Meet our editor, Rica Dearman

Introducing one of our wonderful editors, Rica Dearman. We asked her five questions.

I live on the east coast in the north of my native New Zealand with my partner, our new puppy, Frankie, and two cats. 

My father got me into books from a very young age, and as a child I always had my nose stuck in a book. After I got my Bachelor of Communication Studies degree in Auckland, New Zealand, I headed to the UK on my OE – little did I know that this would last for over 25 years! 

My first job in publishing was in London, in the Reader's Digest's Condensed Books department, working on some top authors' novels. I loved it! I knew then how lucky I was to work in an industry that I was passionate about. A quarter of a century later, I'm still editing books, and I also work on magazines and websites – and I still love it!

I am from a family of teachers – my father (now retired) was a high school English teacher – he was in fact MY English teacher! Two sisters have been teachers and my third sister is currently finishing her teaching degree. Many friends are teachers. Learning is so important, and being able to help create the tools to help people learn is very rewarding. Amba Press produces such a great range of educational publications – it really is a privilege to be part of the team and work with some fantastic authors on a wide range of topics.  

I have a love of words and how they fit and flow together – I'm also a stickler for detail and am often teased by my friends for being pedantic when it comes to spelling, punctuation, grammar, etc. I also love the end result: the beautiful books that are so informative and entertaining. I am extremely proud of my collection of books on my bookshelf that I helped to produce – it gives me an immense sense of satisfaction. 

Tennis has been a passion of mine for many years! I love the thrill of running around on court and participating in competitions. Now that we have a new puppy, more of my time has been spent on training him and teaching him tricks, as well as just spending time with him. Once he's had his final vaccinations, I'm looking forward to taking him out into the world, to show him the beautiful beaches nearby and to take him on other walks in this picturesque country. 

From my base in the UK, where I lived for over 20 years, I spent much time exploring the world. I have travelled vastly and have been fascinated by other countries, cultures and in particular historic places. My two top life experiences were seeing the magnificent mountain gorillas in the wild in Uganda; and having a bird's-eye view of the spectacular Bagan temples in Myanmar from a hot-air balloon.