“Working with Smith Publicity absolutely exceeded my expectations. Between the creative strategies they developed for me as a first time author to the level of detail they provided about their weekly outreach efforts, Smith definitely ranks as one the most effective and reliable partners I’ve had in 22 years of running my business. We’re still seeing results, even after our campaign ended!
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Susie Frazier is an expert in designing for wellness, applying a sixth sense about what types of interior elements are soothing to the soul and appeasing to the mind. As a pioneer in the modern day maker movement and one of Cleveland’s original reclamation artists who began in 1997, her passion is for turning distressed materials into objects of beauty.
Living most of her life with undiagnosed ADHD and anxiety, she developed a mechanism for calming herself through aesthetic choices that are heavily influenced by patterns and forms from nature.
Susie is a 2018 Emmy® award-winning producer and on-air personality for her lifestyle show Movers & Makers with Susie Frazier, which aired on NBC affiliate station WKYC TV3 in 2017. She speaks publicly at special events, writes articles for media publications, and appears on TV.
“It is one thing to write a book. It is another thing to wade into the unfamiliar waters of publicity. The team at Smith Publicity made it easy. Their thoroughness, professionalism, enthusiasm, network of relationships with television, radio, and magazine personnel, and hand-holding throughout the process exceeded my greatest expectations! Working together, we accomplished the unimaginable. For me, Smith Publicity was the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. And every author deserves a bit of gold.
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Mary Schmidt is a former executive for Baxter Healthcare, a Fortune 500 company, who writes under the pen name “Mary McKSchmidt.” She is a contributor to Michigan Blue and Sail magazines, a former columnist for The Holland Sentinel, and has written op-ed pieces for MLive. The poet and photographer of Tiny Treasures: Discoveries Made Along the Lake Michigan Coast, along with Uncharted Waters: Romance, Adventure, and Advocacy on the Great Lakes, Schmidt is a natural storyteller who has shared her adventures with audiences at garden clubs, professional women’s organizations, state and county nature centers, assisted-living facilities, and environmental organizations.
“Smith’s work was effective, marked by excellent follow-through and creative ideas. The team was so supportive—and my experience was outstanding. It was so satisfying to work with you!
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Dr. Helena Judith Sturnick is a trained scholar, published author, university professor, national and international leadership coach, and global speaker. She’s earned a reputation for practical and creative leadership, and for speaking about the spiritual side of leadership. This reputation has accompanied Dr. Sturnickas the transformational president of five colleges and universities, a Vice President at the American Council on Education (ACE), and the Director of the Office of Women in Washington, DC, as well as into her newest venture as the author of Fire in the Soul: Finding the Divinity Within Each of Us. During her career, she also received two honorary doctorates, as well as numerous national and international leadership awards.
“As an unknown first time author with a very small platform, I was doubtful I would receive any significant media attention. I researched several publishing options and literary publicists and decided to work with Smith Publicity. I found my publicist to be a true professional. In the four months we worked together, she was able to secure me 14 TV spots including major broadcast channels in New York City, Boston, and Chicago. She got my bylines featured in many print and online articles, including Healthline and Reader’s Digest. It was a very busy book launch, but I can say that working with Smith Publicity made the process a wonderful experience. My publicist was encouraging, enthusiastic, sensible, resourceful, hard working, and available! In short, I highly recommend Smith Publicity.
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Dr. Rob Brown has been a practicing radiologist for the past twenty-five years. Throughout his career, he has witnessed first-hand the adverse effects of toxins on human health. He received his B.A. from Brown University, M.D. from The University of Miami Leonard M. Miller School of Medicine, and completed his residency training in diagnostic radiology at The Western Pennsylvania Hospital. Dr. Brown completed a musculoskeletal radiology fellowship at University of California San Diego, during which time he authored several research papers subsequently published in peer reviewed publications, including the industry-leading journals Radiology, AJR, and Radiographics.
“Smith Publicity encouraged me to write things that I would never have written and got me into channels that I would never have gotten into. My Smith team helped me to develop my brand and build awareness for my book’s publication. They did a great job helping me to promote my book.
