Meet Sam! (image courtesy of Sam Devotta)
Happy almost-Thanksgiving to my friends in the US! I say that because this month’s guest for my children’s book interview series already celebrated the holiday last month. I met Sam Devotta at the Fall-I-Day 2021 virtual book preview with Tundra Books, an imprint of Penguin Random House Canada Young Readers. Sam works as a Senior Associate for Marketing and Publicity in her home office near Toronto, the headquarters for Penguin Random House Canada. I chatted with Sam to get her inside look at the goings-on in the children’s book industry.
How did you begin your career in children's book publishing?
Back in 2014, I enrolled in a publishing certificate program at Ryerson University. Once my certificate was completed, I did three internships including one at Tundra Books, an imprint of Penguin Random House Canada Young Readers. I loved the experience (and the people I was working with!) so when the position of associate publicist at Tundra came up in 2017, I jumped at the chance and have been here ever since. I originally thought I would work in editorial but I ended up falling in love with marketing and publicity while at my internship.
What does a day in the life of a Senior Associate for Marketing and Publicity at Tundra look like?
“The Penguin Random House Canada office in downtown Toronto is right near the CN Tower and I was able to see it through the window near my desk. Since I work from home now, I have a mini version of the tower. :) ” (image courtesy of Sam Devotta)
So many emails!! But in all seriousness, every day is a little different. On the publicity side, there are a lot of emails including pitches to media (radio, newspapers, television, festivals, online outlets including bloggers, etc.) and following up on campaigns or other opportunities. There’s also event planning, communicating with authors and editors, and various admin tasks. On the marketing side, I run the social media accounts for Penguin Teen Canada so there’s a lot of planning my posting schedule (and then actually taking/editing photos!), interacting with our followers, reaching out to influencers, and updating our blog.
“I just decorated for Christmas and I love that my WFH (Work from Home) setup is right beside my tree.” (image courtesy of Sam Devotta)
How has the pandemic changed the landscape of work for book publishing professionals?
One of the biggest changes for marketing and publicity during the pandemic has been the way we approach events. While we’ve slowly started doing in-person or hybrid (half online, half in-person) events again this fall, last year we had to quickly learn how to navigate Zoom and other hosting platforms so that we could continue to put events together. Our virtual events include book launches, festivals, or panels, as well as different types of story times – some of them are pre-recorded so they can be shared at any time, others are “live”. We try to work with bookstores whenever we can and the events are hosted on either Zoom or Instagram Live. It’s actually a little easier to do a virtual event than an in-person event but it’s not as much fun!
Do you focus in a particular genre or age group as a Marketing and Publicity Associate, or do you work on a variety of titles?
I work on everything from board books to young adult! Because I run the Penguin Teen Canada social media accounts, I only focus on YA and the occasional middle grade title there, but in general I work on everything. I think it’s fun to work across the different age groups: some days I’ll spend the morning talking about a cute picture book perfect for story times and the afternoon hyping up a fierce YA that tackles heavy topics.
Is there any advice you would give to individuals looking to work in children's book publishing?
“Fall 2021 titles: just a sampling of the books I’ve worked on over the past few months including a picture book, graphic novel/early chapter book, middle grade, and YA.” (image courtesy of Sam Devotta)
It might seem obvious, but reading is key! Especially if you’re looking to work with kids’ books, it’s important to have some sense of what kinds of books are out there and to be at least somewhat aware of the different keystones of each age group. I’d also suggest applying for entry level positions even if you don’t have all the qualifications they’re looking for, you never know what kind of opportunities can come up during the application or interviewing process. And finally, if you do get a job in publishing, don’t be afraid to ask questions! I’m a big fan of asking questions (including asking the same questions multiple times!) and for the most part, people are open to talking things through or it will show that you have initiative and interest in the industry and might help make you more memorable (this is especially true during an internship).
Please give Sam a follow on Twitter and Instagram @samdevotta and follow her social media wizardry for Penguin Random House Canada Young Readers on @penguinteenca.