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Content (Issue 4)
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LIFE WITH LINDSEY ON TOUR
As a publicist for Century and Arrow books the one thing that characterises my job is variety. From popular science and autobiographies to first-time novelists, there's always something that makes a publicity campaign different to any other. Working with Lindsey has been a totally unique and always totally enjoyable experience, for numerous reasons. For a start, I can't think of any other authors who'd be likely to introduce me to men dressed in togas, or who would take me to places where I'd be fed food and drink made to ancient recipes, Also, I've been able to get to know Lindsey better than many of the other authors I work with. Quite often an author will live abroad so I might never get the opportunity to meet them, or I'll only get to plan the campaign for one of their books. But, because Lindsey publishes a book a year there has been plenty of time to get to know her and, because she lives London, distance hasn't been a barrier either. ~ Lindsey is well disciplined about which times of year she writes, so as her publisher we know that her latest novel will come out at the same time of year, every year. As far as I know, the first week in June has been 'Lindsey's launch week' for a string of Century publicists for the last fourteen years. Before the book is published it's my job to send out copies (hot off the press!), with a press release, to the Literary Editors of newspapers and magazines, people who review crime fiction and radio producers. If everything goes to plan all of these people should have a copy about six weeks before the book is actually on sale, that way the reviews will be printed in the week of publication. At the same time I'll be calling newspapers and radio shows to see if they'd like to interview Lindsey. ~ The main aspect of the publicity campaigns for any of Lindsey's books is the tour - when Lindsey travels to bookshops and venues around the country to talk about her work and be quizzed by her readers. Since Lindsey lives in the UK we're able to spread the tour over June and July, perhaps visiting two cities in one week and going home for some much needed rest and relaxation in between. Each one of Lindsey's events stands out from the usual crop of book shop readings because they're attended by a lively and dedicated army of fans. It seems sometimes that everyone at the event knows Falco and his family just about as well as Lindsey does, although the audience certainly doesn't know what's in store for him and will often try to persuade Lindsey to let slip what's going to happen in the next book. ~ Also, there are great opportunities to go to venues that appear in Falco's world. I have to admit I haven't been to a book event in Rome or in fact anywhere abroad quite yet, but last year we traveled to an event at Fishbourne Roman Palace. Everyone there had made a tremendous effort to look the part (hence the men and women in togas) and Lindsey read from A Body in the Bath House standing in the remains of the very building she was describing. ~ Occasionally Lindsey's publicists are called upon to perform great acts of bravery, with no thought to their own safety, for the sake of a successful event. A predecessor of mine, Kate Farquhar-Thonison, once captured a pigeon bent on interrupting a reading in Waterstone's in Reading. The pigeon was later released without charge. ~ One place that Lindsey and her publicists often visit is Waterstone's in Leeds. There's always a great audience there and the book shop are always well organised. It does still seem to be quite an unlucky venue though. Every time Lindsey visits she has supper with her publicist in the same restaurant and at the same table. For the last two years though her publicists have chosen that same spot to tell Lindsey that they were about to leave and begin new jobs. This year we're going back, and I'm determined that we'll get the same table in the same restaurant and undo that unlucky streak. This is only my second year working with Lindsey, but I hope there will be many more to follow! Cassie Chadderton, Senior- Publicity Manager
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