New Podcast Episode: 1999 to 2019 – What’s Changed in Book Marketing?
In the latest episode of the “All Things Book Marketing” podcast, Dan Smith and Vice President of Publicity Services Mike Onorato ...
“I am so delighted I had the opportunity to work with Smith Publicity. I’d been a published bestselling author through HarperCollins, but when my agent tried to submit my new manuscript, all the publishers responded with the same: ‘This is well-written, but we don’t know how to market it.’ I felt the book wasn’t being given a fair shake, so I turned to indie publishing–and found Smith Publicity. They reached out with a well-articulated spreadsheet plan of how they would market my story and their campaign plan. They had a lot of connections, and were very professional. My publicist immediately went to work reaching out and sending calls and emails.The book–the one that publishers said they couldn’t market–went GANGBUSTERS. Several of the interviewers said the same thing: “You have a really good publicist!” Smith Publicity IS good!
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Heather (Dixon) Wallwork is a Mary Poppins addict. Currently, she works in Salt Lake City as an animation director. In the past she’s been a storyboard artist, a story lead for Disney Interactive, and an author for HarperCollins.
“I chose Smith Publicity because of their great online reputation, and I can honestly say that they lived up to this reputation. The campaign was clearly explained, I was always kept in the loop about every step taken to market my book, and I received several interviews and professional reviews from my team’s hard work. I had the pleasure of working with several people from Smith Publicity and they were both incredibly knowledgeable and friendly. I am looking forward to using Smith’s services again for my next book.
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Hulden Morse is the author of Soul Suites and two upcoming books: To Behold the Greatest Art, and Like a Bear in a Zoo. His novels and stories typically depict society at its darkest moments, edging on surreal while showcasing incredible moments in a believable fashion. His books have been characterized as controversial and twisted, which draws in many new readers through their own curiosity. Outside of writing, Hulden Morse is an avid kayaker, rock climber, and tennis player. He is versatile in many instruments, including the piano, harmonica, tuba, and didgeridoo. When he’s developing a new story, Hulden Morse prefers to sit in his backyard while sipping on whiskey and listening to classical music. Visit his website here.
“The end-to-end service provided by Smith Publicity and, in particular my personal publicity manager, was outstanding. Professional, engaging, and dedicated to pitching to get my novel in front of the right readers, I was impressed by the extent of media connections she was able to get for my work in the six-week campaign. She was also accessible and personable in our conversations about the publicity work – even with the time zone differences being on opposite sides of the world. I cannot thank Smith Publicity enough for lifting the profile of my work.
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“I am truly grateful for all your hard work. I never even imagined that my novel would get out to so many people and I would be featured on the front page of my home town newspaper! Thank you for all you have done to get the word out about my novel.
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Ian Dawson started writing when he was a child writing puppet shows to perform for his friends and family, then started writing and drawing comic strips as well. He went on to earn a BA in Dramatic Art at UC Davis and a Masters in Screenwriting at Cal State Northridge. Ian has written educational/training videos for American Eagle Outfitters and Ralphs Grocery Company. He loves writing comedy and making others laugh.
“I recently hired Smith Publicity to help me promote my new independently published novel, Dream Walker. I found my publicist and business manager to be providers of a positive PR/Marketing experience on all levels. Their professionalism and devotion to helping spread the story of Dream Walker to multiple levels of media was elevated far above what I could have been doing on my own. The weekly follow up notes and contact updates were very helpful in seeing the big picture approach to our outreach efforts. We worked as a team throughout the project and continue to communicate interest levels as they come in through the months ahead. I highly recommend working with the team at Smith Publicity.
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Prosor is a novelist, screenwriter, photographer and creative project manager. His books include Dream Walker, Lake Tahoe and Nevada. His words and images have appeared in numerous books, magazines, calendars, advertising and artwork worldwide. He believes storytelling is best told by living an artful life filled with interesting stories. Born in California, Prosor has lived in New Zealand since 2004. Learn more about Prosor and his work at www.larryprosor.com, and connect on Goodreads.
“I entered into my contract with Smith Publicity fully recognizing that in public relations work there are no guarantees. My team worked very hard to secure media coverage for my historical novel Temptation Rage. Despite the fact that new titles—especially niche fiction from small publishers—face almost impossible odds, they got my book noticed.
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Elizabeth Hutchison Bernard is an award-winning author of historical fiction. Her novel The Beauty Doctor is a suspenseful tale that takes place in the early days of cosmetic surgery—when the world of medicine was a bit like the Wild West and beauty doctors were the newest breed of outlaw. Temptation Rag: A Novel immerses readers in the bawdy atmosphere of vaudeville and early twentieth-century African American musical theater in a story about the price of freedom, the longing for immortality, and the human need to find forgiveness.
“I had absolutely no idea what to expect when I engaged Smith Publicity for my second novel. I was certainly hoping for good, but I got so much more. My publicist’s suggestions on everything from the basics of setting up author pages to her choices of whom to send copies for review were terrific, as was the follow through. I say this with all sincerity, I was blown away by the experience.
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Jonathan Harries grew up in Namibia and began his career as a copywriter in South Africa. After moving to the U.S., he became the global creative director of an international advertising agency and visited over 90 countries before retiring last year with the worst insomnia imaginable. His first novel, Killing Harry Bones, about killing poachers and trophy hunters in Africa, was published in 2017. He currently lives in New York with his wife who loves going on safari as much as he does.
“After reviewing different possibilities, we decided that Smith Publicity was the firm to represent the presentation of Discovery to the world. And what a good decision that was and is. The publicist assigned to us is all that one could want from someone promoting your book. She is knowledgeable, energetic, upbeat, and continually on top of the effort to reach out to those whose reviews have meaning for Discovery’s audience. Both my wife and I think she’s terrific, extremely capable and a real asset to your firm. You have a great organization and can add us to your roster of very satisfied clients.
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A lifelong New Yorker, Leslie Schweitzer Miller holds a B.A. from Hofstra University, an M.A. from Columbia University, an M.D. from The Mount Sinai School of Medicine, and a degree from the Institute for Psychoanalytic Education at NYU. She has long been involved in the theatre and arts communities, designing and building stage sets, writing articles for local newspapers, publishing and illustrating children’s stories, and creating sculpture and paintings (currently, her original art is for sale at Gallery 23 in Blairstown, NJ and reproductions can be purchased online at FineArtAmerica.com). She is a member of Romance Writers of America and The Association of Women Writers, and The American Psychoanalytic Association. She lives in Greenwich Village with her husband, Bob, and continues to work in private practice in New York City as a psychiatrist and psychoanalyst. Discovery was her debut full-length novel.
“Smith Publicity helped me launch my book in a way that never would have been possible had I not found them. They are standouts among other publicity enterprises, and I could sense this from my very first contacts with them. They know the business, they take on tough cases (mine, for example!), and they get results. They also gently led me into the world of social media, which I had previously adamantly eschewed, and converted me into an adept user of, and true believer in, Instagram. If you’re wondering whether Smith is better than those other publicists you’re considering, assume they are!
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Cynthia Robinson, author of Birds of Wonder. Cynthia is a writer and art historian based in Ithaca, New York. Her short fiction has been published by The Arkansas Review, Epoch, The Missouri Review, Slice, and others. She is Mary Donlon Alger Professor of Medieval and Islamic Art at Cornell University
“I’m writing to let you know I just finished my three-week engagement with Smith Publicity couldn’t be happier. The campaign did exactly what I was hoping for, which is fill in the gaps I couldn’t do on my own. Thanks to my publicist, I have new momentum that I can capitalize on. I was impressed with my publicist’s diligence, industry knowledge and positive attitude. All in all, this has been a great experience and I hope to be in a position to use your services again, maybe as a prelaunch for a future book. Kudos to my publicist and your entire organization.
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Brian Rouff has lived in Las Vegas since 1981, which makes him a long-timer by local standards. He has spent his entire professional career in media and advertising. In 1987, he founded his own marketing firm, servicing clients in such diverse fields as hospitality, computer consulting, and sports information. In 2003, he merged his company with Imagine Marketing (now Imagine Communications) and now serves as managing partner.
His first book, Dice Angel, is a quirky mystery that gives readers a behind-the-scenes peek at the Las Vegas that exists beyond the Strip. Dice Angel is currently the top-rated Las Vegas book on Amazon.com. Brian is also the author of Money Shot – the story of an unhappy middle-aged man who wins a chance at redemption by attempting a million dollar shot during halftime of the NCAA basketball tournament. The House Always Wins is a Las Vegas ghost story based on an actual haunted house the author and his family lived in during the early 2000s.
“I used Smith to run a campaign in the U.S. and U.K. on my children’s novel. From my first contact I found Smith to be a very professional organization. They showed genuine enthusiasm for my book and I was allocated a publicist who had an interest in the subject matter. My publicist was very polite and professional and she was totally her word. When she said something she would do it. When she said she would call, she did – on the dot. Apart from my publicist’s considerable efforts, I appreciated the feeling of having the Smith team as back up.
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“As a new small press publisher eager to carve a niche in a busy publishing market, hiring Smith Publicity has been an integral part of our success and instrumental in how we have brought our titles into the market. We are grateful and lucky to have worked with the entire Smith team as we launched our business, introduced our first titles, and as we continue to build our brand in the years to come. They are passionate about their craft, and work tirelessly to support their clients with unbeatable service, results, and support with a team that is friendly, approachable, and constantly open to new ideas and pushing the envelope.
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Dr. Lindy Ryan is owner and publisher of Black Spot Books, a traditional publishing house publishing titles in speculative fiction, including genres of fantasy, dark humor, thrillers, and paranormal.
“We were really impressed with the service we received from Smith Publicity and the amount of media attention they were able to generate for our cBook. From the outset, the concept of our product was well understood and the detailed questionnaire and subsequent conversations meant that the company was able to plan a very targeted media campaign, based on a thorough and clear knowledge of our innovative ebook.
We ended up writing a number of by-lined articles for both print and digital media, and had the confidence to do this because of the great guidance and support that our Account Manager gave. The service was exactly the right balance of professionalism, support and innovation. We would not hesitate to recommend Smith Publicity to anyone wishing to get a friendly, professional and efficient team involved in marketing their book. Thank you all so much!
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Elsa Maria Fletcher was born in London, the daughter of a Finnish mother and a Greek Cypriot father and went on to study foreign languages. She has worked in a variety of fields including human resources, teaching and tourism but mainly in the film industry in the last decade. She has written screenplays, worked as a script editor and is also a producer for Laid Back Films. She has always had a passion for writing and wrote the narrative of Monsoon Tide.
Nick Fletcher has worked as an award winning photographer, travelling the world and putting on exhibitions of his photo journalistic work. In the 1990’s, he got involved in the toy and game industry, inventing and designing products for Manik Games and Seven Towns Ltd (best known for bringing the Rubik Cube to the world). In the last twenty years, he has worked as a producer, writer and director in the film industry, creatively involved in projects such as ‘Tales of the Fourth Dimension’ with Richard O’Brien and “Monsoon Tide” the film. Nick wrote the original screenplay and invented the concept of the cBook while in pre-production of Monsoon Tide.
“I had the pleasure of working with a Smith publicist on my debut book launch this summer. Since it was my first book, I didn’t know what to expect from this experience–and, predictably, I was extremely anxious. My publicist addressed so many of my concerns with kindness, and her exciting and creative plan for launching the book exceeded all of my expectations. She was gracious, reassuring, and knowledgeable every step of the way on a very nerve-wracking journey. I’m so grateful for her expertise, overall thoughtfulness, and friendship.
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Natalka Burian by Welcome to the Slipstream (Simon Pulse, a teen imprint of Simon & Schuster) Natalka Burian received an MA at Columbia University, and completed workshops at Sackett Street and Catapult Books. She is the co-owner of the bar Ramona in Brooklyn. Welcome to the Slipstream is her first novel.
“After exceeding my expectations when promoting my first book, I was sure to go back to Smith with the second. My publicist then surpassed my high expectations. Her discretion, adaptability, and insider-knowledge were key to my book’s success. Smith Publicity is money well-spent! Thank you!
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Mark C. Eddy was born in Newfoundland, and has lived in the greater Toronto area for the last 14 years. No Time To Bury Them is his second book. His first book, The Recent History of Terrorism in Canada, 1963-2013, is a work of historical non-fiction. His third book, The Men In The Woods, will be published in early 2018 and takes place in Newfoundland in 1942 and details the island’s role in the chaotic Battle of the Atlantic. He currently lives in Mississauga with his wife and two daughters. No Time To Bury Them is available via Amazon.ca, Amazon.com, Indigo, Barnes & Noble, and in-store at Mac’s Fireweed Books in YT.
“It’s been great working with everyone at Smith Publicity. I appreciate your professional and attentive work on my behalf, and I have been very impressed with the campaign you constructed, tailored specifically to the content of my book and its situation in marketplace.
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Dave Essinger’s debut novel Running Out was released by Main Street Rag Publishing Company in June 2017. He is a writer and a runner and an associate professor of English at the University of Findlay, in northwest Ohio, where he lives with his beautiful wife and two brilliant children and one generally adequate cat. His fiction, poetry, and creative nonfiction has been featured in numerous literary magazines, and received a notable mention in Best American Sports Writing. He received his MFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and is a fiction reader for Slice magazine, General Editor of the AWP Intro Journals Project, and Editor of the literary journal Slippery Elm. He’s no elite runner, but he cares enough about the sport to get it right, and is halfway to his 1000-mile buckle at the Mohican 100 in Ohio, where he also often rocks the forest for a mile-plus radius as Captain of the famed Fire Tower Aid Station.
