Welcome to the Weekend with Staci Carmichael

This week we have the lovely and talented Staci Carmichael joining us. Staci works in the publicity department at WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing. She graciously agreed to be interviewed and give us a glimpse into her life and the world of publishing.

First, tell us a little about yourself.

I am 25, was born in Texas, raised in Florida, and God brought me to live in the great state of Colorado! I have worked in the Publicity department at WaterBrook Multnomah for over 2 years, and have learned more about the industry than I ever thought possible, and feel like I have so much more to learn!

What made you decide to go into publishing?
Honestly, I think the best answer to that question is, God. I did not get a degree in anything related to publishing, but I am able to look back through the different steps in my life and see how God has led me to this field.

Describe for us your journey in publishing from just starting out to your current position.
It all started when a close family friend, and owner of one of the local Christian book stores in my home town (the best in my personally opinion :)), asked if I would be interested in buying her store. I was blown away considering I was 22 and had just graduated from Auburn University (War Eagle!), however I agreed to work with her for 6 months while she taught me the ins and outs of running a store. It still ranks as one of my favorite periods in life, and one of my favorite experiences with her was going to ICRS and talking with publishing reps. I decided that I was not ready to own a store, nevertheless gained amazing experience and knowledge while working with her.

Next, I decided to attend Focus on the Family Institute, a four month school that is offered through Focus. Part of my schooling involved an internship with The Christian Booksellers Association! I was very excited to be working with them, and looked forward to learning another side of the industry. When that was complete I knew God was calling me to stay in Colorado Springs (which is a big deal for a Florida girl :)) and I was extremely excited when He opened the doors for me to work at WaterBrook Multnomah Press. I have been here for over two years and have loved every minute of it! It is a fascinating and rewarding industry.

What is the role of the Publicist and why does an author need one?
The best way I heard Publicity described is “Marketing without paying for it”. Our role is to get positive press coverage for our authors. We do this by building and maintaining strong relationships with media outlets whether it is print, television, radio, or online. We handle interview/review requests for our authors and coordinate those to run around the time of the book release to generate the most buzz. It is extremely important for an author to have a good publicist working for them if they want their book to be successful in the market place.

What impact do you think digital books will have on book publishing? Are bound books destined to become endangered species?
I do agree that our world is rapidly moving toward everything digital, but I hope there will always be a market for books. There is just something comforting about curling up on the couch with a cup of tea and your favorite book that an electronic reader will never be able to provide. :)

What do you feel is the most important thing that a first-time author should know?
Looking at it from a publicity point of view, authors need to be willing to interact with the public through media outlets. The more often the public hears their name and the name of their book the better. Also it is very important to create a strong online following through Facebook, twitter, blogs, etc.

What makes WaterBrook Multnomah/Random House different from other publishing houses?
We try to acquire and publish a variety of books. I love our list because we have everything from Amish Fiction by Cindy Woodsmall to Dieting books by Chantel Hobbs, and everything in between. However, all of them having one thing in common, the message of God’s love.

What advice would you give to someone wanting to break into the publishing world (not as an author)?
Be willing to learn and read a lot. Things are always changing in this industry, so don’t become complacent. It is exciting and innovative, so make sure you are staying up on the trends!

How involved do you get with individual authors when helping them promote a book (do you offer guidance, set up a lot of things for them, etc)?
As a publicist in this industry, we work very closely with the authors whose campaigns are assigned to us. It is important for us to get to know the author and book so we can strategically decide where the book will be most successful. Each campaign is different, and should be approached in that manner. Some books will have more success in online promotion, while others have stronger radio or print campaigns.

Share with us one fun fact or event that you have encountered in the publishing world.
I am a people person, so I love talking to and building relationships with media outlets and authors. That is probably my favorite part of the job.

On a personal level, what books do you enjoy reading?
I love to read everything from biographies to fiction, but a book has to catch my interest and keep me turning the pages. Some of my all time favorite authors are Charles Martin, Kristin Heitzman, Karen Kingsbury, Lynn Austin, John Piper, Shannon Ethridge, Randy Alcorn, John Grisham, Ted Dekker, etc.

If you were stranded on a deserted island with three other people who were either authors or characters from books, who would you want them to be and what would be your topic (s) of conversation?
I would love to be stranded with C.S. Lewis, JRR Tolkien and characters from their books. I grew up reading The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe and The Lord of The Rings books and would consider it a privilege to talk with these great men. I would love to talk to them not only about their books but also the philosophies behind them.

If you were to jump in a time capsule and land 200 years into the future, what do you envision the publishing world to have evolved into?
Wow, that is a great question, and I am finding myself thinking about flying cars and space suits, but that has nothing to do with publishing. :)  Honestly, I have no idea what it will look like, maybe we will all have personal robots that download all the current books and read them to us.

What do you do in your free time, for fun or to relax?
I love to be outside ALL the time, I think it is a prerequisite to live in Colorado, haha ok maybe not. :) I LOVE skiing so that is usually where you can find me on the weekends, except for the fall when college football is on. Being raised with two older brothers caused me to be completely obsessed with football and basketball! I also have a golden retriever, so I enjoy going on runs with him.

Thank you Staci for giving us a glimpse into your world. Authors are lucky to have you working for them.