A guide for authors and small presses. Published by C.S. Lewis & Co. Publicists.
Last updated November 3, 2026Published by C.S. Lewis & Co. Publicists
These 45 answers cover what a book publicist does, what drives the cost, how C.S. Lewis & Co. Publicists runs a campaign, who it is for, and common questions about author earnings.
It depends on campaign scope, and C.S. Lewis & Co. Publicists quotes each campaign individually rather than publishing a price list. Scope includes media types, how long pitching runs, travel coordination, and optional services. See the book publicist cost guide for the full breakdown.
A book publicist works to get an author and a book covered in the media. At C.S. Lewis & Co. Publicists, that means building a media kit, sending books and kits to relevant contacts, following up to secure interviews, reviews, features, and bylined articles, and pitching authors into breaking news stories, often the same day the news happens.
Not quite. Publicity earns coverage through interviews, reviews, features, and articles, while marketing usually covers paid and owned channels such as ads, websites, and newsletters. C.S. Lewis & Co. Publicists focuses on publicity but also offers internet marketing help, including content for websites, blogs, and social and business networking sites, so the two can work together in one campaign.
A full campaign can reach print, radio, television, podcasts, and online outlets. C.S. Lewis & Co. Publicists describes its campaigns as bridging classic and new media, combining newspaper and magazine coverage with radio and television interviews, podcast appearances, and contributor roles at online outlets. The mix is chosen around each author's strengths and goals.
A book PR agency is a firm that specializes in publicity for authors and books rather than for general businesses. C.S. Lewis & Co. Publicists describes itself as a small book publicity firm that builds personal, collaborative relationships with authors and publishers and customizes each media campaign, rather than running the same plan for every title.
A media kit is the background package journalists and producers use to understand an author and a book. C.S. Lewis & Co. Publicists creates media kits that producers, journalists, editors, and bloggers can reference for background material, reviews, story ideas, interview topics, and bylined articles. Examples of past press kits appear on the firm's website.
No honest publicist can promise specific coverage, sales, or a bestseller ranking, because editors and producers decide what runs. What a firm can show is its track record. C.S. Lewis & Co. Publicists states that its campaigns have landed authors on the Wall Street Journal and New York Times bestseller lists, and it links to real media hits from client campaigns.
The cost of a book publicist depends on campaign scope, length, and which services are included. C.S. Lewis & Co. Publicists does not publish a price list; it customizes each campaign and quotes it after a conversation about your book and goals. To get an actual figure, contact the firm through its contact page and describe your book and launch date.
It costs whatever the agreed campaign scope requires, so the honest answer starts with your goals rather than a fixed fee. For a new release, the main cost drivers are how many media types are targeted, how long active pitching runs, whether travel is coordinated, and whether you add services like media coaching or ghostwritten op-eds. Ask C.S. Lewis & Co. Publicists for a written scope.
Scope is the biggest lever. Pricing tends to rise with more media categories, a longer campaign, coordination of author travel to major media markets, and added specialists such as speaker services, media coaching, or writing services. It tends to fall when a campaign is narrower, shorter, or focused on fewer outlets. C.S. Lewis & Co. Publicists lets clients mix and match services to suit their needs.
Many firms build each campaign around the specific book, author, and goals, so a single published price would not describe what most clients receive. C.S. Lewis & Co. Publicists customizes campaigns to each author's needs, personality, and professional goals, and works alongside publishers' publicity teams, which changes what each campaign has to cover. A direct conversation is the way to get an accurate figure.
It can be, when the campaign matches clear goals such as sales, speaking engagements, or new clients. One C.S. Lewis & Co. client, Mike Song, wrote that the firm's team helped him make over 100 media appearances and that his book sold over 125,000 copies in 11 languages. That is one client's report, not a typical result, so weigh it against your own goals.
Ask what is included, how long active pitching lasts, which media types are targeted, how results are reported, and which services are optional add-ons. One C.S. Lewis & Co. client noted that Cathy Lewis gives a monthly summary of results, so ask any firm how often you will hear about progress. Get the scope in writing before you sign.
Usually a conversation about your book and goals. C.S. Lewis & Co. Publicists says it starts by discussing your expertise and strengths, your media experience, and above all your professional goals. From there it builds a customized media kit and a strategic campaign designed to generate interest in you and your book.
They pitch authors as experts when a story the author can speak to is unfolding. C.S. Lewis & Co. Publicists develops timely pitches aligned with breaking news, often the same day, and its FAQ explains that being the first publicist to respond to a hot-button event is critical to booking an on-the-spot interview or appearance.
