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Video: Penguin Goes to the American Library Association (ALA) 2010 Annual Conference, by Julie Schaeffer

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Another American Library Association (ALA) annual conference has come and gone. This year the librarians of America got to live it up in the nation's capital. While the librarians were sipping free champagne, schmoozing, learning how to keep their libraries current, and getting books signed, many Penguin authors were hard at work in the Penguin booth trying to get their books out to the masses and we've got video evidence to prove it!

If the video hasn't shown you why someone would want to go to ALA, well, I'll tell you in one word: books. Sure, you can look for new shelving systems and attend lectures on cataloguing in the digital age, but publishers are out in full force at ALA with free books and discounts so that booklovers and industry folks like me could have fun.

While ALA predominantly features children's books, the Penguin booths brought in readers of all kinds to get their books signed by authors like Jim Breuer, John Green, Jean Kwok, Maggie Sefton, Julie Klausner, Marilyn Nelson, Jon Scieszka, and Peter Bognanni.

In addition to multitude of great books there were some cool items like Penguin tote bags, gavel pens to promote John Grisham's Theodore Boone: Kid Lawyer, and posters galore. Everyone likes free stuff but the atmosphere at ALA all comes back to the books. It's not everyday you get to see 25,000 people excited about books.

To read the list of programs and sessions from the ALA 2010 Annual Conference, click here.

Here is an alphabetical list of Penguin authors who are in the video:

Jennifer Allison, Gilda Joyce: The Dead Drop
Laurie Halse Anderson, Wintergirls
R. Dwayne Betts, A Question of Freedom
Sarah Blake, The Postmistress
Erin Dionne, The Total Tragedy of a Girl Named Hamlet
Madeline Hunter, Ravishing in Red
Randa Jarrar, A Map of Home
Vicki Myron, Dewey's Nine Lives, Out in October 2010
Jerry Pinkney, Three Little Kittens
Elizabeth Scott, Grace
Star Wars Stormtroopers, Lego Star Wars: The Visual Dictionary
Nancy Werlin, Extraordinary

Posted by: Julie Schaeffer, Online Content Coordinator

Posted on Jul 14th, 2010 by Penguin Group USA in Author Events, Penguin Bloggers |

My First Week as a Penguin Intern, by Kelly Murphy

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I've wanted to be a Penguin intern since high school, when I saw the program featured as one of the best internships in America in a Seventeen Magazine feature article. With so many departments and imprints, the Penguin Group offers a rare find—a workplace that's never boring with a multiplicity of tasks and steady stream of assignments.

As a college graduate with an English degree, the weeks after graduation were a particularly ripe time to try my hand at publishing, an industry that treads the line between the business of selling and the pleasure of reading. It was during senior week that I received a call from the Penguin Group. "We'd like to bring you in for an interview tomorrow," said the Human Resources assistant, and I was immediately jolted out of vacation mode at a friend's beach house into preparation mode for the big day. Stepping into my supervisor's cozy office the next morning after a three-hour drive, I knew I had found the right fit. The initial adrenaline rush of being offered the position was followed by slight panic. Where would I live? Did I have the appropriate clothing to fit the dress code of a corporate atmosphere? What kinds of skills would I need to start developing as an audio intern, the position I'd been hired for? Was I well-equipped to develop these skills?

On my first day of work, overdressed in a suit and half an hour early, I learned that Penguin's environment is actually pretty relaxed. Everyone is friendly and eager to help each other out. This building is a bit of a maze, so even getting lost getting from one floor to another presents a chance to make a connection. During my first week while asking someone nearby to point me in the right direction, this individual introduced herself to me and explained that she'll be working on a new project with my supervisor.

As an audio intern, I'll be able to experience the diversity of operations at Penguin to the fullest. The audio department maintains close relationships with many other departments, such as editorial and sales, to determine which manuscripts will translate well into audiobooks and how this process can be carried out efficiently. This summer, I'll be assisting with the ins and outs of audiobook planning and production. Audiobook narrators from voice artist Steve West to actor Zach Galifianakis participate in recording sessions to turn Penguin books into listenable experiences, adding a new dimension of intrigue and dramatic flair to the original text-only product. Aside from this, audiobooks function as an easy and convenient way to enjoy new titles as downloadable files for an iPod or boxed CDs for road trips. The audio department plays a variety of roles. Within this structure, I primarily generate press for audiobook titles, package products, communicate with warehouse staff, and field phone calls.

