Get Your Book In Gossip Columns

CELEBRITY | PR’s Jordan McAuley with famed gossip columnist Michael MustoLast week at the Independent Book Publishers Association, I had the pleasure of meeting book publicist Jacqueline Deval, author of ‘Publicize Your Book!’

Jacqueline was the publicist who worked on Wilt Chamberlain’s autobiography, ‘A View from Above’, where he stated he’d had sexual relationships with 20,000 women. Remember that one?

Jacqueline sent gossip columnist Liz Smith a piece about the book who wrote about it, and from then on it was covered by all the other celebrity gossip columns in major newspapers and magazines.

To get your book in gossip columns, Jacqueline offers this advice:

• Read the column so you know what kind of items the reporter is interested in
• Write an item in the style of the column
• Fax it or email it to the reporter’s office on an exclusive basis (meaning that you’ve given the item to no one else, and that you’ve stated on your fax or email “EXCLUSIVE TO [NAME OF REPORTER.]

Here in Manhattan, I often run into celebrity gossip columnist Michael Musto who writes for the Village Voice. In fact, he was at my publisher Alyson Books party recently celebrating his book, ‘Fork on the Left, Knife in the Back.’

Musto recently spoke to Bulldog Reporter about the best way to pitch him:

“Be honest, lively and personable. Get to know me as a person and you will develop a relationship with far more rewards. Email is a great way to get your message out today, and I open every email unless the subject line is obviously spam.”

Related Posts:

• The Art of Attention-Getting
• Uncensored Sales Strategies
• As Seen On ‘Martha’
• The Cult of Celebrity
• Book Expo America 2009

Recommended Resources:

• Contact Liz Smith
• Contact Michael Musto