“Having published more than a dozen books – nonfiction and fiction – with both traditional and often prestigious publishers as well as on my own, I have a very good sense of the demands of book promotion and was delighted to have the chance to work with Smith Publicity who did a fine job with my Sino-American Tales series of historical novels
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Dr. Steven Leibo, who writes fiction under the pen name of Li Bo, is a professor of modern international history at the Sage Colleges in New York. Dr. Leibo’s honors include being named a Fulbright scholar and election to the National Committee on US-China Relations. In addition, he holds a courtesy appointment as an “associate in research” at the Fairbank Center on Chinese Studies at Harvard University. He is the author of The Sino-American Tales fictional trilogy which includes Tienkuo: The Heavenly Kingdom and his newest release Beyond The Heavenly Kingdom.
“I came to Smith Publicity with high expectations and a complicated scenario; I gave them no notice and asked them to promote the first three books in my trilogy at once, which had been written and released at the same time, cause I’m dumb. Fortunately, my specific publicist was anything but dumb. She worked diligently on my project, despite it’s unconventional presentation, and the results were clear to see. I got more reviews, more social media exposure, radio and podcast interviews – and most importantly to me, clear, thoughtful communication from my publicist. She did what she said she was going to do, then went above and beyond. She called when she said she would and to sum it up, made things happen with her resources that I simply could not. The work she did was invaluable and I will most definitely be using SP for the release of the 4th book in my series.
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Jon Lee Grafton is a photographer and writer living in the great state of Kansas with his girlfriend, Tiana, and their cat, Lebowski — the dude, who does indeed abide. Grafton is a marijuana decriminalization advocate and writes about cyborgs, surveillance, environmental dystopia, artificial intelligence, and the American drug wars of the future.
“My co-author and I couldn’t have been happier with the experience of working with Smith Publicity. Our publicist and the rest of the team were friendly, professional, and endlessly energetic on our book’s behalf. Thanks to her efforts, we received a positive Publisher’s Weekly review and countless more reviews and media attention that truly helped build exposure and excitement for our series. We’re already looking forward to working with Smith on future releases.
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“I had the enormous good fortune to work with Smith Publicity on the publicity campaign for my debut Victorian romance The Lost Letter. The entire team was responsive, knowledgeable, and professional from start to finish and my publicist was an absolute star. She understood my genre, my author platform, and my goals in relation to media coverage and worked tirelessly to promote my book. Reviews (and sales!) thus far have been stellar, and it’s only been the first month. I cannot recommend Smith Publicity highly enough. I will definitely be working with them again on my next novel.
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Mimi Matthews writes both historical non-fiction and traditional historical romances set in Victorian England. Her articles on nineteenth century history have been published on various academic and history sites, including the Victorian Web and the Journal of Victorian Culture, and are also syndicated weekly at BUST Magazine. In her other life, Mimi is an attorney with both a Juris Doctor and a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature. She resides in California with her family, which includes an Andalusian dressage horse, two Shelties, and two Siamese cats.
“Smith Publicity is extraordinary! I wrote a romance novel nearly twenty years after publishing two academic books. The process was a first for me in many ways. A fiction, an indie publication, and my first time paying for publicity, rather than leaving it to the publishers. So first let me say, what a joy to write fiction after popular academic. And second, but more importantly, ‘Thank you Smith Publicity for rescuing me from the dank ivory towers of Academia.’ My publicist’s strategy was right on target. She understood my characters, my story, and me. These are the ingredients of a love affair that will lead to a successful book launch. Throughout the process, my publicist made time for me. She knew when to calm, when to cheer, and when to just wait for me to settle. During my launch campaign, she arranged for me to write fourteen guest articles, and I was interviewed seven times, including radio, print and internet venues. My book and topic became well known, with numerous links to material that will remain on the web for years to come. I highly recommend Smith Publicity to publicize your first, or your next, book.
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Carmen McGuinness is a Board Certified Behavior Analysist (BCBA-D) Acceptance and Commitment (ACT) therapist, and the author of three popular-academic books for families. At her Orlando behavioral clinic, Dr. McGuinness works primarily with adolescents with disabilities and couples working through trauma. Learn more at tippitytap.net.
“Smith Publicity was proactive throughout the term of my book’s North America publicity campaign. They were always professional, efficient, and approachable. Most importantly, they obtained results beyond my expectations. I look forward to working with them in the future.
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Orlando Ortega-Medina is a US born British-Canadian author and is of Judeo-Spanish descent via Cuba. He studied English Literature at UCLA and has a Juris Doctor law degree from Southwestern University School of Law. At university he won the National Society of Arts and Letters award for Short Stories. Jerusalem Ablaze: Stories of Love and Other Obsessions is his first published collection, released by Cloud Lodge Books. Orlando currently resides in London, where he practices US immigration law. Follow Orlando on Twitter and Facebook, and visit his website: http://orlandoortegamedina.co.uk/
“My publicist at Smith was a joy to work with. She cared about my debut novel’s success as much as I did, and she worked tirelessly at developing pertinent, relevant angles and pitching stories to the media. I’ve written for publications for decades, but there is no way any author could have the network that Smith does. I was most impressed by the detailed progress reports she sent weekly and the follow-up phone consultations, where we discussed strategy and I got to ask questions. I always felt like I was in good, wise hands, but she always listened to any strategic guidance I gave. I not only got plenty of online coverage, I learned along the way. I thank Smith from the bottom of my heart for a job well done! I hope to work with my publicist and Smith again, and I give them all the highest of recommendations!
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Kathryn Brown Ramsperger began her career writing for The Roanoke Times and The Gazette newspapers, and later managed publications for the Red Cross and Red Crescent in Geneva, Switzerland. She wrote for both National Geographic and Kiplinger.
A graduate of Hollins University, Ramsperger studied under several esteemed writers including Pulitzer Prize winner Henry Taylor, her mentor Richard Henry Wilde Dillard, and Guggenheim recipient and poet Dara Weir. She holds a graduate publications degree from George Washington University, is the winner of the Hollins University Fiction Award, and her current novel is a semifinalist in the Faulkner-Wisdom literary competition.
“My publicist at Smith Publicity was an incredible asset to my book’s overall marketing campaign. She brought to bear media relationships, strong and relevant story pitches and angles, a high level of professionalism and overall enthusiasm to my project. I would absolutely work with her and Smith again.
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Lisa Becker is the author of Links [Desert Breeze Publishing, August 2017]. Lisa is a romance writer whose previous novels include Click: An Online Love Story, Double Click and Right Click. The books, about a young woman’s search for love online in Los Angeles, have been called, “a fast read that will keep you entertained,” “a fun, quick read for fans of Sex and the City,” and “hard to put down.” The first in the series was optioned for a major motion picture.
Lisa’s writings about online dating have been featured in Cupid’s Pulse, GalTime.com, Single Edition, The Perfect Soulmate, Chick Lit Central and numerous other book blogs and websites. She is happily married to a man she met online and lives in Manhattan Beach with him and their two daughters. So, if it happened for her, there’s hope for anyone!
Connect with Lisa Becker at www.lisabecker.com and on Twitter (@lisawbecker), Facebook (www.facebook.com/ClickAnOnlineLoveStory), and Goodreads (www.goodreads.com/author/show/1486731.Lisa_Becker
“This whirlwind has been one of exhilaration, and I am so happy to have been caught up in it. I could never have thought of all the options Smith Publicity provided me with, nor all of the opportunities. It is an exciting journey ahead, and you have helped me to see how I can promote myself in the future. As well, I now see how I can be better prepared next time around, both as an author and artist. If only I could take the 50 plus hours I put into my job and put them into promoting the book, but I am thankful to know that there is more I can do without so much effort. I will recommend Smith Publicity to everyone I know. Thanks again for all of your hard work, faith and consistency of effort.
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Tucky Fussell has been an international educator for the last twenty years. She has taught foreign language and art in private schools in Arizona, Pakistan, India, Kuwait, and the Philippines. Currently, she is teaching art in Paraguay. She wrote her first book, the graphic novel Mammoir, in 2005, a memoir about teaching fourth grade while going through breast cancer treatment. She received her B.A. from Northwestern University, A.A. from Pratt Institute, and her masters from Lesley University. For more information, visit http://tuckyfussell.com.
“My co-author and I couldn’t have been happier with the experience of working with Smith Publicity. The team was friendly, professional, and endlessly energetic on our book’s behalf. Thanks to their efforts, we received a positive Publishers Weekly review and countless more reviews and media attention that truly helped build exposure and excitement for our series. We’re already looking forward to working with Smith on future releases.
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The daughter of two English literature PhDs, Anna Elliott grew up in Connecticut in a house filled with books. She is a longtime devotee of historical fantasy and fell especially in love with Arthurian legend and Celtic history while at university. Anna now lives in the Washington, DC, Metro area with her husband and two daughters. She likes Jane Austen, British TV, Castle, Firefly, The Big Bang Theory, sewing toys for her children, and rainbows and unicorns, especially those drawn by her daughters.
“Publicity is a long term project. An author may never know if the ROI will pay off. What I can say for certain is that Smith Publicity service was great. My publicist returned phone calls and emails in a timely way. I was kept up to date on all her efforts which were comprehensive and well targeted. She got me some high profile placements that I hope will pay off over time. She was cheerful, patient, and supportive. Our initial contracting process was easy and Smith Publicity designed a campaign to suit my budget. I would work with them again.
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Ellen Kirschman, Ph.D. has been a police psychologist for thirty years. She is the recipient of the California Psychological Association’s award for distinguished contribution to psychology as well as the American Psychological Association’s award for outstanding contribution to the practice of police and public safety psychology. Ellen is the author of the award-winning I Love a Cop: What Police Families Need to Know, I Love a Fire Fighter: What the Family Needs to Know, and lead author of Counseling Cops: What Clinicians Need to Know. Her works of fiction feature amateur sleuth Dr. Dot Meyerhoff, a police psychologist who should be counseling cops, not solving crimes. The Fifth Reflection is the third in this acclaimed series, following Burying Ben and The Right Wrong Thing.
“I was asked by Smith Publicity to write my evaluation of the campaign they ran to promote my new book, The Girl from Ipanema, from the fantasy series, The Ur Legend. I’m pleased to do this as my reaction has been overwhelmingly positive. From my first contact with the point person on sales, I felt as if Smith was devoting all of their resources to me. The attention to detail in their presentation for my campaign was well thought out and not at all generic, which I found to be the case with other agencies. Smith focused on my book, after I had answered a slew of questions about the work and the series.
Once I had signed up, Smith had the entire team on a call with my publisher and social media guru. My publicist who ran point on the campaign remained focused and diligent throughout. What I appreciated most was the weekly call and written update. She was always thorough and responsive to my questions and suggestions. My previous publicist had used a method of communication called Basecamp. It was adequate but didn’t allow for any personal interaction with the individual running the campaign. Now that the campaign has ended, Smith, as promised, has continued to follow up on leads generated during the campaign.
No agency will guarantee book sales, that’s the job of your books and your own effort building a brand. But Smith certainly got my name and my books out there! I had one radio interview and one podcast, with another scheduled for the fall. I wrote a half dozen essays for sites ranging from the Huffington Post to a life style site located in Malaysia! Not only did I get great exposure, but the essays were a good way for me to focus my own thoughts.
If you want to become recognized, I would highly recommend the team at Smith. Keep your butts in the chair and write!
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Ajax Minor was born in Danbury, Connecticut, on September 11, 1950. He ‘prepped’ at Danbury High School and received an A.B. from Princeton in 1972. After graduation, he moved to New York City and began a career as a bond trader. He and his wife Linda lived in Manhattan and Brooklyn for twenty years, and spent another twenty in Denver, Colorado, where their daughter Katherine was born, and died. Minor began writing after the death of Katherine. Her passing, and her life, served as the inspiration for the ‘Ur Legend’ series of fantasies.
“You can’t do it yourself. I never could have gotten the exposure or reviews that I received working with Smith publicity. I also never would have found the contacts I received from Smith at the end of my campaign. I would definitely do this again with another book and I recommend them highly. My publicist was a joy to work with.
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Pleasant Day is Vera Jane Cook’s eighth published novel. Her first southern fiction novel, Dancing Backward in Paradise, received a five star ForeWord Clarion review and, in 2006, won both the Eric Hoffer Award for publishing excellence and the Indie Excellence award for notable new fiction. Her second southern fiction novel, The Story of Sassy Sweetwater, was a finalist for the 2012 Book of the Year awards. The novel also received a five star ForeWord Clarion review in addition to being an honorable mention winner in the 2013 Eric Hoffer Award for ebook fiction.
“Working with Smith Publicity has been a rewarding and educational experience from day one! As an author, it’s great to genuinely feel like you have professional partners who are going out to bat for you every day, with your long-term success as the goal that guides their strategies and activities.
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JB Dutton, author of the Starley’s Rust, The Embodied trilogy book 2. After graduating from film school in London, England, JB emigrated to Montreal, where he still lives with his two young children and their even younger goldfish. He spent over a decade as a music TV director before moving into the advertising industry as an award-winning copywriter for clients such as Cirque du Soleil. JB has written novels, short stories, blogs, screenplays and a stage play, and is the author of trilogy of Young Adult novels.
“No doubt about it, getting publicity for fiction is hard. The space for such news is shrinking in newspapers and journals, and there is a lot of competition fighting for that small space. I could not have gotten anywhere near the amount of publicity garnered for my novel Thieving Forest that Smith Publicity was able to generate. My publicist had the connections and the tenacity to make it happen. I am tremendously pleased with the results, and will definitely go back to Smith Publicity for my next book.
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Martha Conway’s latest novel, Thieving Forest, has been called “extraordinary” by the Akron Beacon Journal and “hypnotic” by Kirkus Reviews. She has reviewed fiction for the San Francisco Chronicle, The San Francisco Review of Books, and The Iowa Review, and is a recipient of a California Arts Council fellowship in Creative Writing. Martha has taught creative writing at UC Berkeley Extension and at Stanford University’s Online Writer’s Studio. She tweets ten-minute prompts and exercises every day on twitter (#10minprompt, #WritingExercise) via @marthamconway.
