Please welcome another newbie to the Social Media team at Oxford University Press, Dan Parker, who joined the gang in May 2014 as an OUPblog Deputy Editor and Social Media Marketing Executive. He has been working at OUP since February 2012.
When did you start working at OUP?
I joined the Press in February 2012 following a brief stint living in Madrid. I spent two happy years with the GAB Publicity team in Oxford being called Sally, Mary, or Daniella (don’t ask) before joining the OUPblog family as a Social Media Marketing Executive.
What’s your favourite word?
It varies day by day but it is usually a choice between: Seppuku, crux, muckibus, or crepuscular.
What is your favourite fiction book?
I’m going to cheat and say my favourite fiction trilogy is His Dark Materials, by Philip Pullman*, but my favourite novel is Love of Seven Dolls, by Paul Gallico. This was definitely the book that had the greatest impact on me growing up.
* I once handed Philip Pullman his scarf after it had fallen off a clothes peg. This is still one of the proudest moments of my life (I’ve lived a very sheltered life).
Name acceptable bribes that potential guest bloggers could send you.
Pictures of cows and bears. Better yet, an actual cow or bear. Not sure if our post-room team will sign off on that though.
What’s your most obscure talent?
I sing like Kermit the Frog – 90% of the time it is not intentional. It is embarrassing 100% of the time.
What book are you reading right now?
The Ball is Round, by David Goldblatt. It is the most comprehensive history of football/soccer imaginable, from folk origins to the financial behemoth it is today, and it is chock-a-block with statistics that delight my inner nerd.
Which word do you have to look up in the dictionary repeatedly?
Vicarious.
What weird things do you have in your desk drawer?
A wind-up robot, a Jemima Puddle-Duck mug, and pictures of animals.
Which book-to-movie adaptation did you actually like?
I thought the Northern Lights film was a really good… just kidding! The Swedish version of John Ajvide Lindqvist’s Let the Right One In was spectacular. I’d advise anyone and everyone to see it. Please don’t be put off by the fact it is technically a film about vampires, it couldn’t be less like Twilight.
What do you look at on the Internet when you think no one’s watching?
Game of Thrones fandoms.
If your friend were visiting Oxford, what is the one thing they should do while they are here?
You can spend an entire day browsing the quirky shops on Little Clarendon Street. For example, there is a shop that sells only home-made vinegar and cider and looks like it belongs on the Harry Potter set. Then, once the fairy-lights are turned on for the evening, you can spend the night at a bar, restaurant, or ice-cream parlour. Or all three if you’re that way inclined. It’s also just a two-minute walk from the Oxford office so it means I can meet you there!
How do you feel about American versions of British TV shows?
Hit or miss. Mostly miss. The American version of The Inbetweeners makes me want to scream into a pillow.
What was your first blog post ever?
An Oxford Companion to surviving the Zombie Apocalypse was the first blog post I wrote for OUPblog. Making a connection between the academic content at OUP and terrifying creatures of the night was easier than I had originally anticipated.
[…] only joined the OUPblog team in May 2014, so I am still a relative newbie. Before becoming an editor, most of my involvement with the blog […]
[…] very aptly named ‘Mr Purple’ created by the Blog’s very own Dan Parker. Unfortunately he has lost his arms over the last few months, but he’s got the Dude to keep him […]