I know it is a humorous story, but it just bothers me that it seems to reflect poorly on ANYONE who is in or graduating from college.

I had a staffing employee help me interview.  She told me what to wear.  My issue was that it had to be a skirt suit with stockings.  It was literally 100+ degrees that summer, but I did it.  I did only have one winter suit, but I wore it anyway.  I needed the job to buy another one so it was a vicious cycle.  I got the job, but I always think looking tidy and professional can extend further than the actual skirt suit.  It makes me laugh because my college update gave hints to grads and said to only wear pants suits.  Either way, I don’t believe flip flops were acceptable.  I wouldn’t even wear peep toe or open toed for that matter even in 100+ degree weather.

Where was this job when I was looking 10 years ago?  Eh, everything happens for a reason. 

You think flip-flops are bad...the last company I worked for had to state, along with about a dozen other inapropriate items, that baithing suits were not sufficient for work attire.  I worked at a bank!!  What’s crazy is that you know someone must have come to work in a bikini top, or something, for them to have to print it on all the employee training cards.

Thanks, Shauna, for the great topic!

Hello Shauna!

I would be thrilled to have a chance to interview with you if the current offer falls through. I have very nice, big Jersey hair, which I can wear curly or straight depending on my mood.

When I was interning for Pocket, I was amazed that all the other assistants there couldn’t stand commercial fiction.  They were all graduates from Yale or the “CPC” and considered working for Sabrina Jeffries’s editor an unfortunate but necessary stepping stone to securing a job in Scribner. For me, working 5 ft. away from the romance book room was a slice of heaven.  I nearly passed out when they asked me to do a reading report for a Bella Andre book.

I can’t claim too much life experience--I’m only 23--but I do know that taking a job just because it might lead to higher places will only lead to misery and frustration.  The person always ends up resenting her work, her co-workers and her self.

But to end on a lighter note, hearing from you was wonderful.  My question:  What are you seeing as current or future trends in romance?  (Last year when I graduated college and finished my internship, there was a lot of hoo-ha about Latina vampire chick lit.) Is that still in?

Shauna said, “One candidate (who I didn’t choose in part because the last three books she’d read were some kind of translated Italian weirdness that I’d never even heard of, but she talked about as though I should have)”

I’ve met her!

Welcome to Squawk, Shauna, we’re so glad to have you! And thank you for making me laugh first thing in the morning. “discussing a very sexy vampire romance, wrote that the battle between the good vampires and the bad vampires could even be a metaphor for the fight between the Sunnis and the Shiites.” Gee, I know which book she’s talking about. 

Okay, so let’s see what I can respond to before I got into editorial meeting in less than 10 minutes.

She accepted the job!  Her name is Jessica and she starts on 5/21, which cannot get here soon enough.  Thankfully my boss tossed an intern my way, and I’ve got him organizing my files and my bookroom shelves, both of which have been a disaster ever since I started.

Okay.  So I posted about Mary Balogh’s schedule after Teresa’s intro, so check that out there.

Trends in romance.  I don’t believe in them.  We really look to writers to create them and honestly don’t think in terms of what’s going to be hot next year or the year after.  We work about a year ahead, so it would be impossible to have trends control us.  We’re just looking for great books.

And dressing for a job interview.  April, I don’t even own a suit, at least not one I can fit into, and I feel your pain.  I always interviewed for my publishing jobs in a nice skirt or dress.  I don’t know that this would go over so well at Bear Stearns, but works just fine for publishing and probably a lot of other corporate environments.

More to come after my meeting....

This is a great blog and I can sadly see all of these things happening with interviewees.  Hell in a hand-basket I tell you.

My question would be when is it too late to try to break into this field.  I’ve worked in about every office field imaginable but never near publishing.  I’m working my way toward a business degree and am considering my options.  Publishing is looking more and more attractive everyday.

So, in ‘09 I will be a college grad (be it a very old one) and I wondered how old is too old?

And I ask that same quetion - what are the daily tasks involved - whenever I interview.  I want to know what I’ll be doing all day!

Okay, back from my meeting.

Sara, I also did a publishing program--NYU.  It was a great experience for getting an overall view of publishing and also was instrumental in getting a job.

