Hello again, BEB Faithful.
We hope you’re all safe and healthy in your homes and catching up on some reading.
A lot has changed in our world recently, including our lives here at BEB. Please take advantage of all our digital and audio releases to keep you entertained and happy in these trying times.
We’ve also brought you a story and an introduction! One of our interns is currently attending university digitally. Today, she brings you her story and her determination. Look forward to many more stories from her in the future!
Without further ado, our intern Delphia Lea:
Introduction by Delphia Lea
Howdy, folks! My name is Delphia Lea and I’m a senior at Western Washington University. It’s weird to think this is my last quarter. I never expected to spend it in quarantine, but who did, right? Despite the recent weirdness, I’m really excited and really grateful to intern at Blind Eye Books. Here’s to making the most of the situation!
To start, I guess, reading and writing have always been part of my life. My mom has this bit she loves to tell people: when I was little, I had a book about the universe I obsessively copied into a notebook, word-for-word, even though I didn’t know how to read yet. I remember this, vaguely, but I remember much clearer the stories I typed on our desktop as a grade schooler, pausing every other word to ask how to spell something. I didn’t consider myself a capital-w Writer until seventh grade, when my English teacher read one of my stories and asked, “When is your book coming out?” Those six words changed everything. Now, here I am, fiction editor of my university’s lit mag, about to graduate with a degree in creative writing, working the internship of my dreams. Oh, if that bookish little girl could see me now!
In terms of reading, I’ll humor the first chapter of almost anything, but I tend to seek out stories that feature mystery, magical realism, and/or queer protagonists. Real life is often so dreadful and dream-crushing, it’s nice to sit back with a cold drink and read something fanciful. That being said, I’m also fascinated with horror, even though creepy stories usually convince me there’s a monster lurking behind my shower curtain. I think it’s because my biggest selling point for a story is palpable emotion. No matter the genre, if there’s strong, genuine emotion conveyed through the language, I’m probably going to love it.
As for writing, I enjoy losing myself in my projects the same way I lose myself in books, really immersing myself in the world of the characters. I’m not super concerned with genre, but recently I’ve discovered a deep love for collaboration. My own ideas are good, but when I include someone else in the process, our creations tend to be so much more gorgeously complex than anything I could have made on my own. A creative partnership, however, is a delicate thing. I’m incredibly lucky to have found a compatible creative partner in my girlfriend, and I attribute most of our success to their endless kindness and patience.
Eventually, I’m going to have to commit to a career. I know I want to be part of the publishing industry somehow, even if I’m not sure how, yet. I know I’m good at reading and editing, and I know I’m an excellent micromanager, so maybe I’ll strive to be an acquisitions editor, or maybe I’ll look for something relating to physical book production. Things have obviously changed due to the looming global pandemic, but, based on the available opportunities I find, I’ll get my butt in gear, work hard, and adjust my plans accordingly!
Only after I reread and edited this did I realize y’all might be curious about my interests outside creative writing/publishing. In short, I love to knit, crochet, and cross stitch; I play a lot of video games and watch a lot of cartoons; and every other minute of my time goes to my bratty princess of a cat. Her name is Sebbe; she’s my favorite person in the whole world. Her teeth and claws are very sharp. If you want to see pictures of her, follow me on twitter @LeaDelphia!
