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Let me preface this by saying this is the first internship I’ve had, and I’m not ready to leave! I’m a pretty busy English major and senior in college, and consequently I’ve done quite a bit of academic writing. However, I’ve never written creatively or with any other real purpose than for the ever elusive A.

Here at Quirk, I’ve had the opportunity to write Q & A sheets for authors, press releases, and BLAD letters (which go out to others in the publishing business). These writings, while heavily edited by the professionals upstairs, often start with an intern. Writing creatively but concisely is the key to having more of your language used in the final product, so get those imaginative juices flowing! I found the writing aspect of this internship the most interesting and challenging of all the tasks appointed to me. Academic writing is often dry and colorless; at Quirk, the opposite is true. (Thanks for preparing me for life, college.)

Okay, get ready for geek overload. I honestly enjoyed everything I did here, but my favorite part of spending time in Quirk HQ was just being around so many books. I found that if I needed a quick break from the task at hand, the perfect antidote to writer’s block or a sore back was to walk around the book room for a few minutes. Quirk has some really interesting titles— seriously, check out Yum Yum Bento Box, Tiny Food Party, and Breakfast for Dinner. Talk about food porn! The pictures are the best part.

Quirk is small and everyone is friendly here. I get the impression that there are a lot of young intern faces in and out of here on a regular basis, so make yourself memorable. Say hello to everyone and express interest in what is going on at Quirk! It may sound cliché, but follow the requests of Nicole, Mari, and Eric explicitly. You’re only here for a short amount of time and there’s a lot to do. The sooner you finish that mailing, the sooner you’ll (hopefully) be given another, more stimulating task.

It should come as no surprise that here at Quirk, we like to read. A lot. I mean, you can’t make books if you aren’t reading them too, right? Emails are frequently sent around the office about this book or that, and finished books usually end up in our lobby, free to a good home.

Below, you’ll find some of our favorite reads of the year. Some are new, some aren’t. But all of them are great.

The Odds by Stewart O’Nan: I’ve read all of Stewart O’Nan’s novels and his latest, The Odds, is one of my favorites. The story concerns a marriage on the brink of collapse; Art and Marion Fowler are unemployed fifty-somethings, drowning in debt and facing foreclosure on their home. In a last-ditch effort to save their marriage, Art plans a second honeymoon at a Niagara Falls casino, where he intends to gamble every last penny of their retirement savings on a “can’t-miss” roulette scheme.

Maybe you have to be married to fully appreciate this book (and the longer you’ve been married, the more you’ll enjoy it). It’s a short novel, only 192 pages, and I read the entire book in a single night. The suspense of the final chapters (when Art finally embarks on his roulette scheme) caught me off-guard. I realized I really cared about these characters; I really wanted them to win, even though I knew the odds were stacked against them. The last line is perfect. – Jason Rekulak, Creative Director

Dream More: Celebrate the Dreamer in You by Dolly Parton: I love Dolly Parton’s new book. It’s a slim little volume that outlines her philosophy of life, based on her 2009 commencement speech to graduates at the University of Tennessee. But if you haven’t read any of Dolly Parton’s books yet, I’d have to recommend starting with her 1994 autobiography, Dolly: My Life and Other Unfinished Business. It’s a great read.

And her Imagination Library is an excellent charity dedicated to fostering a love of reading among preschool children by mailing them high-quality, age-appropriate books directly to their homes. All children deserve books, regardless of their family’s income. As Dolly always says, “Never let a rhinestone go unturned.” – Margaret McGuire, Editor (@oinkoink)

Part of Snowman Week in Sarah Goldschadt’s Craft-A-Day, mini-snowman cupcake toppers are the perfect way to while away a chilly winter afternoon with the young people in your life. Get creative with your snowman topper—make a family of snow-people for Frosty, or have a contest to see who can make the most interesting outfit! Don’t forget the corncob pipe, and why not add a scarf and perhaps some icy jewelry while you’re at it? Plaid is all the rage in snowman fashion these days!

The possibilities are endless with Craft-A-Day’s simple handmade blue prints for projects for each day of the year.

Happy holidays, and get crafting!

Photo by Paul Carroll

Winter is coming. And not in that fun "I'm quoting Game of Thrones" sort of way. In the omg-it-is-freezing-outside-I-hate-my-life kind of way. But with the cold comes a lot of fun, what with snowball fights, skiing, snow angels, and ice skating.

For those of you psyched to go skate like you're in a Charlie Brown Christmas, be careful. Those tempting open lakes can be dangerous.

To help you be prepared, today we've got an excerpt from The Worst-Case Scenario Survival Handbook: Travel by David Borgenicht and Joshua Piven. Because hey, you never know. 

Photo by Paul Carroll

Winter is coming. And not in that fun "I'm quoting Game of Thrones" sort of way. In the omg-it-is-freezing-outside-I-hate-my-life kind of way. But with the cold comes a lot of fun, what with snowball fights, skiing, snow angels, and ice skating.

For those of you psyched to go skate like you're in a Charlie Brown Christmas, be careful. Those tempting open lakes can be dangerous.

To help you be prepared, today we've got an excerpt from The Worst-Case Scenario Survival Handbook: Travel by David Borgenicht and Joshua Piven. Because hey, you never know. 

Hey there booklovers!

As the year comes to a close at the Quirk HQ, I’m looking to bring a few more freelance bloggers onto the Quirk Books website. I have a few on here already, writing about everything from recipes to books, pop culture to comics. Scope out some posts from Elizabeth Quirino and Thom Dunn for fantastic examples. Please note, it’s best not to click on Elizabeth’s recipe links before lunch.

I’m looking for bloggers interested in writing anything and everything, from quirky editorial on pop culture to delectable recipes, Top 10 lists to fun photo roundups, spotlights on crafts to music playlists… you get the picture. We’re also looking for bloggers interested in writing about parenting, for our Raising Quirk community. If the stories have a bookish slant, even better. I want them. Take some time to flip through the Quirk website to get an idea of what we like to post.

As for requirements, you should:

* Be passionate about books.

* Have a decent presence on major social media networks. Twitter, Facebook, etc.

* Be willing to promote your posts on those networks.

Yes, we’re paying bloggers for their posts. It’s not a lot, but it’s something. Pay varies depending on the sort of content you’re creating, whether you’re working on simple short posts (ie: recipe posts, craft spotlights) or in-depth featured pieces (top 10 lists, lengthy editorial). We will discuss.

Interested? Drop me an email at [email protected]. Tell me a bit about yourself, what you’re interested in writing about, and include a few links to some writing samples. No resumes please. Just a friendly email and links to clips will do.