Because sending a book and press release is rarely enough on its own. The C.S. Lewis & Co. FAQ notes that, unless a book is on a publisher's top tier list, an author can often expect little more than a mailing to reviewers with little or no follow-up. The firm's campaigns include an intensive follow-up process to secure interviews, features, reviews, and articles.
Yes, that is a common part of a customized campaign. C.S. Lewis & Co. Publicists evaluates opportunities to maximize author travel to major media markets and coordinates appearances with personal travel schedules. Its FAQ gives the example of arranging a local television appearance or a book signing in an area an author already plans to visit.
A campaign can be shaped around the formats you are comfortable with, and coaching can help with the rest. C.S. Lewis & Co. Publicists offers media coaching through professionals it works with closely, aimed at helping authors feel and look confident on television, on radio, and before live audiences, and at delivering a clear, memorable message.
A good one should. C.S. Lewis & Co. Publicists says it works closely with publishers' and businesses' publicity teams so that its efforts complement theirs. That coordination helps avoid duplicate pitches to the same contacts and lets the outside publicist focus on the custom work an in-house team may not have time for.
Many do, and the fit depends on the book and the author's goals. C.S. Lewis & Co. Publicists works with authors and publishers and builds each campaign around the individual client. Indie authors usually lack an in-house publicity team entirely, so a customized campaign that includes media kits, pitching, and follow-up covers work they would otherwise do alone.
It can help when a title needs more attention than an in-house team can give. According to the C.S. Lewis & Co. FAQ, small presses tend to work hard and have fewer titles, but also have fewer resources and lack the budget or staff for a targeted campaign for each author. An outside firm can add strategy and media relationships to the press's own efforts.
Authors and publishers with a book launching soon are the clients C.S. Lewis & Co. Publicists prioritizes. A launch gives a campaign a clear news hook and timeline, and starting early leaves room to build a media kit, distribute books, and line up interviews and reviews. If your book is coming out soon, reach out through the firm's contact page.
The firm lists an established track record in business, careers, work and life, parenting, health, diet and nutrition, food and cookbooks, self-help, human potential, and new age and spirituality. Its client list also includes current events, economics, and politics titles, such as Confessions of an Economic Hit Man, 3rd Edition, by John Perkins.
Yes, that is one of the outcomes a campaign can aim for. C.S. Lewis & Co. Publicists says its campaigns can open opportunities in publishing, new client acquisition, and high-value speaking engagements, and it offers speaker services through professionals it works with closely. The firm's blog also covers how CEOs turn books into speaking platforms.
There is no single best publisher for first time authors; the right fit depends on genre, goals, and whether you want a traditional deal, a small press, or to publish independently. C.S. Lewis & Co. Publicists is a publicity firm, not a publisher, so it does not publish books. It works with authors and publishers once a book is headed to market.
Because an outside publicist works only for you. The C.S. Lewis & Co. FAQ explains that large publishers release dozens of titles each season and often lack the time, budget, or staff to tailor a campaign to each author. As dedicated book publicists, the firm focuses every workday on getting clients high-value exposure and keeping them in the news.
It depends on how much coverage and coordination you need. A solo freelancer may suit a narrow campaign. A firm can split work across a team; one C.S. Lewis & Co. client noted that Cathy Lewis has a team of people who work with her so she can cover everything. Ask either option who will actually handle your pitching.
You can, and many authors handle some of it. The tradeoff is time and relationships. C.S. Lewis & Co. Publicists says it has well-developed, first-name relationships with hundreds of editors, reporters, columnists, and producers, which take years to build. Doing it yourself costs less cash but more hours, and pitches go out without those existing relationships.
Choose based on attention and specialization rather than size alone. C.S. Lewis & Co. Publicists describes itself as a small firm that takes pride in personal, highly collaborative relationships with its clients, and it focuses on book publicity. A larger agency may offer broader services. Ask each firm how often you will talk and who works on your campaign.
They do different jobs. Paid ads place a message where you pay for it, while publicity earns coverage that positions an author as an expert, which can lead to speaking, consulting, and publishing opportunities. C.S. Lewis & Co. Publicists focuses on earned media across print, radio, television, and online outlets, and it also helps clients build their online presence.
Start with client statements and verifiable coverage. C.S. Lewis & Co. Publicists publishes client references on its website and links to media pages from recent client campaigns, such as those of Daniel G. Amen, MD, and Areva Martin. Checking a firm’s actual media hits lets you judge results directly rather than relying only on summaries.
