Author: Jennifer Vance

Jennifer Vance is a publicist at Books Forward, an author publicity and book marketing firm committed to promoting voices from a diverse variety of communities. From book reviews and author events, to social media and digital marketing, we help authors find success and connect with readers. Interested in what's possible for your book sales and building readership? Check out our services, tell us your goals, and get a customized publicity campaign tailored just for you.

June 2026: Books Forward Authors in the Media

Posted on | by Jennifer Vance

What can we say, Books Forward authors are always going, going, going! We’re excited to feature some of our authors and their recent media wins for June 2026.

Guest Articles/Features

  • People Magazine: 8 Books That Break the Silence Around Suicide for Mental Health Awareness Month, featuring Rocky Callen
  • BookTrib: “Why Future Dreamers Need Cece’s Story: My Inspiration Behind the Story” by Candicee Childs
  • Ms. Magazine: Reads for the Rest of Us: The Best Poetry of 2025 and 2026, featuring Sarah Hanson
  • CrimeReads: “Five great mysteries for sports lovers” by Lynn Slaughter
  • Unleashing Readers: “How Fiction Provides a Safe Place for Young Readers to Explore Celebrity, Fame and Fandom” by Mima Tipper

Interviews

  • Victoria News: Victoria author follows real-life adventures of female explorer
  • Louisiana Insider: An Author’s Fictional Take on the Acadian Great Upheaval
  • Authority Magazine: Kenitra W Dominguez Of Bay Equity HR On 5 Things We Must Do To Improve the US Healthcare System
  • Women Writers, Women’s Books: Anne Shaw Heinrich: Authors Interviewing Characters
  • Novel PASTimes: A Conversation with Alexandra von Triessen from Descending Thirds by Nicole Conn
  • Investor Mama: Why Moms Stress About Money (Even When They Have It) — With Financial Expert and Author of “The Emotional Side of Money: A Roadmap to Financial Wellness”, Tari K. Vickery
  • The Pointer: UWSP Alumna Set to Publish Memoir
  • Divorce Dialogues: Divorce Isn’t a Weapon: Reframing Separation with Karen McNenny

Reviews

  • The Voice of San Francisco: “Lim notices and shares the telling details of victims’ suffering with an unsentimental but open-hearted eye,” on Amplify! by Dion Lim
  • Kirkus: “The integration of Chinese and Aztec mythology adds cultural richness and a sense of history to the narrative … A magical, myth-laden story in which the heroes gain courage through collaboration,” on From the Depths by Emily Renke Hawthorne
  • Readers’ Favorite: “A unique and fascinating twist on superheroes, Sketch breathes new life into the genre with creativity, imagination, and heart,” on Sketch by Ros Hill
  • Foreword-Clarion Reviews: “Sobering domestic novel … a woman grows from psychological captivity toward hope for a fresh start,” on The Resilience of Red Thread by Catherine Marshall-Smith
  • Youth Services Book Review: “Part of the real joy of this book is spending time with this wonderful character who believably matures over the course of the story, reveling in her own newly recognized skills and people’s capacity for change,” on The Reel Life of Zara Kegg by Brad Barkley

Want to stay up to date on what Books Forward authors are doing not just in June 2026? Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok! And keep an eye on our Lit Happens blog for even more author news!

May 2026: Books Forward Authors in the Media

Posted on | by Jennifer Vance

What can we say, Books Forward authors are always going, going, going! We’re excited to feature some of our authors and their recent media wins for May 2026.

Guest Articles/Features

  • Reactor Mag: All the New Fantasy Books Arriving in April 2026
  • The Audiobook Blog: Award-winning filmmaker and novelist Nicole Conn has released Descending Thirds, a groundbreaking audiobook that blends narration with classical music
  • GirlTalkHQ: New Middle Grade Fantasy Novel Puts New Spin On The “Chosen One” Trope
  • Writer’s Digest: Don’t Burn the Diary: It Might Help With Your Memoir

