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The staff over at DK is an eclectic and large group of dedicated individuals, and as such it's impossible to give a representative sample of the Imprint. Instead, we're going to introduce you to a random selection of people who work across the different departments and brands, and allow their very uniqueness to indicate the variety to be had!

Jaimie Cona, Educational Marketing Manager
Born, raised and still residing in Staten Island, I grew up with a love of two things-good music, and good children's books. I remember as a kid, my older brother had tons of hardcover books (Robert the Rose Horse is still my all time fave!) and a set of encyclopedias, and I can recall spending a great deal of time looking through them and admiring all of the pictures. Today, these childhood memories play a great deal in my love for my role as the Educational Marketing Manager at DK. Working here and knowing that I am helping children in schools around the country have access to quality books and learning materials makes me feel like a kid again myself!

I've been with DK since 2001 and started off as a Marketing Assistant, working my way up to where I am now. My job duties include working on advertising, promotions, targeted mailings, online features and traveling around the country attending various library and educator trade shows. My job is often hectic, but never dull.

I was in LA for the book expo. It's like a car show for books, but more intimidating - probably thousands of books on display, and the authors' booths out on the huge floor; it's in those well-lit emporia usually reserved for big technology roll-outs. It was great, though: I signed hundreds of books, and there was a line to meet me, which was humbling. I almost didn't make it in: a fight broke out in the parking garage (this was LA), and security guards came, and so by the time I got to the hall, I had to sneak in, using my friend John Hodgman's pass. Now, I'm no John Hodgman. Still, it was a nice event. Then Hodgman was nice enough to take me out to dinner at the Chateau Marmont, where he is famous enough to be staying. (I'm not there yet.) We sat next to one of the Olsen twins, and Nicole Richie walked in as I was getting up to leave. It was very Hollywood. And Hodgman was in fine form. I wonder what any of this had to do with selling books, but what do I know?

I like LA, but it always takes me a while to get acclimated to that low parched brown city. I also saw my friend Gary Oldman (since I'm name dropping), who had optioned my book Chang & Eng. He's so cool about being recognized. It would bother me, I think-all these strangers interrupting your dinner to ask for photos and whatnot-but he handles it with real grace. That's all for now.

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Darin Strauss, More Than It Hurts You, family, drama, doctor, accident, literary, Penguin Books, books