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Paul Kenny worked for Kraft Foods for 35 years working with an amazing group of chefs and food scientists, honing his appreciation of the “art and science” of a great meal. As VP of Marketing for the ingredients business at Kraft he was exposed to some of the greats in the food industry, including working with food scientist that invented Kraft Macaroni and Cheese as well as the chef that led innovation at Nestle for over 20 years. Working with these experts has given him enormous insight into what makes food taste good and what makes it popular. Paul also ran KFI’s international businesses that had him traveling the world, enjoying all kinds of cuisines and learning a lot about food. Most importantly, he has gotten to know many interesting people over a good meal, which is the foundation of any supper club.
““Thank you so much Smith Publicity for a highly professional service. You made this process amazing and due to a great PR my book is out there
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Eli Maor is the author of the book The Craft Kingdom, which came after years of creating, teaching crafting workshops and a whole lot of DIY fun. She obtained a bachelor of arts in media and business management, and went on to study interior design. While obtaining her degrees, she sold handmade crafts at art fairs and booths.
Maor shares crafting videos on her YouTube channel, The Craft Kingdom. You can also connect with her on Facebook and Instagram.
For more information visit www.thecraftkingdom.com.
“Smith Publicity did a superb job of generating interest in my book. I am grateful for the excellent service I received from its team.
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Laurelee Blanchard, Founder and President of Leilani Farm Sanctuary, left a lucrative career as Senior Vice President at the national firm of Lee and Associates Commercial Real Estate Services to devote her life to animal protection and humane education. In 1999, she cashed out her life savings and moved from Orange County, California, to Haiku, Maui. There she acquired an eight-acre parcel of land, on which she created a farm sanctuary—a refuge where animals would be protected from neglect, abuse, and slaughter.
“Every once the rarest while, one encounters a company that’s both powerfully effective, and a delight to work with. I’ve had a good amount of media coverage in the past, so I’m quite demanding when it comes to publicity. My publicist was nothing short of extraordinary. Her work directly resulted in a veritable flood of print, radio and television interviews, new and positive relationships with top-tier national media—I’m talking dream media!—and my becoming a nationally syndicated columnist. I simply can’t speak highly enough of Smith publicity’s professionalism, passion, and of my publicist’s dead-on skill.
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Ken Page, LCSW, author of Deeper Dating: How to Drop the Games of Seduction and Discover the Power of Intimacy (Shambhala). Page is an internationally renowned psychotherapist and leading Psychology Today blogger and contributes articles and has been featured in O, The Oprah Magazine, The New York Times, Cosmopolitan and more. He has taught at Columbia University, the Omega Institute, Iona College, Rowe Conference Center, and the Garrison Institute. Page founded Deeper Dating in 2004 as an event platform in which trained facilitators speak on sexuality, intimacy, and spirituality in the world of dating and then lead participants in a series of fun and enriching exercises.
“My work with Smith Publicity was foundational in creating a platform for my nonfiction writing, and particularly, Farming Soul: A Tale of Initiation. According to Amazon statistics, it sold more copies in the first four months than the previous four years with the other small press.
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Patricia Damery is an analyst member of the C.G. Jung Institute of San Francisco and in private practice and author of Farming Soul: A Tale of Initiation. She grew up in the rural Midwest and witnessed the demise of the family farm through the aggressive practices of agribusiness. With her husband Donald, she has been a Demter certified biodynamic organic farmer in Napa for ten years, where they grow grapes, raise goats, and grow and distill lavender and other aromatic plants. Her articles and poetry have appeared in the San Francisco Library Journal, Jung Journal: Culture and Psyche, Psychological Perspectives, and Biodynamics: Working for Social Change Through Agriculture.
“We are so happy with our choice to work with Smith Publicity to get the word out about our book. Our first contact, Sarah Gilbert was realistic in setting expectations about what opportunities and challenges Smith would face marketing a book almost a year past its publication date. We are thrilled with the work that our publicist did. She was incredibly creative, professional, motivated, and generous, which led to exceptional results in sourcing interviews, articles with our book featured, and book reviews. Smith Publicity has our highest recommendation!
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Joanne Davila, PhD, is Professor of Psychology at Stony Brook University, a clinical psychologist in private practice, and an internationally known expert on young women’s romantic relationships. She lives in Stony Brook, New York, with her partner.
Kaycee Lashman is an organizational change specialist who focuses on relationship dynamics within companies. Married with two children, she lives in Vancouver, Canada.
