What does your job entail and how did it all come about?  
Some copy-editing, some design, communicating with printers and authors, evaluating unsolicited manuscripts, and lots of research on the Internet.
 
We live in an electronic age, what is it like being surrounded by books all day, when information is only a click away?
Most of my research is done on the Internet and most of my work is done on a computer. There would be no book publishing without these two necessities so, although my office is filled with books, only a few (such as my dictionary) are opened every day.

What’s an average day at work like, (yes and coffee breaks can be included)?
• Answer lots of queries from budding authors
• Research potential book ideas on the Internet
• Read lots of newly submitted manuscripts
• Some typesetting/copy-editing
• Search photo libraries for new cover ideas
 
Quick questions:
Best part of your job? (no, coffee breaks cannot be included!)
Reading the manuscripts that are sent to me by potential authors.
 
Worst part of your job?
Working to extremely tight deadlines when one part of the publishing chain delivers late.
 
Funniest moment of your career?
I received a manuscript from someone who claimed that the book was written by her dog. Surprisingly, it was better than some of the other manuscripts that I have come across. (FirstStep says: hmmmm.....)
 
Highlighted moment of your career?
Discovering a new author amongst the hundreds of manuscript that we receive every year.
 
If you weren’t doing what you do, what would you be doing?
Either working at a CD shop in Stockholm, or teaching English in South East China.(FirstStep says: Diverse!)
 
Your message for young South Africans:
Be sceptical of everything you read, see and hear, and only believe if the evidence is overwhelming.