I worked as an assistant in the publishers office at Bantam Books.  This job was generally considered to be an opportunity to look around, figure out where you wanted to be.  It was very administrative, but I attended all kinds of meetings, worked with marketing, sales, editorial.  I sent out schedule change memos, did a sales tracking report, put together samplers of manuscripts for the sales dept.  Then they eliminated my job 8 months later, which was great for me because by then I knew I wanted editorial.  I was lucky enough to get re-hired 2 days later, worked for a fantastic editor named Beverly Lewis (she edited Jonathan Kellerman, Robert Ludlum, and was working on Gen. Schwarzkopf’s autobiography when she hired me).  After another 8 months, I shifted over to work in romance and women’s fiction.  Climbed the editorial ladder to full editor.  After 5 yrs. at Bantam, I moved to Ballantine as a Senior Editor, stayed there for 6 yrs., left the business for 2 and then arrived back at Bantam....

This is really all so exciting and exotic to me~!

Lucky Jessica! I hope she loves the job- now, if Jessica needs an assistant with those Readers Reports, I’ll sign up!

I am right now wearing flip flops. I don’t plan to do anything but play out in the grass with my dd. I also wear them to shop by the lake, and to picnics, and on vacation in FL. They are so very recreational. lol. Maybe if we look beyond the flip flops and into the person wearing them for an interview-

I bet someone told them it would show a laid back personality with an emphasis on fun- all good work ethics…

kind of like how I told my brother that the new P&P was a war movie. (you know the regiment)- he fell asleep in the first ten minutes. When he woke up I told him he missed the battle scene.

Samantha… bathing suits ?! I won’t even go there haha.

Hi there, Shauna! It’s so nice of you to blog with us! Welcome. Although…

Personally, I love sexy vampire romances with geopolitical resonance. So hard to pull off. I got this edgy, sexy Smurf thing I’m working on ( only, of course, the Smurfs are a metaphor for Congress and Smurfette is Hilary Clinton)

I’m back…

Ms. Mary, my job (and the job of an editorial assistant) as far as reading goes is very subjective.  It’s all about what you like or don’t like as a reader.  I really prefer to have an assistant who likes my books, but I think I’d sacrifice it for having someone who was right for the job in all other ways.  I’m lucky enough that I don’t share an assistant, but that’s certainly an issue for editors who do--finding someone who likes what both editors work on.

J Perry Stone, I haven’t actually worked with Diana G., though I’ve met her--she’s really nice!  And I’ve been lucky enough to like most of my authors.  But even with the ones I haven’t clicked with personally I’ve still had no problem working with them.  It’s really no different than any job where you have to get along with various kinds of people.  And in some ways it’s easier because I wouldn’t have to see an author I struggled with every day or even deal with them every day....

Shauna, your job sounds so interesting!

What do you like most about being an editor?

Have you ever wanted to write your own romance novel, Shauna?

Shauna,

Do you strongly recommend a master’s program in publishing? I have a bachelor’s in English and have worked at newspapers for, lo, these many years, but I would like to work in publishing.

When you hire assistants, do you look for people with either a degree in publishing or experience in the book publishing world, or is it open to anyone with sufficient ability who is eager to learn?

Hi,

I actually work in publishing now, but as an administrative assistant in a publicity department. I would love to move over into editorial, especially if I could work on commercial fiction, romance, sci-fi, or fantasy. My question is: how do you get a resume through the website and past HR so that the editor can actually look at it?

Flip flops to an interview! 

I interviewed potential deli clerks who actually say “I won’t handle any meat products.  I think they’re gross.” To which I responded, “I think you’re an idiot.  The Curtain Shoppe is just up the plaza unless you have an objection to working with cotton.”

I know this is a loaded question but...What does your typical day look like?  New manuscripts?  Revisions?  Art department meetings?

And just another quick question, who does the blurb on the back of the book?

Rhonda, what do I most like about being an editor?  Watching an author develop as a writer and storyteller as we work together, especially when that author starts to find an audience.

Laura T.  Write my own romance?  Not a chance.  I always used to say that I’m an editor, not a writer.  Over the past few years I’ve discovered that I do like writing, but I’m still not a storyteller.  If I ever wrote, it would be non-fiction.

