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Helena McNish
helena.mcnish.16@ucl.ac.uk
Where are you from?
I was born here in London, and lived here until I was 18 and moved to university. I’ve also lived in Edinburgh and Montreal!
Where did you come to the course from?
I did my undergraduate degree over four years at the University of Edinburgh in History. I particularly studied Medieval History and did my dissertation on Norman Sicily and Fatimid Egypt.
What’s your favourite book?
My absolute favourite book (from childhood) is Artemis Fowl and the Arctic Incident by Eoin Colfer. His characters are brilliant and his dialogue is incredibly witty, and I can’t ever resist the pairing of a snarky genius and soldier-elf with a neutrino.
Why Publishing?
I love telling and sharing stories, and my first few months on the course has already showed me all the great skills you can gain and use from being part of the industry. I’ve also harboured a not-so-quiet ambition to one day be a published author. Also: FREE BOOKS!
Likes/Dislikes?
I love books with strong lead characters (see Sabriel, A Discovery of Witches, any historical romance novel), as well as shows (see Lucifer, Outlander, Parks and Recreation), singing in inappropriate places, and pretending I’m not upset that I’m not a witch. I dislike getting up before 10am and being advertised to on the internet.
Emily Brodowicz
@EmilyBrodowicz
emily.ryan.16@ucl.ac.uk
Where are you from?
I was born in a tiny town on the Puget Sound in western Washington State and I lived there until I moved to university in Portland, Oregon in 2013. This year is the first time I have been outside of North America and I am loving it!
Where did you come to the course from?
I did my undergraduate degrees in Marketing and Advertising Management at Portland State University. During those years I was lucky enough to work as a bookseller at Powell’s Books and as a Sales and Marketing Coordinator for a publishing start-up!
What’s your favorite book?
I cannot choose just one! I have a favorite book for every mood and every year of my life. Harry Potter was a childhood favorite of mine (of course), along with anything by Terry Pratchett. Currently, I am loving A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara and Hillbilly Elegy by J.D. Vance.
Why Publishing?
I grew up surrounded by books. My mom still drives the bookmobile in the county I grew up in and my dad recently retired from a tech book publishing company. I had grandparents and great-grandparents who were booksellers and librarians on both sides of my family. With a family like that, how could I not want to work with books! I have always loved stories and I am amazed by the power they can have. I want to be part of that process! I am hoping to work in children’s publishing someday.
Likes/Dislikes?
I love books, fiction or non-fiction, that have wonderful worldbuilding. I love being able to get lost inside the world of a good story. I also love tea, anything chocolate or cheese and reading in bed until noon. I have a particular dislike of angsty romances and extreme temperatures, hot or cold.