Welcome to our rebooted “Beacon Behind the Books” series! In these times when readers are responding to our books “more than ever,” when our authors—including Aubrey Gordon, Tanya Katerí Hernández, James Baldwin, Viktor Frankl, Atef Abu Saif, and Percival Everett—are appearing in the media, their ideas going viral on social media, their voices being heard on so many platforms, we thought it would be good to take a break to focus on some of the staff who work hard to find, shape, edit, produce, and promote those works. Our blog series introduces to you a staff member and gives you a behind-the-scenes look, department by department, at what goes on at our office.

This month, we introduce you to Mei Su Bailey, our publicity assistant!

What drew you to publishing, Mei Su? How did you find your way to Beacon?

I’ve known since I was little that I wanted to work somewhere in the world of books. My mom is a writer, so while I was growing up, she was my biggest inspiration and always encouraged me to lean into my love of literature. Some of my favorite childhood memories were discussing books with her—why we liked them, why they felt meaningful, and trying to persuade each other to read our current favorites. When the publicity assistant position opened at Beacon, it seemed like the perfect opportunity to pursue that passion as well as support a mission I really believe in. 

What’s a typical day in the life of a publicity assistant? 

Every day brings something new! Sometimes, I’m answering emails from authors and setting up bookstore events. Other days, I’m working on media pitches or doing a deep dive into a book and taking notes for a press release. Being in publicity is fun (and also challenging) because you need to stay on top of current events and what’s trending in the news, like maybe you’ll be able to relate the latest headline to one of the books you’re working on. 

What current projects are you excited about?

I’ve been working on the publicity campaign for the new graphic interpretation of Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz’s Indigenous Peoples’ History of the United States. Along with the joys of getting to work with Roxanne and the amazing illustrator Paul Peart-Smith, it has been a great opportunity to learn how to publicize a book that’s different from the typical Beacon read. Plus, the art and design of the book are stunning!

What are you reading right now?

I’m reading The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley. It’s about the top secret time-traveling division of the British government where they bring an 1840s ship commander into the modern day and place him in the home of a ministry employee to see if he can acclimate to modern times. But she, the ministry employee, is half-Cambodian and doesn’t really have time to explain the entire fall of the British empire to him. Plus, he gets overwhelmed by the concept of Spotify really fast. So far, it’s a fun, romantic read interspersed with serious moments about the consequences of meddling with history.

Favorite book(s) ever?

The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy or The Fifth Season by N. K. Jemisin. Very different in premise but both have some of my favorite elements: creative and lively language; nuanced reflections on belonging and identity; and familial drama at the highest stakes. 

More About Mei Su Bailey 

Prior to joining Beacon Press in 2024, Mei Su Bailey worked at various youth advocacy and literary organizations, including 826 Boston, Dear Asian Youth, and the Fir Acres Writing Workshop. She holds a degree in sociology and anthropology from Lewis & Clark College in Portland, Oregon, and graduated from the Columbia Publishing Course at Oxford. Outside of work, you can find her playing with cats, making things with yarn, and enjoying many bowls of noodle soup with chili oil.