Wirdald, no need for a masters in publishing, unless you’re seeking the extra education just for the sake and enjoyment of it.  As for experience, I prefer to hire someone with less experience (though a little wouldn’t be bad) mainly because I need them not to mind being my assistant and all the grunt work that includes, rather than looking for a promotion right away.

Holly, getting the resume through HR.  Wish I knew the answer to this, but I haven’t really figured it out myself.  When I started looking, I let colleagues at other houses and my own know I was looking, so some people came to me first before I passed them to HR.  But I definitely interviewed some people who had applied on-line, including the person I hired…

Shauna,
I am next in the long line of those who are willing to be your next assitant if this one doesn’t work out.
The one thing I look for in a boss is someone who can give direction and is clear about what they want. 
Thanks for stopping by.  I appreciate your taking the time to visit.

Me again, afraid I’d overshoot the character limit.

Someone asked earlier about being too old to break into the business.  A couple of times I’ve known assistants who were older, getting started in the business late.  But honestly, I’d be more inclined to choose someone young-ish, partly because I think it’s important for an assistant to fit in with the rest of the junior editorial dept.  And I’d be worried that someone older would be more impatient to move up (even if they said they weren’t) the ladder faster than is realistic or than I’d have the energy for.  Like I said, I don’t want to have to hire another assistant too soon…

More after I get my lunch!

Sounds like my dream job! Too bad you don’t have an office in Ohio. Who wouldn’t love working for the likes of Suzanne Brockmann, Cherry Adair, Tara Jansen, Kay Hooper, Mary Balogh - so many of my favorites!

I love Tara Jansen’s & Cherry Adair’s style of writing! Would love to see more novels like that! 

And I can commiserate on the hiring headaches. Used to be an admin manager and got some real doozies when interviewing for positions. One of the best was the woman who showed up for a position of receptionist with uncombed Priscilla Presley black die job hair, a moo-moo, slip on ratty tenners, several missing teeth and then called me later asking why I “din’t give her no job”!

Hi Shauna!

Thanks for dropping by and giving us the inside scoop...so to speak. 

I can commiserate about hiring assistants.  I’ve gone through three in the last 18 months.  I honestly don’t mind what they look like...but they can’t run away from me.  That’s my rule.  My latest is a returning employee.  We got on well for years before, so I’m hoping the same happens again.

Anyway...I am so glad there are people out there that want to be editors.  I’ve discovered through the painful process of running a critique group that it’s not for me!  I love reading.  And I want to keep it that way.  Reading critically takes a lot of effort and concentration.  I’m gonna save all that energy for writing, thank you

My best interviewee...the gentleman sat across from me and said that his last job as an armored car driver didn’t go so well.  He drove off with the rear door open and the entire contents of the truck ended up on the street.  This included a vast amount of boxed change… I decided I didn’t want him handling my cash.  LOL

Thanks for dropping by

Shauna,
I’m always getting questions from readers and friends about off-site and out-of-house-editing, proofing gigs, etc.  With the dominance of internet communication, does Bantam ever use copyeditors, proofreaders, etc., who can work from their own homes? 

Teresa, always planning ahead for a second career

It sounds like the dream job I’ve been searching for. Just how far away from East Tennessee are you anyway and how long would it take me to drive there for an interview?

Hi Shauna!

This is all very interesting to me… did you know that I"m the head of Fordham’s creative writing dept, right here in NYC?  Which of my students doesn’t want to get a job in publishing (well, besides the ones who want to write the next great American novel, of course)?  Now I know: no flip flops!

I have a real question:  where do they find the on-line URL to apply for jobs at your publisher?

Eloisa

Going off on what Teresa said- I have someone who would be very qualified and very interested in something like that… (not myself- but a very dear friend).

I wanted to ask something like that for her, but I wasn’t sure how to word it.

“Teresa Medeiros said…
Shauna,
I’m always getting questions from readers and friends about off-site and out-of-house-editing, proofing gigs, etc.  With the dominance of internet communication, does Bantam ever use copyeditors, proofreaders, etc., who can work from their own homes? 

Teresa, always planning ahead for a second career”

Santa, a typical day.  It’s nice how much it varies.  I’m doing anything from talking/e-mailing authors, going over cover art with the art department, editing manuscripts, reading submissions, negotiating new contracts, working on cover copy or catalog copy.  Not all of this every day, but quite a bit of it most days....  Cover blurbs.  We have copy writers, though I think they do freelance some stuff out.  But then I’ll tweak some and then the author also gets to put in her two cents.  It’s rarely just one person’s vision, though our copy writers are terrific.

