September Update

I’ve launched a book blog today, Confessions of a Book Publicist, which takes you behind the scenes of the publishing business from the perspective of a book publicist.

Look for informative and entertaining stories about the book publicity business…anecdotes about the typical day in the life of a book publicist…the occasional book review or a favorite recipe or two… ruminations on my current reading…news about the books I am promoting…what really happens behind the scenes. The blog will be entertaining, filled with anecdotes, and will also shed light on what it’s like to work with the media. And, of course, it will be about books. So please take a look at Confessions of a Book Publicist.

It’s been a busy summer launching campaigns for two scrumptious and timely cookbooks: SEAFOOD ALLA SICILIANA: Recipes & Stories From a Living Tradition by Toni Lydecker (Lake Isle Press; September) and SIMPLY IN SEASON: Recipes that Celebrate Fresh, Local Foods in the Spirit of More-with-Less by Mary Beth Lind and Cathleen Hockman-Wert (Herald Press; September).

SEAFOOD ALLA SICILIANA takes readers on a Sicilian odyssey. As much a travelogue as a cookbook, this gorgeous book is filled with wonderful, simple and healthy recipes that Toni collected from Sicilian home cooks and professional chefs, while some are her own creative riffs on classic Sicilian themes. And it is the first cookbook to explore in depth the rich culinary dimensions of Sicilian seafood.

SIMPLY IN SEASON, is, simply, about eating in harmony with the seasons. The authors advocate preparing your meals with fresh, locally-grown produce raised in or near your community, in sync with the seasons. SIMPLY IN SEASON features anecdotes and discussions as to why it does make a difference to eat locally grown food. Alice Waters, Michael Pollan and our First Lady have all been outspoken proponents about the importance of eating fresh, locally produced fruits and vegetables. Now there is a cookbook that provides cooks with simple-to-prepare delicious recipes using fresh, seasonal produce. SIMPLY IN SEASON, at the vanguard of the locally-grown and seasonal food movement, couldn’t be more timely.

Just in time for the long, winter days comes a great mystery to curl up with: OVERKILL by Eugenia Lovett West (St. Martin’s Nov/Dec). If Jessica Fletcher from the TV hit series “Murder She Wrote” were a real-life character, she would be Eugenia Lovett West, who successfully launched her career as a mystery writer at the age of 81.

“This is a great and productive time of life,” says the 86-year-young West. OVERKILL is the second book in the Emma Streat series, following on the heels of Without Warning, which featured a 40-something attractive widow whose husband is killed in a hit-and-run accident. Determined to find his killer, Emma plunges into an international high-tech world—and into a brief affair with a sexy British spy in a suspenseful plot that the late Dominick Dunne praised as a “fast-paced page-turner.”

Stay tuned for more on OVERKILL in future postings, recipes from SEAFOOD ALLA SICILIANA and SIMPLY IN SEASON, media updates and more.

To briefly catch up on spring and summer news: I handled campaigns for two excellent mysteries, both of which received rave reviews.

For fans of Kyra Davis, the author who launched a chick-lit mystery series with Sex, Murder and a Double Latte, comes her latest in the series featuring the bi-racial, sassy Sophie Katz: LUST, LOATHING A LITTLE LIP GLOSS (MIRA Books). Davis cleverly uses the housing crisis as the backdrop for this hilarious, entertaining mystery, which is a blend of Mary Higgins Clark meets Bridget Jones. LUST, LOATHING AND A LITTLE LIP GLOSS is the novel that Sophie Katz fans have been waiting for, and the perfect introduction for new readers as well. It has everything a mystery fan could ask for: sex, murder, romance, a haunted house, suspense, lots of humor and just a little lip gloss for her chick lit fans.

THE SECOND DEATH OF GOODLUCK TINUBU (Harper) by the writing team of Michael Stanley, follows on the heals of their successful debut novel, A Carrion Death, which the New York Times Book Review praised as “A first novel saturated with local color. . . . Happily, Kubu is also hugely appealing—big and solid and smart enough to grasp all angles of this mystery. Readers may be lured to Africa by the landscape, but it takes a great character like Kubu to win our loyalty.”

THE SECOND DEATH OF GOODLUCK TINUBU is a murder mystery that takes readers into the heart of contemporary Africa. Set in Botswana and tied to a back story about the current turmoil in Zimbabwe and how the Rhodesian Bush War has forged strange relationships, both good and nefarious, this novel is haunted by the dissolution of these relationships.