“I am indebted to Smith Publicity for helping me promote my book and gain exposure beyond what I could ever have imagined as a first time, self-published author. The first surprise was that Smith was willing to work within my limited budget by coming up with creative ways to share some of the administrative tasks, allowing my publicist and her capable partner to provide as much value added as possible during our short campaign. The press release they drafted for me reflected a spot-on read of my book, skillfully consolidating multi-layered themes into a concise marketing package.
My publicist’s enthusiasm and passion were infectious. She cared as much about the success of my book launch as I did. The results were measurable: my three-week campaign led to several interviews with print media (including a request for an expert opinion in The Chicago Tribune), an invitation to be a speaker at a conference and workshop instructor, a TV appearance, and placement of my work in high traffic online sites. Another publicist even said to me, ‘I’m so impressed with the results you’ve gotten with Smith!’
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Martha Brettschneider is a writer, blogger, photographer, and gardener. In 2009, she was diagnosed with breast cancer, which reoriented her perception of body, mind, and spirit. A former international economist at the Treasury Department, Brettschneider transformed from a left-brained business woman to a meditation-touting creative. In 2014, she became an “award-winning photographer” through a “photo-a-day challenge” facilitated by Project365.
“If professionalism, integrity, and loyalty to client are attributes important to you in a PR firm you will find them in Smith Publicity. Not only do they do a fantastic job in promoting, but encompass those qualities which in today’s world is to be sought after and applauded. I can highly recommend Smith; they confidently and capably introduced my book to the exciting and intricate world of national media. I was pleased and proud to have Smith Publicity in my corner.
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Kathy Bertone is the co-founder and former managing partner of a merger and acquisition firm located outside Washington, DC.
“We approached Smith Publicity about promoting our children’s book written about our daughter, Charlotte, with caution. Our family had suffered the overwhelming loss of our daughter in a national tragedy. We had learned to be careful of who we allowed to share our story, and after emails and phone conversations, we requested a personal visit with the Smith team. They graciously cleared a morning for us to meet not just the team that would be assigned to our account, but anyone who might lift even one finger to assist in promoting our books and foundation. We signed on for a four-month campaign and the professional care they exhibited and personal compassion extended will never be forgotten. And on top of it, the results were phenomenal! Our projects will likely need additional publicity in the future, and it is with complete confidence that I can say that we will look no further than Smith Publicity.
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Joel, JoAnn and Guy Bacon are the parents and brother of Charlotte Bacon, who died as a result of the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, CT. Charlotte was just 6 years old but left a bold impression on everyone she met. The Bacon family has founded and developed a number of projects to honor their spirited Charlotte, share her joy and beauty, and advocate for what has helped them most as they grieve.
Both books, Good Dogs, Great Listeners and The Dogs of Newtown, are able to stand alone, but are also used as tools for the Charlotte’s Litter Program. Charlotte Bacon’s bold story, the things she loved, and the Bacon family’s own grief process have contributed to a brand that is unique to their family.
The Bacon family lives in Sandy Hook, Connecticut. They will always be a family of four.
For more information, visit www.gooddogsgreatlisteners.com and www.charlotteslitter.org
“From start to finish, I found Smith Publicity offered me the attention, interest, and support that is so vital when your book is released. It’s hard to imagine that others can be just as passionate as you when it comes to your book, but the publicists at Smith always kept pace with my energy and enthusiasm. From the many targeted pitches and diligent follow-ups, I was kept quite busy with print, radio, and TV engagements.
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Dr. Joe Luciani has been a practicing clinical psychologist for more than thirty-five years. He’s the internationally best-selling author of the Self-Coaching series of books, published in nine languages. He’s written articles and been featured in numerous national magazines and newspapers, including O, The Oprah Magazine, Redbook, USA Today, Fitness, Health, Shape, and Body and Soul. He appears frequently on national TV, radio, print and online outlets.
“My experience with Smith Publicity has been a good one. I can’t thank my publicist enough for the passion and commitment she brings to her job. Her belief in me as an author together with her persistence has given me faith in publicists. She has been fantastic. Publicity doesn’t come easy to me. But for the sake of a higher moral ground, the recipient for any of my profits Hospital for Special Surgery, The Wright Prosthetic Fund, I have persevered. Thanks all.
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Ellen Wright is the author of three cookbooks and has appeared several times on The TODAY Show and Larry King Live. She studied under Julia Child, worked with the prestigious James Beard for seven years and has earned several awards for her work with the Hospital of Special Surgery, New York, NY where she is a trustee.