Teresa asked about freelance copy editors and proof readers.  I know we use them, though I’m not involved with that at all.  There’s a whole test you have to take, and I think in general, the production dept. likes using people they know, and we usually try to get the same copy editor for an author, especially if they’re writing a series.

Welcome Shauna!

With what you do for a living, do you ever get tired of reading?  What is your favorite genre to “clear your head”?

How much input does an assistant have?

Can you tell when you’re reading a potential best selling novel?  If so, how do you know?

Deb

Eloisa,
They can find job listings and apply right on the randomhouse website, but I can’t figure out how to paste the url in.  On the mainpage, they should click on

Deborah,
I have to say, I rarely get tired of reading, though I do get in ruts where I can’t find anything that is holding my attention.  Lately, I’ve really enjoyed reading more non-fiction.  I recently read “All the Shah’s Men” which is about the American coup in Iran during the 1950’s--loved it!  I also like YA when I’m wanting something different.

Assistant input.  Depends on how much I can trust her opinion, but ideally an assistant eventually has a lot of input, takes on their own projects, gets promoted, etc.

I can’t say I’ve ever had the experience of reading a manuscript and thinking “this is a bestseller!” I usually just think “I love this!” or “This is something we need on our list!” I’m more likely to have that bestseller feeling with a particular author.  I remember when Suzanne Brockmann delivered The Unsung Hero, the first in her Troubleshooters series, I knew she’d eventually be a bestseller.  But all my authors are bestsellers in my eyes....

Welcome Shauna!

This is an absolutely fascinating post - thank you so much! BTW, I’d like to add my name to the future assistant list please (although I think the commute from New Zealand might be a bit tough).

I work in medical publishing (currently as a writer although I spent 5 years working as an editor). I’m not sure how easy it would be to move into more mainstream publishing, so I guess my question would be what do you look for in a potential editor? What inherent skills should they have and what can be learnt? (Apologies if I’m repeating a question).

Many, many thanks and all the best with your new assistant.

orannia

PS Flip flops? To an interview? What were they thinking?

Thanks Shauna - this is wonderful information.

Most publishing houses require agents.  Many agents are being bombarded by queries and requests.  In your estimation, how can an unpublished writer get their foot in the door?  (I know, I know you will say, “write well and keep working at it”, but sometimes the one page query can not capture the true magic of a story.) What else can we do? (Short of begging.)

What is the best “first line” you ever read?

Also:  My husband interviewed a guy (approx. 48 years old) when we lived in Florida who said, “ I would love to work here.  We guys need to take care of the t*ts in this place.” My husband was the only man in the department.  Needless, to say he did not get the job.

Deb

Shauna - in regard to age of assistants - Don’t overlook the qualities of many 40 somethings. By this age - we know who we are and what we want. We are unashamed, unapologetic romance fans.

Most of us have older children, so we’re not going to get pregnant and and decide to quit working (and make you have to look for another assistant).

Many of us have already done the corporate ladder gig and have found that it just doesn’t work out with family obligations and would like a job where we do something that interests us without it necessarily leading to something “bigger and better.”

And at 48, I don’t find it any problem at all getting along with my younger coworkers, even if I don’t care to go out after work to check out guys or do the club scene.

Don’t mean to get preachy - just stickin up for my sisters out there! Keep finding those authors like Suzanne Brockmann and our Squawkers!

This is fascinating! I’m interested in finding more information about applying for copyediting and proofreading jobs (as a contracted freelance,) but couldn’t find a link for that on the jobs@random site. Is there another link?

Thanks for taking so much time to answer all these questions.

martha

The link for those jobs is on this page:
http://careers.randomhouse.com/Entry-Level.html

At the top of the page, to the left of the photo, is a link “Click here to find open Entry-Level opportunities”, which opens a pop-up window (look for this if you have pop-ups blocked).

Orannia, I think the most important quality for a good editor is being a critical reader.  Being able to multi-task is also good, dealing with a lot of different personalities.

