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Two Sides to Every Story

Hello – another intern here! A bit about me: I am headed into my final year at a liberal arts college in New Hampshire, where I am studying both English and Elementary Education. Ever since I was young, I always wanted to be either a teacher or a book editor/publisher due to my love of reading. Therefore, for my pseudonym, I thought it would be fitting to choose an author who connects to both of my passions, so I've decided to go under the pen name Beauld Dahl, after a fascinating person who happens to be one of my favorite childhood authors.

Coming from a small town in Vermont (and by small I mean you could fit 6 of my town's entire population into the Empire State Building and still have a little room left over before hitting the maximum occupancy), Manhattan is about the biggest 180 degrees that I could make from my normal lifestyle. Even living here for just a week so far, I've come to realize that I have split myself into two identities, the small-town teacher, and the city-dwelling publisher. Part of me misses rolling green mountains, drives through the countryside with the windows down, and the overall laid-back feel of Vermont (and no, it's not part of Canada). A different part of me loves the patchwork of skyscrapers, the hustle of the city, and the fact that I can walk to any store I can think of instead of driving at least an hour away. Though I'll admit, sometimes I get a little unnerved by the lack of trees on my walk to and from my internship, but that's nothing a trip to Central Park can't fix.

Vermont is known ("known" being a loose term here) for three things: Ben and Jerry's ice cream, Cabot cheese, and maple syrup. While we consume our fair share of dairy products, my family's affection is for the latter. Every late winter and early spring, we go into the woods, hang buckets and tubing among the maple trees, collect their sap, then boil and filter it until the sticky, sweet substance we put on our pancakes and waffles is produced.

This picture was taken during the second largest snowstorm ever recorded in Vermont, when I trudged through over two feet of snow and could barely see further than the length of my arm through the rapidly falling flakes. Apart from the sounds of my footsteps, I was blanketed by complete silence.

Within the past week, it has been upwards of 90° in Manhattan, with nothing but a faint breeze between the high-rises. I have two options: walk everywhere in the blazing sun, or take the subway, where wind refuses to enter, and the heat is somehow even more stifling than above ground. I typically choose the streets, ignoring the stench of cigarettes and the shrills of sirens, where I bear witness to some of the world's most iconic sites that millions dream of visiting and a skyline like none other.

In both circumstances, I wonder how something so unpleasant can also be so thrilling and beautiful at the same time. I also wonder how one can love both experiences just as equally.

Since I have already student-taught in multiple classrooms and loved (nearly) every second, I thought that interning at a publishing company would help me decide what path I would pursue after graduating. However, that decision has become exponentially more difficult now that I see how much I would enjoy living in the Big Apple permanently.

Stay tuned to see where my internship at Beaufort Books/Spencer Hill Press takes me over the next few months!

Until next time,

Beauld Dahl

This is a shared blog post for Beaufort Books and Spencer Hill Press.

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Choosing from the Infinite

My bedroom floor is piled high with books, and there are a decent number that I have not read. I have the intention to read them, which is why, in the heat of a discount-book-shop-treasure-finding moment, I have bought more books than I have the time or energy to read. Sometimes, as I think about those books, and the other books on my "to-read" list, I grow overwhelmed. There are so many stories and voices and ideas I want to absorb and process, and realistically, I don't have the time or the brain space for them all. I don't want to spend my entire life reading, because when will I have time to apply what I've learned? Sometimes I want to forget the whole thing and give up on my reading list.

Since moving to New York, I have felt the same way—not about reading, but about life. The fear that I might miss something good has moved from my reading list to my lifestyle in New York. I find myself wanting to experience everything, pushed by what everyone tells me I should try and what I must do. As if, once the semester ends and I return home, I will regret not having tasted and seen and participated in everything.

I know, you are probably shaking your head, muttering to yourself, "Silly girl. That's not possible." And you're right. It's not possible.

It's not possible for me to experience everything in this enormous city. Not only that, I realize I shouldn't experience absolutely everything, because not everything is meant for me.

The moment of clarity came for me one rainy day, when I was exploring Brooklyn. I had been trying to save my money for big nights out doing what my roommates wanted to do, and it occurred to me that the activities they wanted to participate in were not necessarily the activities I wanted to participate in. They wanted to experience the glamour of New York, and I wanted to explore the hidden corners, the nooks and crannies. I had spent the first month experiencing the glamour, and I was ready to honor the part of me that wanted a quiet, contemplative moment in a cozy coffee shop.