“We were pleased with the professional and personalized service Smith Publicity offered for the promotion of my middle-grade series, The Jacob Maresbeth Chronicles. Their expert networking and outreach raised the profile of the sequel’s release just in time for Halloween, a great strategy that we discussed with the agent and team. Broadcast interviews and appearances in print really gave us the boost we were looking for!
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Brandy Schillace, Ph.D. is an author, historian, and adventurer at the intersection. Taking a cue from Edward Gorey and John Bellairs, she writes Gothic fiction with a medical twist. Dr. Schillace is a research associate at the Dittrick Museum of Medical History, managing editor of Culture, Medicine and Psychiatry, a book reviewer for the Huffington Post, and chief editor for the Fiction Reboot and Daily Dose blog. Her non-fiction book Death’s Summer Coat: What the History of Death and Dying Can Tell us about Life and Living was released in 2015.
“What concrete results did I get with Smith Publicity, Inc. for my book Apache Courage? Plenty. Blogs, many radio interviews and even a cable TV interview, plus articles in magazines, and a request from a big national newspaper for a copy of my book. I had been trying to get a copy to their book world section for ages. It was a pleasure to work with professional and helpful people who had my needs in mind. Thank you, Smith Publicity!
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Cynthia Darling monitored federally recognized Native American tribes for the U.S. government, and was able to visit with dozens of tribes all over the country. Darling was inspired by their sense of humor in the face of adversity, their quiet ways and the differences among tribes. She has also done extensive work with missionaries and in foreign countries and cultures. She has a bachelor’s degree in English as well as a master’s degree in social work. Apache Courage: Trumpets Around the Camp is her third novel. She has also written books Shunned, about overuse of anti-depressants, and Georgetown Journeys, a love story.
“It’s tempting to say that the self-publishing world is infested with sharks, but I suspect the truth is more prosaic – that it is rife with well-meaning ‘experts’ who don’t know much more than I do about how to build my author brand. How to describe my relief at finding Smith Publicity, and a publicist who took the time to talk through my options with me, listen to my ideas, and come up with an informed, realistic campaign. Who took personal ownership of seeing that campaign through. Who stayed in regular contact throughout her brief, official assignment with me, and who continues to be a much valued resource. Can’t recommend Smith enough.
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Kait Jagger lives on a farm in Lancashire, England with her husband, four children, one dog and one cat. She has worked as a personal assistant for 21 years in a variety of industries, from a television production company, to a top UK food retailer, to a major international sports brand. Her debut novel, Lord and Master, was released in May 2015, kicking off the Lord and Master trilogy. Her second novel, Her Master’s Servant, was released in January 2016.
“Not only has Smith Publicity reached beyond the scope of the young adult audience I hoped to touch but it provided the framework from which I can now develop my author platform. From numerous radio interviews and review
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successes to acquiring a literary agent perfect for meeting my goals, I am certain that I could not have launched Starlet’s Man without the guidance from the great minds at Smith. I recommend Smith Publicity to any author ready to build a strong brand.
Carla Hanna lived in Santa Monica, CA where her children played with the children of celebrities. She mingled with plenty of nannies and a few good celebrity moms. She received her Master’s in English/Communications from Colorado State University and lives near Denver, CO with her husband and two children.
“I can’t believe how helpful Smith Publicity was in getting my self-published YA book out there. Andrea, one of their publicists, was a great cheerleader and got book placement in places I wouldn’t of dreamed of, including the online magazine Bustle. Also, she arranged a number of blogs for a tour. She was extremely successful in getting my book plenty of reviews through netgalley on both Goodreads and Amazon. I even booked them for a second round they were so amazing. I couldn’t have been this successful in trying to arrange this by myself. Their expertise was priceless. I’m very thankful that services like this even exist and there are people that are this passionate about their work!
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Zoe Cruz is a writer, reader and self-professed geek who loves all things sci-fi and fantasy. She wrote Beastia while living in Spain working with humanitarian organizations. You can find her watching Star Trek, eating pizza or playing Skyrim.
“After I wrote two books and tried my hand at some marketing I realized that I was out of my element and researched publicity firms. After looking into several firms I chose Smith Publicity. From the very first contact with Sarah Miniaci and all the way through the campaign Smith Publicity checked in with me and worked hard to help promote Quiet Water. My publicist, worked hard to pitch my book to many outlets and media opportunities. She answered my questions promptly and was always available for me. As a result I spoke on numerous radio shows as well as some online press. I feel I made a good decision in choosing Smith Publicity.
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Dr. Heather Friedman Rivera obtained her Ph.D. in Parapsychic Science in 2011, her Doctorate in Law in 2002 and is a Certified Clinical Hypnotherapist specializing in Past-life Regression. She authored a book on her recent research and her journey of healing from past life regression. Her book Healing the Present from the Past: The Personal Journey of a Past Life Researcher was released Jan. 1, 2013 and her newest work, the novel Quiet Water, was published in September of 2013.
“Smith Publicity was instrumental in making my third novel, The Trial of Dr. Kate, a success. I was extremely pleased with the program that they put together to publicize the publication of the book in 2013. The whole company is focused on the job at hand and extremely easy to work with. I was very happy with the results they produced for me.
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Michael E. Glasscock III M.D. F.A.C.S. spent most of his career in Nashville, TN in private practice at the Otology Group, which he founded. He founded the American Journal of Otology and the Ear Foundation, located in Nashville. He has published over 260 peer-reviewed papers in the otolaryngology literature and was the editor for six editions of Surgery of the Ear. In addition to his outstanding medical career, Dr. Glasscock is author of the Round Rock Series, with Little Joe being the first book in the series.
“I asked Smith Publicity to help me find the right audience for my fiction book, Bees on the Roof, aimed at the middle school crowd. It’s the story of four seventh graders who set up beehives on the roof of a Manhattan hotel in order to win their school’s science contest. The book contains a lot of information about honeybees and Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD), a syndrome that is killing millions of honeybees every year around the world. Because the book combines both a fictional story and an environmental message, it is considered “environmental fiction” – a quirky genre that required a keen sense of what the market is and how that market could be accessed.
The Smith team jumped right in and thought of very creative channels for their outreach, including radio stations, newspapers, bloggers and book reviewers, among others. I think the Smith team learned more than they ever dreamed about apiaries, urban farms, ecology, bee associations, etc. But they were always enthusiastic and they asked for, and listened to, any questions I had about the process. Hats off also to Dan Smith, who was a good sounding board and strategist when issues arose with regards to the publicity. I highly recommend the teamwork, professionalism and creativity of Smith Publicity.
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Robbie Shell is a former business journalist whose articles have appeared in numerous publications including The Wall Street Journal and Philadelphia Inquirer. She has worked and lived in New York City, Washington, D.C., Boston, and Philadelphia. Bees on the Roof is her first work of fiction.
“It’s a difficult decision for new authors to decide whether to employ a publicity firm. I chose to have Smith Publicity help me publicize my second and third books in The Silver Ships series … (my publicist) quickly identified the value of my science background and used that to gain me local and regional radio interviews and article submissions that culminated in national radio shows and posting of articles on imminent science websites, such as www.space.com and www.omnireboot.com. If you have the funds and you have a background that lends itself to your particular book subjects, I recommend you try Smith Publicity to help you gain readership.
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Scott Jucha has been enamored with fiction novels since the age of thirteen and long been a fan of great storytellers. He has lived in several countries overseas and in many of the US states, including Illinois, where he met his wife thirty-five years ago. His careers have spanned a variety of industries in the visual and scientific fields of photography, biology, film/video, software, and information technology (IT).
His first attempt at a novel, titled “The Lure,” was a crime drama centered on the modern-day surfacing of a 110-carat yellow diamond lost during the French Revolution. In 1980, in preparation for the book, Jucha spent two wonderful weeks researching the Brazilian people, their language, and the religious customs of Candomblé.
During the past thirty-four years, Scott has outlined dozens of novels, but a busy career limited his efforts to complete any of them. Recently, he has chosen to make writing my primary focus. His first novel, The Silver Ships, was released in February 2015. This first installment in a sci-fi trilogy was quickly followed by books two and three, “Libre” and “Méridien.” “Haraken,” the fourth book in the series, has continued the exploits of Alex Racine and company.
“I bumped into Sandra Poirier Smith at Book Expo in NY while trying to figure out a route for my yet unpublished novel, The Rebellion of Miss Lucy Ann Lobdell. I had been unable to impress anyone in the big book world, agent or publisher. But I believed in the book and decided to publish it myself. I was impressed by Sandy, so I took on Smith, and with their help chose a good indie publisher. The road for an indie book is always rough, always, but with Smith beside me, we managed a number of radio and TV interviews along with some good print coverage. Finally someone took notice.
Rebellion is now off the market but will be published a new as a lead title by St. Martin’s Press. I was in good hands with Smith. They were professional, available, and loaded for bear.
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William Klaber, author of The Rebellion of Miss Lucy Ann Lobdell (St. Martin’s Press). Klaber is a graduate of Wesleyan Univ. and NYU Law. He is best known for producing the acclaimed radio documentary, The RFK Tapes and co-authoring the book Shadow Play (St. Martins, 1997). http://therebellionofmisslucyannlobdell.com/author.php
“I highly recommend Smith Publicity. Right from the word ‘go’ I felt that I was working with a close friend and colleague and that only amplified my experience for my campaign. Thank you for your kind and professional ethos.
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Efthalia has a Master of Arts in Writing and is currently studying Ancient History and Archaeology at Sydney University. She is a member of the Romance Writers of America, Romance Writers of Australia and the Australian Romance Readers. She lives with her husband and their Alpha and Beta children in Sydney, Australia.
“In my experience a good, solid recommendation for a company I have worked with is based on two things: Would I work with them again? Would I recommend them to friends? In the case of Smith Publicity, the answer to both questions is a resounding yes. As a first-time author, I was astonished at the number of interviews — TV, Radio, Print — my publicists lined up. They were always very professional, accessible, and demonstrated a real sense of caring about my work. They were the best!
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Rich Garon received both his M.A. and Ph.D. in Politics from New York University and began a career on Capitol Hill that lasted more than 25 years. For the last six of those years he served as Chief-of-Staff, Committee on International Relations, U.S. House of Representatives. He currently chairs the Serve (Outreach and Mission) Committee at the Immanuel Anglican Church in Woodbridge, VA and coordinates the Homeless Ministry, with an emphasis on those living in the woods. He was named to the Board of Directors of the Greater Prince William County [VA] Community Health Center, and conducts mission trips with his wife, Karen, to Bolivia to support church-building in several areas including what began as a tent city.Website: www.richgaron.com
“Smith Publicity was great. From my initial contact and hearing about Smith Publicity, I could tell they were made up of a dedicated, professional team. After many months of working with my publicist, I can now say that my initial impression was absolutely correct. She secured many radio interviews, blog reviews, and placed an op-ed piece that I wrote. Her attention to detail and calm demeanor helped sooth my nerves during the sometimes stressful process of being in the public’s eye. In short, my experience at Smith Publicity exceeded my expectations and I would definitely use them again.
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J.T. Lundy lives in Naperville, Illinois, where he writes novels and screenplays, and attempts to help his wife manage the chaos from raising three growing boys. He likes to read, write, travel, and eat good food. A graduate of Indiana University, he also holds an MFA from Spalding University and an MBA from the University of Chicago.
“Working with Smith Publicity was a complete joy. I found them to be very progressional and very thorough. They came up with many innovative ways to promote my book, The Strange Birth, Short Life, and Sudden Death of Justice Girl and they kept me involved and informed every step of the way. And now even though the campaign is over, when opportunities arise from the many seeds they helped plant, they continue to pass the information on to me. I can’t recommend Smith Publicity more highly and would happily hire them again in a heartbeat (and hope too!)
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Julian David Stone grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area and relocated to Los Angeles after his college years at the California Institute of the Arts. For the next few years he wrote screenplays for Disney, Paramount, Tristar, MGM as well as several producers. His recent work includes the full-length play, The Elvis Test and direction of two short-form music videos and documentaries on Frank Sinatra.
“I was totally satisfied with the national publicity I received from Smith Publicity. My publicist did a great job, with very personalized and professional attention. My book got exposure to numerous outlets that it would not have otherwise received.
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James Larson served for 28 years as Artistic Director of the Omaha Theater Company and first established the education, touring, and multicultural programs that are currently in operation—and led the company to achieve the highest award in its field: the Sara Spencer Artistic Achievement Award. For Larson’ full bio, please visit his website: www.JamesLarsonBooks.com
“Smith Publicity really delivers the goods. I definitely feel that I received good value for for my money. My publicist was wonderful to work with and really came through for me. I want to hurry up and get my sequel done so I can work with Smith again. The whole team at Smith Publicity was terrific. My campaign with Smith Publicity was an experience I’ll always remember.
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Howard Parsons attended North Carolina College in Rocky Mount, NC and graduated in 1974 with a B.S. in Biology. Although his interests lay in Virology and Marine Biology, the need to earn a living led him to the field of Information Technology. During his stint with the Michie Company, he developed the TOOL programming language and, in 2008, wrapped up a 30-year career in legal publishing. He is currently employed as a software engineer with the Dematic Corp. and lives at The Parsonage in Charlottesville with his wife and the latest two moggies in a long line of house cats. His interests include pipe collecting, Scottish highland games, railroads and heraldry.
“I hired Smith Publicity to promote the release of my novel Developing Minds: An American Ghost Story, and I’m glad I did. My publicist was responsive, enthusiastic, and supportive, and kept a steady stream of media requests coming throughout the campaign. She got me several blog and radio interviews, book reviews (which included requests from top tier media), and she even got a group of teachers to form a book club for the sole purpose of discussing my novel. Long before the campaign started, Sarah Miniaci was there giving me great advice on cover design, back cover copy, which parts of reviews to blurb, etc. The publicists at Smith Publicity go above and beyond and made me feel well cared for since I first contacted them. I highly recommend Smith Publicity to other authors.