During my first week, I was fortunate enough to attend the Summer 2011 launch meetings for Young Reader imprints Philomel and Dial with my supervisor. At both launches, editors presented the titles for young adult and middle grade books that will be released a year from now, detailing the audience for and unique aspects of each title. Attendants from various departments spoke up to suggest cover art changes or innovative methods of marketing the texts. My duty was to pay close attention, take notes, and consider which books would be ideal in an audio format. The launches were also a chance for me to jot down publishing lingo I hadn't heard before in order to become a smarter and savvier Penguin intern! For example, during one launch, I discovered that a "comp" in the publishing industry is either a printed image of a completed book cover or a promotional copy of a title. Another opportunity to absorb technical terms came in the form of a visit to a recording studio in Manhattan, where I began to comprehend the finer points of the audio department's function. Sitting in the recording studio with a producer and the narrator, I felt as though I was truly a part of the publishing process—or at least beginning to formulate a broader view of the work that goes into creating an audiobook. During a quick lunch break, the producer regaled us with stories of sessions he had recorded with celebrities like James Vanderbeek of Dawson's Creek, and the voice artist told us about working with legends like Sidney Poitier, star of the classic film Guess Who's Coming to Dinner. As you can tell, my internship is off to a fantastic start, thanks to an excellent staff and endless resources!

If you're interested in learning more about Penguin internship and job opportunities, visit the Penguin Group (USA) Careers page on Facebook. Check back soon for more blogs from Kelly Murphy.

Posted on Jun 24th, 2010 by Penguin Group USA in Penguin Bloggers |

Start the New Decade with a New Hobby, by Julie Schaeffer

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Fact: there's no time like the present to start crafting. Sure, you might have New Year's resolutions that involve going to the gym or trying to eat more vegetables and those are certainly fun in their own way (especially if your food looks anything like this). But neither of those things will allow you to create cool kitschy items to keep and give away.

We've got a few fun patterns to share with you from a selection craft books. This month we're featuring a pattern from Wacky Baby Knits, which could be seen as the "hardest" pattern since you need to know how to knit to make it (the upcoming crafts are more needle and thread based). However, if you know how to knit then you should have no trouble making this fabulous classic beret. And if you don't know how to knit, well what is YouTube for anyways?

For the beret, the alternating colors may seem daunting if you've never done them before, basic color work has a tricky way of looking harder then it is. (Key point: it's not that hard, we swear!) But if the striping seems scary to you, then this hat would certainly look nice in just one or two colors to minimize switching between yarns. The hardest part for me with the striping was really just tightening up the edges to avoid gaping. But as long as you have a yarn needle (or a bodkin, as author Alison Jenkins calls it) you can make it as tight as you like when the whole hat is done. Also, I chose to knit this on circular needles and I didn't have a problem following the pattern at all but the pattern can be done on straight needles as well.

So check out the Classic Beret pattern and the cute pictures of our office baby, Miles Fu, wearing his own Classic Beret.

Classic Beret (from Wacky Baby Knits by Alison Jenkins)

YOU WILL NEED

pair of size 3 (3.25 mm) needles
pair of size 6 (4 mm) needles
1(1:1) 2 oz (50 g) ball light worsted knitting yarn in color A (white)
1(1:1) 2 oz (50 g) ball light worsted knitting yarn in color B (blue)
1(1:1) 2 oz (50 g) ball light worsted knitting yarn in color C (navy blue)
tape measure
bodkin

TO FIT SIZES

0–3 months: chest 16 in (41 cm)
3–6 months: chest 18 in (46 cm)
6–12 months: chest 20 in (51cm)
NOTE: The hat is designed to fit average head size for age of baby

GAUGE

22 stitches and 30 rows to 4 in (10 cm), measured over stockinette stitch, using size 6 (4 mm) needles

Beret

Using size 3 (3.25 mm) needles and col A, cast on 69 (75: 81) sts.
Work in k1, p1 rib, following color sequence as follows:
Rib 1 row in col A.
Rib 2 rows in col C.
Rib 6 rows in col B.
Rib 2 rows in col C.
Rib 2 rows in col A.
Change to size 6 (4 mm) needles and cont in st st and col A, increasing as follows:
(k2, inc 1) 33 (37: 40) times, then k2 (1: 1). There will now be 101 (112: 121) sts. Cont in st st until work measures 4 (4¼: 4¾) in [10 (11: 12) cm] from end of rib, ending after a ws row.