“Working with Smith Publicity was the best decision I made after my book was published. You can tell when you’re in the hands of professionals. My publicist was the Tom Brady of the media world. Tireless, talented, and connected, she led me through the whirlwind of the media as if it were just another walk in the park.
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Dr. Roger Landry, author of Live Long, Die Short: A Guide to Authentic Health and Successful Aging. Dr. Landry has been featured nationally and internationally on radio and TV with NBC, FOX News, ABC, and CBS, as well as BBC radio. Dr. Landry has also written exclusive articles, and been called on as an expert in the field of aging by publications such as Esquire, US News and World Report, Huffington Post US/Canada, Los Angeles Daily News, About.com, Assisted Living, Expert Beacon and eHow, GRAND Magazine, Senior Planet, Journal of Aging and Health, Denver Post, and ThirdAge. He is president of Masterpiece Living, a multi-specialty group committed to older adults aging in a better way.
“We researched over several months for the PR company we felt would best represent our book: Renovate, Remodel….Relax! When we interviewed Smith Publicity, there seemed to be a connection that fit well with our needs. They were open with their approach, sent sample progress reports for our review and provided references to contact. We were introduced to our publicist through a conference call and immediately, we knew we made the right choice. She was enthusiastic and positive with a can-do approach and seemed genuinely interested in our topic and delved in with ideas and her approach in contacting the media. Throughout the extended contract, we collaborated on ideas and angles to present to the media. Our publicist was open to suggestions and responded promptly to questions. She continually represented us professionally and we always felt we were part of the same team. We are very pleased with our choices and look forward to continued involvement.
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Kathi Fleck is a whole-house designer who specializes in Design/Build, Universal Design and Aging-in-Place. Her designs have gathered the attention of expert remodeling magazines and an award winning designer. Her attention to detail and years in the industry have provided her with an eye for the latest developments and trends around the home. Kathi and her co-partner founded their award winning company, LoneStar Property Solutions, with real people in mind. Since 2007, Kathi has creatively designed and overseen over 320 significant remodeling projects and helped hundreds on homeowners unleash their vision and turn their dream projects into reality.
“Five stars and AAA+++ for Smith Publicity. Everyone I worked with at Smith was thoroughly professional and completely committed to designing and executing a successful campaign for my book. My publicist did an absolutely fantastic job getting an overwhelming number of appearances on major market television and nationwide radio shows as well as multiple reviews and feature stories about the book. In a twelve-week campaign, she produced over 180 high quality inquiries about the book and some of the folks featured in it. This number will likely grow as there are still a substantial number of active leads outstanding.
I could barely keep up; the results were far beyond my expectations. I whole-heartedly and unqualifiedly recommend Smith Publicity. Just can’t say enough good things about them.
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Brendan Hare is a recent retiree. He lives outside Boston with his wife, near their three grown children. Mr. Hare worked as a teacher, a college economics instructor, and for over forty years, as an attorney. He served as chief litigation counsel for a Fortune 50 company, and later as the founder and managing partner of his own law firm. For over twenty years, he built and guided a sizeable national practice, with clients drawn from some of the largest corporations in America. Few experiences in his career have been as rewarding as writing From Working to Wisdom. He spent two years traveling the country, meeting new people, and listening to them discuss their lives and thoughts about growing older. Writing this book changed him profoundly. He hopes it will have a similar impact on readers.
“Highly energetic and committed, our Smith Publicity publicist was both a terrific person and an amazing resource. He was ever thoughtful, caring and supportive of a fledgling author and I greatly appreciate all Smith Publicity did to bring We Were an Island to a broader audience.
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In 1949 Art and Nan Kellam set off to find their own isolated piece of paradise and eventually settled on a 550-acre island known as Placentia, near Mount Desert Island, Maine. They would live there year round for nearly forty years. In this beautifully illustrated volume, Peter P. Blanchard III re-creates the story of their island years. Blanchard graduated from Princeton University in 1974 with a degree in Art History. Additionally, he holds Master’s degrees in Science Education from Columbia University’s Teacher’s College (1979) and Forestry Science from Yale University’s School of Forestry and Environmental Sciences (1986).