I didn't have the money or the energy for both day life and night life, so I made a choice. I ducked inside Joyce Bakeshop and warmed myself from the rain, grounding myself through a hot coffee and a flaky chocolate croissant. I journaled and people-watched. I let the familiar environment of a coffee shop hold me for a while. And in that moment, I understood the importance of choosing your own story.

I'll probably be ready for the glamour again, but I need the quietness of New York too, the things that feel like me—walks in parks, treats from bakeries, even quiet nights at home spent reading and drawing. I realize now that I cannot say yes to everything. Sometimes I will need to say no, so that there is space, time, and energy to say yes to the things that are mine, the experiences that my soul is leading me toward. When I do this, I stop grasping blindly and am led forward naturally.

It occurs to me now that I don't have to give up on collecting books and making reading lists; I don't have to let myself be overwhelmed by the sheer infinity of possibilities. I must say no to the books that I don't feel calling my soul. Just like experiencing New York City, saying no to those books will give me the space to say yes to the books that do call my soul. I can choose my story, the story that unfolds naturally, the story that is truly mine.

~Sara Beaureilles

This is a shared blog post for Beaufort Books and Spencer Hill Press.

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For The Love of Books

Over the past few years, I stopped reading for fun. I didn't even notice I was doing it, but along the way, I wasn't going into bookstores and didn't have a stack of unread books on my bedside table. I was sucked into homework and school readings (like the infinitely long Iliad), and I did not give myself time for any personal reading. It wasn't until this past summer, when I had a lot of free time, that realized that my bookshelf was embarrassingly bare. So, I resolved to change that.

I told myself that I was going to fall in love with books again, no matter how long it took. I took a break from binge-watching another Netflix series and spent more time at The Strand, which is luckily only a few blocks from my apartment. And I started reading books that interested me, ones that I looked forward to reading rather than dreading. And slowly, I have opened up that love again.

I try to spend at least a couple of hours reading a week, whether it's before bed or in a cozy coffee shop. It is my "me time" and I spend it doing an activity that I find joy in. Whether it's the newest New York Times best-seller, a Penguin classic, or a good old-fashioned romance, it's something I do for myself and only myself, something I sometimes have trouble finding time for.

Reawakening my own love affair with reading, I started to look into entering a career that involves books. It was never something that I thought could even be a possible career path for me. As a kid, I told everyone that when I grew up, I wanted to be a book editor. But I never really thought I could make that happen. Always a dream, but never a reality. Then, one day, I asked myself why I hadn't looked down this path before. Why hadn't I put more thought into making my career dreams a reality?

Working at a publishing house has helped me realize that being surrounded by books is where I want to be. Learning about the behind-the-scenes of novels that can change the way you see the world is so interesting and important. The process is opening my eyes to the care and dedication that is put into each word an author writes. It truly takes a village to publish a book, a small price to make a difference in even one person's life.

Books are important. Through finding my love of reading again, I am also finding myself. I am excited to see what more I have to learn with Beaufort Books and Spencer Hill Press. The possibilities are endless.

– Beauscar Wilde

This is a shared blog post for Beaufort Books and Spencer Hill Press.

beaufortbooks wellwrittenbooks beaufortblog blog reading book addict well written books for the love of books

litwitch:

Popped into Alabaster today to have a look around. It's one of the most fascinating independent bookstores in NYC. ✨You never know what you might find! ✨

Alabaster is great used book shop near us in NYC! Such a great selection of books.

(via bookwormboutiqueblog)

beaufort books alabaster books nyc new york city book addict book obsessed

"We read books to find out who we are. What other people, real or imaginary, do and think and feel… is an essential guide to our understanding of what we ourselves are and may become."

- Ursula K. Le Guin (via quotemadness)

(Source: quotemadness.com, via quotemadness)

faeyre:

every book i've read in 2016
↳ Bookishly Ever After

I plan on making you forget all those book boyfriends of yours.

Love this photo edit of Bookishly Ever After!

bookishly ever after beaufortbooks isabelbandeira beaufort books isabel bandeira book addict

thelibrariansaid:

Has anyone seen Neil Gaiman's private library? I mean… come on…

A great author and a great library!

(Source: Gizmodo, via bookmania)

beaufortbooks bookgoals library bookaddict bookobsessed

The Stuff of Stories

A little smile tugs at my mouth as I sit behind my desk at Beaufort/Spencer Hill. Looking out the window captures a scene that seems incredibly fitting for a book publisher in New York City: tall brick buildings hugged by winding fire escapes, windows that subtly showcase the busy lives of other office workers, and a cloudy blue sky. It's exactly what I would picture when I think of a New York City book publisher.