CROWN SHAPING

With rs facing, beg crown dec and cont color sequence as follows:
1st row: change to col B, k1, *k2tog, k7; rep from * to last 3 sts, then k2tog, k1.
2nd row: purl all sts.
3rd row: change to col A, k1,*k2tog, k6; rep from * to last 2 sts, then k2tog.
4th row: purl all sts. 5th row: change to col B, k1, *k2tog, k5; rep from * to last st, k1.
6th row: purl all sts.
7th row: change to col A, k1, *k2tog, k4; rep from* to last st, k1.
8th row: purl all sts.
9th row: change to col B, k1, *k2tog, k3; rep from * to last st, k1.
10th row: purl all sts.
11th row: change to col C, k1, *k2tog, k2; rep from * to last st, k1.
12th row: purl all sts
13th row: change to col B, k1, *k2tog, k1; rep from * to last st, k1.
14th row: purl all sts.
15th row: change to col C, k1, *k2tog; rep from * to end.
16th row: purl all sts.
17th row: change to col B, k1, *k2tog; rep from * to end.
18th row: purl all sts.
19th row: change to col C, k 1 row.
Work in st st for a further 4 rows, then bind off all sts.
Break off yarn and, using a bodkin, draw it through the last st to fasten off, leaving a long tail.

Sewing Together

Using matching yarn and a bodkin, stitch the beret seam. Weave in all loose ends neatly on the reverse.

Wacky Baby Knits

Alison Jenkins – Author

$16.95 – add to cart

Next Time: We'll feature a polar bear pattern from Happy Gloves.

Posted by: Julie Schaeffer, Online Content Coordinator

Alison Jenkins, Wacky Baby Knits, knitting, hobby, Penguin, crafting, Perigee

Posted on Jan 14th, 2010 by Penguin Group USA in Penguin Bloggers |

Happy Birthday, Miss Jane Austen!

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Jane Austen, the woman who launched a thousand books, was born December 16^th, 1775. In her life, Jane only published four novels, after her death she had two more published and today it is possible to find a volume of her shorter works.

Could Jane Austen have imagined the amount of writers she would inspire a century and a half onward? Today, updated and inspired by versions of her books are everywhere (Bridget Jones Diary), there are books about people reading Jane Austen and having emotional journeys along with her heroines (The Jane Austen Book Club), books about accidentally ending up in an Austen novel (Confessions of a Jane Austen Addict), books where you can create your own Austenian adventure (Lost in Austen), and last but not least, sequels, prequels and other additions to the stories Austen wrote (The Confession of Fitzwilliam Darcy and Mr. Knightley's Diary).

In celebration of Jane Austen's birthday on December 16^th, Penguin USA will use the Twitter hashtag #AustenAddiction, following Penguin Australia's idea, and will promote our Austen titles, do a giveaway, link to online video and radio segments and any relevant pop culture tidbits through the day.

Also, be sure to visit Penguin USA's Austenmania page. Listen to Penguin Classics discuss Why We Love Jane Austen. And watch other Janeites discuss why they love Pride & Prejudice in the Ten Essential Penguin Classics video.

And naturally, read or re-read these fabulous works by Jane Austen! Let's raise a cup of tea to the famous authoress:

The Complete Novels

Jane Austen – Author, Introduction by Karen Joy Fowler

$25.00 – add to cart

Pride and Prejudice

Jane Austen – Author
Ruben Toledo – Jacket Illustrator

$16.00 – add to cart

Pride and Prejudice A Penguin Enriched eBook Classic

Jane Austen – Author

Various Editors

$8.00 – add to cart

eBook: eReader | 480 pages | ISBN 9781436219990 | 29 May 2008 | Penguin Classic

Sense and Sensibility

Jane Austen – Author
Coralie Bickford-Smith – Jacket Illustrator

Northanger Abbey

Jane Austen – Author
Marilyn Butler – Editor

$8.00 – add to cart

Emma

Jane Austen – Author

$14.00 – add to cart

Mansfield Park

Jane Austen – Author

Margaret Drabble and Julia Quinn – Introduction and Afterword

$4.95 – add to cart

Persuasion

Jane Austen – Author
Gillian Beer – Editor

$6.00 – add to cart

Lady Susan, The Watsons, Sanditon

Jane Austen – Author
Margaret Drabble – Editor

$11.00 – add to cart

Posted by: Julie Schaeffer, Online Conent Coordinator and Aspiring Janeite

Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility, Emma, Northanger Abbey, Mansfield Park, Persuasion

Posted on Dec 16th, 2009 by Penguin Group USA in Penguin Bloggers, Penguin News |

Books That Define Generation X

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Today, Details magazine posted a list of their top 25 Generation X classics. Naturally, they included Penguin books, The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz and Everything Bad is Good for You by Steven Johnson. But their list got us thinking about our own Gen X Greats and we put together a list for you, whether you want to relive the past or find out how Xers can save the future, check out these books.