Jodie Hockensmith

Jodie Hockensmith – Publicist

I am a freelance publicist with 20 years of experience working with almost every major publishing house and countless bestselling authors.

Overview

I have been in the publishing industry for two decades, working as an in-house publicist at Viking/Penguin, Harcourt, Macmillan, Grove/Atlantic, Random House and Simon & Schuster before going freelance. I specialize in adult fiction and non-fiction, from literary to more commercial, as well as the occasional YA.


They say you should never meet your heroes, but I have, many times, and it's been pretty great. It's been my privilege to spearhead creative and effective publicity campaigns for an amazing roster of talented and bestselling authors, including Jeanette Winterson, Karl Marlantes, Frank Deford P.J. O'Rourke, Donna Leon, Will Self, G. Willow Wilson, Sandhya Menon, Brandon Sanderson, Ainsley Earnhardt, Sandra Boynton, and many more.


I specialize in planning and implementing high-impact public relations campaigns, resulting in multiple #1 New York Times bestsellers. My authors have appeared everywhere from "CBS Mornings," "Morning Joe," "Morning Edition," Sirius XM, Oprah Daily, Vanity Fair, Forbes, as well as being reviewed in The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, and much, much more.


I can't wait to see what we can do together!

Services
Non-Fiction
Biographies & Memoirs Education & Reference Political Science & Current Affairs
Fiction
Contemporary Fiction Literary Fiction Young Adult

Work experience

Self-employed

Jan, 2020 — Present

Offer communications and public relations consulting and support for clients in the publishing sector. Address clients’ needs, from message development and media outreach to materials creation and planning. Handle media relations and brand management while providing support to clients and in-house publicity and marketing teams on a variety of projects for major publishing houses, including Simon & Schuster, Oxford University Press, Algonquin, Johns Hopkins University Press, Rutgers University Press, and Cambridge University Press among others.

Simon & Schuster Children's Books

Oct, 2014 — Dec, 2018 (about 4 years)

Conceptualized, orchestrated, and executed highly successful media and event-based campaigns for renowned authors, including luminaries such as Derek Jeter, Ainsley Earhardt from "FOX & Friends," accomplished former NASA astronaut Mark Kelly, and influential model-activist Beth Stern, among other notable figures. Crafted comprehensive publicity strategies, encompassing diverse media channels, while composing compelling press materials and adeptly engaging national and local media outlets.

Random House Children's Books

Feb, 2013 — Oct, 2014 (over 1 year)

Developed and executed successful publicity campaigns for books and brands, establishing strong relationships with media outlets at both national and local levels, including television, radio, print, and electronic platforms. Collaborated with local and national companies to forge beneficial partnerships and coordinate impactful events, such as JetBlue's “Soar with Reading” campaign, and orchestrated and implemented comprehensive publicity campaigns for renowned brands like Disney and Magic Tree House, that included costume and bus tours, movie screenings, author events, and more.

Grove/Atlantic, Inc

Aug, 2007 — Feb, 2013 (over 5 years)

Executed publicity plans for multiple projects each month, successfully securing media interviews and book reviews, and orchestrated author tours by effectively coordinating schedules to ensure seamless execution.
Worked closely with the online marketing department to brainstorm and implement innovative new media campaigns and spearheaded new media strategies by creating and curating content for company social media platforms, including Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, and Pinterest.

Projects

PLASTIC: An Autobiography

A debut non-fiction by an award-winning poet, the media campaign resulted in an op-ed for The Progressive that was subsequently syndicated in over thirty papers nationwide, a profile in the author's hometown paper, the Albuquerque Journal, the Portland Oregonian, and appearances on regional NPR, as well as multiple other print and online outlets.

MOBILE HOME: A Memoir in Essays

Led a national media campaign that resulted in coverage on ABC's "Good Morning America," in the New York Times Book Review, and on the nationally-renowned podcast "Moms Don't Like to Read Books" among others.

Perfectly Impossible

Led a blog-focused campaign for a debut women's fiction author, resulting in coverage in several high-profile blogs including Chick Lit Central, The Hasty Book List, The Lit Bitch, Smart Bitches, Trashy Books, as well as coverage in the author's "hometown" paper, The New York Post

The Scapegoat

A debut fiction title with a national review and media campaign that yielded coverage in the New York Times Book Review, Entertainment Weekly, San Francisco Chronicle, the Washington Post, and a slew of others. It was named a Lit Hub Favorite Book of the Year.

The Last Platoon

Worked with a debut fiction author (who had written only non-fiction in the past) on a national media campaign that yielded an op-ed in the Wall Street Journal, appearances on both "CBS Mornings" (then "CBS This Morning") and MSNBC's "Morning Joe," reviews in the Washington Independent Review of Books and the New York Journal of Books, as well as comprehensive military print, online and podcast coverage.

CROSSING BORDERS: The Reconciliation of a Nation of Immigrants

Executed a national media campaign that saw the author interviewed as an immigration expert on local radio and television shows across the country, as well as National Public Radio, Forbes.com, MSNBC, and Sirius XM, as well as multiple nationally respected immigration podcasts.

IMMEASURABLE OUTCOMES: Teaching Shakespeare in the Age of the Algorithm

Led a national media campaign that focused on pitching the author as an expert in the education space, and resulted in coverage in Times Higher Education, Forbes.com, and Big Think, among others.

GRAY LOVE: Stories About Dating and New Relationships After 60

Spearheaded a national media campaign that led to coverage in AARP The Magazine, Ms. Magazine, two National Public Radio shows, and numerous print, online, and podcast reviews and interviews.

Portfolio

Press Coverage
Press Coverage
Here, George!

Boynton, Sandra

Press Coverage
Steelheart (The Reckoners)

Sanderson, Brandon

Press Coverage
Press Coverage
Press Coverage
Press Coverage
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Press Coverage
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Alif the Unseen: A Novel

Wilson, G. Willow

Press Coverage
Press Coverage
Lighthousekeeping

Winterson, Jeanette

Press Coverage
Press Coverage
Press Coverage
Press Coverage
House of Glass Hearts

Siddiqui, Leila

Press Coverage
The Damage Done: A Novel

Landweber, Michael

Press Coverage
Press Coverage
American Arcadia

Scalzo, Laura

Press Coverage
Press Coverage

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