Frequently Asked Questions
One of the first questions we are always asked is whether or not an author needs to hire a publicity company.
The following is a quote from Brunonia Barry in an interview with Amy Andrews from Absolute Write. Brunonia hired Kelley and Hall to promote her self-published novel, The Lace Reader (Flapjacket Press, July 2007). Our publicity for this novel was so successful that Brunonia succeeded in selling her debut novel to William Morrow for more than $2 million.
Amy Andrews: You have experience coordinating promotional campaigns for Second City, Ivanhoe, and Studebaker theaters—what made you decide to work with a book publicity firm for The Lace Reader? What qualities or criteria did you rely on to make your decision?
Brunonia Barry: Well, first of all, my PR experience was many years ago, so things have changed. Also, I think it’s difficult for a writer to do his or her own publicity. Everyone believes that The New York Times should review their book, but we all know that it’s not likely. I think people working for an agency not only have better contacts, but they can be more objective about the promotional angles of your book. They also give you more credibility in the industry. It was important to me to have an agency that understood and really liked my book. That might sound ridiculous, but it is not always the case. They need to be able to maintain that enthusiasm.