Welcome a publicity manager of a major publishing house to Love Romances and More, thank you for joining us.
What does your normal work day look like?
My workday consists of constant communication. Whether it is pitching
media via email or phone I am in touch with media all day long. In any
given day I could be scheduling interviews, updating my authors
itineraries, scheduling their travel to and from bookstore signings and
researching trends in book publishing.
Its rare that I see an author face to face but every so often we have an
author come into the office to meet with their marketing, publicity and
editorial teams. But with the ease of electronic communication this can
all be done via email these days.
The same can be said of media. We used to meet face to face with many
journalists, producers, etc. Nowadays, it is rare that I have met a
media contact that I have a very close relationship.
Are you an avid reader and if so what kind of books/ authors do you
like?
I am an avid reader. As I work on mainly mystery novels I try to read
in that genre, but I also enjoy reading paranormal sci-fi and commercial
fiction. I wish I could read more.
What is the easiest and what the hardest part of promoting authors?
The easiest part of promoting authors is when I have a fabulous book to
work with. Luckily for me we have wonderful authors and the books
practically get media on their own. It does get a bit difficult with
fiction authors because a lot of the coverage out there is for
non-fiction books. This is where a publicist has to get creative and
find the "hook" or non-fiction angle of a book. Although it can be
difficult, I also find it extremely rewarding when producers or
reviewers become interested in that angle.
What is important to keep in mind while promoting a new author or book?
That there is a lot of competition out there and you need to make your
book or your background story original. The more personal you can be,
the better. Increasingly readers want to know about the authors they
are reading. How they came up with the idea for the plot, or even what
their favorite books and authors are. It is important to build a fan
base and keep in touch with those fans.
What is the most unique venue you have sent an author to?
The IcelandAir check-in gate at BWI airport. We did a great media trip
that IcelandAir sponsored and the author did a signing at the check-in
gate before the signing. That culminated with a 3-day tour of Iceland
for a select group of media. It was a great trip and the media really
got to spend quality time with the author and learn about the setting of
the book, Iceland.
How far in advance of a release do you begin to make decisions where you
will promote?
Up to a year in advance of the publication of a book. This is when we
start to brainstorm if an author will be touring, what cities, what
media would be interested, how we want to position this author and book
and how we want to market the title to bookstores and libraries. It is
a long process and when the book finally comes out you can see that all
the prep work really pays off.
Anything else you might want to add?
People often ask me if I have ever thought of writing a book. I look at
them like they are crazy. Writing a book is a labor of love and I
admire my authors-especially the ones that turn out quality books year
after year. It's a lot of hard work in a profession that is becoming
even harder to become successful. But I can always tell that the
authors that are successful could be doing nothing other then what they
are doing, and that is writing. They love it and are constantly
thinking of the next plot or character. It isn't a hobby or something
to bring in a bit of extra money, this is a lifestyle. You either are
or are not a writer.
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