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Hey everybody! Meet Elizabeth!

Please welcome another newbie to the Social Media team at Oxford University Press, Elizabeth Furey, who joined the gang in August 2015, just two weeks ago, as an OUPblog Deputy Editor and Social Media Manager! You can learn more about Elizabeth below.

When did you start working at OUP?

17 August 2015

What’s the most surprising thing you’ve found about working at OUP?

That it’s such a huge operation. I’ve never worked for a company that has its own lobby, let alone one that has a fountain in its lobby.

What’s the least surprising?

There are books everywhere.

What was your first job in publishing?

This is! I previously worked in marketing for the restaurant industry and as a copywriter for a small online retail company, where I specialized in writing SEO-friendly product descriptions for Halloween costumes. I’ve come a long way, baby.

Elizabeth
Photo of Elizabeth Furey. Used with permission.

What’s your favourite book?

Obviously a tough question for anyone who majored in English and now works for a publisher. The title of overall favourite hovers between The Great Gatsby and The Bell Jar, as I’m partial to twentieth-century American literature. I would like to shout out my favourite poem—as that’s a question I feel doesn’t get asked enough—“Wodwo” by Ted Hughes. I recommend it, in particular, to recent college graduates because it perfectly describes the feeling of being dropped into the real world.

What is the strangest thing currently on or in your desk?

I’m not sure how “strange” this is but I want to mention it anyway. I have a box of Anna’s Ginger Swedish Thins, which is a type of cookie, next to my computer. These cookies are so delicious but I have trouble finding them sometimes. I always jump on the opportunity to buy them.

What will you be doing once you’ve completed this Q&A?

I’m still getting used to the day-to-day tasks, but right now I’m focusing on scheduling posts for the Oxford Academic Google+ account and formatting content for the OUPblog.

What’s the most enjoyable part of your day?

So far, what I like the most is getting to learn new things. When you work in very specific industries, you are basically only exposed to anything that relates to that industry. But working for an academic press exposes you to such a wide array of information.

What is your favourite word?

Cupcake. It’s such a simple, yet perfect word. Saying it tastes almost as good as eating it.

What is your most obscure talent or hobby?

I do improv, but I don’t know how obscure that is. Another serious hobby of mine is thinking about buying a guitar.

What is your favorite animal?

I’m going to go with beluga whale right now.

Image Credit: “Cupcakes” by Kate Andrews. CC BY NC-SA 2.0 via Flickr.

Recent Comments

  1. Annachestnut

    Informative interview. I loved the Bell Jar too.

Comments are closed.