A must-read for fans of Jhumpa Lahiri and all novels about the conflicts among the different generations of immigrant families is THE TRICKING OF FREYA, is a mesmerizing debut novel by Christina Sunley (St. Martin’s) about a family of Icelandic immigrants who settle in North America that More Magazine hailed as “an instant classic.” Three weeks on The San Francisco Chronicle’s bestseller list, THE TRICKING OF FREYA received many rave reviews. Scroll down to see what the critics have said about THE TRICKING OF FREYA.

I think I’m all caught up. Sorry for the lapse in postings. I will be blogging on a more regular basis from now on, writing chatty, entertaining stories on Confessions, and discussing in more depth the great books I’m promoting on my webblog.

I want to end here that reading books, writing about them and promoting books is a dream-come-true job for a book lover like myself. Happy reading to everyone this fall!


PRAISE FOR THE TRICKING OF FREYA by Christina Sunley

“Some novels, in addition to all else they accomplish, simply make great company: Christina Sunley's first novel is one, packed with delectable relationships and family secrets….Sunley has created much more to delight readers en route: characters we anticipate with curiosity and fondness, a deep reverence for the magic of language… In the character of Birdie, Sunley's made a marvel… Sunley's writing often enchants… I wish I had more room to quote from this ambitious work, packed with juicy events, dialogue and settings…”
—The San Francisco Chronicle

“An impressive debut novel by San Francisco writer Christina Sunley… This novel works on several levels: as a drama of family dynamics; as an immigrant story; and as a showcase for the author's broad and deep knowledge of Iceland.”
—The Seattle Times
“If all you know about Iceland is failed banks and Björk, The Tricking of Freya is a highly readable introduction…” —The Christian Science Monitor
“An instant classic…[a] luminous first novel…the story sparkles with the author’s love of language and of her own Icelandic culture. The book’s masterfully told final mysteries reveal themselves as magically as darkroom images appearing under the light.”
—More Magazine

"The author draws on her Icelandic heritage for this alluring and mystical story of a ... girl who discovers that family tragedies can haunt and shape many generations." —Good Housekeeping
“THE TRICKING OF FREYA is a fantastic story, full of myth and legend, family drama, epic landscapes, the search for identity, a sense of belonging and unconditional love… Sunley deftly weaves in real Icelandic and Norse history, Icelandic literature, culture and language into her tale, giving it a seriousness and depth that is compelling, romantic and readable… an accomplished debt.” —BookReporter.com
“Sunley's debut novel is an intricate family travelogue, based in the present of Icelandic-Canadian life and the half-mythical world of her grandparents' Iceland… This grand coming-of-age-novel boasts a dynamic set of characters and a rich bank of cultural and personal lore, making this dark, cold family tale a surprisingly lush experience.”
—Publishers Weekly Starred Review

“An astonishingly accomplished debut…a bewitching tale of volcanic emotions, cultural inheritance, family sorrows, mental illness, and life-altering discoveries.”
—Booklist

“…Amazing debut… Sunley's writing is truly poetic. She brings here settings alive in a way that will make you believe that you have been there and experienced it all yourself.
—BookBitch.com

UPDATE: The Tricking of Freya

Bestselling author Christina Sunley gave a reading from her acclaimed novel, The Tricking of Freya, to a sold-out crowd at Seattle's famous Nordic Heritage Museum.

A powerful debut novel that explores kinship, loss and redemption, The Tricking of Freya deftly weaves together Iceland's distinctive history, ancient mythology, reverence for language, and passion for genealogy.

Many of those in attendance at the reading learned of Christina's debut novel through a review in The Seattle Times Book Review, which we placed and which is an example of what a grass-roots publicity campaign targeted to appropriate audiences can do to spread the word about a book.

Christina is elated and so are we.

And don't forget to take a look at Christina's lovely website, www.christinasunley.com, to learn more about the book and its fascinating author.

If you are a media professional wishing to interview Christina Sunley or review her book, please feel free to contact me, Susan Schwartzman, at sjschwa@aol.com or call me at 1-877-833-4276.

The Tricking of Freya Receives Rave Reviews

The Tricking of Freya, a haunting debut novel by Christina Sunley, has just received rave reviews from the San Francisco Chronicle and The Seattle Times.

The Seattle Times Book Editor, Mary Ann Gwinn, calls The Tricking of Freya "an impressive debut novel" in the tradition of novelists like Jhumpa Lahiri and Junot Diaz that "works on several levels: as a drama of family dynamics; as an immigrant story; and as a showcase for the author's broad and deep knowledge of Iceland" and that offers "an armchair tour of a country of unparalleled beauty and strangeness."

San Francisco Chronicle Book Reviewer Joan Frank writes:

"Some novels, in addition to all else they accomplish, simply make great company" Christina Sunley's first novel is one, packed with delectable relationships and family secrets. It is a travelogue and cultural guide to what strikes most of us as an obscure and mysterious place: Iceland."