Deborah, I wish I had that magic answer about breaking through that slush pile, but I really don’t.  I just know it when I read it.  You’d be surprised how much of an author’s voice comes through in a query letter.  And sorry, can’t think of a best first line…

Martha, that kind of freelance work isn’t something we’d solicit over the web-site.  I would send a letter with a SASE to the publisher’s office of any publisher, and it will hopefully get to the right person who can send along the test to you.  Not sure how it works everywhere.  It’s a little more tricky getting that kind of work because, again, I think they usually go with people they’ve used in the past.

’leclark said…
“Larissa Ione said…

What are colleges teaching these days?”

SEE??! SEE?!! It’s already started. One bad apple does not spoil the bunch.

I’m sorry, I know it is a humorous story, but it just bothers me that it seems to reflect poorly on ANYONE who is in or graduating from college.’

Leclark...it was a joke *g* More about my age than about the state of colleges...especially given that several family members teach at colleges, and if anything, the quality of schooling is probably higher than when I went. 

Oh, Shauna, you’ve got my dream job...you’re so lucky!  Although I do realize you’ve worked very hard to get where you are.

So that’s my question - what kind of background brought you to your current position? 

And I promise not to ditch my husband and kids and show up at your office door begging for a job - at least not until someone in my house learns to do the laundry.

Hello and welcome Shuana, this is very interesting for me, b/c I’m currently in college, trying to figure out a career path that’s right for me. And I was wondering, (though you probably get asked this quite a lot) How does one get started on pursuing a career in a publishing house, specifically in the romance department? What experience is needed?

Apologies, I just read throught the other questions and comments....

Thank you so much for answering my question Shauna. I have to say, being able to multi-task was definitely a plus in my last job

orannia

Shauna,
I promise to be nice to Jessica if I see her at the RWA conference! Um, maybe a good idea not to let her read any of my books before then...?
This made me think, though-where do you see your career path going? Because I swear that only a few days ago I was telling another writer that if you ever left Bantam I’d have a stroke. Finding an editor who ‘gets’ my work is as crucial as you finding an assistant who ‘gets’ your authors. So please, please, please don’t go anywhere!
Back to the blog agenda...*G*...I worked in both medical office management and retail management for years, and it’s insane how difficult it is to find good help. I went through three file clerks one summer before I found one who knew the alphabet-true story!
Congrats on the new assistant!

Editors and Assistant Editors sound like fun hardworking jobs.

Thank you for sharing the information.

Well, Shauna, based on the blogs you’ve done for us, I’d say you could have a bright future writing non-fiction

Dear Shauna,

If you feel flip-flops are a bad sign...my boss (before she was lucky enough to find me [she says I’m a godsend])had to interview a man for an executive assistant position (this is an office that is primarily women, not that we discriminate) but point one against him, he doesn’t know macintosh computers and admits it??? Who does that? 3) It’s a terrible summer day in Toronto with a humidex/smog warnings and a temperature around 35-40C and the interviewee is wearing...are you read....a turtleneck, long sleeved sweater!!!!!! and he’s nervous during the interview, and sweating profusely…

Thought I’d share...it’s a good story and puts a smile on my face every time I think on it!

I wish you luck on finding a replacement!  And The best thing about loving baked goods...is doing fattening Fridays at work...where everyone pitches in! Makes the day a wonderful one!

Mia cuppa...one day I’ll stop typing in engrish…

that was I - wish you luck with your replacement! GAH!

I’m still wiping away the tears from the Sunni vs. Shiites comment!  LOL!!!

My background.  I majored in English, but it certainly isn’t a requirement for an entry level editorial assistant position.  Publishing is one of the few industries that I know of where there is still an apprentice-type situation where an assistant learns from their boss, hopefully honing already strong editorial instincts.  So breaking in is a matter of being willing to be paid not a lot and do a lot of administrative work for a few years at least in order to climb the ladder.  There’s definitely a lot of luck involved in getting a good boss who will be a mentor.

My career path.  Honestly, I’ve never really thought too much beyond having a list of authors I love.  At this point, I don’t ever want to get away from working with authors, so I’m pretty happy where I am....

I wish there was a Tallahassee office!

I would love to get into that field. I am an administrative asst. now for a software development company. I’m happy with my job, but it doesn’t offer advancement to anything I’d particularly like to do. The same job at a publishing house or for an editor would be much more satisfying, I think.

*sigh* maybe in a few years :D