“My publicist at Smith Publicity worked tirelessly round the clock on my campaign, with excellent results. At one point, we had more interview requests from network television affiliates around the country than we could possibly handle! Her approach to my campaign was passionate and personal; she knew my book inside out and was a joy to work with. Thank you so much, Smith Publicity!
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Dr. Biali holds a Doctorate of Medicine and a Bachelor’s of Science in Dietetics from the University of British Columbia. She has received countless academic and personal awards, most recently the Woman of Worth Award in Health & Wellness. She has appeared in national print media such as SELF, Fitness, Hello!, the Chicago Tribune, and Cosmopolitan and had a “Food for Thought” column for the past eight years in The Medical Post, educating physicians and health professionals across Canada about nutrition.
“My publicist worked very hard on my behalf and communicated regularly with me. She had great hook ideas and was open and responsive to my input. The client needs to do their part—such as preparation and availability—but they’ll do theirs!
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Michelle May, M.D. is a recovered yoyo dieter and the founder of the Am I Hungry?® Mindful Eating Program which received the Excellence in Patient Education Innovation Award. She holds an M.D. from the University of Arizona College of Medicine, and a B.S. in Psychology from Arizona State University.
“To say that it was a pleasure working with Smith Publicity in promoting my first book is a vast understatement. After my publicist’s many ‘great news’ e-mails indicating that she’d secured more excellent press in the form of radio interviews, newspaper interviews, and bylines, I emitted many celebratory WOO-HOOs, and may have even done some dancing in the street. My publicist clearly loves what she does: this came through to her clients and I am sure this comes through to all of her media contacts. She truly made this nerve-wracking process a lot more fun and during the time we worked together my confidence in this realm grew tenfold.
Did Smith follow through on everything they promised, including the thorough weekly reports, the final summary report including contacts? YES. Would I use them again for the next book? Most definitely. Would I recommend them to other writers? Absolutely. The press I received and the experience I gained during this time is already catapulting me into the next stage of my writing career.
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Cox holds a graduate degree in creative writing from Sarah Lawrence College, and a BA from University of Pennsylvania. Her humor has appeared on Slate.com, HelloGiggles.com, in Jane Magazine, on YankeePotRoast.org and on her website TheHomeTome.com. Cox’s short fiction has appeared in several literary magazines and has been nominated for a Pushcart prize.
“As an author and publisher, one is never quite sure which marketing dollars will hit the mark and offer the highest return. I can say—without question—that hiring Smith Publicity to promote me and my book was one of the best decisions we made as a publisher. The high quality media exposure has been non-stop and our representative, and they made sure that all of our potential target audiences get the opportunity to know about So Grows the Tree. As we look forward to the publication of our next book, Smith Publicity will no doubt continue to be a member of our team.
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Cebuhar, co-owner of Murphy Publishing, LLC, has been an attorney and entrepreneur for 27 years. Her journey to this book began with her loss of loved ones to death, both sudden and lingering. As the chairman of Iowa’s largest hospice organization, she came to understand the importance of and right to peace and dignity at life’s end.
“In a short six-week campaign, Smith Publicity managed to attract attention for my book from over 100 media sources. Could I have done all this myself, without Smith? Simply put, no. They seemed to be personally invested in my book and in me. And it paid off.
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Currently the publisher and owner of Opal Publishing Company, the parent company of Interesting Interstates, Barnes published this unique guide to the fascinating things that lie along this busy interstate.
“We approached Smith Publicity to help us promote our nonfiction book, Minimalism: Live a Meaningful Life. Although we had already booked some self-aquired PR gigs in the past, we didn’t know what to expect from a real PR agency. We thought a publicist might get us a small spike in book sales and a few new readers at our website. Boy were we wrong!
Instead, our publicist radically exceeded our expectations. Not only did she book interviews for us on dozens of television and radio programs in the U.S. and Canada but also newspaper interviews with USA Today, Boston Globe, San Francisco Chronicle, Globe & Mail, Toronto Star, and others. She was incredibly pleasant and easy to work with. She stayed in close contact with us and made sure we had everything we needed to be successful. Successful we were: not only did our book sales experience a nice increase, but our web traffic is at an all-time high.
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Joshua Fields Millburn and Ryan Nicodemus are two childhood best friends who, as they approached the age of 30, decided to take control of their lives and renounce their six-figure jobs, nice cars, big houses, drawers full of gadgets and scads of superfluous stuff in favor of minimalism.