The West Virginia University Press hired two new student interns this fall, doubling the number of interns from last year.


“As we continue to grow and publish more books each year, we are able to offer a very valuable learning experience for more students,”said Patrick Conner, director of the Press.


The interns work in various departments, from the beginning to the end of the publishing process, as assistants to the full-time staff. Duties include helping with the editing of manuscripts; working on the production of CDs the Press publishes in its Sound Archives Series; assisting the journals manager in the production of the Press three journals; coordinating production of new books and CDs; and marketing, sales and order fulfillment.


The two new interns are Wenda Harris of Boston, Mass., and Sally Somerville of Bridgeport.


Harris is a senior at WVU majoring in English with an emphasis in creative writing and poetry, and minoring in political science. She hopes to teach English in an urban high school upon graduation.


Though she has just begun her internship, Harris has been primarily working with Danny Williams, editor of the Press who said she has already”developed a keener eye for editing, which will prove invaluable for her future career as an educator.”Harris commented that”the writer may craft a work of art, but the publisher must be careful to sift away elements of imperfection in order to give readers a more refined masterpiece,”and she”takes pride in being part of this process, from cover to cover!”


Somerville, also a senior majoring in English, plans to go on to graduate school after she graduates in May. In the meantime she decided to take this internship to learn more about the publishing process.


As someone who hopes to publish her own work some day, Somerville said”my experiences at the WVU Press will greatly benefit my understanding of what makes a book


marketable to the public.”She is primarily working with Geoff George, marketing director for


the Press, and said that she”has learned a considerable amount about the business side of publishing and the necessity of good public relations”in her short tenure in the marketing department.


Stephanie Grove of Charles Town and Zach Hines of Martinsburg are continuing their internships with the Press this year.


“When I was first approached about the possibility of an internship with the Press , I was completely unaware of what was involved in book publishing,”said Grove, a WVULawSchool student.”Before I began working, I imagined book production to be sort of this magical process where an author submits a manuscript that quickly transforms into a marketable book. Now I know the process is much more involved and complicated than I would have ever expected.”


Hines, a sophomore in English at WVU , started with the Press last summer. He worked as a researcher for Victorian Poetry , which is the journal that has been published the longest by  the Press.


“I accepted the position in order to learn more about the publishing business and to get a feel for what publishers want from writers,”Hines said.


Hines also has taken particular interest in discovering how the process of publication can alter a piece of art.


Conner hopes to continue to able to offer more internships for students as the Press continues to grow.


For more information about the _ WVU Press_ or to put in an application for an internship, call (304) 293-8400 or visitwww.wvupress.com.