Booklist hailed The Tricking of Freya as an "astonishingly accomplished debut." Publishers Weekly praised it as a "grand...lush experience," and More Magazine called it an "instant classic" and "luminous first novel."

The Tricking of Freya is published by St. Martin's Press and is available in bookstores as well as online at Amazon.com and Barnes and Noble.

To interview Christina Sunley or review her novel, please contact Susan Schwartzman Public Relations.

President Obama and the War on Terrorism

Terry Turchie and Kathleen Puckett, former FBI agents and co-authors of HOMELAND INSECURITY: How Washington Politicians Have Made America Less Safe (History Publishing), were guests on KGO's Ronn Owens Show, one of the top talk shows in the San Francisco area on Tuesday, January 6th.

Terry and Kathleen gave their assessment of the latest developments in the war on terror and President-elect Obama's decisions to date regarding national security issues, including the announcement of former Clinton administration bigwig Leon Pancetta's nomination as head of the Central Intelligence Agency.

How safe is America today? What does the future hold for our national security? What has the incoming President already done to keep America safe? What will he have to do when he assumes office this month?

To find the answers, listen to the podcast of Ronn Owen's probing interview with Terry and Kathleen by clicking here.

Rave Review for Nick Stone's King of Swords

The King of Swords by bestselling thriller writer Nick Stone received a rave review in the Chicago Sun Times last Sunday, January 4, 2009.

"...Stone is so gifted at creating intriguing character and suspense that it's impossible to put down," wrote book critic David J. Montgomery.

To read the review in its entirety, click here.

How Safe Is The Food We Eat?

Dr. Lisa Weasel’s FOOD FRAY: Inside the Controversy over Genetically Modified Food (AMACOM; December 2008; $23.00 Hardcover) is a controversial and fascinating look at the global food fight that is changing the way we think about what we eat.

Just how safe are genetically modified foods? More than ten years ago, the first genetically modified foods took their place on the shelves of American supermarkets. But while American consumers remained blissfully unconcerned with the new products that suddenly filled their kitchens, Europeans were much more wary of these “Frankenfoods.” Even when famine struck Africa in 2002, several nations refused shipments of genetically modified foods, fueling a controversy that put the issue on the world’s political agenda for good.

Some of the issues Dr. Weasel explores in FOOD FRAY include:

How politics instead of ethics and science have driven the controversy over genetically modified foods.

How the general public is too often being duped and manipulated by propaganda about such foods.

How a huge campaign by big business to stop labeling foods may ensure that consumers can’t see what is really in the foods they are eating.

Lying beneath the surface of the story of genetically modified food is a deeper and more persistent narrative of how science, ethics, and politics intersect, not just in the US and Europe but in the legions of developing nations where some of the strongest debates surrounding GM food are currently taking place.

For a growing segment of the Americans, issues of where their food comes from, who controls the food supply, and what choices they make at the supermarket loom larger than ever. Consumers have recently staged mass protests against genetically modified foods that are not thus labeled, suggesting that there is strong opposition to such foods. Paradoxically, at the same time, genetically modified food is touted as the way to solve the world’s hunger problem and feed the world’s ever expanding populous poor.

FOOD FRAY separates truth from propaganda, science from science fiction. Dr. Weasel lays bare the reality behind genetically modified food.

WHAT MUST PRESIDENT-ELECT OBAMA DO TO KEEP AMERICA SAFE?

Now that we have just witnessed a historical Presidential election, one question still lingers:

Are we safer today than we were before 9/11?

In their new book, HOMELAND INSECURITY: HOW WASHINGTON POLITICIANS HAVE MADE AMERICA LESS SAFE, two top former FBI agents, Terry D. Turchie and Kathleen Puckett, explain the threats to our national security and to our civil liberties, and why the United States faces an uncertain future as a result of the very steps Republican and Democratic politicians have taken in responding to the 9/11 attacks and in politicizing the "war on terror." The result, the authors contend, is that the risk of international and domestic terrorism directed against the United States and her citizens has not lessened but instead increased.

Even worse, the next successful attack on America will move the country further from the rule of law and trigger a government response that will endanger civil liberties, handing the terrorists a major victory in their quest to instill fear and change in the way we live our lives.

President-elect Obama can change the course, but only if he acts decisively to reverse the tide of bad decisions made hitherto and does what it takes to make America safe again. Turchie and Puckett outline how the next president can defeat terrorism while still preserving and protecting the greatness of American law and liberty. Among the many topics they discuss include:

• What Obama must do to reverse the war on terror
  
  
• How the political agendas of both parties are primarily responsible for virtually inviting the 9/11 terrorist attacks, not the failure of American law-enforcement or intelligence agencies.
  