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Jonathan LaPoma is an award-winning novelist, screenwriter, songwriter, and poet from Buffalo, NY. In 2005, he received a BA in history and a secondary education credential from the State University of New York at Geneseo, and he traveled extensively throughout the United States and Mexico after graduating. These experiences have become the inspiration for much of his writing, which often explores themes of alienation and misery as human constructions that can be overcome through self-understanding and the acceptance of suffering. His seven screenplays have won over 80 awards/honors at various international screenwriting competitions, and his novel Developing Minds: An American Ghost Story won the 2015 Stargazer Literary Prizes for best Visionary and Metaphysical Fiction. He lives in San Diego and teaches at a public secondary school.
“I’m astounded at the results of this campaign, and by the creativity, energy and sincerity my Smith Publicity team brought to it. You exceeded every expectation that I had, and were so much fun to work with. I am very much looking forward to working with you all again.
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Chris Beakey tells stories of good people caught in bad places. He writes fiction as well as nonfiction as a ghostwriter for an organization that promotes bipartisan policies that strengthen the nation through smart investments in youth. His debut novel, Double Abduction, was a finalist for the Lambda Literary Award. His latest novel, Fatal Option, was published by Post Hill Press and is available wherever books are sold.
“To Smith Publicity: I wish to extend my deepest appreciation for all your efforts, in particular my publicist, whose hard work and dedication brought about several interviews and opportunities to further the popularity of my novel Liquid Diamond. Thank you all very much.
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Sebastien Blue is a first time author. His impressive debut, Liquid Diamond, was inspired by his love of folklore, fable and myth. Blue set out to write a novel that appeals not only to children, but to anyone with a sense of adventure. Blue’s ultimate goal for Liquid Diamond is to promote literacy and creativity among its readers. Blue lives in Ontario and is currently working on the sequel to Liquid Diamond. To learn more, please visit the author’s website http://www.sebastienblue.com/.
“Smith Publicity gave me the support, guidance, and knowledge I needed to navigate the rough waters of indie publishing and publicity. Rachel Taylor was a joy to work with, hard-working, extremely professional, and always available. I highly recommend Smith Publicity!
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Jane Barrett is a graduate of Duke University and lives in Austin, Texas. Mary, Queen of Scots and Jane Austen have been lifelong subjects of fascination for her. Her aunt, an author and talented writer, introduced her to the lively mind of Austen and after becoming a ‘Janeite,’ the first seeds of writing a book germinated in her mind. Antonia Barclay and Her Scottish Claymore is her debut novel.
“The recently concluded campaign that Smith Publicity created for my book, Evolution’s End, was a real blast. The leads and reviews my publicist Rachel Taylor attracted have helped me immensely, and with reviews still flowing in my campaign with Smith Publicity has managed to be the gift that keeps on giving. The Smith team I worked with has been wonderful, and I couldn’t have asked for more in the limited time that we had together. I also cannot say enough wonderful things about Rachel. She kept me informed every step of the way and has shown the patience of a saint with me. I know that we will be working together on future projects!
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A fan of sci-fi, fantasy and horror, C.J. Daniels has penned three novels, as well as a short story within the Lost Planets anthology alongside legendary authors such as Ray Bradbury, Philip K. Dick and Edgar Allan Poe. He is the founder of Off the Beaten Path Press, which he first created for Evolution’s End, then opened it up to others looking for a publisher offering an author the freedom to publish under a label while collecting their net royalties. Born in Brooklyn, he currently lives in New Hampshire with his wife. Daniels is a comic book, video game and techno enthusiast with a passion for the classics, as well as everything Star Trek and Star Wars.
“For a self-published author, the glow of big dreams tends to quickly fade in the shadow of long odds. Though my expectations of readership had always been reasonable, I came to Smith Publicity hoping for a little bump. Well, Smith Publicity provided that, and more. My tailored campaign, conscientiously administered to by my publicist, exceeded all expectations. I would especially recommend Smith Publicity to self-published authors. I can’t imagine that Jonathan Franzen would have received a greater degree of attention. Thank you Smith Publicity!
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“Smith Publicity and my publicist were a pleasure to work with from beginning to end. She handled every aspect of my campaign with professionalism and competence. Throughout my four weeks, I received several new reviews, experienced an increase in sale, and got interviewed for the most prominent newspaper in my area. I was very pleased with everything she did for me, and when I do another campaign in the future, I hope to use Smith Publicity again.
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Mitchell Bogatz grew up watching a movie a night, and quickly found a love for good stories. He was interested in literature from a young age, even attempting at the age of twelve to write a novel entitled The Mercenary, a fantasy story about a killer’s unlikely search for love. Even with these young aspirations, it wasn’t until his freshman year at UC Santa Barbara, toward the end of a career as a professional poker player, that Bogatz realized he wanted to write professionally. Despite interests in Psychology and Philosophy, he found himself constantly returning to his love for literature. Under the guidance of professional screenwriter Erin Cressida Wilson (The Secretary; Men, Women & Children) he wrote his first screenplay, All That Remains. It was then that Bogatz realized his true passion. From there, he found an interest in editing, and is now a career writer and editor. He currently resides in Santa Barbara, California.
“As a debut author, I was intimidated at the prospect of trying to manage a marketing campaign for Scotch Rising. After querying several agencies, I quickly discovered Smith Publicity was both professional and hard working. My publicist did a fantastic job guiding me through the early weeks of media interest and turning it into opportunities to write opinion pieces and even an over booked five day blog tour! Through (his) weekly updates and Skype interviews I never felt distanced from the publicity process, and all I can do is thank (my publicist) for the amazing work he did in promoting Scotch Rising. In fact, I will be using Smith Publicity to handle the marketing on the sequel Pretender at the Gate in the next few months.
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Author SJ Garland holds degrees in History and English from Simon Fraser University and earned a Masters degree from City University, London. She has extensively studied the English Tudor and Stuart periods. She is a Gender Researcher for the Center for Excellence on Gender in the Himalayas. A native of Vancouver, Canada, Garland lives in Geneva, Switzerland with her husband. Garland enjoys reading and writing about her travels throughout Europe.
“Thanks Smith Publicity! I was astounded by the interview requests that came pouring in after my publicist composed and sent out the press release for my novel to all of her contacts: 15 radio, TV, print, and online press interviews stacked up over the course of the first month, and another five within a few weeks after that. My publicist kept me so busy doing interviews that sometimes it seemed I was working for her. They were all over the U.S., and Canada too: Washington D.C., Los Angeles, Vancouver, Denver, New Orleans, Victoria BC, Phoenix, Detroit, Anchorage, and on and on. There were also reviews, with more to come. Sometimes you just stumble accidentally into the best of circumstances, and that’s exactly what happened when I sent an offhand query to Smith Publicity. I couldn’t be happier with the results.
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Tony Taylor graduated from the United States Air Force Academy and earned an MS in physics from the University of Arizona. Taylor spent a long career navigating NASA spacecraft—including Voyager, Cassini, Mars Polar Lander, Galileo, and MESSENGER- to every planet in the solar system. His second book, The Darkest Side of Saturn, was inspired by watching images of the night side of Saturn from the Voyager spacecraft as they arrived for the first time at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory where he worked.
“Publishers can only do so much to promote a novel, and novelists often feel abandoned when their three weeks in the sunshine is over. That’s why its such a pleasure and privilege to have put my latest novel into the hands of such exceptional people as Sandra Poirier Smith and the Smith Publicity dynamo publicist. The professionalism, dedication and energy they’ve brought to the publicizing of my novel has been awe inspiring, an object lesson for publishers around the world.
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Alan Gold is an internationally bestselling author and author of Bloodlines (Simon & Schuster). During the past 25 years, Alan has written 20 internationally published and translated novels, and non-fiction works, as well as numerous articles of literary criticism and opinion columns. He is a regular literary critic for The Australian and other local and international newspapers and on-line magazines. Along with Nobel Laureate Elie Wiesel and award-winning Israeli novelist Nava Semel, he was invited to be the inaugural contributor to JewishFiction.org. Alan speaks to groups ranging from Universities to major charities, United Nations Agencies, major business corporations (on the value of creativity in business decisions), anti-Semitism, Middle East politics and the dangers of racism.
“I can’t say enough about the wonderful job the people at Smith Publicity did in promoting my book. I had never hired a publicity firm before and, after years of trying to promote my books myself with little in return, my expectations were low. Then, what a surprise! The responses Smith elicited were truly overwhelming and, even better, they taught me how to keep the interest in my book going. My sales are better than ever before. I encourage all authors interested in selling books to give Smith Publicity a try.A
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Anne Butler Montgomery has worked as a television sportscaster, newspaper and magazine writer, teacher, amateur baseball umpire, and high school football referee. She finished her on‐camera broadcasting career with a two‐year stint as the studio host for the NBA’s Phoenix Suns. Montgomery was a freelance and/or staff reporter for six publications, writing sports, features, movie reviews, and archeological pieces. Her novels include: The Scent of Rain, Nothing But Echoes, and A Light in the Desert. Montgomery teaches journalism at South Mountain High School in Phoenix and is a foster mom to three sons.
“As a new author I knew gaining exposure would be a big challenge. I experience joy when I write but had no idea how to get my ‘product’ in front of actual readers. Smith Publicity was a great publicity partner. They are very savvy in approaching the trade and each campaign is tailored and client specific. In my case, gaining credibility as a writer was important. I started writing parenting articles at their request, which they got into over 50 major outlets including Huffington Post, Fox, Working Mothers, Boston Parent, Macaroni Kid and others too numerous to name. I had radio interview and TV interviews in New York, Honolulu, and other major markets. The weekly updates they provide are thorough and their monthly newsletter has some great ideas and tips for their clients. I felt the strength of their organization behind the campaign. I had three ‘masters’ strategizing how I could gain more exposure as a writer and columnist. I highly recommend Smith Publicity.
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Eileen Wacker, a Harvard Business School graduate, has lived and worked in seven different countries, including the United States. She commuted to Asia for nearly three years as part of a business development team, which sparked her interest in Asian culture. A mom of four, she’s the multiple-award-winning author of the Fujimini Adventure Series for children, as well as the upcoming book for women, The Mom’s Code: A Bro Code for Moms. For more information, please visit ONCEKids.com.
“As an independent fiction author, I was at a loss when it came to publicity for my book. My Smith Publicity PR rep came to my rescue and helped me spread the word about my novels. I was very pleased with the local media coverage she generated through television and print along with her scheduling of a book signing. She also set up several online articles and interviews as well as procuring countless reviews for my book. After working with Smith, I am much more organized and feel I am pointed in the right direction for continuing forward with my book publicity. I have learned an invaluable lesson on marketing and I would highly recommend Smith Publicity.
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Katherine Winfield was born in Washington, DC and is a seventh generation Washingtonian, but currently resides on a farm on the Eastern Shore of Maryland where she raises countless animals. She has been writing for over thirty years. Katherine grew up in a large extended family, surrounded by artists, world-renowned musicians, and writers. She studied Psychology and English at the University of Maryland and has written numerous essays, poems and is working on her third novel.
“For writers without an agent or publisher, so-called “indie” writers, Smith Publicity can be a very effective way to get their names into the public arena. They are able to connect the writers to public outlets, such as radio and television shows and print and online media. From these, writers may receive invitations to interviews and written opinion pieces. Such exposure can lead prospective readers to assess whether the viewpoints and writing skills of the author appeal to them. It is then a small step to a sampling of their work and reviews at e-book sites (e.g. Amazon) that can give rise to a jump in sales.
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Dr. Jack Winnick is Professor Emeritus of Chemical Engineering at the Georgia Institute of Technology. He has also taught at the University of California, Berkeley and UCLA. His career includes work for NASA, the State Department and many years in the chemical, nuclear and aerospace industries. He holds seven U.S. patents in the area of electrochemical processes for air and water pollution control. At NASA he aided in the development of life-support equipment on the Shuttle, Skylab and Space Station. Jack has been a Middle East scholar for over forty years, traveling to the area for the State Department for the purpose of technology transfer to the Arab nations, and cooperation between Israel and Egypt. He has been a strong advocate for the State of Israel for over forty years. His writings include over two hundred technical papers, and three technical books; including an internationally-used text on chemical engineering thermodynamics (Wiley, 1996). Devil in False Colors is his third novel. He lives in the Los Angeles area.
“My experience with Smith Publicity and all of their employees was very positive and productive. I would especially like to thank my publicist who exceeded my expectations on traditional media and other creative ideas we shared to drive exposure including the following San Francisco radio podcasts, over twenty radio interview spots with key regional and national stations, exposure to over two hundred college professors, magazines, reviews, and blog sites including Unite Virginia, Chicago Sun Times, Hollywood News, Windy City News, Civil War News and other important front-end publicity. With all of this success, the staff was continuously on top of events to make sure projects were completed in good time. I have been mostly impressed with my publicist. Smith Publicity, in one word, was … EXCELLENT!
To the entire staff at Smith Publicity … thanks again for your courtesy, hard work, and ultimate professionalism.
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John William Huelskamp is a Civil War historian and author who has contributed to several Civil War periodicals including Civil War Regiments: A Journal of the American Civil War. His publication, Never Forsake the Colors, reintroduced the sacrifice of Union Colonel Holden Putnam and the 93rd Illinois Volunteer Infantry. He is also a contributing lecturer to Civil War roundtables and historical societies, and has provided Civil War authors including Peter Cozzens (The Shipwreck of Their Hopes) and Wiley Sword (Mountains Touched with Fire) with rare documents and diaries that have contributed to an understanding of civilians and soldiers during the climactic years of the Civil War. He resides in Deer Park, Illinois.
“I was a new author who had recently self-published his first book and needed to get the word out about it. My Smith Publicity publicist helped me reach beyond my relatively small network of friends and family members and stir interest among reviewers and publications I could have never reached on my own. Within a month there were local and national articles being published about me and my book. I am very grateful to the entire Smith team, and would highly recommend them to anyone seeking to get their work notice.
