Author Archives: Laine Cunningham

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About Laine Cunningham

Laine Cunningham is an award-winning author, ghostwriter, and publishing consultant who has been quoted on CNN Money, MSNBC.com, FoxNews.com, and other national and international media. Her work has won multiple national awards, including the Hackney Literary Award and the James Jones Literary Society fellowship. She has received dozens of fellowships and residency slots from programs like the Jerome Foundation, the Vermont Studio Center, the New York Mills Cultural Center, Wildacres Center for the Humanities, Arte Studio Ginestrelle in Assisi, Italy, the TAKT Kunstprojektraum in Berlin, Germany, Fusion Art in Turin, Italy and The Hambidge Center. She is also the author of the travel memoir "Woman Alone: A Six-Month Journey Through the Australian Outback" and a series of Zen and Wisdom books combining unique inspirational text with beautiful photos.

Job at Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB)

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The Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) seeks a talented Senior Vice President who can develop and implement high-level communications and public awareness strategies and marketing and public policy initiatives. Experience with digital media is a strong plus. S/he will oversee the creation of all written collateral, including speeches, op-eds, and marketing materials.
Additionally, s/he will be responsible for identifying “strategic placement opportunities” for CPB to showcase its expertise and to influence ongoing dialogue around issues that are most important to CPB in local, national, and global communities. Ideal candidates will have worked with key government leaders in the legislative and executive branches.

Required:

Ten to fifteen years’ experience in a high-level leadership position in a related field.
Significant experience developing and communicating strategies for achieving business objectives, planning, organizing, and managing multiple priorities; developing and managing projects and budgets; and applying resources strategically to achieve significant, measureable impact.
Demonstrated staff management experience with strong leadership skills reflecting the ability to hire, motivate, develop, and lead others, resolve conflicts, and ensure the achievement of results through effective change processes, continuous improvement, and performance management.
Excellent oral and written communication skills, as well as advanced advocacy capabilities, including speechwriting, making effective presentations, and negotiation.
Intellectual curiosity and demonstrated “idea to action” experience.
A high level of confidence, integrity, political savvy, decisiveness, and a professional executive presence for interacting with key leadership, decision-makers, and stakeholders.
A demonstrated ability to establish credibility, to influence others, to navigate disagreement and achieve consensus, to forge ambitious goals, and inspire others to work together to achieve them.
Excellent interpersonal skills for building and fostering key internal and external business relationships, as well as the ability to lead and perform effectively in a team-oriented environment in which collegial relationships are as important as lines of authority.
The ability to be results-oriented while balancing varying and sometimes contradictory business factors is critical, as well as the ability to demonstrate good judgment and critical thinking at both the strategic and functional levels.
Excellent computer skills (proficient In MS Office).
Must be able to travel.

Job at Other Press

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Other Press seeks an Associate Publicist or Publicist with a track record of delivering successful PR campaigns to join our ambitious and growing team. Responsibilities include: planning and executing publicity campaigns for fiction and nonfiction titles; pitching and securing top national and local media, including print, television, online and radio; writing press materials, researching media contacts, updating media lists; and coordinating multi-city book tours and appearances. The ideal candidate will possess exceptional writing, communication, organizational and social media skills, attention to detail, and ability to juggle a multitude of tasks. Candidate should be detail oriented and highly motivated, with a deep knowledge of highly trafficked blogs, and new media platforms. Minimum of 1-2 years related experience required at Associate Publicist level; minimum of 2 years related experience at Publicist level. High priority will be given to candidates with strong interest and/or experience publicizing literary fiction. Bachelor’s degree required.
To apply, click here.

Book Review: The Manuel of Detection by Jedediah Berry

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I enjoyed this because the concept is so unique. A very surreal read. However, around page 200 the concept lost its appeal. I skimmed the remainder of the book just to see how it ended, and wasn’t terribly impressed with the climax but it was a fun read overall.
3 stars.

Why Authors Should Join Writing Groups

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One of the best things you can do for your career is to get together with a feedback group.
This provides you with connections with other authors who are as serious as you are.
It’s not necessary for them to be in the same genre. It is critical that they be as passionate and hardworking as you so you can support each other.
And don’t be afraid to drop out of a group filled with folks who claim they are writers but who never write. Nothing puts out the spark faster than realizing that your writer’s group is just a coffee klatch.

Job at Parragon

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Parragon International, a leading global publisher of illustrated nonfiction books and creator of gifts, games and toys, is looking for a highly organized Administrative Assistant to proactively support the Senior Sales Manager for Latin America.
We’re looking for a dynamic highly motivated team player, who wants to both learn about and assist in representing Parragon in the burgeoning Latin American Book and Consumer Products market.
Click here for details.

Job at Workman Publishing

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Workman Publishing is an independent publisher of award-winning cookbooks, children’s books, parenting/pregnancy guides, as well as high-end gift books, fiction, gardening, humor, country living, and calendars. Seeks a proactive, detail-oriented project manager who can effectively run multiple web projects from inception through completion. The ideal candidate will drive projects forward, anticipate needs, facilitate communication between freelance developers, designers, and in-house staff and oversee the work of the web manager.
Click here for more details.