  
• How the incoming President can make certain that America's Number One national security issue must be the elimination of the al-Qaeda terror network.
  
  
• How Obama can build a more trusting relationship with the new government of Pakistan.
  
  
• Why the next administration must be aware that building new alliances throughout the world to fight terror may ignite the old sparks of the Cold War with former adversaries.
  
  
• Why it is urgent that we find a way to repair and rebuild the relationship between American and Russia if we are to find alternatives to a confrontation with Iran, the world's premiere sponsor of terrorism.

Publisher's Weekly says Homeland Insecurity offers "fascinating insights...full of intriguing sidelights from inside the bureau." As we begin a new chapter in American history, HOMELAND INSECURITY challenges us to rethink our understanding of national security and our civil liberties.

Terry Turchie and Kathleen Puckett, PhD, are acknowledged experts in the field of terrorism and counterterrorism. Turchie was the driving force behind the capture of the two most elusive and solitary domestic terrorists in US history, including domestic terrorist Eric Rudolph. He is a former Deputy Assistant Director of Counterterrorism Division of the FBI. As an author and a principal of TK Associates, LLC, he speaks to hundreds of corporate and law-enforcement groups regarding how to solve complex terrorism cases.

Dr. Kathleen Puckett spent 23 years as a FBI Special Agent, where she was primarily involved in the investigation and analysis of cases involving foreign counterintelligence as well as domestic and international terrorism. Together with Turchie, she was instrumental in the apprehension of Eric Rudolph. She provides behavioral threat assessment consultation to international corporations and governmental security agencies, and is a law enforcement consultant to the Program of Psychiatry and the Law at the University of California at San Francisco. She is a frequent presenter at law-enforcement and mental-health community forums on the psychology of terrorism.

You can learn more about Terry Turchie and Kathleen Puckett at their website, www.tkassociatesllc.com. Or read their recent article in the The Huffington Post.

HOMELAND INSECURITY is published by History Publishing Co, LLC.

THE SMART WOMEN'S GUIDE TO MIDLIFE & BEYOND: A No-Nonsense Approach to Staying Healthy After 50

Dr. Robin H. Miller, co-author of THE SMART WOMAN'S GUIDE TO MIDLIFE & BEYOND: A No-Nonsense Approach to Staying Healthy after 50 is on media tour this week and will be appearing on the following shows across the country:

Monday, October 27, 2008

• Seattle Live, Kong TV, an NBC affiliate, Seattle, WA
  
• Conversations with Lizz Sommers, KISW Radio, Seattle, WA

Tuesday, October 28, 2008

• AM Northwest, KATU-TV, Portland, Oregon
  

Thursday, October 30, 2008

• Fox Morning News, KSWB-TV, San Diego, CA
  
• KUSI Good Morning Show, San Diego, CA
• 6 WC-TV Morning Show, San Diego, CA
  

Authors Janet Horn, MD, and Robin H. Miller, MD, examine in comprehensive detail the crucial health issues that women over 50 should be concerned about and provide a step-by-step guide to screening, early detection, early prevention and alternative treatments to many of the diseases and conditions that afflict women in mid-life and beyond.

Unlike other books on the market, THE SMART WOMAN'S GUIDE TO MIDLIFE & BEYOND is not about chasing some illusory fountain of eternal youth. Instead, this book shows readers how to work with your body instead of against it to stay healthy and happy. Readers will discover practical, easy-to-follow steps they can take in order to feel good and continue feeling good in the years ahead.

Dr. Miller and Dr. Horn are both board-certified internists who have known each other since they began their medical training at the Johns Hopkins Hospital. They have watched their bodies mature over the years and intimately understand the health issues that affect older women. They include their own personal experiences, relate first-hand stories of their patients, and give you all the information you need to age with good health, grace, and humor.

Aging well is about enjoying excellent health and feeling well. THE SMART WOMAN'S GUIDE TO MIDLIFE & BEYOND is an invaluable resource that can help you achieve that goal.

If you're a woman over 50, this may be the only health book you'll ever need.

(Media wishing to interview Dr. Miller or Dr. Horn should contact Susan Schwartzman Public Relations at 877-833-4276.)

Bestselling Author Nick Stone returns with THE KING OF SWORDS

This December, HarperCollins releases THE KING OF SWORDS, another chilling thriller by British bestselling author, Nick Stone.

The advance reviews are in and Stone has already garnered three starred reviews for his latest book.