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“I’m very glad that I hired Smith Publicity to promote my book. Our contact started with a warm welcome from our publicist and her team members. They wanted to know my ambitions, goals and expectations. I felt that they were genuinely interested in my book/project and that they were working with a lot of enthusiasm. During the campaign, my publicist kept close, personal contact with me. And the results of the campaign were great! At the end of each week, my publicist sent me a clear overview of the results. Many bloggers have posted very positive articles about The Central Park Tales and recommended it to their followers as a holiday season gift. Smith Publicity proved to be an excellent professional marketing team who knew how to get the best results in this field. I have not a single complaint about my experiences with them, they are simply great and a pleasure to work with!
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Marcus Meesters is the author and illustrator of The Central Park Tales. He was born in the Netherlands and, at the age of 25, he moved to Amsterdam, where he got to know Vondelpark, Amsterdam’s most famous city park. Meesters is a lover of classic children’s books, and it was during one of his walks in Vondelpark that he got the idea to write his own children’s book about the animals that live there. His first book, The Vondelpark Tales, was born and extremely well received. Meesters recently released the second book in the trilogy, The Central Park Tales, which beautifully depicts the famous Central Park in New York City. The third book in the trilogy, The Hyde Park Tales, is expected to release in 2016.
“I had chosen Smith Publicity for my book, Shock Peace, after searching through many other publicity agents. I was very impressed reading their extensive testimonials upon which I had based my decision. It was the wisest move for my investment in the book publishing industry as I am glad with what my publicist had done for me through out the campaign. Together, she had shown a keen interest in promoting the book with me and helping me achieve what I had wished for. With her expertise and her effective campaigning technique, I was able to get my messages across to the right people in various sites, blogs, media, etc. in the shortest time possible. I highly recommended Smith Publicity for anyone who would like to see results for their efforts.
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“I consider myself fortunate to have picked Smith Publicity to do the campaign for my novel The Hour of Parade. My publicist was extremely helpful in helping me to put the press release together. Her media contacts and follow-up work are developing at this early stage into some nice publicity for my book. She kept me up to date in a helpful way. Everyone I dealt with at Smith Publicity was very easy to work with.
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Alan Bray, a Detroit native, graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in anthropology from University of Michigan and a Masters in Social Work from Wayne State University. He worked as a musician and then psychotherapist in Michigan and Illinois before moving his family to New Hampshire, where he began writing fiction.
“I was very happy with Smith Publicity and very much appreciated their efforts, time, and interest. Smith is, and will remain, my go to source for publicity and I will continue to heartily recommend it to anyone who asks. Customer service in their line of work is very hard to come by and, considering the ephemeral nature of their service, is paramount. That’s why I’m going to always call Smith first.
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Adventurer B. D. Bruns has traveled to over 50 countries to gather material for his bestselling books. He’s won 19 national and international book awards, including three national Book of the Year awards. Bruns’ first fiction book, The Gothic Shift (2014) won the International Book Awards Best Short Story Collection. He also contributes to Yahoo Travel, BBC, CNN, The Daily Beast, and The Travel Channel. Bruns’ travel adventures span from entering the Pyramids of Giza and swimming in the Panama Canal to climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro and touring Torture Museums in Estonia. He has attended ceremonies from the descendants of cannibals in the South Pacific and has been consulted by a ghost tour in Malta. After residing in Dracula’s hometown for several years, Bruns moved to Las Vegas with his Romanian wife, where they live with two cats, Julius and Caesar.
“Smith Publicity is a team of consummate professionals who know their business, know how to work together, and know how to bring a new author along. Most importantly, they do what they promise to do. My publicists kept me continually informed, explained at every stage exactly what they were doing and why, and always respected my questions and concerns. Without Smith, I would never have been able to achieve the exposure they attracted for my book, from reviews to blog posts and even to a TV interview. I’ll use them again–without hesitation.
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James Carpenter made his way through college working various eclectic jobs and, after graduating, taught middle and high school English. He eventually developed the Erica T. Carter software system that composed the poetry anthologized in the Issue 1 dustup. Erica’s poetry has been published in several dozen literary journals and he’s presented Erica at international conferences, including at the University of Pennsylvania, Brown University, and the e-poetry 2007 conference in Paris.
Carpenter spent fourteen years as a member of the affiliated faculty of The Wharton School. His writing has appeared in numerous publications including The Chicago Tribune, Fiction International, Fifth Wednesday Journal, North Dakota Quarterly, and Ambit.
“I worked with Smith Publicity to publicize my first e-book in the Smartee Plate series, Teddy Tries a Veggie. My publicist was wonderful! She was very professional, responsive, enthusiastic, and supportive. I enjoyed working with her and I’m looking forward to working with her again on my second e-book!
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Jennifer Glockner is a registered dietitian nutritionist with a bachelor’s degree in psychology from UCLA and an extensive science background. She continues her education enthusiastically and completed a Certificate of Training in Childhood and Adolescent Weight Management Program in 2014. She is a good role model and practices what she teaches. She can often be found cooking a hearty batch of soup, walking her dog Charlie, or spending time with family—including the adorable niece who inspired her to create her Smartee Plate series!
“I enjoyed working with Smith Publicity for the promotion of my book, The Aught-Sixers. My publicist was both helpful and instructive—also, I discovered I had a lot to learn. I came to understand the enormity of the challenges involved with marketing a book. My experience with Smith Publicity taught me that it takes a well-coordinated and experienced team to market a book successfully. Without the right background, experience and connections, it’s a task that can be next to impossible. Smith Publicity provided me with some high profile leads—including an interview with the Washington Post. I’ll always be grateful.
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Skookum Maguire used to work in the woods as a logger, but the advent of the 1980’s marked the end of most positive things in Oregon. After relocating to California, he wrote a 400 page novel based on his experiences, after which he enrolled in Sacramento State and earned an MA in Creative Writing. He has written four mystery novels, a literary novel, and published an earlier collection of short stories. He has recently had stories published in The Goldman Review and Toasted Cheese, and was twice runner up at Glimmer Train and runner up at New Millennium Writings.
“Smith Publicity provided focused and timely support. I always felt I had developed a personal relationship with the professionals at Smith. They were there when I needed them, and I always felt they understood my project thoroughly. I would use them again, and I would recommend them without hesitation.
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Philip T. Nemec earned his degree in Economics from St. Louis University, but was mentored by English professor and mid-western poet, John Knoeppfle. Following graduation, Nemec became an infantry officer in the United States Marine Corps. Returning to Chicago after the Marines, he earned his Master’s degree at the University of Illinois at Chicago’s writers’ program, which is where the idea for The Chicago Syncopator took form. Following nearly two decades working abroad, he retired from his government position and now lives in the Washington, D.C. metro area, with his wife and two college-age children. The Chicago Syncopator is Nemec’s debut novel.
“It was a great pleasure working with Smith Publicity. They are exactly as they say. My publicist was most pleasant and helpful, working closely to promote my novel and giving me great ideas. They put me in touch with many resources such as radio stations and magazines, and secured a number of reviews, some of which I have included in my next novel as a ‘praise page.’
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Sean Dow is a pulmonologist and critical care physician who attended Kansas State University and the University of Kansas School of Medicine, where he also did his residency. He resides in Henderson, NV and practices at St. Rose Siena and St. Rose San Martin Hospitals in Nevada. Debridement is his first novel.
“Let me start off by saying that ‘Indie Publishing’ can be a laborious, grueling and extremely rough road to follow. I had no idea what I was getting into when I started down the independent publishing route having been frustrated by numerous rejection query letters to traditional publishers. After doing some research I came upon Smith Publicity and was directed to Sarah Miniaci. Sarah surprised me in that she did nothing to try and get my hopes up or sell me something unrealistic but rather stated everything in real terms and gave me genuine facts and situations I could expect from hiring Smith. I decided to go with them and I could not be happier. My publicity team was in constant contact with me. They eventually even landed me a blogging position on The Huffington Post. In my opinion there is not a better publicity team out there for the indie author.
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Jason P. Stadtlander is the author of five books and more than 150 short stories. In The Steel Van Man Stadtlander takes readers inside the complex mind of a serial killer who targets men and women that prey on children. As an IT professional, Stadtlander leads workshops for parents on computer and Internet safety. Stadtlander is an Ohio native and currently lives in northern Massachusetts with his family. For more information, visit www.jasonpstadtlander.
“I selected Smith Publicity to represent my book based on their excellent reputation. As a new self-published author, I needed strong guidance, exposure, resources, and encouragement. I received all of those from the highly professional and supportive Smith team. Their introduction of my book to multiple types of media outlets, bloggers, book clubs, and librarians resulted in numerous requests ( over 60 ) for my book, reviews, blog interview, and radio interviews. Their social network set up and training has helped me secure over 140 likes on my public Facebook and over 1400 Twitter followers within the six weeks. Their commitment and dedication to my my campaign continued to net positive results. I highly recommend their services.
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Joy York grew up in Alabama, but has spent most of her adult life in the Midwest. She is a graduate of Auburn University and has had a rewarding career in retail management. She was an active volunteer in her community, holding positions on nonprofit boards supporting education, including an elected four-year term on the Hudson City School Board of Education in Hudson, Ohio. Joy was inspired to write when she began creating stories and adventures to entertain her son when he was growing up. She has returned to her home state of Alabama where she now follows her passion of writing full time.
“Our Smith Publicity publicist came on board as part of the team rather than an outside source. She put everything into the books she supported, and really took the authors under her wing. Together we learned to integrate campaigns effortlessly, and by the time she took over a book, we knew it was going to be in great hands.
Our publicist worked hard to get our books and authors maximum exposure from as many different sources as she could, and didn’t stop campaigning until the last lead was gone. Her energy and enthusiasm are contagious, and her tireless efforts often brought new life back into an project that could have be in danger of failing.
We see Smith Publicity as an invaluable part of our marketing and promotion, and we look forward to many more years with them as part of our team.
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The Writer’s Coffee Shop is an independent publisher and the original publishers of the international literary phenomenon, Fifty Shades of Grey. The company launched in October of 2010 with the vision of working alongside talented authors while providing quality e-books to the growing marketplace.
The Writer’s Coffee Shop has a deeper history than simply publishing books. The original site was launched in September 2009 as an online community “Where Friends Meet” to discuss books, blogs, serial fiction, news and more.
“One of the best professional decisions I’ve made was to partner with Smith Publicity to provide top notch publicity services to our large audience of DIY authors. The staff at Smith operates with integrity, care, and professionalism. I’ve always been impressed with their knowledge of the book and media industries and the time they invest on every book they promote. Working with Smith you should expect efficient communication, comprehensive updates, and a staff who genuinely wants to see you succeed. You won’t regret the decision to use Smith Publicity!
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Lulu created a new model in publishing — open publishing — that empowers more creators to sell more content to more readers more profitably than ever before. Through their open publishing platform, they help creators make works available in multiple formats and markets and improving discovery so buyers can more easily find the content they need. Since their founding in 2002, Lulu has worked with 1.1 million creators from more than 200 countries, and each month adds approximately 20,000 titles to their catalog.
“Wow. All I can say is…WOW. Smith is an outstanding partner, in every sense of the word. They delivered exceptional service. From the press releases you’d expect, to scheduling interviews and pitching PR ideas to me, they went above and beyond the call of duty for me and my book Epiphany. I recommend them t without reservation. One last time: Wow!
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Paul Harrington is the author of Epiphany, the story that brings to life the three Magi’s adventures on their spectacular journey to Bethlehem. Harrington is a graduate of Boston College with a BA in English Literature and an MA in English Literature from the University of Rochester, NY. After graduate studies, Harrington successfully pursued a career as a writer and creative director in advertising. His award-winning print and broadcast work has been seen around the world. In addition to many Fortune 500 businesses, Harrington has worked with The White House and the United States Olympic Committee.
“I would collaborate again with Smith Publicity in a heartbeat. The reasons are simple: integrity and bona fide talent. They’re completely forthright, they won’t just tell you what you want to hear, and they won’t ingratiate or pander to their clients, which is quite refreshing. They’re honest and frank; they’ll tell you what is feasible and realistic regarding your campaign. In terms of execution, they’re exceptionally talented. Yes…they are that good. It’s a rare and special dynamic that I was fortunate enough to experience. Following the campaign, they supplied me with the necessary tools to continue my book promotion, and above all, they instilled a confidence in me that is simply invaluable. Thank you Smith Publicity.
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Huyhn dropped out of USC, the University of Southern California, with merely one semester to complete. He lives in Los Angeles, where he pursues his passion of the arts by taking part in live performance, dance, and writing.
“Though I worked in media relations eons ago, I was not prepared to take on the promotion of my debut novel. Fortunately, I landed on two feet with Smith Publicity and saw a phenomenal result over a three-month period. I can’t say enough about Smith Publicity and my publicist for the passion and commitment they brought to her job. Their belief in me as an author together with persistence generated tremendous outcomes in a saturated market. In short, I appeared on several television shows, three in top ten markets in the U.S., and received national newspaper coverage in Canada and a noteworthy feature in Britain’s largest black newspaper. A first time author, I got off to a racing start thanks to the fantastic team at Smith Publicity.
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Lewis’ novel explores the storyline of whether you can truly be fulfilled as a woman without being a mother. Lewis is a former newspaper journalist for The Albany Herald (Georgia, USA) and has also written for The Guardian, a national newspaper in the United Kingdom. Since 2004, she has run a successful communications consultancy. She writes a weekly column for www.sonjalewis.com and publishes short stories on her weblog.
“We asked Smith Publicity to get the word out on a high-concept board book series for children and adults alike: word primers that retell literary classics in twelve words and twelve needle-felted illustrations. Our publicist got our idea from the start and knew exactly where to go to maximize the crossover appeal of our books. As a result, our series Cozy Classics has been featured in media outlets like The Huffington Post, New York Magazine, Parents Magazine, People Magazine, and the Wall Street Journal–-exposure that went well beyond our expectations. Our publicist wasn’t just a consummate pro–she was a dynamo. Smith Publicity helped us take the world of children’s lit by storm!
