Author: Marissa DeCuir

A former award-winning journalist with national exposure, Marissa now oversees the day-to-day operation of the Books Forward author branding and book marketing firm, along with our indie publishing support sister company Books Fluent. Born and bred in Louisiana, currently living in New Orleans, she has lived and developed a strong base for our company and authors in Chicago and Nashville. Her journalism work has appeared in USA Today, National Geographic and other major publications. She is now interviewed by media on best practices for book marketing.

New to digital and audiobook downloads? Here’s what you need to know. 

Posted on | by Marissa DeCuir | 1 Comment on New to digital and audiobook downloads? Here’s what you need to know. 

You’re homebound due to COVID-19, your local library and bookstore are closed, and you’ve just finished the last book on your shelf. What’s a reader to do? With popular online retailers like Amazon suspending nonessential shipments such as physical book deliveries (although we would argue that good literature is essential in times of stress or crisis), the fact is that digital and audiobooks are now your best, most easily accessible reading option.  

But what if you’re new and unfamiliar to the world of literary downloads? Not to worry: purchasing digital and audiobooks is easier than ever, and we’re here to walk you through it. 

There are multiple sites and apps where you can easily purchase ebooks and audiobooks. The most popular are Kobo, Amazon Kindle, My Must Reads, Libro.FM, Scribd and Audible. 

We urge you to support your local bookstores even while their doors are closed for coronavirus, by purchasing digital ebooks from them directly using Kobo and My Must Reads, and you can purchase audiobooks from them via Libro.FM. A few clicks, and boom! You’ve got a new book downloaded immediately to your phone, tablet, computer or reading device, and you’re benefiting your local bookseller. Indiebound also offers helpful info on each service.

Kobo enables you to purchase ebooks directly through indie bookstores, and BookRiot has super helpful step-by-step instructions on how to create an account and start downloading books from your preferred store. (Note that Kobo is not compatible with Kindle readers, because they have partnered with indie bookstores to sell their own ereader.) 

My Must Reads has a list of indie bookstores right on its homepage, giving easy access to purchase ebooks directly from the store.  

Libro.FM is a monthly subscription service for audiobooks, and right now they’re offering all new members two audiobook downloads for the price of one ($14.99) with 100% of your payment going to a local bookstore of your choice. Helpful tip: You have to purchase books on Libro’s website and then it goes to your app.

While each site has a slightly different approach, the basic steps are: 

  1. Register for an account or subscription with your preferred site. 
  2. If you don’t have an ereader, download your preferred site’s app to your computer, tablet or phone. You can find their app in the App Store of your device.
  3. Once you’ve created an account and are perusing the site, select the books and audiobooks you would like to purchase and download. You should be able to download them, or add them to your cart, with a single click.
  4. Pay for your selected downloads (if you purchased a subscription, you may skip this step, as you will have access to multiple or even unlimited downloads). 
  5. Start reading and/or listening to your next great book! 

Be sure to also check out our Books Forward Helpline (booksforward.com/helpline) for reading recommendations and other helpful resources related to social distancing and reading from home.

Now let’s take a closer look at what you may see when using these apps to download books:

 

JKS Communications celebrates 20 years with launch of Books Forward publicity and Books Fluent publishing

Posted on | by Marissa DeCuir

Veteran book publicity firm JKS Communications has been moving books forward for 20 years, and the company is proud to celebrate this anniversary with the launch of two new companies under its brand. Books Forward will continue the signature creative, customized book marketing and author publicity campaigns, and a new indie publishing division, Books Fluent, will provide professional editorial, design and publishing services. 

BOOKS FORWARD

JKS has promoted more than 700 authors, small presses, literary award programs and publishing houses since 2000. The Books Forward team will continue to represent both traditionally published authors and independently published books that meet high industry standards. Services include traditional publicity through mainstream and book-centric media, book tour development, author branding and digital marketing.

