Q&A With Stephanie Marrie 

Today’s Q&A is with Book reviewer & Editor Stephanie Marrie. Stephanie recently started her new job at Penguin Random House & for the past several years also wrote in freelance for several years. 

Q: Stephanie, would you like to tell the readers of the blog a little bit about yourself & where your passion for book reviewing and editing came from?

A: I have always loved reading since I was a little girl, and wanted to make a career out of it as opposed to becoming a lawyer or having to major in computer science/math. Spelling tests were also some of my favorite assignments in elementary school. In high school, I began to read romance novels, both old and new, and tried to apply for openings at publishers such as Harlequin once I entered the job market. During the height of the pandemic, I was able to receive free education in the form of editorial mentorships dedicated to diversity in publishing instead of spending a fortune on a publishing graduate degree. 

Q: Would you like to tell us about what your upcoming job as the contract copy editor at Penguin Random House for Penguin Young Readers entails?  

A: The job has not begun for me just yet, but it is a contractor role where I may get called in for a project or two depending on how busy their season is. I would be looking at books from across three different imprints. 

Q: Could you explain what freelance writing is and what it was like writing freelance and building up that portfolio?

A: I actually write book reviews. I have to follow specific guidelines while writing them. They have to have a certain word count depending on the type of entry. Eventually, the entries added up and it was a great way to build up a portfolio besides writing a personal blog. I also submit literary analysis essays and poems to a UK-based magazine called Hermes. For that, I received a certificate of appreciation. 

Q: If you weren’t an editor, if you had another job in the industry would you be an author, a publicist, or an agent?

A: I might be an agent, because I am fascinated by the idea of scouting authors and discussing any potential book-to-film adaptations. I have also interned at several literary agencies, and going through their slush piles as a critic was the most fun part of each internship.