Frequently Asked Questions

Why do I need a book publicist? Lots of reasons. Here are just a few:

For your book to sell it has to be made into news. Unique story angles are what turns a book into news and developing them is the job of a book publicist. Simply put, media sells books. In today’s competitive media environment you need someone who is dedicated to making you and your book the next big story.

Because contacts matter. An experienced publicist will have a database of contacts at national and local media outlets who trust her to provide fresh story ideas and turn to her when they need expert sources fast.

You need someone who can work at the speed of media. Media trends rapidly come and go. You need someone who stays aware of what’s hot and is ready to snap into action and get you media attention as soon as a trend hits.

You don’t have a million dollars to spend on advertising. Few books are supported by massive advertising budgets, but if you’ve got a strong publicist it doesn’t matter. Effective media placement can be the equivalent of a million dollars worth of advertising at a small fraction of the cost.

Book reviewers are an endangered species. Many magazines and newspapers have scaled way back on book coverage or cut it completely. This means that you have to have a story - not just a book - to get the media's attention. A publicist can turn your book into a story.

I don't have a lot of money to spend on publicizing my book. Can I still afford to hire you?
Absolutely! I can tailor a publicity campaign to fit most budgets and to get the best media exposure for your money. I offer a number of different packages and together we can identify (or create) the one that works best for you and your budget.

What media have you landed for authors in the past?
I have secured extensive media placement for the authors I’ve worked with, including Dateline NBC, The Today Show, The Early Show, PBS, the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, the Chicago Tribune, Salon, MSN, Time, Newsweek, Redbook, Ladies’ Home Journal, Fitness, Self, Parenting, Child, NPR, XM Satellite Radio, Sirius Satellite Radio, Fusion, MindBodyGreen, Brit + Co, Politico, and many more.

Will you develop a press kit and press releases for me?
Yes. I will develop a press kit for you and your book that will stand out from the hundreds of other press kits that the media receive each week. It will include story ideas, an in-depth bio, bibliographic information, and more. I will also craft press releases to coincide with late-breaking news and to appeal to niche media, such as parenting or health-related media.

My publishing house has an on-staff publicist. Why should I hire you in addition to him or her?
On-staff publicists are busy! They may cover as many as fifty or more books a year and won’t have the time to launch an intensive, multi-tiered campaign for your book. They also won’t have the time to regularly communicate with you and to craft fresh media pitches for you and your book.

Do you cover both online and traditional media?
Absolutely. No publicity campaign is complete without outreach to the blogosphere and to Web media. As your publicist I will aggressively pitch you to heavily trafficked Web sites and blogs, and will work closely with you to establish an effective online presence.

I've never done media before. Will you help me prepare for interviews?
You bet. I will give you a primer on how to handle interviews like a pro. You’ll learn how to get your message across, answer questions articulately, stay calm and focused, and use each media event as a platform for getting the word out about your book.

What services do you offer?
Outreach to TV, radio, print, and Internet media. I offer comprehensive publicity campaigns that target all media avenues. Local and national, traditional and online media are all addressed and each pitch is crafted to make the most headway in a given segment of the media.

Press kit and press release writing and design. The centerpiece of any publicity campaign is the press kit and a smartly crafted one can translate into almost immediate media placement. I write and design press kits that get results. I also write press releases that are crafted to capitalize on hot- button topics and announce you and your book to the media.

Media coaching. Never been interviewed before? No problem. I can teach you how to handle both the softball and tough questions with confidence and poise. I can also show you how to use each interview as an opportunity to tactfully sell your book.

Media monitoring. I constantly monitor the media to identify trends that can result in exposure for you and your book. You’re probably not the only expert in your field, but I’ll make sure you’re the first one that the media know about when an issue that you can address becomes news. Using cutting-edge media software I also stay abreast of the yearly editorial calendars of major media so that opportunities can be identified as soon as possible.

Comprehensive follow-up. What happens after the pitch can be as important as the pitch itself. I conduct regular follow up to make sure that you and your book don’t get lost amid the thousands of other stories vying for attention.

Interview coordination. I arrange the logistics of the interview with media, so you can concentrate on using it as a platform for getting your message across. You can leave the who, what, where, when to me.

Web site consultation. I will work with you to design a Web site that most effectively showcases you and your book to the media.

I need to build a platform. Can you help?
A robust platform is essential for developing your career as an author. I can help you develop and build the platform that will lead to effective branding, ongoing publicity, reader relationships and book sales.

Do you handle social media?
I can craft and strategize the best messaging for major social media platforms and help you integrate your publicity campaign with your social media presence.

Please see the Services pages.