Expert Interview: Marika Flatt, PR By the Book

Marika Flatt

Name: Marika Flatt

Social Media Links

You’ll be speaking at this year’s Nonfiction Writers Conference—May 4-6—can you give us a sneak peek of what you’ll be presenting?

The topic is Winning Book Publicity Strategies.

How did you come to do what you’re doing today?

I started as a book publicist for another firm in 1997 and stayed there for seven years, helping grow the firm. I left to launch PR by the Book and haven’t looked back since then! Now, PR by the Book is 13.5 yrs old.

What do you most enjoy about what you do?

I love helping readers discover a new author/book that they’ll love. It’s very exciting to hear a reader say they bought a book because they read about it/ heard about it via media.

Are there any people and/or books that have inspired you along your journey?

I’m inspired by the committed team we’ve built over the years. These brilliant, dedicated publicists (including our social media director) and support team care very deeply about doing a great job for their authors/ publishers. They are creative and tenacious. Together, we are the little engine who could!

Can you share something that people may be surprised to learn about you?

I’ve been a travel writer for 13 years and can also be heard on the statewide NPR program, Texas Standard.

What’s next for you?

We’re expanding our social media offerings and services on a regular basis. It’s the new kid on the block for us. We have a team of five heading to Book Expo America next month and we’re all really excited about that.

Is there anything else you would like to add?

Book publicity is more competitive than ever, with media getting pitched by hundreds of people a day. So we have to be uber creative and diligent at what we do. Also, it’s changed so dramatically over the past decade and I’ll be talking more about that during my seminar in early May.