Interviews

Reviews/Features

  • Kirkus: “An unflinching, well-rendered memoir that generously encompasses love, trauma, and the fraught relationship between a mother…” starred review of The History We Carry by Margaret Whitford
  • Readers’ Favorite: “Megan Margherio’s writing is intimate” five-star review of Everwoven
  • FanFiAddict: “A dead quick and dead easy read with something important to say,” review of Brokecula by Michael J. Seidlinger
  • BookLife: “By tackling a topic that is often taboo, Vickery opens communication lines between generations, nudges readers toward self-compassion, and paves the way toward a ‘powerful, peaceful relationship with money,’ review of The Emotional Side of Money by Tari K. Vickery
  • Foreword: “The Reel Life of Zara Kegg is an evocative romance novel in which teenagers fall in love during their beach town’s offseason,” by Brad Barkley
  • The Page Ladies: “It’s a fast-paced, psychological domestic noir that makes you realize the safest place isn’t always at home. If you love a survival thriller mixed with deep-seated family trauma, you need to grab this one,” review of The Ravine by Maia Chance

Want to stay up to date on what Books Forward authors are doing not just in May 2026? Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok! And keep an eye on our Lit Happens blog for even more author news!

Take your book promo to the next level with audio and video assets

Posted on | by Jennifer Vance

You’ve got your ARCs in hand: They’re beautiful and you’ve taken approximately 1 million pictures to share across social media. You pull your phone out in every bookstore you visit to snap photos.

Pictures are great, and they’re definitely easy to take and have on hand. But recognizing that audio and video assets exist can help you expand your author brand and book promo. The more interactive an asset, the more engagement you’re likely to receive. And diversifying your posts — using audio and video in conjunction with links and photos — helps keep content fresh and creative!

Here are some ideas on how to utilize audio and video assets as you promote your book:

Audiograms

Audiograms are easy ways to promote recent podcast or radio interviews in fun and engaging ways for your followers. Check out some of these examples: Like this one from the podcast Pretty Wellness, which Books Forward authors have worked with in the past, and take a look at this one from Books Forward author Diane Dewey and her radio show Dropping In.

But audiograms aren’t just for interviews. If you’re looking to promote a recently produced audiobook, you can also create audiograms to highlight certain quotes or sections from your book. Don’t have an audiobook yet? Learn more about why you should hop on the bandwagon now.

Creative assets can easily be constructed using sites like Canva, Design Wizard, Visme, etc. Just grab the snippet of audio you want to use and work with any of their templated designs to craft an audiogram that matches your social media branding. Want help on solidifying your author brand? Check out our tips here.

Keep in mind: You’ll actually be exporting these assets as videos, so you’ll want to remember platform video time limits, like 60 seconds for Instagram and 2 minutes and 20 seconds for Twitter.

Book Trailers

Not every book has a book trailer, so having one created — or creating one yourself — can set your book apart from the pack. Just like trailers do for movies, well-made book trailers can entice readers to pick up a new book or learn about a new author.

There’s also a variety of different ways to present a book trailer. You can go the traditional route of doing a teaser with audio and video elements like a traditional movie trailer. Or you can even take a video of you sitting down and talking about your book. Just remember that a trailer is just a bite-sized sample of you and your book — try to keep them below 2 minutes if possible.

Book trailers can also be great to use if you’re incorporating Facebook advertising into your book promo. Video ads have the potential to reach different audiences and see even greater engagement than typical image or link ads. According to DataReport, videos account for over 15% of all the content posted to Facebook, and Social Media Examiner says almost 50% of marketers utilize Facebook video in their campaigns. So utilizing video can really help set you apart not just on your author page but also in your advertising!

And you don’t have to be a professional cinematographer to build a trailer. In addition to Canva, FlexClip and other sites can help you start creating videos by utilizing templates they already have, which can further enhance your book’s promotional strategy.

Videos for social media

If you’ve been on social media for a fraction of a second, you’ll know video has blown up in terms of content and engagement across multiple platforms. Reels have seen an increase in engagement over feed posts on Instagram, which comes as no surprise after IG said the algorithms for the two two types of posts differ.

So if you have the bandwidth to create them, try and maximize your Instagram presence by creating videos. Reels can be up to 90 seconds long; just remember to try and shoot video vertically with a 9:16 aspect ratio (or 1080×1920 pixels) for best results.

And, of course, there’s TikTok.