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Holman and Jack Wang are the twin brothers behind Cozy Classics, a new series of baby board books that retell the world’s most beloved literary works in just 12 simple, baby-friendly words per title. Featuring stunning needle-felted illustrations and designed as developmentally appropriate abridgments for the very youngest of learners, the Cozy Classics books have been deemed “remarkable” by The Telegraph UK,“quite simply, delightful” by The Paris Review, and “a service to literate families everywhere” by the Wall Street Journal.
“My experience with Smith Publicity was excellent. When I first inquired about their services, they ably assessed my needs as a first-time author. My publicist was a ball of energy. Not only did she fulfill the agreement Smith, but she went above and beyond, following up with contacts even after our four-week publicity period was over. I highly recommend Smith Publicity in light of the personal attention they give their clients and the energy and enthusiasm they have put into publicizing my book. Thank you, Smith!
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Stafford attended Seton Hall University, followed by Drew University, where she earned her M.Div. and later a Ph.D. in North American Religion and Culture. Saint Maggie is her first novel.
“I loved working with Smith Publicity. It was obvious they had a real love for the written word and finesse for publicity. The media coverage I received was astounding, and nothing I’d be able to accomplish on my own. My publicist was very personable and always available to answer my questions. Anyone who is serious about reaching their targeted demographic should consider working with them.
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Sage Steadman received a Masters in Social Work from the University of Utah and worked briefly as a licensed mental health therapist before leaving her job to pursue writing full time.
“I really enjoyed working with Smith Publicity, and the campaign they designed was implemented just as promised. They kept me abreast of the progress of the campaign and solicited my feedback and input regularly. I felt like I was part of a real team. My publicist was quite talented. She wrote pitches that were creative and compelling and generated a lot of interest in my book. I was particularly impressed because even on the last day of our campaign, my publicist was working on booking two radio interviews for me. A week after the campaign ended a newspaper interview request came as a result of her efforts. If you are looking for a results-oriented, hardworking and professional company – Smith Publicity is it.
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Glascoe’s book exposes a side of the American Justice System that average Americans never see: The corrupt side. It introduces a game designed to mitigate corruption in the American Justice System. Through the narrative it shows the reader how an average American can achieve justice in an environment designed to benefit the wealthy, powerful and corrupt. Glascoe earned her BA in media studies from Fordham University and Masters in business from the Howard University School of Business.
“The team at Smith Publicity is a pleasure to work with. They are prompt, professional, and always courteous.
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Publisher and distributor specializing in the development of independent authors and the growth of small presses. Greenleaf has worked on over one thousand titles including multiple New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestsellers. Smith Publicity has promoted dozens and dozens of Greenleaf Book Group projects.
“The effort put forth by Smith Publicity was very helpful in promoting my novel, Do I Recognize You? From my initial discussion with my publicist through my last communication, I was very pleased with every aspect of Smith Publicity. As someone new to book promotion, I found the entire process very manageable and beneficial. In addition to exposure in print media, I did over 25 call-in radio interviews from my own backyard. Smith Publicity was responsive to my preferences, and easily accessible. It was a pleasure working with them, and I would certainly enlist the company’s help if I need this service again. Thank you again.
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Dr. Goleburn has practiced dentistry for more than twenty years. He received a B.A. in Political Science from Emory University, and graduated from Tufts University School of Dental Medicine. He is a Fellow of the Academy of General Dentistry and a member of the Special Care Dentistry Association. Dr. Goleburn has become familiar with face-recognition technology and the pitfalls of allowing unchecked gathering of personal information for use by corporations and government.
“Having spent years writing, learning, querying literary agents, etc., I knew full well that the next difficult job would be selling my book. I tried this and that, to no avail. Finally, I approached Smith Publicity; one of the best writing-related things I have ever done. They assigned me a publicist who did a wonderful job of promoting some of the most challenging work there is to promote: self-published fiction. Indeed, after the first month, I insisted on another month. My feeling is that without Smith Publicity, I wouldn’t have had much of a chance of successfully promoting my book.
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Ostby grew up on the barren High Plains of northeastern Montana, on the farm homesteaded by his grandparents in 1912. He holds a bachelor of science degree in general studies, a bachelor of science in film and television production, and a minor in history.
“From the moment I signed on to utilize Smith Publicity’s expertise, I felt at peace knowing I was in sure hands. My publicist guided me with grace and confidence, and I have reaped the rewards, having stirred much more interest in my endeavor than I thought possible. I eagerly look forward to joining forces with Smith Publicity in the future.
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A lifetime Chicagoan, John Hospodka is a 1988 graduate of Ohio Wesleyan University. He is the founder of Bohemian Pupil Press, publisher of the on-line monthly Dead Flowers: A Poetry Rag, an “experiment” that calls upon intelligent readers who are indifferent to poetry to serve as guest editors. Hospodka lives in Bridgeport, Chicago, with his wife Victoria and a rescued Lab mix named Jimmy Boo.
Bohemian Pupil Press endeavors, defiantly, to break poetry out of this unfortunate mold, stealing poetry from the “Ivory Towers” and helping it exist outside of its heretofore shackling insularity. Bohemian Pupil Press endeavors to give poetry the fortitude to exist among a potentially larger audience, to exist school-less—among people, not only poets.
“I was fortunate to find Smith Publicity. An intense six-week campaign was planned with the team who pitched in the states as well as overseas. My publicist did a great job getting interviews on radio and TV. I was featured in the American Banker magazine, a national publication of the American Bankers Association. My publicist always kept me informed of her activities in the promotion of my book. I plan on using Smith Publicity again.
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Bessler’s career in banking spans 48 years, and over 30 years as president of CEO of banks. He has held leadership positions in many organizations including Chairman of the New Jersey Bankers Association, President of the Community Bankers Association of New Jersey, and Vice-Chairman of the New Jersey Healthcare Facilities Finance Authority.
“Writing a book is the easy part. Getting people to know about your book and buy the book is the tough part. This is where Smith Publicity comes in. They developed a clever campaign that not only pitched my new book, but highlighted my other talents as well. I could not have imagined all of the publicity I have received. I will be returning to Smith to work with me again.
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Kelman has a BA in Sociology from American University and a Masters in Social Work from New York University and has worked with children in a variety of psychiatric and medical settings. She is the Creator of Mrs. Pinkelmeyer, who inspires self-esteem in children through her love, warmth and silliness and author of the new children’s book.
“Initially I tried publicizing on my own, with exceptionally poor results. Smith Publicity was able to quickly generate coverage in venues where I had initially failed to receive any, and their nationwide list of contacts led to radio, magazine, newspaper and TV opportunities/appearances that I never would have gotten without them. Thanks Smith Publicity!
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Buckland is a graduate of the University of Virginia, with a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering. He spent his first few years out of University counseling college students and lived for about a year and a half in China. He has spent the last ten years working in manufacturing and design engineering. Mr. Buckland has traveled throughout Asia, both on business and for pleasure, and draws on his experiences with the people and culture as an impetus for inspiration, though one should note, the perspective from which he writes is undeniably Western.
“What impressed me the most about Smith Publicity’s team was their effort in preparing me for what the PR process entailed. Their attention to detail not only garnered press coverage, but also gave me the requisite tools to take advantage of future media opportunities.
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Having already successfully established his radio program, Fictional Frontiers, as one of the international leaders in sci-fi genre discourse, Sohaib Awan launched Jabal Entertainment in February 2012. Mandated to bring together the biggest, brightest and freshest talents from the East and West, Jinnrise – the crown jewel in Sohaib’s already-illustrious career – embraces the connective power of today’s technologies to bring a truly visionary, diversity-embracing model of storytelling to audiences worldwide.
“It was a dream working with Smith Publicity. They were responsive, professional, and on the ball. They helped us develop reasonable expectations for a campaign and consistently met or exceeded those expectations. I would recommend them to anyone.
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Attwell is the former Associate Publisher for Beaufort Books/Mid Point Trade Books.
“It was a pleasure to work with Smith Publicity. I was delighted with both the dedication of my publicist and his accomplishments. The experience was a study in teamwork. I learned a great deal and have enjoyed working with Smith immensely. I had a record sales month for my book!
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Khan was born in the small village of Burewala Pakistan. He grew up in England where he earned a degree in aerospace engineering and later went on to successful c-suite careers at ComputerVision and Navteq in the US. But it was in early 2009 while watching Les Miserable’s– a story about a hero on the right side of human decency but the wrong side of the law–that Khan was inspired to write about his homeland.
“I’ll definitely be coming back to Smith Publicity again at the completion of my next book.
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Jonathan R. Miller writes literary fiction thrillers featuring multicultural characters and themes. He attended Stanford University and now lives in San Jose, California with his wife and daughter. Available as an eBook at Amazon.com, Delivery tackles the complex bonds between parent and child, the immigrant experience in the United States, female circumcision, and more.
“As a first time author, Smith Publicity got me exposure I would have never achieved on my own. From radio and cable TV interviews, to blog interviews and book reviews, Smith took the initiative and helped Testarossa and I get the exposure needed to get to the next level. I was so pleased with their work that I signed on for a second campaign.
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Dolcemaschio is an author and a poet. She has written several books of poetry, including Jewels in the Dim Light, The Phoenix Elegies, Map of Me, Offerings, and An Angel Walked In, dedicated to her mother. Testarossa is her first work of fiction.
“In my case, the Smith Publicity team took on a really difficult mission: first-time, relatively unknown novelist living in Israel. Despite these difficulties they succeeded in getting the news of my book across numerous websites, telephone-radio interviews in the U.S. and Canada as well as potential reviews. For all this I wish to thank the agency for being so efficient, motivated, courteous and dedicated in endeavoring to help me in penetrating today’s saturated literary market.
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Shapiro earned an MA in History from the Hebrew University, is a former high school history teacher of European and Jewish history, and previously held the post of assistant researcher at the Museum of the Diaspora, Tel Aviv. Shapiro was commissioned by the Council of Zambian Jewry to research and write the history of Northern Rhodesian/Zambian Jewry leading to the publication of Zion in Africa in 1999.
“Hiring the services of Sandy Smith and Smith Publicity was the best decision I have made for marketing my two contemporary mystery novels. I had sent queries to several publicity firms and was very impressed that Sandy got back to me within 24 hours with a written proposal of the services they provide. They love what they do and it shows! They care about their clients and are always available to answer any questions an author may have about their campaign. I would not hesitate at all to recommend this agency. Retaining their services is the smartest marketing move I have made in the past ten years.
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Richardson began her writing career with poetry and song lyrics and soon expanded her repertoire to include freelance feature articles. Writing under the pseudonym Ann Richards, she has been published in several Canadian magazines and newspapers, including the Toronto Sun. She alternates her time between Calgary, Alberta and Bucerias.
“Every cent we have paid Smith Publicity was money well spent. Smith Publicity surpassed our expectations in getting word out about our company, books and authors to millions of people who did not know about us.
Through Smith, we got positive coverage from radio, television, newspapers, magazines, blogs and other media outlets. The longer we stayed with Smith, the more impressed we were with their creativity, resourcefulness and contacts in continuing to find a variety of angles for promoting our very unique business and keeping it in front of new audiences and media outlets. And we saw firsthand the way media coverage can snowball when you have a great team of professionals working on it. Not only did they get results, they were also a pleasure to work with.
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Ellora’s Cave, which ceased operation in 2016, was the world’s premier publisher of erotic romance, releasing eight to ten titles per week. The company went from selling an average of 39.6 books per month in 2001 to more than 190,000 books per month in 2011. It helped pave the way for the digital book revolution as one of the first publishers to release e-books .
“Smith Publicity far exceeded our expectations. From the start, their dedication to our youth financial literacy message was apparent. Our publicist helped us target key media outlets and worked tirelessly to help us get our message out in print, radio and TV. I honestly can’t believe how many radio interviews she was able to secure for us. I had worked with another firm before and felt a little burned by the experience. The relationship lasted too long and bore too little fruit. Not only did we get immediate exposure with Smith Publicity, the Smith team talked to us and reviewed the status of the campaign regularly. Our publicist was able to help us effectively extend the campaign with creative ideas to keep the message fresh. Smith’s honest assessment of how long to continue the campaign was refreshing. I highly recommend Smith Publicity.
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John Lanza, CEO of Snigglezoo Entertainment and author of The Money Mammals.
Since 2006, The Money Mammals have been teaching kids and families to share, save and spend smart through their award-winning products and premier credit union kids club program.
“Thanks again for everything you’ve done. Your service is rivaled only by the quality of your personnel.
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Murphy is the author of the four novels. YGOR, is based upon the life of the stock character found in literature and cinema of the Frankenstein series. His three previous novels are a series of action/adventure novels that explore the mysterious world of cryptozoology. He is also a former model maker for the Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History.
“Smith Publicity tells it how it is, and does so nationwide. I believe I got more than I paid for.
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Michael Johnston, author of Brideshead Regained: Continuing the Memoirs of Charles Ryder, an unauthorized sequel to a classic of English literature, Evelyn Waugh’s Brideshead Revisited. First time novelist and life-time admirer of Evelyn Waugh, Johnston has previously written book reviews and radio documentaries.
“Because of Smith Publicity, two weeks after my book was released Barnes & Noble made it a book club selection and the Philadelphia Inquirer wrote a review. This was huge!
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Barbara Berot, author of When Europa Rode the Bull, an erotic tale of betrayal and loss that spans two decades and traverses two continents, and Lies & Liberation: The Rape of Europa.
“In addition to being good writers, Smith Publicity has a realistic understanding of the media. Their staff, who were always quick and responsive to my requests, booked me interviews on major cable TV shows and an ABC affiliate. I did many radio interviews, including an hour-long show on Sirius satellite radio. I couldn’t have done it without them!
