Ellen Whitfield

“Ellen worked hard to understand my story, to back it and share it with the people and audiences that are seeking my type of writing, rather than a blanket approach, shooting arrows in the dark.” – Cole Williams, author of Dr. Brainchild & Radar and other award-winning children’s books

“Ellen was a wonderful publicist and, often, the kind of warm friend every writer needs when their book is about to launch.” – E.A. Aymar, award-winning author of The Unrepentant and managing editor of The Thrill Begins

Ellen brings guidance and warmth to the Books Forward team as vice president, providing daily mentorship to publicists and training incoming staff members. She is an expert at organization and efficiency, and her leadership helps keep the company gears turning smoothly.

With the detail-oriented eye of a former editor and heart of an obsessive book lover, she works diligently to expand services and provide opportunities for our author family and team members alike.

She was part of the journalism community for more than seven years, working at respected print and online media outlets including The Dallas Morning News, The Advocate newspapers across Louisiana, The Waco Tribune Herald and others. Her editorial experience at these publications, along with her social and online media presence as a popular bookstagrammer, benefits authors through her savviness and creativity in media pitching.

An LSU graduate, Ellen lives in Louisiana with her newspaper-executive husband, amazing daughter and charming baby boy (and their odd little dog), and is constantly adding to an ever-growing collection of 600 books. She loves reading about quirky characters on adventures, quoting sitcoms and singing loudly to Hozier.