We know TikTok isn’t for everyone. But if you’re focused on video content, it can be a great platform to utilize. If you have videos you’re using for Reels on Instagram, you can easily use that same content — or repurpose similar ideas – over on TikTok. Keep in mind that audiences are different across platforms, and a video that works well on Reels might not be as popular on TikTok and vice versa.

The great thing about Reels and TikTok is you have so much freedom to get creative! Look into using images and videos outside you and your book — like this popular trend to describe a book by its aesthetics. You can learn more about how you can take advantage of TikTok trends as an author here.

Starting a BookTok account can seem like a challenging undertaking. We’ve got some tips here to help get you started!

Add your audio and video assets wherever possible

If you’ve got a book trailer or have created a video talking about your book, you’ll want to make sure to use those wherever possible. So don’t just save those for social media. Make sure to incorporate them on your author website where you can and on YouTube if possible. You can also include a video on your Amazon Author page, which will add an additional asset to your page, as well as help readers who come across your profile learn more about you.

Check out even more about how to make your Amazon page pop here.

Going live

Don’t forget that video and audio assets aren’t reserved only for pre-recorded content. Going live on apps like Facebook and Instagram are also valuable tools to have in your author marketing arsenal. Just make sure to capitalize on going live. Whether it’s for a launch event, a special series, a Q&A, etc., remember that people are taking time out of their day to join you for a live social media event, so you’ll want to prepare and plan to make the most of it!

And if you need help deciding which social media platform you should take advantage of, learn more here.

Originally published July 29, 2022.

April 2026: Books Forward Authors in the Media

Posted on | by Jennifer Vance

What can we say, Books Forward authors are always going, going, going! We’re excited to feature some of our authors and their recent media wins for April 2026.

Guest Articles/Features

  • CrimeReads: “When the World’s Too Much: 5 Books that Blend Hilarity and Escapism” by Victoria Dillon
  • Writer’s Digest: “What Hope Looks Like Now: Hopepunk and Stories That Refuse to Give Up” by B.R. Kang
  • Best Self: “Varanasi and the Sacred Art of Dying: A Journey that Changed How I Live” by Sally Dukes
  • Book Riot: “8 of the Most Exciting Debut Romance Books of 2026,” featuring Stars, Stripes & Summer Nights by Celeste Dador

Interviews

Reviews/Features

  • BookLife: “Richly detailed WW2 adventure, with slow-burn romance and strong female lead,” Massawa by Pam Webber
  • Readers’ Favorite: “Channeling Marilyn is thoughtfully plotted, and the author demonstrates a great deal of skill in character development,” Channeling Marilyn by Mima Tipper
  • Old Style Tales: “It’s a sharp, visually rich, and consistently engaging graphic novel that manages to stand out in a crowded field not by reinventing the genre, but by recombining its elements with genuine care,” Woodstake by Darin S. Cape

Want to stay up to date on what Books Forward authors are doing not just in April 2026? Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok! And keep an eye on our Lit Happens blog for even more author news!

Books Forward Author Family: An update from Kimberly Hess

Posted on | by Jennifer Vance

After decades of book marketing and brand-building campaigns for authors all over the world, Books Forward catches up with some of our author family members to see where their literary journeys have taken them since our early days of working together.

Kimberly Hess worked with Books Forward in 2021 on A Lesser Mortal: The Unexpected Life of Sarah B. Cochran, a biography showcasing the philanthropist, college trustee and coal industry executive in the early 1900s.

Was there anything in particular you learned during our Books Forward campaign that you’ve carried into future releases? Or a favorite part of working together?

I really appreciated the support from Jackie Karneth and all of the work that the team did to launch the book. There are so many moving parts to book publicity, and Books Forward made everything move forward smoothly.

What have you been up to since? 

I’ve continued to do interviews, presentations, articles and book talks, and I’ve created a website and Instagram account for the book because Sarah Cochran’s story just grows.

The most exciting and unexpected development is that the Metropolitan Museum of Art discovered my book and incorporated it into the installation of “Garden Landscape,” the monumental Tiffany window that Sarah Cochran commissioned. The Met purchased it in 2023, and I was invited to its unveiling in 2024. It was the subject of the Metropolitan Museum of Art Bulletin in February 2026. I was also named as Cochran’s biographer in the Acknowledgements.

The curator of American decorative arts invited me to lunch to discuss Sarah and Linden Hall while she was doing research for the installation. I shared some of my research materials and contacts with the museum.