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Corinna Clendenen, is the author of An Artful Affair, the story of the temptation of a painter, the passions of a reporter, and the undoing of an auctioneer. Clendenen earned a Bachelor’s degree in Art History and a Master’s degree in Cinema Studies. She also studied fiction writing at Bread Loaf, The University of Iowa and Yale’s Summer Session.
“Thank you for working hard to get me reviews in several dozen newspapers and even radio interviews. I know it’s difficult for an unknown author to get precious air time, yet you did it. I look forward to working with you again. A good publicist is hard to find, and even harder to get. You know your craft exceptionally well and I am very grateful that Smith Publicity took me on.
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Worth is the acclaimed author of five novels chronicling the demise of the Plantagenet dynasty in England. Each book is the recipient of multiple awards. Among her numerous prizes and honors is the First Place Prize in the New Century Writers Awards sponsored by Francis Ford Coppola, and three Reviewers’ Choice Awards from the Romantic Times, Romance Reviews Today, and the CataNetwork.
“I had a horrible experience with a previous book publicity company that had terrible customer service. So when I found Smith Publicity, I was suspicious and ready to give up, but they worked with me on every level I needed.
First, they found a package that fit my needs and my budget. Further, they thoughtfully responded to multiple emails full of questions and concerns, and they scheduled not one, or two, but three one-hour long phone conversations, so I could ask question after question, which they answered. Plus, it was a pleasure to speak with their staff. I felt comfortable and safe.
I couldn’t believe the results. Within the first three weeks, I landed a radio interview, a request to write a magazine article, a request from Publisher’s Weekly, and I had nearly 100 eBook downloads.
When my campaign ended, they didn’t just kick me out the door either. They gave me a variety of lessons and tools to make sure I could continue publicizing my book on my own, and they continue to notify me of media responses and answer questions even though my campaign has ended.
Smith Publicity is a company I can trust to have my best interests as their number one goal and that is not something you will find anywhere.
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As a reporter and community editor, Stephanie Carroll earned first place awards from the National Newspaper Association and from the Nevada Press Association. Stephanie has degrees in history and social science and graduated summa cum laude from California State University, Fresno. She also writes the The Unhinged Historian and the Unhinged & Empowered Navy Wives blogs.
“Smith Publicity helped to establish a national profile for my first novel. They do a great job at rates that authors can afford. If you want your book to realize its full potential, I recommend hiring Smith Publicity!
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Makous has served as a Consulting Editor of Boulevard, the award-winning national literary magazine. He has published two novels, Riding the Brand and Virtually Dead, as well as several pieces of short fiction and two plays. He served as a co-producer at theatre institutions in New York, Detroit, and Columbus, and a number of his productions received awards.
“Until I worked with Smith Publicity, I had never experienced how easy the marketing and publicity aspect of writing could be. They work hard and smart; and are tireless and highly organized. Because they bring such focus to the business of marketing, the writer is free to write! Most importantly, Smith Publicity believes in their clients; in the parlance of my historical writing world, they are sword and shield. I would not go into a new publishing season without them.
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Osborne-McKnight’s is a professor of Creative Writing, Celtic and Native American mythology and a storyteller or “seanchai” in the ancient Irish tradition.
“The publicists at Smith Publicity are consummate publicity professionals. As a result of their dynamic approach, they wer able to arrange 50 successful radio interviews to help promote my novel. Media interest was phenomenal. The “City Section” of the New York Times ran a great feature article on me and my novel. My sales ranking at Amazon.com was among the top 1000 booksellers, and sales everywhere were vigorous. I recommend them highly.
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DeVico was born in Brooklyn, NY and lived for years in and around areas teeming with Mafia activity. He was exposed to a variety of organized crime characters and players, but chose the straight and narrow. A true “scholar” of organized crime, he possesses extensive knowledge of a wide variety of Mafia topics.
“From my first contact with Sarah Miniaci at Smith Publicity all the way to the documentation I received at the end of our three week campaign, it was a pleasure, a great leap forward, and a satisfying release of my work to the public. Smith Publicity attracted the type of response which I hoped for and I was very pleased. My publicist provided sound feedback, clear answers to my questions and, amazingly, usually did so within minutes—quite remarkable really and very impressive. For those who contemplate taking the same leap of faith into this brave new Indie world, I urge you to consider the services of promotion professionals. I found mine at Smith Publicity and I’m very glad I did!
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Boyd is an award-winning Canadian author and former educator at Appleby College in Oakville, Ontario, where he was awarded the Prime Minister of Canada’s Excellence in Teaching Award for his work in the development of e-courses for creative writing.
Boyd has published more than 25 books for children, young adults, and adults under the pseudonyms David Boyd and David Collins. The second book in his critically acclaimed trilogy for young adults, Bottom Drawer, was nominated for the Governor General’s Award for Children’s Text.
“I gave Smith Publicity a challenging task with a novel by an unknown writer. They were incredibly supportive and tenacious in getting the book, and me, in front of people. I didn’t expect TV to be big part of our strategy but they helped me find ‘hooks’ that made my historical fiction relevant to TV audiences. We also got reviews even after the end of the campaign! The Smith team provided excellent weekly reports (no wondering … ‘What have you done for me lately?’). Coming to Smith with a realistic sense of what is possible will ensure a fulfilling and valuable relationship.
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Gray received a B.A. in Humanistic Studies from Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore. Following graduation he moved to New York and worked in the Publicity Department of Doubleday Publishing before joining the Press Office of New York City Ballet where he soon became Press Director.
“To grasp the enormity of the task that Smith Publicity and my publicist were asked to accomplish for my novel Hotamah!, it is necessary to understand the thesis — the destruction of Western Civilization by Islamists using atomic weapons based on a Quranic prophesy. My publicist got three related commentaries of mine published in the media, something I was never able to do. She also managed to get me radio interviews; again, something I was never able to do. And then she got me a book review. Amazing! She is a magician. I am very pleased and would not hesitate to recommend Smith Publicity; in fact I already have.
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Schlickman is an industrial physicist and consultant who has spent his life in science and technology and published significantly in that domain. He obtained both his B.S. and M.S. degrees in Physics from the Northeastern University.
“As a first time author it was a difficult decision on how best to spend the modest resources to promote my novel. After doing some research I decided to invest in a publicist and chose Smith as the company. After an initial meeting, I was assigned a personal publicist who stayed on my project throughout and was always available to help guide me through the process. Their professionalism and patience put me at ease and made the daunting task of alerting the mainstream media of who I was much, much easier. Thanks to my team at Smith, I had media interest in my novel including the BBC and the likes of Teen Vogue and Disney radio. I can honestly say that while my book had the merit it needed to be recognized, it may never have been if it wasn’t for the hard work of Smith publicity.
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Grigoletti has been writing short stories and poetry for most of his life. He has contributed to several different periodicals over the years and continues to enjoy sharing his imagination with his friends and family through various creative outlets.
“To all at Smith Publicity, what can I say but thank you, thank you, and thank you. Ihad the most wonderful time working with you. I had no idea how creative and resourceful you would be. I had radio interviews across the country and articles printed in various publications. Your expertise was astounding and you not only showcased me to the American public, but you helped me realize what made me different and how I could showcase myself. My publicist was wonderful and her professionalism, her kindness and understanding of what needed to be done has made the whirlwind that is Smith Publicity a joy and a pleasure to work with. I feel like I am leaving friends and will certainly be back when I am ready to publicize my next book.
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Silent Night is Dutton’s second novel. Dutton has worked with the Crown Prosecution Service in England for years in various roles working closely with dedicated law enforcement officers and prosecutors. She is heavily involved in youth mentoring and works with teens on probation and participates in several charitable groups throughout England.
“Smith Publicity is a firm committed to customer satisfaction and immediate results. Although my budget was small, they worked with me to design an exciting campaign for my book that would grab the biggest audience in the shortest amount of time. They secured book reviews, radio interviews and television appearances in a matter of weeks, all the while, making me feel as if I were their only customer. I highly recommend this firm, whose dedication to clients is exceedingly obvious.
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Jones received a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science and International Relations from Marymount College of Fordham University. She went on to graduate school to pursue a Master’s degree from the University of West Florida in American Government. Married to a military officer, Jones was stationed on various bases throughout the country. During time spent at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina, Jones taught 20th century politics at Coastal Carolina Community College. Jones currently lives in Stafford, VA.
“If you think writing a sci-fi trilogy is hard–which it is–it pales in comparison to effectively marketing your work and getting the word out there as an indie author. Fortunately, help is at hand, with the hard working and highly professional publicity team that’s behind Smith Publicity coming to the rescue. They ensure that just about every media outlet connected in any way with the theme or topic of your book is contacted and then followed up with, using beautifully crafted press materials based on the input you provide.
My publicist worked tirelessly on my behalf, with regular updates as to what was happening and an upbeat yet sincere attitude. Plus, at the end of the campaign, you are provided with the materials and all contacts necessary to continue with the good work Smith Publicity has initiated, which is a good thing, given that media lead times often run into several months rather than weeks.
Overall, I’m thrilled with what they’ve done for me–straight A grades across the board and a very big, heartfelt thank you!
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In Marc Bolda’s action-packed trilogy, which includes Book One: The Awakening, Book Two: The Sundering Veil, and Book Three: The Last Knell of Tarumus, he takes readers on the adventure of a lifetime, seamlessly blending epic thrills and a poignant love story as unsuspecting characters are faced with the ultimate challenge: to save the world from the grasp of evil and the ultimate question … just why are we really here?
“Thanks to Smith Publicity for their efforts with Queens are Wild. I had no idea how a campaign like this would unfold and now I have some sense of the hard work that goes into it. I enjoyed working with the Smith team on this campaign.
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Jack Chaucer graduated from Marquette University with a BA in journalism and is a 20-year veteran of the newspaper industry. He is the author of two previous novels, Rocco & the Russian Mountains and Freeway & the Vin Numbers.
“My publicist was the consummate professional and met all my expectations and delivered more than I’d hoped. She arranged interviews and garnered book requests from as far away as Mumbai, and as local as my hometown. Through their savvy media experience, hard work and contacts, I received real exposure, started to build market recognition for myself and strong momentum for my novel that I certainly would not have found and successfully pitched.
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Alfred Cool was born and raised in BC. He was educated, sort of, at Simon Fraser University where he took English and Computer courses. He worked and travelled extensively on the Coast of BC as a young man. For 26 years, as an accomplished computer professional, he avoided the simple truth that his writing would eventually take over his life and now that inevitable dream, to his great satisfaction and pleasure, has become reality. This novel is the first of 5 to be written by and about the author and his travels around the coast of BC. The Five-Cent Murder will be published fall of 2012.
“Smith Publicity did a lot for me in promoting my Darko Dawson novels, all the time showing energy, initiative, innovation and a sense of humor. My publicist had a very positive and optimistic outlook. His pitches really grabbed one by the throat, and there were few media personalities during my campaign who were able to resist. Best of all, he got me a very good gig as a columnist with Foreign Policy in Focus, which in some cases will translate to being reposted on Huffingtonpost.com. All that could well boost my exposure for my upcoming third novel, for which I hope to use Smith again.
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Kwei Quartey is a physician practicing in the Los Angeles area, but his first love was always writing. When he was eight-years-old, he wrote three short novels that he bound with colorful cardboard covers. They were mystery stories, and Quartey has retained his preference for that genre into adulthood. His novel WIFE OF THE GODS is a murder mystery set in Ghana, West Africa. Quartey is able to set his story in that country because he grew up there until his late teens. He is the son of an African American mother and Ghanaian father.
“I want to say my publicist of Smith Publicity was a sheer delight; I loved her spunk and enthusiasm. She worked hard and gave me all feedback in timely fashion as promised. My front page coverage is a testimony to her efforts. The fact that she was still there for me, even though our contract was up, is a credit to the professionalism of your organization.
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Ruth Dran was born Ruth Bernice Liebman in Greensburg, Pennsylvania. She retired in 1990, from a long career in fashion merchandising; and has been living in Jerusalem since 1995. Amongst the possessions she brought with her was a carton of roughly drafted and unfinished manuscripts she’d accumulated throughout the years.
Disenchanted and unfulfilled with retirement she’s turned to the contents of that carton for a more meaningful retirement and sense of accomplishment. The Little Peninsula is the first manuscript she chose to complete and publish. Her next project to be published in 2012 is a novel of fiction entitled The Powers That Be.
“My wife and I have only three words for Smith Publicity: exceptional, outstanding, and terrific.
After we finished our first novel, we turned to them for assistance, and their stellar performance exceeded our expectations. Smith Publicity arranged for nationwide print and radio exposure for our book, worked closely with us to ensure the interview schedule matched our needs, and provided a weekly update of their activity that was both thorough and impressive. Thanks to Smith Publicity, we have already done nearly a dozen radio interviews from coast to coast about our book. Our publicist was everything you could want in a publicist: smart, diligent, conscientious, laser-focused on our needs and, most importantly, successful in designing and implementing a winning PR campaign for our book.
We found it not only refreshing, but also energizing to work with the professionals at Smith Publicity who actually know what they’re doing and surpass their own promises while doing it.
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Author ‘Pat Lawrence’ is actually the husband and wife writing team of ‘Pat’ Adsit Burke and her husband Daniel ‘Lawrence’ Burke – ergo: Pat Lawrence, pseudonym. They began their writing partnership in 2007 penning Murder Mysteries for their entertainment enterprise, Murder By Design. Next, they graduated to a two-act comedy stage play, Squirrels In The Attic, which has been performed in select venues in Wisconsin and Illinois. Jarred Into Being is their first novel together, but they promise it will not be their last.
“It was a major decision for me, being a self-published author with a limited budget, to commit to hiring a PR firm. Engaging Smith Publicity was clearly the best decision I made in the book marketing process. They provided exposure and credibility to my novel that would have been impossible for me to achieve on my own, leading to radio interviews, book reviews, and speaking engagements that have enabled the book to break out beyond my own local region. My publicist actually read my book, understood its strengths, and was able to craft a PR approach that worked. The entire organization was professional and responsive. I am happy to offer Smith Publicity my highest recommendation.
