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Feb142011
UK Publisher Month: Meet Louise Court from Gollancz, Plus Upcoming Titles 2011 & Fab Giveaway!
by Carolyn • Posted in UK Publisher Month 2011
During the month of February I will be celebrating UK publishers and the books they publish. There will be posts from editors and publicists revealing some of their upcoming titles for 2011 as well as giving us a glimpse into their working lives. I will also be reviewing some of their titles and there will be lots of UK giveaways too. Enjoy!
Well, hello – and how exciting to be asked to write a guest post on this great blog! I’m Louise and I’m Publicity Assistant at the Orion Publishing Group, an Hachette publishing house which comprises of Orion, Weidenfeld & Nicolson and Gollancz.
Working in Publishing
It often strikes me that book publishing is a weird and wonderful little world of its own, one which people tend to idealise as being terribly glamorous. And while there is a steady stream of cakes (and occasionally the odd glass of bubbly), we’re always working doggedly, making sure we’re doing everything we can to make sure the next book release is even better than the last. And all the while the publication schedule rolls on…
The Role of Publicity
In Publicity, we get very excited in-house about future projects about a year prior to release when we are briefed by the Editorial department on upcoming titles. We’ll get the manuscript as early as possible and (very important) give it a read. We then have to sit down and think about where the book and the author sit in the current book market. You can do this with any book by asking yourself a series of questions:
• Which already established books/authors does it remind me of?
• What makes this one different?
Once you know this, you can go on to seek out your audience:
• Who will the book or author appeal to?
• What do they read, listen to and watch?
• Who influences them?
• How do they like to be approached?
We write up our thoughts into a publicity plan, which is a sort of wish list setting out what sort of coverage we aim to get in terms of feature pieces and reviews. We’ll also start trying to place the author at literary festivals and arrange book tours, talks and singings up and down the country.
Hopefully by now we’ve made a pretty well researched review list, targeting journalists and producers who we think will be interested in the book, and send them proofs/copies with a press release. We’ll also pitch separately for features in magazines and newspapers and interview slots on radio and TV that we think might be suitable. As I’m sure you’ve figured out by now, it’s really all about getting the book and author out there as much as possible on the run up to the publication date.
Then comes really great part of my job – seeing the coverage come rolling in. Whether digitally or in print, it’s really what makes it all worthwhile.
Being a Publicity Assistant
My job in the Publicity department is really about communication – with authors, with journalists and increasingly directly with you, the readers.
As Publicity Assistant, getting coverage for Gollancz paperbacks and Urban Fantasy titles is only part of what I do. I’m also involved in publicising our audiobooks and attending recordings, organising our prestigious annual author bash, making sure our books are featured trade press like The Bookseller and of course I’m also a general administrative bod who takes great pleasure in cracking the whip and keeping my department in line.
The best thing about being in publishing has to be working with something as lovely as books – you won’t find a person here whose first love wasn’t the written word. Working at the Orion Publishing Group is fantastic because we cover such a great breadth of genres, but I particularly enjoy working on Gollancz titles because the readers/bloggers/reviewers who I deal with are all so passionate. It’s a pleasure to tell them all about the new releases and to hear their thoughts.
Books to be excited about
Gollancz is already well established as the home of British Sci-Fi, publishing SF heavyweights like Joe Abercrombie, Patrick Rothfuss and Terry Pratchett, but we also have a thriving Urban Fantasy list and that’s really what I wanted to shout about in this post.
So, first things first. If you haven’t read Charlaine Harris yet, shame on you! The Southern Vampire Mysteries series is a real phenomenon and has just grown and grown – it inspired the amazingly successful True Blood TV series. The books (there are 10 currently out now) about telepathic cocktail waitress Sookie Stackhouse and vamp Bill are super addictive and if you haven’t read them before, I promise it won’t take you long to catch up. Her latest paperback, Dead in the Family is out in March, with the eleventh book in the series, Dead Reckoning, due to be a publishing event in May this year.
If you’ve been on the Sookie bandwagon for a while now and you’re craving some more Charlaine, give The Aurora Teagarden Mysteries Omnibus 1 and 2 a go. These short but sweet mysteries follow Aurora ‘Roe’ Teagarden as she attempts to get to the bottom of various deadly happenings… The second omnibus is due to be published on 17 February, so you still have time to squeeze first one in.
