Island Press Field Notes

Once upon a time, I was sure that I wanted to be an editor. I always liked reading and polishing people’s stories. It felt right to shape up someone's work, to see its beginning and see it transform into a finished product. But, as any recent English grad out there can attest, landing an editorial anything is difficult. So I joined Island Press in the spring as a social media and web intern, and it was not at all what I expected.

As I approached the end of my third year of college, I knew it was time to gain real experience in marketing and publicity. While searching for an internship, Island Press caught my eye because I have always had an interest in books and the environment. Even though I did not have any background in publishing, I can definitely confirm that the publicity internship at Island Press was the perfect fit for me.

I am an indecisive person. I tried almost every sport, dance, and hobby as a child. I inevitably quit all of them—except for one. Books. I love reading, and I love writing. For a good part of my life, I knew I wanted to work in the publishing industry, specifically publicity and marketing. Promoting authors while working on my own novels on the side seemed like a no-brainer. Then you-know-who became the president.

While getting a book out to the right people in order to spread awareness of the important subjects discussed is an incredibly important part of Island Press’ mission statement, finding authors who exemplify Island Press’ desires to inspire change regarding environmental issues is both necessary and rewarding.