I just gave a book talk to the Cairnwood Literary Guild & Book Club in Bryn Athyn, Pennsylvania. Cairnwood is the historic estate of John and Gertrude Pitcairn. John was a co-founder of Pittsburgh Plate Glass and was also involved in Pennsylvania coal and coke, like the Cochrans. In April, I’m speaking via Zoom for the Carnegie Library in Pittsburgh.

     

About Kimberly Hess

Growing up with Sarah B. Cochran’s story helped author Kimberly Hess see a relationship between capitalism, feminism and philanthropy. And it gave her a role model for how a businesswoman could contribute to the greater good. Hess has written about or discussed her book for various organizations including Pittsburgh’s NPR affiliate WESA 90.5FM, the National Trust for Historic Preservation, the National Women’s History Museum, the Historical Society of Pennsylvania and the Smithsonian-affiliated Senator John Heinz History Center. She has shared research materials with the Metropolitan Museum of Art, donated artifacts to various museums and archives, and even gotten Cochran included in the board game “Votes for Women.” She lives in New Jersey with her husband and daughter. There she continues the genealogical research she’s been doing since 1984.

Stay up to date with our author family and more from Books Forward by checking out our Lit Happens blog!

March 2026: Books Forward Authors in the Media

Posted on | by Jennifer Vance

What can we say, Books Forward authors are always going, going, going! We’re excited to feature some of our authors and their recent media wins for March 2026.

Guest Articles/Features

Interviews

Reviews/Features

  • Kirkus Reviews: A playful supernatural coming-of-age tale with an impressive undercurrent of real heart,” review of Channeling Marilyn by Mima Tipper
  • Novels Alive: “Another action-packed investigative story full of danger,” review of Side Hustle by Wendy Gee
  • The Werd Nerd Edits: “What stayed with me most was the hopepunk fantasy essence of the story. It is a testament to resilience in the face of relentless negativity,” review of Caput Mundi by B.R. Kang

Want to stay up to date on what Books Forward authors are doing not just in March 2026? Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok! And keep an eye on our Lit Happens blog for even more author news!

How to use social media to promote your book

Posted on | by Jennifer Vance

We get it — social media is daunting. But here’s the secret: There is no single right way to be on social media. *Sigh of relief*

Every author should be on at least one social media platform, so check out these tips below to find what works best for you and how to make the most of it!

Highlight the basics

No matter what platform you’re on, make sure you’ve got your basics covered. You want your username and profile picture to be the same, if possible, across all your social media accounts. That way, your followers can easily recognize that it’s you on whatever platform they’re on.

This also includes adding your author bio, website and other social media links wherever possible. And, of course, if you’ve got a book coming out, you’ll want to include buy links right at the top of whatever platform you’re on so everyone can see!

Pick the right platform for you

Try not to feel too overwhelmed with all the different platforms – choose the ones that work best for you and build up slowly. Work with what works best for you, where your audience is, what you enjoy most and where you feel most comfortable engaging. If you know you aren’t going to enjoy making videos, then don’t worry about starting a TikTok account.

As long as you’re active somewhere readers can find you, that’s already a step in the right direction. When you’re ready, you can always take on another platform. Even though they’re on the internet, people can tell when posts and interactions are genuine, so if you aren’t having a good time, your followers will be able to see that.

Creating content

Creating content doesn’t have to be a time-consuming ordeal. You can even post the same things across all your different platforms, though keep an eye out on the different formatting.

Also, don’t be afraid to reuse content. Some of your followers might have missed you posting about a podcast you were on, so don’t worry about posting about it again. Reusing content helps take the load off you, and it’s also a great way to recognize the people who took time to review the book, interview you, etc. But make sure you have some sort of plan when you post: Be creative with your content — don’t post the same thing over and over — mix it up and plan out posts in advance if you can.

And if you’re worried you’re posting too much about your book, here’s a secret: You aren’t. In fact, you probably aren’t posting enough about it. Not everyone is going to catch every single post of yours, so don’t worry about inundating your platform with stuff about your book. It can be weird talking about yourself, but you should be proud of that book you’ve written — and the people following you are following you because they want to know more about you and your career!

