14-12-2015
Hi, I’m Lina LitFest, the new mascot for the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature. If you’ve ever wondered what goes on behind the scenes at your favourite literature festival, look no further!
Lina: What exactly does a PR Co-Ordinator do?
So, I’m the PR Co-Ordinator for the LitFest. I deal with the media, the PR agency and write press releases. I also write the newsletters and a lot of the comms (communication) content which goes out from here. That includes a variety of ad-hoc stuff like programme books, posters and even the Festival tagline. J
This is my first year as a member of the Festival staff, so I haven’t actually worked at the Festival as a PR Co-Ordinator yet, but during the Festival my role will be relatively similar. I’ll be involved in organising schedules, dealing with the media and sending out press releases.
Lina: What’s a typical day for you?
I check my email (checking emails and breathing go hand in hand in today’s working world), answer anything the PR agency might have sent – their requests are usually urgent – write up press releases and proof-read any documents to be sent to the media or for printing. In short, I write, I co-ordinate with the media and handle approvals.
Lina: Who are you most looking forward to seeing at #EAFOL16?
It’s so hard as there are so many! Ummm, Chris Hadfeild. I love space! – Everything to do with space! I think Ronita (twin sister who has been at the Festival for a few years) says the same thing and that’s a bit scary!
I would also like to see Ann Cleeves. She sounds like a really cool lady. And that’s it for now. There are lots of others I’d like to see but those two for sure!
Lina: Tell me about your favourite book.
Frankenstein. I read it just a couple of years ago for the first time. It’s one of those books that people know the story of but few people have read. I decided to read it after looking through a list of sci-fi authors and it interested me because it was the first sci-fi novel to be written and it was written by a lady. It feels so relevant. There are lots of very relatable themes and quite beautiful sayings and thoughts.
Lina: If you could be any character in a book, who would you be?
Cyclops! – From The Uncanny X-Men because he’s a loyal leader.
