Just making sure that an earlier post (see Read the Freaking Blob about three posts below) isn't misconstrued (though 6 of my regular 8 readers have emailed me about it and the early returns show it was understood by a good percentage).
I couldn't hold most publicists in any higher regard than I currently do. While every once in a while a larger press may get somebody in there who is a bit exhuberent (whoever was behind one major publisher's recent decision to ship out a box per month of random titles for example), for the most part I have very positive things to say about the publicists working at them. They tend to do their research, and have a clue as to what a potential reviewer may, or may not, be interested in. They respond to requests for information, review copies, and author contact.
And while I'm impressed by that lot, I hold in even higher regard publicists at the smaller presses - the independents and university presses. These folks tend to do the same thing those high quality publicists at major presses do, with less cash flow, smaller staffs, and the fact that they don't as often have the big name authors that all the dailies want to review.
While every once in a while, I'll run into a publicist that doesn't understand why somebody not working for a newspaper or magazine might be inquiring about the possibility of interviewing an author - the folks at these smaller presses were by far the quickest to jump on board and understand there was a community developing online that, while not huge, was extremely devoted to the idea of discussing literature. They are also the publicists most often sending me a book with a note that isn't a form letter attached to the publicity paperwork. A note that has my name on it. That notes that since I liked Book A so much, they think I'd probably really like the book enclosed as well. The note that says "I've read your reviews, interviews, and other comments and believe I know what you might get excited about."
The publicists and the authors that take the time to learn enough about myself and my tastes are highly valued by myself and many others like me. And they are also valued by their publishers and the authors they represent - because they are getting the books they represent discussed.
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