LAUREN CERAND - INDEPENDENT PUBLICIST

Lauren Cerand does literary publicity, but she does not work for any specific publisher – instead she’s an independent publicist.

My work is informed by a basic impulse to give people information how they want it, when they want it, and where they want it, and also by the fact that I spent most of my teenage years at raves and my first few years of employment doing media outreach for labor unions. Illegal warehouse parties and (often legal) street demonstrations, while seemingly very different in their intended purpose, actually have lots in common: in order to be successful, both require the maximum level of publicity and attendance at the event, but minimal mass knowledge beforehand.

Whether I was cutting class in high school to go to the slightly out-of-the-way record shop and pick up tickets for the next hot party in DC or Baltimore, or, years later, talking to assignment editors at television stations in multiple cities about coordinated press conferences with thousands of demonstrators happening in less than hour, I’ve always understood that early adopters and key influencers are the best source of what’s cool, what’s important, and what needs to get paid attention to right now. In our frenetic, media-saturated culture, the buzz that breaks through is what matters most.

I had no intention of ever getting into literary publicity. It’s difficult (for no rational reason) and the rewards are often few, but after being informed that a good friend’s book was going to be launched last summer with a resounding thud, I felt I had no choice but to take action. The publisher indicated that they weren’t going to promote the book online or on television; in the end, though, those were exactly the media I was able to use to make the book successful.

I’ve been a voracious reader all my life, so it’s not surprising that I represent a number of authors along with emerging artists and organizations. I’ve been working on some really fantastic projects lately for my literary clients, and I’m excited about what’s next. In the mix at the moment:

Quinn Dalton, Bulletproof Girl: I took on this project because it had two strikes against it, according to conventional wisdom: it is both a short story collection and a paperback original. I thought those factors would be its two greatest strengths. Short stories are perfect for readers on-the-go (and who isn’t these days?) and people with shorter attention spans (hello, MTV generation), and the price is right with paperbacks. I worked with Quinn to primarily maximize her online presence in a strategically targeted way. We capitalized on existing opportunities and created new ones as well. A great example is her essay for Mediabistro – I pitched it to Mediabistro the same day The Atlantic announced that it would no longer regularly publish fiction, and Quinn was willing to do the investigative follow-up to fill out the personal angle for a compelling piece.

Tayari Jones, The Untelling: Tayari’s new novel follows Leaving Atlanta, which won the prestigious Hurston/Wright Prize for Debut Fiction, and I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s just the first of many for this author on the rise. Tayari’s challenge has been to balance a traditional campaign with the realities facing authors today. Her 15-city national tour was combined with a coordinated strategy to also connect with readers online in a similar way. She has also started her own blog, covering a unique mix of personal and topical issues, and is building a regular and growing audience for her work – which is a key component of my approach. When I was thinking about Tayari’s media plan, I realized it’s easy for authors to rack up enough labels to open up a small shop. I pitched an idea that I had for a discussion based on that concept to the Emerging Writers Network, asked writers who I admired and felt would have something interesting to say on the issue to contribute, and helped Dan to facilitate the technical and administrative aspects of the interview, which was conducted in real-time over IM. The finished piece was great exposure for Tayari and The Untelling (and Quinn and Bulletproof Girl as well), and best of all, started an intelligent and meaningful conversation on many blogs about “labels,” good and bad.

Dallas Hudgens, Drive Like Hell: I recently started working with Dallas after I stayed up until 3am to finish his novel. Drive Like Hell got terrific reviews, but now that the publisher’s campaign is mostly long over (the book was released in February), there’s still vast untapped potential and room to capitalize on great critical acclaim for what most readers will agree is a very new (and very good) book. Dallas just started a new blog, DriveLikeHell.com, and he’s got a buzzworthy reading with Stephen Elliott in New York, sponsored by Emerging Arts, on June 9th.

Sheila Curran: Diana Lively is Falling Down: I liked Diana Lively is Falling Down because it was engaging and entertaining without sacrificing a wry wit and sharp intelligence that I found quite compelling. Sheila and I are currently working on implementing an online marketing and publicity plan for the book, as well as setting up some events for her around the country. She had the great idea to make them fundraisers for causes she’s active in supporting, and that’s something that will translate well online, too.

Additionally, I’ll be working with M.J. Rose, who has a typically brilliant marketing plan that I’ll be helping her to execute a small part of in July. I’ve also recently worked with Kevin Smokler to produce and promote a New York reading and release party for his excellent new collection of essays, Bookmark Now, at Galapagos (great interview here), and done a few other projects for clients who probably wouldn’t want a ton of publicity!

Lauren Cerand is an independent publicity and marketing consultant based in New York. She blogs about art, politics, and style at LuxLotus.com.

Comments

[PAOLO SERAFINI]

Can anyone help me find Michael Cunningham contact info? I would like him to sign one copy of the book from which the movie "The Hours" has been shot. Please help me it's very important.
Paolo