Books Forward has a particular passion for books that empower, inspire and move the world forward. Clients include New York Times bestselling author Andrew Maraniss, whose award-winning historical nonfiction examines race and social justice through sports; USA Today bestselling author Jenny Milchman, famous for the “world’s longest book tour”; YA author J. Elle, set to release her #ownvoices debut after garnering attention through a social media campaign; Mary Higgins Clark award winner and national president of Sisters in Crime Lori Rader-Day; indie published success story S.B. Alexander, who later helped Books Forward build its digital marketing division; “The World is Just a Book Away” anthology of stories from Nobel Peace Prize laureates, Academy Award and Golden Globe winning actresses and other world leaders; Chaithanya Sohan, who explores themes of home and belonging in the U.S. through immigrant stories; Holocaust survivor and scholar Laureen Nussbaum, who shines light on unsung heros; and #1 YALSA Top Ten Quick Pick author Cheryl Rainfield, an international child abuse and feminist advocate.

“Our foundation is built on veteran journalists, giving our team a unique strength. Through national media outlets, we share books to make the world a better and brighter place,” the company’s President Marissa DeCuir said. “And it’s that love of meaningful stories that powers our team to share authors’ important messages, and inspire readers with engaging fiction and nonfiction. The world needs some positivity, and readers crave books that matter — to them and to our world.”

BOOKS FLUENT

JKS’ new indie publishing company, Books Fluent, transforms manuscripts into high-quality commercial books that equal or exceed industry standards. 

Having guided authors through the self-publishing process for years, Books Fluent’s team of industry experts expands upon these services. The company offers professional book editing, on-trend cover design and interior layout, savvy distribution plans, and management of ISBNs, copyrights, and other nitty gritty tasks.

Books Fluent’s expertise empowers authors to learn the unique language of this industry and become successful publishers, rising above the competition of more than 3 million books released every year.

CELEBRATING 20 YEARS

Books Forward and Books Fluent will celebrate their launches throughout 2020 with prizes, special announcements and exclusive opportunities for authors and readers alike — including one grand prize of a free book publicity campaign for an author working to help move the world forward. To enter, submit an application here. 

As part of the company’s continued mission to elevate voices, Books Forward is also launching the #booksforward campaign to celebrate all the incredible ways stories have made the world a better place. Book lovers are encouraged to join the conversation by using the hashtag and sharing about literature that has impacted their lives.

Social media:
Twitter: twitter.com/booksforwardpr
Instagram: instagram.com/booksforwardpr
Facebook: facebook.com/BooksForward

Happy Father’s Day!

Posted on | by Marissa DeCuir | 1 Comment on Happy Father’s Day!

Marissa DeCuir, President

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Marissa and her Dad
My dad started a local newspaper when he was in college. So growing up in a newsroom, and eventually going into journalism myself, I’ve always had a love of stories – finding, hearing and sharing them. Transitioning into book publicity was easy because what I loved most about journalism is the same thing I love about books – to learn and experience new things. My dad’s curiosity and care for all things in this world made me the person and reader I am today.

 

Max Lopez, Publicist

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My father is the hardest working person I’ve ever met, and looking back now it seems impossible that he was able to spend as much time with his family as he did. Yet, there he was every single night to tuck us in and read us a story when we requested it. My love of history and reading is a direct result of watching countless History Channel documentaries with him and being gifted a series of early reader biographies (all of which my brother and I read several times through.) His insatiable hunger to learn is something that I have always admired and attempted  to emulate. Thanks for everything Dad!

 

Julie Shoerke, Principal

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Julie and her Dad
By the time I was in 5th grade, my father had read to my sisters and me all the classics that were assigned through my senior year of high school. His love of reading inspired all of us and informed who we would become – one sister works at a library, my other sister has worked at a bookstore for years, and I’m a book publicist. From Hornblower to the old English version of Robin Hood; from Edgar Allen Poe to Beowulf (yuck!);  from The Brother’s Grimm to Michael Crichton. Hundreds of books. He was an award-winning screenwriter who kept getting kicked upstairs until he ran the film company, but his true love was writing scripts and reading. My best memories are of him reading to us!

 

Hannah Robertson, Junior Publicist

My dad and I have very different tastes in reading. He tends to go for long non-fiction historical pieces or biographies, and I’m more drawn to anything fictional or fantastical. Even so, my dad always encouraged my love of reading with surprise trips to bookstores or libraries where he would let me roam to my heart’s content. He has always been supportive of my dreams, both literary and otherwise. I am so grateful and thankful for everything he has done for me!

 

Ellen Whitfield, Publicist

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Ellen and her father
Many of my best memories growing up are of my dad reading to me at night. He did all the fun voices for some of my favorite books, including Narnia and Harry Potter. The best one was Bree the horse from The Horse and His Boy, accompanied by a lot of whinnies. And I still love to share book recommendations and swap copies with him today — it makes me so happy when we can chat about mutual love of a book.