Other than Charlaine, our biggest success is probably Dark Fantasy author Nalini Singh. Her books are incredibly intense and easily devoured in one sitting. Now is an especially good time to start reading her we’re releasing one book a month from her sexy, sassy psy-changeling series, which will lead up to the international hardback release of Kiss of Snow in August. Kick off with the sizzling Mine to Possess, which out on 24 February.
Chloe Neill’s latest and second in the Dark Elite series, Hexbound, is also one to look out for. Snarky Lily Parker makes a bewitching heroine as she tries survive the brat-packed elite boarding school of St. Sophia’s while also struggling to control her newfound magical powers.
Just a quick word too for my favourite British UF writer, Suzanne McLeod. Witty, sexy and funny, her books create a unique world that’s always a pleasure to get lost in The Bitter Seed of Magic, the third in the series, is out on 17 February.
Get in touch
I’d love to hear thoughts, especially about any of our Urban Fantasy titles. So if you want to contact me with feedback, a review or a query, then you can reach me on Twitter @louisecc
Thanks Louise!
GIVEAWAY
Louise and Gollancz are kindly giving away FOUR (4) books! They are:
1. Bite Me if You Can by Linsay Sands
2. Mine to Possess by Nalini Singh
3. Archangel’s Consort by Nalini Singh
4. The Bitter Seed of Magic by Suzanne McLeod
All you have to do to enter is the following:
1. Leave a comment for Louise
2. Read Book Chick City’s giveaway policy
3. Fill in this form
4. One entry per person
That’s it!
This giveaway is for UK Residents Only and ends 28th Feb 2011!
GOOD LUCK!
42 Comments
Hi Louise thanks for taking the time to tell us a bit more about your job. It sounds incredibly interesting, but great fun. There is nothing better than getting people interested in a new author/book you have come across and you must get that buzz quite often. The second Aurora Teagarden mysteries is on my must buy list so I'll need to start keeping an eye out for it.
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What a great job.I love the Gollanz books and Orion books in general. I tend to read lots of genres. The Aurora Teagardens sound great I will have to put them on my to read list. Thanks for the insught into your job.
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Great to read all about such an interesting job. Gollancz books are all over my bookcase
Looking forward to the new Charlaine Harris I have all the Stackhouse Books. Watching True blood is a bit weird when the storyline strays so different from the books !
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Another one here loving Gollancz, your job sounds so interesting Louise.
I've read nearly all the Southern Vampires books barring the last two, got to get hold of those. You've got me interested in the Aurora Teagarden ones now too. Yet more to add to my never ending list
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Hi, Louise! What a fascinating job you have! I totally love Suzanne McLeod, and her book covers rock.
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I love hesring about all the behind scenes that goes on with getting my favourite books on shelves. I used to think it was just an author and typewriter!
One question – is there any book that you feel didn't get the recognition it deserved? Any hidden gems?
Thanks!
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I didn't realise Gollancz published so many good books. What a fabulous career to have.
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I still haven't read Charlaine Harris series! l do have them all on my shelf though and hope to get to them this year!
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Hi!
Your job sounds so interesting! I love the name 'Gollancz'-sounds so mysterious lol.
Thanks for telling us more about yourself and for the wonderful giveaway.
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Hi, I love books and reading about new Authors.
msuck27@hotmail.co.uk
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Brilliant article! Really interesting to get more of an insight into the publicity side of publishing! I am so addicted to Charlaine Harris and can't wait until the new one in May!
Thanks for posting this!
Emma
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What a fantastic job – I would love it!
Adore reading fantasy. Would really like to win the giveaway to have some new books.
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Hi Louise – it sounds as if they keep you frantically busy. It's a far cry from the days when I use to read Gollancz yellow-covered sci-fi from the library. I'm wondering if you feel the vampire genre is saturated and if you have some idea of what the next big thing will be?