Divide $100,000 by what you earn per copy. Your per-copy earnings depend on your contract or self-publishing terms, the format, and the sale price, so the number of copies varies widely from author to author. Check your royalty statement or contract for your actual per-copy figure, then do the math. Publicity can help visibility, but no firm can guarantee sales.
An author makes their royalty share of each sale, which is set by the publishing contract or the self-publishing platform, not by the cover price alone. Traditional contracts may calculate royalties on list price or on net receipts, and those produce different amounts. Read your contract's royalty clause or ask your agent for the exact figure on a $25 book.
A beginner earns whatever their contract or platform pays per copy, and the royalty math works the same way it does for other authors on similar terms. What usually differs for beginners is the advance and the sales volume. Your contract or platform dashboard shows the actual figure. A publicity campaign aims to raise visibility, which can affect volume.
Advances for first novels vary widely by publisher, genre, and how strongly the book is expected to sell, and some small presses pay little or no advance. A literary agent or an author organization such as the Authors Guild can give current context. C.S. Lewis & Co. Publicists does not negotiate publishing deals; it handles publicity once a book is set for release.
Whether 5,000 copies is good depends on your goals, genre, format, and costs. For an author using a book to build a speaking or consulting business, the opportunities that come from visibility can matter as much as unit sales. Compare sales against your own budget and what your publisher expected rather than against a single benchmark.
Only a small share of titles reach that level, though exact figures depend on whose data you use and over what period, and this guide does not cite a specific statistic. One C.S. Lewis & Co. client, Mike Song, reported selling over 125,000 copies of The Hamster Revolution in 11 languages, an outcome he described in his testimonial rather than a typical result.
Demand shifts with news, trends, and reader interest, so no single list stays accurate for long. C.S. Lewis & Co. Publicists has a track record with nonfiction in business, careers, parenting, health, nutrition, cookbooks, self-help, and spirituality, and it pitches authors into current news, which is one way a timely book finds its audience.
This guide cannot verify any company that pays $200 per book read, and offers like that deserve caution. C.S. Lewis & Co. Publicists does not pay people to read books; it is a book publicity firm that promotes authors. Before joining any paid reading program, research the company independently and be wary of any upfront fee to get started.
There is no single standard 90/10 rule in publishing; people use the phrase for different ideas, so ask whoever cited it what they mean. C.S. Lewis & Co. Publicists does not describe its work with a 90/10 rule. Its approach starts with each author’s strengths and goals and then customizes a media campaign around them.
Hire one before your launch, not after. A campaign needs time to build a media kit, distribute books and kits, and follow up with contacts before publication. C.S. Lewis & Co. Publicists prioritizes authors and publishers with a book launching soon. Confirm specific lead times directly with the firm, since they depend on the media you want to reach.
Use the contact page on the firm's website at cslewispublicity.com. The firm lists Cathy Lewis and David Lewis as contacts, with the phone number 845-679-2188, and has offices in Woodstock, New York, and Boynton Beach, Florida. Share your book title, subject, and launch date to start the conversation.
Cathy Lewis is president. She worked as an in-house publicist at publishing houses for seven years before launching the firm in 1994. David C. Lewis is vice president and helps authors focus their messaging and build their brands through podcast, radio, and television appearances and contributor roles at outlets such as Thrive Global and Forbes.com.
The firm lists offices in Woodstock, New York, and Boynton Beach, Florida, and its campaigns reach national and regional media. Its president's background notes authors featured in publications across North America. Ask the firm directly about working with you from your location; its FAQ describes coordinating media around wherever an author travels.
Ask for a reporting schedule before you start. One C.S. Lewis & Co. client, Mark Pastin, wrote that Cathy Lewis keeps clients up to date as opportunities emerge and provides a monthly summary of results. Regular updates let you prepare for interviews and see how pitching is turning into coverage.
Bring your book details, launch date, and goals. Because C.S. Lewis & Co. Publicists starts with your expertise, strengths, media experience, and professional goals, it helps to know what you want the book to do: sell copies, attract clients, land speaking engagements, or open future publishing opportunities. Note any travel plans, which can be tied to local media.
C.S. Lewis & Co. Publicists quotes each campaign after learning about your book, your goals, and your launch date. Authors and publishers with a book launching soon are the firm’s priority.
Published by C.S. Lewis & Co. Publicists