 

Sara Wigal, Senior Manager

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Sara with a recent book present with her dad and brother
Like so many other children, bedtime stories were part of the routine at our house! My dad would tuck us in and share “make up stories” as we called them. He didn’t read to us necessarily, but he scoured his (likely tired) mind for imaginative stories we would pick up where they left off every evening. I loved hearing these every night, and would whine and weedle for just a few more plot points. My dad has one of the most creative minds I know and he always encouraged all of us kids to use our own, for which I am so grateful. He encouraged me to read, read, read, and was one of my most patient editors for essays throughout school!

Happy Mother’s Day!

Posted on | by Marissa DeCuir

The number one indicator for literacy skills in a child is always the access to books in the home. We at JKS have so much to thank our mom’s for as our role models, friends, and book tastemakers from early on….without them we wouldn’t be the readers we are today! Read on for some of our staff reflections on mothers and reading.

 

Lana, Her Mom, and Sisters
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Lana Allen, Executive Administrator
Growing up Mom always had at least 3 books checked out from the library at any given time. Mom was the one who encouraged my sisters and I to volunteer at our local library when we were teenagers– we did, begrudgingly at first, but it ended up being an invaluable experience.

For my birthday this year Mom gave me a new book, called Killers of the Flower Moon, which details the true story of the investigation into the murders of several members of the Osage Nation in Osage County, Oklahoma (just one county over from my Arkansas hometown) in the 1920s. It’s absolutely fascinating so far, thanks Mom! I’m so glad that now that I’m (mostly) grown, books are still an important part of our relationship.

 

Angelle and Her Mom
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Angelle Barbazon, Lead Publicist
It would probably surprise most people to know that when I was a kid, I was sort of a reluctant reader. For a long time, I felt constrained to the list of books my English and literature teachers would assign in school. And while many of those books — classics that I’ve come to love and appreciate today — were valuable in my early education, my mother knew that I had a thirst for knowledge and entertainment that wasn’t being quenched. I can’t remember how old I was when my mom, who has always been a voracious reader, took me to the library to sign up for my own library card, but I distinctly remember holding it in my hand for the very first time and feeling a sense of excitement about the literary world that I had never experienced. Suddenly I had the power to pick out my own books and explore literature on my own terms. The library became a second home for me, and it still is. That one trip to the library changed my life forever, and I have my mom to thank for that.

 

Marissa and Her Mom
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Marissa DeCuir, President
My mom has that motherly superpower of always having a way to make me feel better. Saltines and Sprite for an upset stomach, rubbing my head to help me fall asleep, and introducing me to my favorite children’s book to get me through the tougher times.

Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day filled me with a lifetime of motivation to not sweat the small stuff (okay I’ll admit, that’s still easier said than done sometimes!) and to be so grateful for all the wonderful things I am so fortunate to already have. Who knew a few small pages could influence my entire life? But that’s what literature does of course, and my mom was the first to introduce me to all of my favorites. I suppose it’s no surprise that we still have a similar taste in books, and it’s always so fun to geek out over the stories together!

 


Max, His Mom and Siblings
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Max Lopez, Publicist
I’ve always associated stories with my mother. She would read to me and my siblings every night before bed, and if we’d read all the books we owned (which happened frequently,) she would make one up on the spot. My love of books can be directly traced back to the way she introduced me to them; as portals to different worlds, to be cherished and voraciously consumed. I’ll never be able to thank her for all that she’s done for me, and especially for giving me an adventurous love for literature!

 

 

Ellen and Her Daughter Maya
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Ellen Whitfield, Publicist
When I was young, my mom used to make up stories for me featuring all sorts of fantastic characters — Tommy the turtle was a favorite. I think this is part of the reason I had such a great imagination as a kid, and I love to read and immerse myself in new worlds. Now that I’m a mom myself, I realize how hard it is to come up with tales from your own mind. I am always trying to think of fun stories to tell my toddler and coming up blank. Thank goodness she has so many books I can use as backup! And luckily, my mom takes care of her during the week so she can be told the some of the same stories that I was exposed to.

