Meet the Team: Emma Cain
Each month, we speak to a member of the Heroic team, exploring their role and their background in the creative industries. This month, we chat to Emma Cain, Operations Manager at Heroic Books, to learn more about her career to date and some of the exciting projects she’s working on in 2021.
Tell us about your background and what brought you to Heroic Books.
EC: I’m a bit of a Jack of all trades, really! I started my career in broadcast television, where I worked as an assistant producer, before moving into events coordination and project management. I’ve worked in a lot of very different industries and I’m always looking for new opportunities, which is what led me to my current role.
I arrived at Heroic Books after the events industry came to a sudden halt in 2020 due to the effects of the pandemic. At the time, I was certainly ready for a new challenge and the timing just worked out for me. I’m very fortunate to be working at Heroic, especially knowing that so many people have suffered a stand-still over the last 12 months.
What does the average day look like for you?
EC: At Heroic, no two days are the same. I’m currently working across multiple different projects and we have lots in the pipeline to be launched in 2021, including our YouTube channel and a new on-demand platform which we’ll be releasing exciting news about soon. So there’s a lot of plate-spinning going on at the moment!
I’m also leading on Heroic 100, which is a campaign to find the world’s best fantasy and science fiction artists and showcase their work in a publication and a public exhibition. It’s such an exciting campaign to be a part of. At Heroic, we want to celebrate great writers, but we also want to champion the incredible work of creatives in a broader sense, too — and this is a campaign that really embodies that impulse.
And alongside all this, I manage the company finances, the back-end systems, devise and execute social media campaigns for our own platforms and our authors’ platforms, and oversee the development of exciting content.
“At Heroic, we want to celebrate great writers, but we also want to champion the incredible work of creatives in a broader sense, too.”
What’s the most exciting part of working at Heroic Books?
EC: I love that my role is so varied and diverse — it keeps things interesting! Something that I find really exciting is seeing an idea leave someone’s lips, then go into development, and eventually become a reality. It’s even more exciting when it’s my own idea, but the whole team are great at thinking outside the box and tackling complex challenges in the most creative way possible.
What projects do you have in the pipeline for 2021?
EC: As well as some exciting announcements about our forthcoming books, keep your eyes peeled for our YouTube channel and podcast, both of which will be launched this year. I’m also really excited to launch our platform, which will be a subscription-based service where fans of fantasy and science fiction can consume content, from novels and audiobooks to author interviews and reviews. It’s going to be brilliant for authors and fans alike, so watch this space…
To find out more about Heroic Books head to www.heroicbooks.com and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for exciting updates about our forthcoming books.
For fantasy or science fiction writers, check out our open call for submissions. We’re currently looking for short stories for our upcoming anthology The Hero’s Journey, as well as submissions of novels for our 2022 publishing schedule.
And if you’re an artist or illustrator producing fantasy or science fiction-inspired work, check out our Heroic 100 campaign and submit your artwork.