Scheduling Apps

We know most authors want to spend their time…well…writing! Social media can seem overwhelming when trying to keep an active presence on various platforms — honestly, it’s a full-time job. And if you’re looking to save time, consider utilizing scheduling apps to create content in bulk so you don’t have to post in real time. This saves time and allows you to focus on what you love most! Different apps work for different platforms, but a few of our favs are Buffer, HootSuite, and Later.

Using social media to network

Use the search tool on each platform to see what’s trending and where you can join in on the conversation by using the same hashtags. It’s also important to always tag locations, companies, authors, etc. whenever possible. You want people to see you’re talking about them. This gives them the opportunity to share your posts to their network, which will hopefully make it back to yours.

In addition to following people who follow you and other readers, consider following accounts in the industry, other authors, bloggers, book stores etc. You can even follow media outlets and reporters local to you, as well as any local businesses, organizations, associations, etc.

And don’t forget to repost other authors in your genre, as well as interacting with them via replies. Promoting yourself and your work is great! But it all goes back to networking. The more you engage, the more likely their followers will see you and consider following and learning more about you and your work.

Building an audience

Does social media translate directly to sales? Probably not. But acquiring an engaging audience and building your author brand are both equally important, and cultivating that dedicated fanbase can indirectly lead to sales.

As you build your following, people will want to see that you’re active, so try and set a goal for yourself to post frequently. This can start with 1-2 posts a week and then slowly increase until you feel comfortable posting more often.

In addition to posting, you’ll also want to make sure that you’re frequently engaging not just with people who follow you but also with people you follow. Carve out time when planning your posts to also reply to comments, read posts from other people, and share posts when possible.

Originally published Aug. 16, 2022.

Interested in social media book marketing but unsure where to start? Let us help you! Check out our social media book promotion services.

Books Forward Author Family: An update from Tiffany Watson

Posted on | by Jennifer Vance

After decades of book marketing and brand-building campaigns for authors all over the world, Books Forward catches up with some of our author family members to see where their literary journeys have taken them since our early days of working together.

Tiffany Watson (formerly Breeding) worked with Books Forward in 2018 and 2019 on The Metabolic Makeover: 8 Weeks to Macro Mastery, a guide that teaches you how to manage macronutrient intake to make over your metabolism and your mindset.

Was there anything in particular you learned during our Books Forward campaign that you’ve carried into future releases? Or a favorite part of working together?

I worked with JKS Communications / Books Forward on my very first book. That being said, I learned EVERYTHING 🙂 But the things I remember most were the amazing support, resources, the network of editors and designers that allowed me to feel like I truly had a team, and not just a PR company. I grew up in Nashville, bought summer reading books at Davis Kidd. So, having my book launch at Parnassus was one of the most special and memorable parts of my time with Books Forward, and I am so grateful for everyone who believed in my project.

What have you been up to since?

Well, since you asked 🙂 I actually just released my second book on September 30, 2025: Your Unique Fizeek: A Girl’s Guide to Faith, Fuel and Finding Your Superpowers. I published the book through a hybrid publisher, Storybuilders Press out of Atlanta. And I am proud to say it hit #138 on the USA Today Bestseller list during the week of release! I cannot believe what God has done and is doing in my life, and with this gift. I don’t know if I have another book in me, but I know this one is going to make a big impact on the lives of a lot of young girls and the adults who support them.

The most special part of this book was the young girls across the country who wrote diary entries for the chapters and topics in the book. It was so incredible to see the vulnerability, and help them identify their own superpowers as part of this project. I also built a mobile app to accompany the book so I can have an ongoing platform to engage and continue to provide content and interaction to readers. This is going to be my 2026 focus. Megan Woods’ song, The Truth, is also featured in the book. I have contacted her management team as well, and am still hoping I might be able to collaborate with her in some way.

Other than that, I am still running my Nutrition coaching business and trying to change the world one Donut at a time.

About Tiffany Watson

Tiffany Watson is a bestselling motivational author and competitive athlete. She grew up in Nashville and has spent over a decade developing a successful and sustainable approach to creating a lifestyle of health and performance.

Stay up to date with our author family and more from Books Forward by checking out our Lit Happens blog!