"Brilliant,"--Booklist starred review

"Chilling second thriller...The violence is every bit as gruesome as in Clarinet, but Stone expertly harnesses it to propel his multilayered saga of good, evil, and everything in between."--Publisher's Weekly starred review

"The Miami setting and Haitian voodoo backdrop give Stone's interesting noir thriller added weight...This series entry builds on Stone's award-winning debut, with [the protagonist] Mingus more complex this time an resulting in an even better read."--Library Journal starred review

Stone received raves for his debut novel, MR. CLARINET, which won almost every major mystery award available, including the 2006 Ian Fleming Steel Dagger Award for Best Thriller, the 2007 winner of the International Thriller Writers Award for Best First Novel, the 2007 winner of the Macavity Award for Best First Novel, and a nomination for the 2007 Barry Award and the 2008 Gumshoe Award.

Visit Nick Stone’s website, www. nickstone.co.uk, to learn more about him and his latest novel.

Philanthrocapitalism: How the Rich Can Save the World

Matthew Bishop and Michael Green have just published Philanthrocapitalism: How the Rich Can Save the World (Bloomsbury Press), the first detailed analysis of the current global boom in philanthropy that examines how today's leading philanthropists are revolutionizing the field, using new methods to have a vastly greater impact on the world.

It’s had a great launch. During an interview, President Bill Clinton recommended Philanthrocapitalism to the members of his Clinton Global Initiative, saying “it is about you.”

New York City’s mayor, Michael Bloomberg, calls it“a terrific book about how private money can help solve even the most difficult public problems. Philanthrocapitalism is the definitive guide to a new generation of philanthropists who understand innovation and risk-taking, and who will play a crucial part in solving the biggest problems facing the world.”

Of course, it may seem strange that a book extolling capitalism is hitting the bookshelves just as capitalism seems to be falling apart. But, to the contrary, these times make Philanthrocapitalism’s message all the more timely.

Why? First of all, the wealthy will be able to fare far better than most during this crisis and thus have the greatest opportunity to do the most good for others less fortunate. Second, as government budgets become tighter, there will be a greater need to philanthropy. Finally, philanthropic dollars will need to be used ever more efficiently, making philanthrocapitalism that much more necessary.

Matthew Bishop is American Business Editor and New York Bureau Chief for The Economist. He is also the author of Essential Economics, the official Economist layperson's guide to economics. He is a graduate of Oxford University.

Michael Green is economist by training. He taught at Warsaw University in Poland in the early 1990s under a Soros-funded program and worked as a freelance journalist. He is a senior civil servant at the Department for International Development, where he has managed British aid to Russia and Ukraine and run the communication department. Like Matthew, he is a graduate of the University of Oxford.

Take a look at Matthew’s and Mike’s website at www.philanthrocapitalism.net to learn more about the book and its authors.

HOMER'S ILIAD: A NEW TRANSLATION

I'm happy to announce that we are publicizing Herbert Jordan’s new translation of HOMER’S ILIAD (University of Oklahoma Press; September 2008; hardcover), which promises to do what Seamus Heaney’s translation of Beowulf did for that classic saga.

Intended for American audiences, this blank verse, line-for line translation skillfully steers a course between excessive literalism and mere contemporary colloquialism. Jordan makes the ILIAD more accessible to audiences than ever before while still conveying its austere beauty.

E. Christian Kopff of the University of Colorado and author of The Devil Knows Latin: Why America Needs the Classical Tradition says, “Herbert Jordan conveys the action and movement of the Iliad in contemporary language and a supple verse that is loyal to the traditions of English poetry. Teachers, students and lovers of great literature will find this highly readable translation one of the most accessible translations of the Iliad ever done.”

Award-winning writer and critic Luc Sante calls it “a remarkably fresh and clear translation…at once true to its ancient original and inviting to readers today.”

Faithful to the text yet not sacrificing the spirit of the poem, Jordan’s ILIAD captures the force and vigor of the original poem. The result is, says Pulitzer-Prize winning poet Henry Taylor, “a splendid achievement."

Homer's Iliad is a pivotal work in the history of Western culture. If you've never had the chance to read it or want to read it again, you'll find Herbert Jordan's HOMER'S ILIAD an excellent translation.

HOMELAND INSECURITY

Why is America’s national security more vulnerable than ever before? Why have politicians from both parties betrayed our national security for the sake of partisan politics and personal advantage? And who are they?

HOMELAND INSECURITY: How Washington Politicians Have Made America Less Safe (September 2008, History Publishing Company, Hardcover, $24.95) by former FBI agents Terry D. Turchie and Kathleen M. Puckett give readers a disturbing insider’s look into how politicians’ devastating partisan political attacks have crippled the only government agency with the authority and capability to conduct investigations in the interests of both national security and domestic security: The FBI.