It must be quite difficult for you sometimes when you're dying to talk about something and you're sworn to secrecy
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What a great job. Until I read this, I hadn't realised how many of my favourite authors write for you guys. ;o)
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It does sound like such a fun job, would love to do something like that
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Your job sounds fab! The article was really interesting to read. x
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Hi Louise, great to hear about your job – sounds fab! I've read all 10 Sookie Stackhouse books (far better than on TV in my opinion) but didn't know No 11 was on the way! Great tip about Charlaine Harris' other books though. I was wondering, have you ever had to publicise a book you thought was rubbish? Must be difficult to do…Anyway, I'm entering the competition because I don't know all the authors and would love to read some new fantasy!
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I love how a lot of your job consists of communicating with bloggers, readers etc. Sounds so fun!
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That must be a awesome job! I bet you get loads to read!
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Louise, it sounds like you've got a wonderful job!
Funnily enough, I'm currently reading a Gollancz book – Rivers of London by Ben Aaronovitch – and loving it.
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Hi Louise, it sounds like you have an amazing job. It must be very exciting to be among the first people to hear about a new book and have the opportunity to read and promote it.
Thanks for the opportunity to win some of these fantastic titles.
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Hi Louise – Thanks so much for taking the time to participate in the BCC Publisher feature. It's been so interesting, and a great way to pick up info on upcoming books! Gollancz is one of my absolute favourite publishers – the bookish interaction through Facebook is just outstanding. And what a great giveaway, Nalini Singh and Lynsay Sands! Much love for both.
Being a publicity assistant is clearly a demanding but very rewarding job. Good luck with all your upcoming titles!
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Hi Louise both my fiance and me are really enjoying gollancz books,it sounds like you have the perfect job,keep the great books coming.
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I've jsut started reading Charlaine Harris' Living Dead in Dallas. I've never actually read anything like this before, I tend to read things more like Jodi POicoult. But I am LOVING it! Keep them coming
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Hi Louise, I enjoyed reading your article & love finding new authors and stories to fill my ever expanding bookshelves
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Hi Louise, it's always good to hear more about the why's behind what people do, I follow the Gollanz facebook pages (amonst many others) but find nearly all of the books from the Gollanz and Gollanz Dark Fantasy pages are going to be ones I really enjoy reading
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Hi Louise
I love Gollanz books! (Charlaine Harris is amazing!) I need to get my hands on The Aurora Teagarden Mysteries Omnibus 1 & 2!! 
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It sounds like such a fun job! I'm a long time fan of all of Charlaine Harris' work.
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Great post. Love getting an insight into their job. x
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Such a great post and thanks for the great giveaway!
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Thank you Louise for all the insight into your world:P
It sounds like your extremely busy and have to be very organized, but i suppose thats a small price to pay:)
Thanks for the info on up coming books, theres quite a few you have that im looking forward to.
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Hi Louise,
.Thanks for sharing it.
Its nice to hear from you.Didnt know much about publicity of books
Looking forward to the new Charlaine Harris.
Regards
Alpa
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Sigh . . . UK residents only? Bummer. But I am really enjoying the book reviews and the wonderful info working with publishing.
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What a great job to have. I love charlene Harris. I have read all the true blook books I love them cant wait for the next one. I really want to try reading Aurora Teagarden books
Thanks Louise!
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Great guest post Louise, it was interesting to learn more about your job. I'm a massive fan of urban fantasy & love the Gollanz titles I've read. I can't wait to read the new Nalini Singh series as I've heard so many good things about her books. I also want to start Chloe Neill's Dark Elite books as I love her Chicagoland Vampire books
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These books are different to what I would normally read but I don't half fancy them lol x
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Ho Louise. Your job sounds really interesting. The books sound really interesting x
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Very informative information about your job, thank you!
The up-coming books look really really brilliant and all are on my TBR list!
Thank you for the giveaway!
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Louise, your job sounds so fun! I think if I wasn't gonna go into the film industry, publishing would be my second choice. I love reading, and I've loved it since I can remember. It must be so great to read new manuscripts and meet debut authors and find a market for their books.
Those books do sound exciting, I'd love to read them!
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This looks great.
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All sounds wonderful. Thank you for the insight.
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Your job sounds fantastic – I love reading and would love a job like yours!
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