 

 

Hannah’s Mom Reading to Hannah’s Nephew
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Hannah Robertson, Junior Publicist
My mom has always been the point of inspiration for my love of reading. When I was young, she would gather my siblings and I and read to us before bed each night. I’ll never forget the way her voice would guide us through Narnia’s magical lands or the great fields Misty of Chincoteague ran through. Through these and so many other stories, my mom instilled a passion for reading in me that influences just about everything I do. She has always encouraged me to follow my dreams and step out of my comfort zones, in literature and in life. I owe her so much of who I am and what I love.

 

 

Sara and Her Mom
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Sara Wigal, Senior Manager
I’m lucky that everyone in my family is a big reader, but I know that my work in Publishing comes from my mother’s encouragement in many ways. Her father worked for The New York Times his entire life, passing that interest in words down to my mother who was the editor of her high school or college newspaper and always loved literature…even though she’s actually a scientist by profession! Growing up she really honored my own interests in reading by taking my brothers and me to the library every week, letting me curl up everywhere with my books, and encouraging me to follow my dreams and study literature in college. She’s modeled what it means to be a literate woman in your own community, as a member of book clubs, school board volunteer, and other active ways to influence literacy and education. Now we compare notes on what we are reading all the time and pass books back and forth, which is really fun!

 

 

Gifts for book lovers, including new subscription service for kids, Lillypost

Posted on | by Marissa DeCuir

With the holidays quickly approaching, it’s never too early to start picking out gifts! Here are some great gift ideas that bookworms everywhere are sure to love!!

Another great gift idea for book lovers is a subscription box! Subscription box services are becoming increasingly popular, and what better gift to give than one that lasts all year? Lillypost, a new subscription service, is the perfect gift for the special children in your life! Lillypost provides monthly deliveries of carefully curated, age-appropriate books for kids. Each box arriving at a child’s home will include individually wrapped books and occasionally other goodies, giving each child a sense of surprise and anticipation surrounding the books’ arrival. Even better: your purchase of a Lillypost subscription will help children in need.

Created by Book Depot, one of North America’s largest book wholesalers, Lillypost hopes to strengthen literacy throughout local communities by encouraging each parent, grandparent and caregiver who gifts a subscription to a budding young reader to donate the books to local libraries after their child has progressed to the next level of reading ability.

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Lillypost is also partnering with Project Night Night, a charity that provides comforting nighttime essentials – stuffed animals, blankets and books – to homeless children through the United States. These items help children feel safe, warm and ready to learn. Each month, Lillypost will donate one new book to Project Night Night for every single box shipped.

“There is no greater gift in this world than seeing a child’s eyes light up when they discover the world of books,” Book Depot CEO Wilf Wikkerink said. “Lillypost wants to do it’s part in spreading this joy.”

Lillypost will launch its service on September 1, and subscription sign-up can be accessed at Lillypost.com.

You’ve GOT to budget for publicity

Posted on | by Marissa DeCuir

So often we hear from authors who are interested in publicity but are also cash-strapped from having already spent vast resources on preparing their books for publishing. Self-publishing is especially expensive and authors have to make huge upfront investments before their books even see the light of day.

Indie authors have the extra expenses of publishing their book that a traditionally published author does not incur. It’s important to budget for publicity for a book just as you would budget for a book cover, editing, formatting, distribution and all other aspects of publishing – no matter if you hire a publicist or choose to do your own promotion.

Unfortunately self-publishing has such an expense tied to it that a lot of people budget for everything to create the book and nothing to get the word out that it even exists. Kind of like the old saying, “If a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?”

It’s scary to commit to the unknown. I get it. As a former journalist, I was very skeptical of publicity and if it actually made any sort of difference. After more than seven years as a book publicist, I can without a doubt say it does. Just at JKS Communications alone we have seen indie authors hit bestseller lists, become the go-to expert interviews for major mainstream media, receive daily book club requests, start movements, and even land six-figure publishing deals.

Every publicity campaign will differ in scope depending on the book, genre, author, messaging, budget and other factors. But one thing is for sure – without any publicity, your book will get lost among the millions published each year.

I wish for authors that writing the book would be the end of their hard work. That on its own is an incredible feat. But book publicity has become increasingly important over the last decade especially with the ever-changing publishing industry.

So regardless of whether you hire a publicist or not, treat publicity just as you would any part of publishing your book. Publicity is just as important as your cover, your content, your distribution, your editing and everything else that goes into not only making the book, but making it known.