February 2026: Books Forward Authors in the Media

Posted on | by Jennifer Vance

What can we say, Books Forward authors are always going, going, going! We’re excited to feature some of our authors and their recent media wins for February 2026.

Guest Articles

  • Chicago Story Press: “What We Carry, What We Share” by Julie Ryan McGue
  • Laura’s Books and Blogs: “Growing with a Story: What I Learned in My Journey of Writing One Book for Nearly 20 Years” By B.R. Kang
  • GirlTalkHQ: “Author Explores Reproductive Rights Post-Roe Through Speculative Fiction In New Novel” by Victoria Dillon
  • Spiritual Media Blog: “The Pilgrim” by y Sally Dukes

Interviews

Reviews/Features

  • Kirkus Reviews: “A compelling and compulsively readable tale told in a funny, deeply human voice,” review of I’ll Try Anything Twice by Carly Schwartz
  • Midwest Book Review: “A heartfelt story of adventure, discovery, new experiences, and coming to terms with the past,” review of Lola Gillette and the Summer of Second Chances by Kimberly Behre Kenna
  • The Autumn Library: “A perfect way to kick off a brand new year of reading,” review of A Gorgeous Excitement by Cynthia Weiner
  • BookTrib: “A captivating and haunting Young Adult horror/thriller with a paranormal twist,” review of Lost Girls of Hollow Lake by Rebekah Faubion
  • National Association of Former United States Attorneys: NAFUSA Member Paul Coggins Releases New Book

Want to stay up to date on what Books Forward authors are doing not just in February 2026? Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok! And keep an eye on our Lit Happens blog for even more author news!

How authors can make the most of working with their publicists

Posted on | by Jennifer Vance

There are so many great duos: Sonny and Cher. Peanut butter and jelly. Calvin and Hobbes. An author and their publicist.

If you’ve hired a publicist to help market your book, you’ve already taken the first step in building a truly dynamic partnership. And with any partnership, it’s important that both sides are working together toward a common goal.

Here are a few things to remember as you start working with your publicist:

Communicate with your publicist

You know your book better than anyone else. If you have ideas on marketing strategies, let your publicist know. Any author can hire a publicist and let them take over, but you’ll find value in collaborating with your publicist and truly being a team.

Ask questions

Whether you’re a debut author or you’ve published numerous books, the publishing world is constantly changing, and that goes for literary marketing as well. Your publicist is there to help answer questions and guide you through your book marketing journey. They might not always have the answers, but a good publicist will work to help solve problems and be a listening ear for your concerns.

Be open to new ideas

Your publicist’s job first and foremost is to promote you and your book, and sometimes that can mean brainstorming fresh ideas and new ways to market your book to readers. Together, you and your publicist can get creative and figure out how to set your work apart from the pack. You never know how one opportunity can lead to another, and even “smaller” opportunities have value in the short and long term.

Be timely

This one shouldn’t be a stretch: Most authors are used to working on deadline. If your publicist gives you a deadline for something, let them know if you’ll be able to meet that deadline — and then meet that deadline.

Be responsive

We know everyone gets approximately 1,187 emails a day, and your publicist isn’t purposely trying to add to your inbox (we promise!). Thankfully, the book industry isn’t one where fires are continuously being put out every single day.

Responding in a timely manner to your publicist’s communication helps them do their job. And the reverse is the same: Your publicist should be accessible to you, and you shouldn’t be waiting weeks to hear back from them.

Early on in your partnership, work with your publicist to set an expectation for response times that both of you can agree to follow. Or a good rule of thumb is responding within 24-48 working hours (aka, don’t feel like you need to give up your weekends or holidays).

And remember, if you’re going to be unavailable and away from email for an extended period of time, let your publicist know — we want you to enjoy that family vacay you planned without worrying about emails from us!

Be honest

They say honesty is the best policy for a reason. Every relationship requires honest communication, and a working one is no different. If you’re worried about an upcoming event or struggling with a particular task you’ve been assigned, let your publicist know. And also expect honesty from them in return.

Remember, your publicist is on your team

Your publicist wants what’s best for you and your book, and both of you want to succeed. Publishing and promoting a book is stressful, and the team you assemble should help make that journey easy to navigate. Cultivate a good relationship with your publicist, and allow them to take the reins so you can do what you do best — write!

Originally published Sept. 19, 2022.