Named a Best Indie Book of the Year in 2018, A Year of Living Kindly was an immediate darling of national media and reviewers, earning a coveted starred review by Kirkus Reviews. As the contentious 2018 midterm elections were setting fire to national headlines, author Donna Cameron’s warmth and authenticity became a sought-after perspective as she examined the transformative power of civility.
Positioning a Debut Author as a “Kindness Expert”
Books Forward maximized Donna’s visibility by positioning her as a “kindness expert,” securing placement for her guest articles in The Washington Post, Elephant Journal and other major outlets. We helped craft and amplify a brand identity around her message of radical civility, creating buzz that grew with every media interview, feature story and news article.
Donna’s robust blog — launched a year prior to publication — served as a foundation for cultivating her audience. Our publicity campaign expanded on that success, securing media placements that introduced her message to a national readership and reinforced her authority, as as an expert in the field of kindness, in a crowded nonfiction space.
Tangible Results — and Lasting Impact
The buzz didn’t stop with publication. At the start of 2019, Donna’s voice continued to make waves across new outlets, including a feature in Weight Watchers Magazine. Her continued media presence extended the book’s relevance well beyond its initial publication date.
Thanks to the strength of our campaign and Donna’s compelling message, A Year of Living Kindly sold out of its initial print run within a few months. The book has continued to thrive: it’s had at least six printings, with the fifth printing exhausted in only three months. Tantor also acquired the audiobook rights, reflecting continued demand and market interest.
Donna said: “I am so happy to be part of the Books Forward family. I credit much of YOLK’s success to Angelle’s great work and the tremendous foundation she laid for the book.”
We’re honored to support powerful books — and powerful authors — that make the world a kinder place.
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.
The memoir market is crowded, but Barbara Donsky’s Veronica’s Grave stood out with its gripping true story of her mother’s mysterious disappearance. When Barbara partnered with Books Forward, we saw the potential to amplify her memoir into a major success — and the results exceeded expectations.
Strategic Pitching with a Local Focus
To maximize media interest, we carefully crafted press materials emphasizing the book’s emotional depth, unusual story and compelling narrative. We strategically aligned the campaign with Mother’s Day and targeted key local outlets in the Bronx and Manhattan — Barbara’s hometown and the setting for her memoir. By emphasizing the book’s strong local connections, we captured the attention of prominent New York media.
Media Frenzy and National Coverage
The approach paid off, and her memoir caused something of a media frenzy (with a little help from our team!) Veronica’s Grave was featured in The New York Post, New York Magazine and NY1 News. The story trended on The New York Post, becoming the outlet’s most-viewed article of the day and landing on its homepage. This momentum snowballed as the feature was shared by Bravo TV Online, Yahoo News, Gannett News and the Independent Journal Review.
The Books Forward campaign didn’t stop there. A national radio tour and features in Shelf Pleasure, Women Writers, Women’s Books and Book Pleasures further elevated the book’s visibility. The fusion of a unique story, strategic timing and targeted outreach built widespread buzz.
Achieving International Success
The media campaign’s success opened doors for Veronica’s Grave beyond its initial publication. The book’s international rights were purchased by a traditional publisher, giving this small press memoir a second life as a traditionally published book.
Our targeted, multifaceted campaign turned a deeply personal memoir into an international sensation. With a blend of local connections, national outreach and coordinated timing, Veronica’s Grave found its audience and earned the acclaim it deserved.
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.
When Kristen Kittscher launched her second middle-grade mystery, The Tiara on the Terrace, our team had terrific fun working on out-of-the-box promotions!
Cracking the Code with Librarians
First, Books Forward organized a special mailing to booksellers and librarians nationwide. Our box included some usual goodies – a copy of the book and swag like bookmarks, stickers, etc. – but we wanted to go bigger.
Kristen’s mystery relies on code-breaking tween sleuths, so we designed and produced an interactive scavenger hunt game, complete with a decoding activity to solve the final puzzle. Needless to say, it was a huge hit with libraries!
Meeting Her Fans
Second, we coordinated her national book tour with over a dozen events at prestigious bookstores, including Warwicks, Chevaliers, RJ Julia and a massive NYC launch party at Mysterious Bookshop. We also organized school visits for Kristen, so she could connect with her favorite audience – middle school readers!
A Royal Win
Last but not least, we organized great media coverage with School Library Journal’s Fuse #8, a Publisher’s Weekly Photo of the Day and a book trailer feature in Shelf Awareness.
Our multi-pronged campaign paid off: The Tiara on the Terrace hit the Southern California Indie Bestseller list! We were proud to bolster Kristen’s reputation as a fan-favorite author, showing that a little creative strategy can lead to big success.
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.