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Bruce Foster is a native of northern Baltimore County, Maryland, location of his upcoming novel Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye, where he grew up observing the social and cultural milieu of My Lady’s Manor steeplechase country. For fifteen years he has been chief of emergency medicine at a Pennsylvania hospital and is the medical director of an aeromedical helicopter service.
“My experience with Smith Publicity was not what I thought it would be. I thought I would engage in a 6 week, maybe a three month campaign. What it turned out to be was a May through December publicity campaign that wouldn’t quit, landing me media coverage including Fox News and The 700 Club. My publicist came up with brilliant angles that consistently caught media attention. Her weekly reports kept me apprised of the campaign progress, but more so, she made herself available for weekly, sometimes daily, phone calls. She handled my work with great care. My book is now in the hands of countless producers, editors and hosts. I have been able to share my story in regional, national and global markets. I could not have asked for a better experience. Thank you!
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Following the author’s real life experiences living in a mortuary in Northern California and raising her young daughter on her own, All the Wrong Places is a semi-autobiographical story of a single-mother and her journey to self-discovery, independence and a true understanding of love.
“I felt the Smith Publicity services were very professional. The representatives with whom I worked were very caring and enthusiastic about the kind of work they do. I would recommend this service to others.
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Larisa is a California resident who grew up in a small Siberian town before immigrating to the U.S. Backed by Larisa’s meticulous historical research, A Handful of Earth provides an authentic look at the way people lived eight centuries ago in Eastern Europe and Asia. Her short paranormal fiction has been published in print and online magazines and anthologies.
“Smith publicity is fantastic. Their campaign for my novel was brilliantly conceived, and the amount of publicity both myself and my novel garnered was astounding. I could be long on praise but I do not need to be in the Google age when all you need do is type in ‘Brixton Key’ and hit search. The results speak a million words. My publicist was tireless and ever available on the phone or by email for the slightest questions on my part. When my next novel is ready for release, Smith Publicity will be the first people I hire; without a doubt they exceed all my expectations.
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Brixton Key was born in Isleworth, England in the 1950s to a party-loving scallywag Mum and an errant Dad. Expelled from boarding school, which he attended on a scholarship, Brixton landed a gig with the British music weekly Melody Maker, writing under the name of Mark Plummer. He left for America one step ahead of Margaret Thatcher’s clampdown to manage Chris Isaak in the 1980s, guiding the pop idol and actor’s career as MTV started ruling the airwaves. In the 90’s Brixton suffered a life-threatening brain aneurism. After he recovered, on the advice of his stepson he began writing fiction.
“There aren’t enough words that can express my gratitude to my publicist and Smith Publicity for helping me promote my debut novel. From the beginning I was thrilled that they were able to offer publicity packages that would suit my budget. Then from there my publicist, on more than one occasion, exceeded my expectations and went ‘above and beyond the call of duty.’ In a short amount of time my publicist was able to obtain media interest for reviews and interviews that I was not able to get on my own. I only wish I had known about Smith Publicity before I had launched my book. I could have saved myself a lot of wasted money and aggravation. I know better now and will most certainly be working with them again.
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Toronto native Alexander Galant was the historical researcher for the novel Dracula the Un-Dead, a New York Times Best Seller in October 2009. Depth of Deception, his first novel, was a finalist in the “E-Book: Mystery/Thriller/Adventure” category at the 2012 International Book Awards in New York.
“Thank you for helping me promote my book. My publicist was a pleasure to work with. Again, thank you for all your help.
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“From the beginning, I knew I was in excellent hands with Smith Publicity. My publicist understood what I was looking for in a publicist. She and her team grasped myriad ways in which I could be marketed and proceeded to do so.
Using their considerable public relations experience and first rate media contacts along with their professionalism, they crafted an excellent marketing strategy. She was thorough, well organized, and highly responsive. I highly recommend Smith Publicity to any author looking for a qualified publicity agency to promote his/her book. I would not hesitate to use them again. It was a pleasure working with Smith Publicity. Thanks for all your efforts!
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Barbara Bryant wrote, produced and hosted a local television show in Louisville, KY, The Barbara Bryant Show – All About You, a show designed for women and “smart men.” Previously, she has written a column for Today’s Woman, a magazine for women published in Louisville, Kentucky, and articles for local newspapers covering etiquette, protocol, and relationship issues. Murder in Stilettos, Bryant’s first novel, weaves together murder, high fashion, and scandal in one gripping women’s interest thriller.
“Thank you and your team so much for all of your work. I truly appreciate all you’ve done to help me advance my promotional efforts. Smith will be the first place I call with any other promotional needs.
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Newspaper journalist Jvictor Black won two South Carolina Press Association Awards before retiring, the first in enterprise reporting and a second in feature writing.
“I just want to let you all know how grateful I am to be a part of such a dynamic crew. You all not only made me a man to look up to, to the public, but also made me feel that way too. Most of my life I have had people look down upon me as someone to be pitied, never admired. You have made me feel that I am somebody with worth and worthy of respect. Thank you dearly for that. Just think of what good you have done for me. It has got to be heartwarming to be able to make a nobody into a well respected author. You have made me believe that my words have meaning and that I am worthy of respect. Many, many thanks for having the heart to do what you do.
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John Garland was born and raised in Norfolk, Va. He attended Norview High School where his love for writing began. Medically retired from the Army, he spent the next 25 years traveling around the country before settling down in the mountains of North Carolina. The Endor Trilogy are his first novels.
“Smith Publicity delivers all that they promise, with a pleasant, professional approach. They provide a report that encourages the writer to follow up and keep in touch with their contacts. I highly recommend their services.
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CB Hoffmann is a native Floridian who holds a B.A. in Psychology from the University of Florida and a M.Ed. in Language Arts from the University of Central Florida. She is a member of Mystery Writers of America and has been an English teacher in Central Florida for over twenty-five years.
“I am so happy with the results Smith Publicity produced. I realized that from there, it all rested on the reaction media have to my book, and that was highly dependent on their personal tastes, genre preferences, and ultimately the quality of my writing—all factors not within Smith’s control, and only partially within mine.
I consider the money well spent for the interest. I simply did not have the means to locate—much less grab the attention of—such a varied and widespread swath of media. That is precisely why I called in the professionals, and Smith performed right on cue.
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Sheryl Sorrentino (a pseudonym) is the author of Later With Myself: The Misadventures of Millie Moskowitz and An Unexpected Exile. In addition to her writing career, Sorrentino is a full-time lawyer and self-proclaimed misfit within the legal profession.
“The self-publishing fiction market has become saturated in the past few years, and it’s daunting as a debut novelist to venture into this territory–alone! But hand-in-hand with Smith Publicity and my publicist, I felt supported and confident, particularly in light of their long, professional experience and critical contacts with the press.
They didn’t just take anyone on, and I felt their selectivity reflected their professionalism and realistic expectations for my novel, SUNDAY GIRL. We hit the road running–and they secured coverage of SUNDAY GIRL in the Los Angeles Times, Huffington Post and The Chicago Tribune. My publicist also got me a position on the Huffington Post blog team, so I could post my articles even after my contract with Smith was up.
In this day and age, I don’t think that a self-published novelist can do it alone. They need the help of a seasoned publicity team–and there’s none more expert than Smith Publicity. Thanks to Smith Publicity for getting SUNDAY GIRL on the map!
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Kalliope Lee studied Classical Literatures and Languages as an undergraduate at the University of Chicago, focusing on Greek Tragedy and Ancient Greek language. She was the recipient of the Presidential Fellowship to study in the PhD program in Classics at Columbia University. She has begun a PhD in the Classics, and received an MA before going on to get my MFA in the Creative Writing Program at NYU.
“I read somewhere that each month at least 1,000 books are published each month. That’s a daunting number for an independent author launching a debut novel. Fortunately, the team at Smith Publicity knew exactly how to pitch my book. Working with Smith was an absolute joy. My publicist understood my book’s audience and not only hit them hard, she also searched for crossover avenues. I couldn’t be happier with the work she put in and the number of outlets she reached. Alone, it took me three months to connect with one third of what Smith did in just three weeks. I will absolutely use Smith again.
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Keith Yatsuhashi graduated from Northeastern University and is currently the Director of the U.S. Department of Commerce Export Assistance Center in Providence, RI. He fulfilled his lifelong passion for writing with his debut novel, Kojiki.
“I contracted with Smith Publicity for a press release. To state that they did a good job is a gross understatement. They crafted an exceptionally well-written press release that exceeded my expectations immensely, were easy to work with and extremely helpful.
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Brenham attended Baylor Law School and practiced law as a prosecutor and, later, as a criminal defense attorney. After leaving private practice, Brenham worked as an Assistant General Counsel for the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Brenham is now retired from the State of Texas. Price of Justice is his first novel.
“My expectations of Smith Publicity were many. My expectations were not only met but exceeded far beyond what I imagined and hoped for! My publicist’s enthusiasm and unwavering commitment to the project was evident from our very first hello and carried through to the conclusion of our media campaign with exceedingly satisfying results. My publicist kept me constantly in the loop with her weekly updates and I was comforted by seeing a professional, detailed itemized list and the results of all her diligent hard work. I look forward to using Smith Publicity again with other future literary works of mine.
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Earle’s screenplay adaptation of Life Is But A Dream won three awards in the AOF (Action on Film) International Film Awards, for “Best Dialogue for a Feature”, “The Arthur Rosenfeld Award for Dramatic Writing” and runner-up for “The AOF Award for Excellence in Writing”. It was also nominated for “Best Science Fiction/Fantasy Feature.”
“Everyone I dealt with at Smith Publicity was great. My publicist was prompt, professional and available, even during Hurricane Sandy! My book was definitely exposed to many people who otherwise would have never have seen it. I’d happily use the services of Smith Publicity again.
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With thirty years of professional experience in criminal justice, Andison has held a variety of prestigious positions in the public and private sectors. Andison attended Capilano College in North Vancouver and the University of Victoria in Victoria British Columbia. He holds a master’s degree in sociology, with a specialty in quantitative analysis. Currently, Andison is a full-time writer and the creator of the Urizen Series. Death of the Republic and The Holy American Empire are the first and second books in the saga. He is currently at work completing the last three novels in the series.
“My publicist looked at possibilities for me that I would not otherwise have considered and did the utmost to secure features and interviews for me. She was extremely enthusiastic and hugely supportive. I couldn’t have enjoyed working with anyone more and as soon as I get the next book ready, I shall be contacting you all at Smith Publicity to ask for your help again. You have come up with some splendid results and have always been available and helpful. I couldn’t have asked for more.
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A graduate of the University of Keele in Staffordshire UK, Carol Wyer is a former ESL educator, linguist and physical therapist. She is fluent in English, French and German and Italian, Japanese and Arabic fluencies aren’t too foreign to her either. The launch of her new book, Mini Skirts and Laughter Lines, solidified Wyer as a well-known and respected blogger. A media darling, Wyer has been featured by BBC Radio, French Newsletter FIFI82, Woman’s Own magazine, Birmingham Mail, Lichfield Chronicle, Yours Magazine, Choice magazine, and Sixty Plus Surfers website, just to name a few.
“Thank you, Smith Publicity, for a wonderful campaign promoting my novel! I was fortunate to find Smith—their personal attention impressed me from the outset. This attention included detailed weekly updates as well as regular emails with my publicist who always took the time to answer my many questions. My publicist took the time to fully integrate all of the materials provided into an outstanding press kit that I never could have created on my own. She placed articles I wrote in dozens of newspapers, e-zines and websites, including The Huffington Post. And, she booked me on radio/podcast interviews, one of which lead to an offer to host my own radio show. I left the campaign with my own radio show! I never would have imagined that. I can’t say enough good things about Smith. I plan to use them in the future and recommend them to colleagues.
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Patricia Leavy has a Ph.D. in Sociology from Boston College. After a decade as a faculty member at Stonehill College (where she also served as dept. chairperson and Founding Director of the Gender Studies Program)she left academia to write full-time. She is now a writer, book series editor, commentator and invited speaker. She is also the host of the weekly online only radio show, Low-Fat Love 101 (www.pwrtalk.com).
“Never before have I experienced such professionalism in the way Smith Publicity carried out their business of helping promote my books. I look forward to working with them again on my next book.
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A native of Great Britain, Clift began a life in the arts, earning three certificates with honours from the Royal Ballet. He is a graduate of Bristol University with a qualification in the Chartered Institute of Secretaries and later worked for an aircraft company. During his 15-year career in the music industry, he wrote hits in a number of countries including a number one song in the U.S.
“Everyone at Smith Publicity were a pleasure to work with. I would have no hesitation in working with them again.
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Samantha is living her dream of pursuing writing as a career. She has written numerous columns on health and spirituality for a local paper. A Contented Mind, which encourages women to do what is right within themselves, is her first novel.
“My experiences with Smith Publicity were of the utmost satisfaction. Personable interaction, attention to detail, and a genuine interest by everyone in fostering opportunities for my success are what I feel set Smith apart from other firms. My publicist opened doors for me that I couldn’t dream of opening on my own. All in all, a wonderful experience, and one that I know will continue to pay publicity dividends. Once again, thanks so much for helping me lay the groundwork for what I foresee as the next stages in writing career.
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Roland Allnach, after working twenty years on the night shift in a hospital, has witnessed life from a slightly different angle. He has been working to develop his writing career, drawing creatively from literary classics, history, and mythology. His short stories, one of which was nominated for the Pushcart Prize, have appeared in several publications. His first anthology, Remnant, saw publication in 2010. It has since gone on to critical acclaim and placed as a Finalist/Science Fiction in the 2011 National Indie Excellence Awards. Oddities & Entities marks his second stand alone publication. When not immersed in his imagination, he can be found at his website, www.rolandallnach.com, along with his published stories. Writing aside, his joy in life is the time he spends with his family.