Turchie and Puckett pull no punches. This is the first book of its kind to name names and connect all the dots. Readers will be shocked as they discover politicians and bureaucrats who have:

• Fraternized with America’s enemies, more to enhance their own power than to protect the national security.

• Leaked classified information to the media with impunity--at the risk of the America’s security!

• Looked the other way in the face of massive political corruption and bad behavior only to the detriment of the American people.

• Abused their oversight authority to dictate political direction to the Bureau and make it their own personal fiefdom.

• The nearly invisible behind-the-scenes operator who virtually ensured that the 9/11 Commission would never get at the whole truth.

When it comes to national security few know better than Terry D. Turchie and Kathleen M. Puckett as to what it takes to keep America’s enemies at bay. As FBI agents, they were pivotal in tracking down home-grown terrorists such as Theodore Kaczynski (otherwise known as the infamous Unabomber) and the Olympic Park bomber Eric Rudolph, and each played crucial roles in disrupting Soviet intelligence during the Cold War.

After 9/11, argue the authors, neither political party could afford to be labeled as the one that allowed that tragedy to happen. For a brief time, politicians of all stripes united in what appeared to be in the best interests of America’s national security. In reality, however, the real reason the politicians rallied was to protect the exposure of the shortsightedness and complacency they had all exhibited for years regarding the growing danger of terrorism.

HOMELAND INSECURITY promises readers a first-hand look at how over thirty years of reckless actions by both Republicans and Democrats in the service of their own political ambitions and addiction to power have crippled the ability of the FBI to protect America’s national security under the laws of the land. From Watergate to the current War on Terror, Turchie and Puckett present a clear case that the alleged ineptitude politicians have continually ascribed to the FBI is instead the direct result of their own self-serving agendas to promote their careers and advance their own political power. As a result, these politicians have critically endangered the American way of life in the 21^st century.

HOMELAND INSECURITY shows that the FBI is the only government agency with the authority to conduct investigations in the interest of national security as well as violations of federal crimes. The FBI’s culture of independence from political pressures and interference is the only guarantee to all Americans that its work will be thorough and impartial, regardless of the party or individuals in power. It must never be allowed to be a political pawn for elected officials. Not if America is to remain the home of the free.

About the Authors:

Terry D. Turchie is a former Deputy Assistant Director of the Counterterrorism Division of the FBI. His leadership was the driving force behind the capture of the two most elusive and solitary domestic terrorists in U.S. history. Turchie is a recipient of the FBI Director’s Award as well as the Attorney General’s Award for Distinguished Service. From 2001 to 2007 he was the Director for Counterintelligence and Counterterrorism for the University of California at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. In his capacity as an author and a principal of TK Associates, LLC, he speaks to hundreds of corporate and law enforcement groups based on his knowledge of how to solve complex terrorism cases.

Dr. Kathleen M. Puckett spent 23 years as an FBI Special Agent, where she was primarily involved in the investigation and analysis of cases involving foreign counterintelligence and domestic and international terrorism. Dr. Puckett provides behavioral threat assessment consultation to international corporations and governmental security agencies, and is a law enforcement consultant to the Program of Psychiatry and the Law at the University of California at San Francisco. She is a frequent presenter at law enforcement and mental health community forums on the psychology of terrorism, as well as her own unique findings on what makes America’s most complicated adversaries tick.

Really Dangerous Liaisions

There is nothing like a major sex scandal to grab everyone’s attention as proved by ex-Governor Eliot Spitzer’s scandalous behavior, which continues to make headlines.

What makes men risk destroying their careers and families for the sake of sexual gratification? Why would a politician indulge his lust at the expense of the public welfare?

No one knows better than Tracy Quan, author of the bestselling Diary of a Manhattan Call Girl and Diary of a Married Call Girl.

She will be appearing on The O’Reilly Factor at 8pm and 11pm EST to discuss Governor Eliot Spitzer’s sexual indulgences and his subsequent demise.

And don’t forget to check out her op-ed piece, Really Dangerous Liaisons, about the scandal in The New York Times today. You can read all about it here

Tracy is always insightful and thought-provoking, and tonight she should be at her best.

Don’t miss it.

NY TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR JOSEPH FINDER INTERVIEW - Part 2

If you liked the first part of Joseph Finder's interview at Writer Unboxed , you'll love the second part of the interview as Joe shares his formula for writing blockbuster thrillers that command the respect of his loyal fans. Not only is Joe an ace novelist (and a great guy, to boot), but he is also a leading expert in corporate espionage. Aspiring writers will find his comments insightful and thought-provoking. It's a must-read.