Book Review: The Story of Forgetting by Stefan Merrill Block

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Although at times the author intruded with writing that trumpeted how clever he was, the story itself was very pleasurable and unique. The structural elements themselves were interesting to watch unfold (chapters alternate between the two protagonists’ points of view and information about the fabled world). In the end, although somewhat predictable, the story is uplifting. I enjoyed this book and will look for more by this author, hoping he will have solved those “writerly” issues while working on his second novel.
4 stars!
Interested in fables and folktales? Try Seven Sisters: Spiritual Messages from Aboriginal Australia, a book that ties ancient stories with essays about what the stories can teach us about modern life.

Job at Kirkus

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Kirkus Media is looking for experienced book reviewers of English and Spanish-language titles to review for Kirkus Indie, the book review magazine’s section dedicated to self-published authors. Reviews are in the same format and held to the same high standards as other sections of Kirkus Reviews.
Click here for more details.

Book Review: Saturday by Ian McEwan

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I haven’t read a book this well written in a long time. Subtle yet with an emotional resonance that sticks with you long after you put it down. The doctor’s internal journey is reflected in various events that happen around him. Some are almost-events…things that happen only in his imagination, and that are symbols of a mind in turmoil. Others are real, and bring him to a dangerous place that threatens his family. He has to step up and be the man everyone has mistaken him for up until now.
Clearly I’m going to seek out other books by this author.
5 stars!

Job at B. Eerdmans Publishing

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Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, Grand Rapids, MI
“We are seeking a creative, visionary Editor in Chief to oversee the Eerdmans adult editorial program. This directly involves the long-range planning of the program and acquisitions for the program. The position is also indirectly responsible for the editorial preparation of projects selected for the program, the supervision of the editorial staff, and the coordination of editorial work with the work of the other departments in the company. The position is full time and on-site, and it reports to the president and publisher.”
Click here for details.

Should Authors Switch Between Genres?

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For authors who are working in traditional publishing, almost always it is best to stick with one genre until the third book.
Publishers want to keep the foundation of readers generated during the first book’s sales life and build on that with a second book that is in the same genre.
One you have a third book out, you and your agent can discuss whether you have enough name cache to be able to switch genres. If you do, you can switch to something similar.
If you have achieved bestseller status before then, of course, you can write just about anything you like!
Self-publishers should also take this advice but work it a different way. Target all your marketing to specific genres. Only overlap when you know a particular promo will reach readers of more than one genre. This allows your marketing to be more effective, and saves time and money.

Job at Open Road Media

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Open Road Media (“Open Road”) is a well-funded New York-based digital and multimedia content company that is positioned to leverage the rise of digital (ebook) publishing. Open Road creates connections between authors and their audiences by marketing its ebooks through a new proprietary online platform, which uses premium video content, social media and digital advertising. Authors whose works are being publishing in digital form by Open Road include Alice Walker, Pat Conroy, Jack Higgins and Pearl Buck. In addition, several publishers and agencies’ lists are now digitized, distributed, and marketed by Open Road.
Open Road, founded in 2009 by Jane Friedman, Chief Executive Officer, and Jeffrey Sharp, President of Production, is known for its emphasis on author brands and continuous marketing.
This position, which reports to Chief Marketing and Product Officer (CMPO), Rachel Chou, will help lead Open Road Integrated Media’s special (premium) sales and specialty channels and will the oversee education and library market sales team. Additionally, the candidate will work with the CMPO and the marketing team in developing and implementing online and offline marketing content for these marketplaces, and creating custom publishing opportunities.
Click here for details and to apply.

Book Review: The Riders by Tim Winton

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This is one of those books that when I was done, I just thought, Wow! I’ll be thinking about this one for a very long time. A lot of complexity here with his daughter, the international journey to look for his wife, and his own demons. I really enjoyed this one!
5 stars!

Job at Guildford Press

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Guilford Press is an independent academic/scholarly press located in midtown Manhattan. We publish outstanding titles in psychology, education, geography and related fields. We are a very productive company with high standards in a collaborative environme
The marketing department at Guilford is fast-paced, productive, and highly invested in the quality of our work, and is seeking a full-time Marketing Administrative Assistant to join our team. At least two years’ administrative experience, with book publishing experience preferred.
The Marketing Administrative Assistant has a busy and detailed role in supporting the marketing department, which includes:
• Securing pre-publication endorsements from prominent professionals for use online, on book jackets, and in marketing materials.
• Effectively tracking rapidly-changing status of dozens of projects.
• Accurately updating our title information database, including making copy changes and entering various information.
• Processing a variety of departmental memos that relate to the endorsement process.
• Various other administrative duties, such as completing audits and running reports, as needed.
Click here for details and to apply.

Display Natural Talant in Your Query Letter: 3 Tips

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Sometimes people have a knack for writing their own query letter. Often they don’t.
It’s not because they can’t write well; it’s because the query is a sales tool and few authors, fiction or nonfiction, are trained in sales techniques.
Queries have a second obstacle built in: until an author is published, they often don’t know what the publishing industry expects them to include in the query or the book proposal. They don’t know the buzzwords, they aren’t sure how to position their work in the market, they don’t know what trends are current and what is fading rapidly away. The mistargeting of only one of these items is enough to make an agent or publisher stop reading and move on to the next query.
Practice is fine. Publishing industry savvy is much, much better.
Display natural talant by:
–Reading industry publications: Publisher’s Weekly, Writer’s Digest, etc.
–Read industry blogs: Huffington Post has several, and up-and-coming authors often blog about their experiences.
–Subscribe to industry newsletters. Publisher’s Weekly has a free e-newsletter, as does Writer’s Digest. There are tons of free e-newsletters out there. I sift through a few dozen every week.