I know images can be deceiving. Although beginning an internship at a book publisher in New York City sounds intriguing, it's not the first time I've done something that seems to fit the image. My college experience consisted of moving to Nashville to be part of the music scene. While it was lovely, I quickly learned that images aren't always as they seem.

Behind the Instagram filters and keywords that frame our stories are the real lives we live. The everyday, nitty-gritty details of life. While I enjoy going out and doing things that make a great story, I have learned that the real story is the in-between, the ways I fill my day. The decision to grab coffee on my way to work. The smile at the security guard on the way in. The small talk with people in the elevator or the subway. The laughter with my roommates as we make dinner.

Moving to different cities is interesting, and it makes you aware of things you can't catch as easily on a vacation. My first week in New York City, I acted like a tourist, capturing those well-known tourist sites and posting them on Instagram. As I settle in, however, I'm noticing more of the nuances, and whether in New York, Nashville, or anywhere, these nuances, the stuff of life, are often the same. Everyone is dreaming, working, hurting, hoping. In the nuances, I am reminded that each of us is living a story, both unique to ourselves and similar enough to others to be part of the larger collective human story.

I'm excited to be interning at Beaufort/Spencer Hill mostly to watch how stories are built and delivered. It's a courageous act when an author decides to tell a story, whether fictional or personal or historical. The world gains a voice that we've been waiting to hear when an author writes. To learn the business of putting together a story and publishing it—both the exciting aspects and the little nuances—is a process that intrigues me, and even in the first few weeks of my internship I've learned a lot.

Although the best parts of the story are in the details and everyday occurrences, I will admit: sometimes, the images are nice. I like the fact that I get to learn with a publisher in New York City, sitting at a desk by this window.

~Sara Beaureilles

This is a shared blog post for Beaufort Books and Spencer Hill Press.

#nyc #books #love

Happy #LibraryShelfieDay ! Here's our favorite collection, complete with #beaufortbooks titles.

"Bookstores always remind me that there are good things in this world."

- Vincent van Gogh (via quotemadness)

(Source: quotemadness.com, via teacoffeebooks)

beaufort books books bookstores van gogh

kaylacrylics:

"Words are, in my not-so-humble opinion, our most inexhaustible source of magic." - Albus Dumbledore

My little library continues to grow, as does my supply of magic ⭐

Bookshelf goals!

(via bibliophilem-deactivated2019122)

book library bookworm beaufort books book addict classics wellwrittenbooks

"We're talking about the novel, right? But maybe we're not. We're talking about ourselves. And I guess that's what can start to happen when you talk about a book."

Meg Wolitzer, Belzhar
(via paigeypaige19)

#books #reading #storytelling #writing #inspiration #life #ThursdayThoughts

Today's vibes #nyc #wellwrittenbooks #booklife #bibliophile #beaufortbooks

This Is Only The Beginning

Greetings everyone!

I woke up late the other day, and as I looked through my window, I was mesmerized by the bright orange and red leaves of the big sugar maple tree outside my bedroom. As fall swept through the city, I observed this tree every day, amazed by its reluctance to change, being one of the few in the surrounding gardens that had not yet succumbed to the inevitable changes of autumn. It still bore green leaves but overnight, it transformed.

Back home, in the tropics of Honduras, we only have two seasons: a wet winter and a dry summer, which is why I find autumn breathtaking. It signals change, and does it in a magical way, covering places with a warm palette of bright colors.

Five years ago, I fulfilled one of my dreams: I became a Pastry Chef. Over two years ago, I made the bold choice to set that dream aside. Not forever, never forever, but I needed to step aside for a while to let my passion for it grow because I had started to hate it. And somewhere down the line, I realized I was piecing together a puzzle unconsciously. Ever since I was a child, I've wanted to own a bookshop, one that would sell my favorite books and one day, even my own book, and inside the bookshop, I would have a bakery. It was a child's dream really, but funnily enough, I never noticed how I was slowly inching towards making that dream come true.

I am now on the end of my second-to-last semester of my M.F.A., working on a novel and thinking about bringing back to life a food blog that I had and perhaps even work on a baking book.

Today is my last day as an intern at Beaufort Books and as saddened I am to be leaving, I am so grateful and happy to have been given the opportunity and an amazing internship experience.

Interning at Beaufort Books has pushed me to change my leaves and drop them, to allow the changes that I've been pushing back to happen. This was my first venture in the publishing world, one that opened my eyes to its wondrous workings, and the way that things have happened in my life, I am sure that this is only the beginning.

To everyone here at Beaufort Books,

Thank you!

-Sir Arthur Conan Beauyle

"Every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end." -Seneca

autumn books bookstore baking writing INTERN