Book PR services
that earn honest attention

Set realistic goals for publicity

Start by naming what success looks like for this particular book. A debut novelist may want trade reviews and a handful of reader blogs. A consultant with a business book may care more about three strong podcast interviews and a byline in an industry magazine than about any review at all.

Publicity builds credibility and awareness, and it often lifts sales, but the link is rarely direct. One radio segment may move a few copies; the quote you pull from it may sell books on your retail page for years. Judge a campaign by the quality of the conversations it opens, not by a single week of rankings.

We also look honestly at your book's news value. Some books have an obvious hook. Others need one built from the author's expertise, a local connection or a timely anniversary. If we cannot find an angle that a busy editor would care about, we will tell you before you spend money on outreach.

Find the angle for fiction and nonfiction

Nonfiction usually pitches itself through the author's expertise. A retired detective, a trauma surgeon or a small business owner who turned a failing shop around can comment on news, answer listener questions and offer practical advice, which is exactly what producers book.

Fiction needs a different door. The hook might be the real history behind the plot, the research that went into a setting, the author's own background or a theme that connects to something people are already talking about. A thriller set in a real intelligence agency or a novel built on a family's wartime letters can earn features that a plain plot summary never would.

Memoir sits in between. The author's lived experience is the angle, and the best pitches connect that story to a wider issue readers care about, such as caregiving, addiction, military service or starting over late in life.

Start early: the publicity calendar

The biggest mistake we see is starting publicity the week a book goes live. Trade reviewers and long-lead magazines work months ahead, and many will not consider a title that is already out. The Authors Guild's overview of publicity timelines describes advance copies going to major outlets three to five months before publication, and that matches what we plan for.

A typical calendar looks like this. Six months out, we confirm the angle, the press kit and the list of trade reviewers. Four to five months out, digital galleys go to reviewers and long-lead print. Six to eight weeks out, we pitch podcasts, radio and blogs. Launch month is for interviews, events and local media, and pitching continues for one to two months after release.

Already published? You still have options. Podcasts, niche blogs, local media, op-eds and paid indie review programs do not require a pre-publication date, so a backlist title with a fresh hook can still earn attention.

Build a press kit journalists actually use

A press kit, sometimes called a media kit, saves a producer or editor time. If they can find your bio, headshot and talking points in thirty seconds, you are easier to book than an author who makes them ask.

Ours usually includes a one-page book sheet with cover, specs and a short description, a press release written in news style, a short and a long author bio, a high-resolution headshot and cover image, suggested interview questions, three to five talking points and a short excerpt. Nonfiction kits add expert credentials and story ideas tied to current events.

We tighten the core copy with the same thinking behind our book description builder, then host the kit on a press page of your website so every pitch can link to one clean, downloadable place.

Write a press release that gets read

A book press release is a news story, not an advertisement. It opens with what is new and why it matters now, names the author and the book early, includes one or two strong quotes and ends with publication details and a media contact.

We keep releases short, usually one page, and we write a separate version for each angle rather than forcing every outlet to read the same thing. Wire distribution can help with search visibility, but it rarely replaces personal pitches. In our experience, the release does most of its work as an attachment to a well-targeted email.

Trade reviews: Kirkus, Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and Foreword

Trade reviews are written mainly for booksellers and librarians deciding what to stock. They carry weight, and they have strict rules, so we explain the options accurately before you submit anything.

Kirkus Reviews runs a traditional program that does not charge publishers, plus a paid program called Kirkus Indie for self-published authors and books not reviewed before publication. Indie reviews are written by Kirkus reviewers, the author cannot edit them, and the author decides whether a review is published on the Kirkus site.

Publishers Weekly mainly reviews traditionally published books and now charges a small submission fee for review consideration, with no guarantee of a review. Its sister service BookLife offers paid, guaranteed reviews of self-published and independent press titles, written by PW reviewers and published in a separate BookLife Reviews section.

Library Journal asks for review copies well ahead of publication, about six months, and coverage is never automatic. Foreword Reviews considers independent and university press titles for free in its magazine if they arrive months before release, and offers a separate paid program, Clarion Reviews. When you quote any paid review, we name the program so readers and retailers know exactly what it is.

Pitch podcasts and radio

For many authors, podcasts are the most reliable source of interviews. Hosts need a steady stream of guests, episodes stay searchable for years, and a long conversation lets listeners get to know you in a way a short review cannot.

We look for shows whose audience matches your reader, check recent episodes so the pitch references real conversations, and propose a specific episode idea rather than a generic request. A smaller show with an engaged niche audience often sells more books than a big general one.

Radio still matters, especially public radio and regional talk shows. Many stations book authors for local interest segments, and a few drive-time interviews can be grouped around your launch week or an event in town. We prepare you with talking points and a short practice session so you sound natural, not scripted.