Diary of a Manhattan Call Girl Goes To Hollywood

Darren Star, the producer and writer who adapted Sex and the City for HBO, has just announced that he is creating a new series based on Diary of a Manhattan Call Girl, the novel written by Tracy Quan.

Like Candace Bushness, whose book, Sex and the City, was based on her sex column for the NY Observer, Tracy Quan's novel, Diary of a Manhattan Call Girl, was based on her sex column for salon.com. An editor who read her column made a book deal with Tracy, and now her book will become the basis of a new HBO series.

According to The Hollywood Star Reporter, “Diary," from Darren Star Prods. and Sony Pictures TV, is an ensemble show that takes a look at how power, sex and money collide through the eyes of a group of Manhattan's highest-paid escorts forced to juggle their johns, jobs and relationships.

"These women are not at all ashamed or stigmatized by what they do. In fact, there is something aspirational about it," Star said. "No one has quite looked at the world of high-end call girls, and this show intends to do that."

I consider Tracy to be more than just a client. She is also a friend and I wish her the best of luck with her latest success.

For more details about what is sure to be another new, exciting and award-winning series for HBO, go to The Hollywood Reporter article.

TARGETING THE RIGHT MEDIA MARKET FOR YOUR BOOK

A colleague of mine gave me a gift this summer, and she didn't even know it was my birthday:

She recommended an author to me.

When the author, Professor Alan Nadel, called and told me the title of his book, TELEVISION IN BLACK-AND-WHITE AMERICA: Race and National Identity (University Press of Kansas; October 2005), I wondered why my colleague had passed on the book. She specializes in promoting literary and academic books, so this one should have been perfect for her.

In TELEVISION IN BLACK-AND-WHITE AMERICA, Professor Nadel traces how shows such as Bonanza, Disney Productions, The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet, Gunsmoke, The Burns and Allen Show, Route 66, Wyatt Earp, Rawhide, I Love Lucy, Make Room for Daddy, The Virginian, Davy Crockett all helped to underscore racial discrimination and bigotry throughout the fifties and sixties.

To me, a campaign for this book was a no-brainer. And it was. I successfully booked Professor Nadel on a dozen or more NPR radio programs.

I kept the author busy with provocative interviews with intelligent talk show hosts on NPR programs that included The Tavis Smiley Show (a perfect venue for this book), Media Talk on Wisconsin Public Radio, and many other shows. (As of this writing, I'm still getting calls from radio stations wanting to schedule interviews with Professor Nadel--4 months after the campaign ended!)

It was a cut-and-dry campaign, and a pleasure to book.

The author did not have unrealistic expectations. He did not expect to get on Oprah or The Today Show. But he did think, quite correctly, that the media market for his book was NPR.

Authors often want to hire publicists for the big hits only: Oprah, The Today Show, Good Morning America. But as Socrates might have said, "Know thy book." And there are often golden opportunities for a book that might not be right for Oprah.

WHEN YOUR BUDGET IS LIMITED: TO HIRE OR NOT TO HIRE AN OUTSIDE BOOK PUBLICIST

Many authors wonder if it is worth it to hire an outside publicist, especially when your budget is limited. In my experience both as an in-house publicist and manager of a publicity department, as well as an outside publicist, I can tell you that most authors receive a very limited amount of publicity from their publishers.

Even bestselling authors and authors who receive large advances can benefit from the time, attention and creative efforts that an outside publicist will put into your campaign.

Publishers generally print advance reading copies (arcs or galleys) which are sent to monthly magazines and national media. But persistant follow-up is essential in this business, especially for a new or relatively unknown author. For such authors, a successful campaign will more often than not depend upon outstanding press materials and, more importantly, a focused concentrated effort to create the buzz about their book.

You will probably not receive the focused follow-up from an in-house publicist that you need to really get the word out. Think about this: Every editor out there receives hundreds of books a month. Some packages don't even get opened.

When I call editors the first go-around, it is to make sure they received the book. In many cases, either the package remains unopened, or the book is lying in a huge pile of books that an editor hasn't had the time to sort through. A head-ups call, followed by a creative pitch will put your book on the editor's radar.

In the 15+ years I've been handling publicity, I can tell you that I have garnered my authors review attention that they would not have otherwise received by making numerous follow-up calls and e-mail pitches until I hear definitively from the editor as to whether or not they will review a book.

In one case, after I made my first round of follow-up calls for a chick lit mystery, I e-mailed a teaser excerpt from the book. Even though Cosmopolitan Magazine had told me they received the galley, minutes after I e-mailed the teaser excerpt, I received a call from the book editor's office asking me to overnight a galley. The book was one of three titles reviewed several months later.

