Leveraging Current News to an Author’s Advantage

Books Forward has worked with Rudy Ruiz across three novels: The Resurrection of Fulgencio Ramirez, Valley of Shadows and The Border Between Us. When Rudy released The Border Between Us, the national conversation around U.S.–Mexico border policy, immigration and identity was once again dominating headlines.

We aimed to position the novel squarely within the news cycle — demonstrating how fiction can meaningfully contribute to urgent cultural conversations.

Positioning Fiction as Cultural Commentary

Our strategy emphasized relevance without sensationalism. We framed the book not as a reaction to breaking news, but as a thoughtful lens through which readers could better understand it. By aligning Rudy’s voice with ongoing national debates, we helped media outlets see the novel as timely, insightful and necessary.

Strategic Media Targeting

We had already laid a solid foundation for Rudy’s author brand with promotion of his previous releases in bookish media like Publishers Weekly, Bookshop and Writer’s Bone, cultural outlets (Learn Lang Blog, Thrive Insider, Latinx in Publishing, Latinxperts, We Are Latinx, etc.), local and regional publications (San Antonio Magazine, My SA, KUT News, Southern Review of Books, Deep South Magazine, etc.) and national media hits with Buzzfeed, The New York Times and more.

For this new release, we continued to pursue outlets that bridge literature, politics and cultural analysis — prioritizing platforms already engaged in conversations about immigration, equity and Latino identity. This approach resulted in coverage across a wide spectrum of media, from opinion-driven newsrooms to literary platforms, radio and cultural outlets.

Placements included Common Dreams, Texas Standard, Bookreporter, Fangirlish, Luz, Diverse Voices Book Review and WGBH’s Under the Radar (which ultimately chose Rudy’s book for the local NPR affiliate’s official radio book club pick). These features reached national, regional and community-based audiences, allowing the book to resonate far beyond traditional literary circles.

Turning Urgency into Longevity

By leveraging current events without tethering the book to a single news moment, we helped The Border Between Us achieve sustained visibility rather than a short-lived spike. The campaign demonstrates that even in crowded, politicized spaces, fiction can cut through — when positioned with care, context and cultural awareness.