Approach TV and print with the right expectations

Local TV morning shows and lifestyle segments do feature authors, usually when the story is visual, timely or tied to the station's community. National TV is far harder to land and usually follows a strong news hook or earlier coverage, so we treat it as a stretch goal, never a promise.

Print works on different clocks. Newspapers can move quickly on a local or timely angle, while monthly magazines plan issues three to six months ahead. We match each pitch to the outlet's section, whether that is a books page, a regional feature, a trade publication or a magazine's front-of-book news section.

Strong visuals help with both. A good headshot, a striking cover and, for some books, a short video from our book trailers team give an editor something to run alongside your name.

Reach blogs, newsletters and online reviewers

Book bloggers, newsletter writers and online reviewers often reach the exact readers a book needs. Many specialize tightly: cozy mysteries, military history, homesteading, leadership. A short, personal pitch with a clear reason the book suits their readers gets far better results than a mass email.

We read each outlet's review policy before pitching, offer digital or print copies as they prefer and never ask for a positive review. Reviewers who receive free copies should disclose it, and we remind them politely. Under the FTC rule on fake reviews and testimonials, buying reviews or paying for positive ones is off the table, and we will not go near it.

Prepare for interviews before they are booked

When a host says yes, the turnaround can be days. We prepare you before the first pitch goes out, so you are ready when the invitation lands.

That means three or four core messages you can return to in any conversation, short stories that illustrate them, a clean answer to the inevitable question about what the book is about and a natural way to mention where listeners can find it. We run a practice interview, check your audio setup for remote recordings and send hosts a short brief with suggested questions.

Go local and go niche

Local media is often the warmest door. Hometown papers, city magazines, regional TV, alumni publications and community newsletters like a story about someone from their area, and those clips make the next pitch easier.

Niche outlets do the same thing for your subject. A true crime author might pitch crime podcasts and legal blogs; a military history writer might reach veterans' magazines, unit associations and historical society newsletters. Trade journals, professional associations and hobby communities rarely get author pitches, so a relevant one stands out.

We map these outlets early because they are the most likely to say yes. A dozen well-matched local and niche placements usually do more for a new author than one long-shot national pitch.

Set up bookstore and library events

Events give local media a reason to cover you and give readers a reason to show up. We help you pitch readings, signings, panel talks and workshops to independent bookstores, libraries, museums, community centers and professional groups that fit your subject.

Stores and libraries need to be able to order your book easily. That means wide print distribution through the channels they already use, sensible wholesale terms and accurate metadata, all handled in our book publishing setup. Some stores also offer consignment arrangements for local authors.

We prepare an event one-sheet, a short talk outline and promotional copy the venue can use, and we pitch nearby media in the weeks before each event so a single evening can produce a calendar listing, a short feature and a few local radio minutes.

Weigh book awards and festivals carefully

Awards and book festivals can add credibility and give media a fresh reason to mention you. Many independent book awards charge entry fees, and quality varies widely, so we help you pick programs with transparent judging, a real track record and winners you would be proud to stand beside.

Festivals and conferences are often more useful than medals. A panel slot at a regional book festival or a talk at an industry conference puts you in front of readers and local press at the same time, and organizers usually plan their programs many months ahead.

Write op-eds and offer expert commentary

For nonfiction authors, the book is often the credential and the commentary is the publicity. An op-ed that makes one sharp argument, usually 600 to 800 words, can reach more readers than a review and positions you as someone worth calling.

We help you pick arguments tied to the news, draft and edit pieces to each outlet's guidelines and pitch them to the opinion editors most likely to run them. Health, money, parenting and business topics in particular create steady demand for expert sources.

We also help you respond to reporter queries and build a short list of topics you can speak on quickly when a story breaks. Being fast, accurate and quotable matters more here than having a famous publisher on the spine.

Use social media as a supporting channel

Social media rarely replaces press coverage, but it amplifies it. Every interview, review and event becomes a post, a clip or a newsletter item, and coordinated posts on launch week help hosts and editors see that readers are paying attention.

We plan a simple campaign around your publicity calendar: sharing coverage, tagging hosts and outlets, sending advance copies to relevant creators on the platforms your readers use and keeping a consistent author voice. We never buy followers, views or engagement, which the FTC rule also prohibits when the buyer knows they are fake.

Track coverage and keep it working

Every campaign ends with a coverage report: outlets pitched, responses, scheduled and published pieces, plus links and quotes. That record shows what worked and gives you a ready list of contacts for your next book.

Then we put the coverage to work. Strong review lines can go on your cover, your retail pages and your website, and interview clips can feed your newsletter and social posts. Our team can fold everything into the next phase of your launch and Amazon plan, so the attention you earned keeps paying off long after the first month.