I have gotten review attention for debut novelists and first-time authors who would not have received coverage had they not hired an outside publicist. And I handle smaller campaigns for those who have limited budgets.

The author who received a review in Cosmopolitan hired me for a huge campaign, which included newspaper coverage, television, radio and a 3-city tour. But even if she spent a small portion on magazine coverage only, as many debut novelists do, that one placement in Cosmopolitan would have been worth it.

Consider this: one placement in a national magazine gets read by thousands, in some cases, millions of readers. Even if your advance is small, it is worth it to get your book noticed. You are writing your book for an audience. You want people to read what you have written. If you don't take charge of your book's campaign, you are relying on luck and chance. If you do take charge, your publicist can complement the efforts of your publisher, and do much, much more to ensure that your book gets media coverage.

Another example of how an outside publicist can work for you is getting coverage in creative ways, or through the back door. I was trying to get a debut novelist coverage in a particular magazine who passed on her book. I suggested to the author that she write an essay on the subject of her novel, and I managed to place her essay in the very same magazine. Her byline also mentioned her book, which is always great coverage, and media attention that she would not have received if she had not hired an outside publicist.

Nothing is a guarantee in this business. And, of course, there are the rare debut authors who get review coverage without the extra push of an outside publicist. More often than not, however, an outside publicist will get you more publicity than if you simply relied on your in-house publicist. Two heads are better than one.

I also strategize with authors on what type of publicity is best for their particular book. Some books, such as self-help books, are usually not review driven. In the case of self-help books, for example, you are more likely to get booked on television than a novelist would. If you are an expert on a subject, magazines will interview you when they are doing a story on your particular subject of expertise. Or you may get quoted in newspapers when they are doing a story on your subject of expertise. Magazines may even excerpt your book. In some cases, you will get profile coverage.

The bottom line: it's a win/win for an author to hire an outside publicist, even if you have a limited budget.

I recently read on a popular author’s blog an author’s comments on feeling helpless about getting media attention for her book. After being turned down by a major national radio program that she thought would be a perfect forum for her book, and not expecting major newspaper coverage, she asked what a midlist author should do in order to get media coverage?

I e-mailed her and suggested that she should consider hiring an outside publicist. She asked me what I would do for her. I outlined a detailed and very effective campaign strategy that I conducted for debut novelist, Kyra Davis. The campaign consisted of a mix of print, television and radio coverage over a course of six months.

The author replied that she had already been reviewed in several newspapers, including The San Francisco Chronicle and Boston Globe. She didn’t understand why she should hire me after getting several reviews in those two major newspapers.

Unfortunately, a handful of reviews usually isn’t enough to really get the word out about your book.

I am frequently asked by first-time authors why they should hire an outside publicist. In June, I participated on a panel sponsored by Backspace (www.bksp.org), a website devoted to help writers learn about the publishing industry and how to get published, and was asked the same question. (I held a detailed on-line chat about publicity that you can read on that website as well.)

The answer is simple: Good publicity is often the difference between getting your name out there to readers and remaining an unknown author, leaving it to chance to sell your book. It’s the difference between getting the media’s attention, which translates into better book sales, and your book becoming lost on the shelves, only to be returned to the oblivion of the publishers’ warehouse three months later.

What’s more, many bookstores may only order a single copy or none at all if the book doesn’t receive extensive media coverage.

Even established authors’ books don’t necessarily sell if they don’t receive media coverage which alerts the public that they have a new book out.

Let’s take a closer look at Kyra’s campaign…

The publicity campaign I handled for her debut novel, SEX, MURDER AND A DOUBLE LATTE, got her wide media coverage, including not just several newspaper and magazine reviews, but more than a dozen reviews, profiles and trend stories, including The New York Times, The Philadelphia Inquirer, The Washington Post, The San Francisco Chronicle, The Houston Chronicle, The Denver Post, The Detroit Free Press, The Oregonian, The Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Boston Herald, Santa Cruz Sentinel, Cosmopolitan, and Ebony (for a complete listing of media coverage, please visit my website at www.susanschwartzman.com).

In addition, Kyra was also a guest on top television programs in Philadelphia, Seattle, Portland and San Francisco, and was interviewed by top radio programs throughout the country as well.

The result?

Kyra’s book hit #8 on the B&N Hardcover Mystery Bestseller List as a result of the media coverage her book received. And her Amazon rankings experienced tremendous spikes after every review, television appearance and radio interview that Kyra did. Her book not only sold well during the campaign, but the media coverage she received laid the ground-work for her next book. Kyra Davis and SEX, MURDER AND A DOUBLE LATTE now has name recognition with readers, the media, and booksellers.

And it is all because she hired an outside publicist.