Episode #268: Digital Marketing with Savannah Kennelly
Grace and Alvina continue their "publishing curriculum" series and welcome special guest Savannah Kennelly, Senior Digital Marketing Manager at LBYR. They discuss everything from how she got her start in publishing, what digital marketing actually means, and tips for authors about social media, including some of the specific challenges of marketing middle grade books. She also reveals how long it takes her to film and post a video, and whether she's ever been recognized in public for being the face of LBYR's YA social media platform, THENOVL! For the Fortune Cookie segment, they talk about what they've been eating lately.
How have you been?
Grace had the cover reveal for her new novel, The Gate, the Girl, and the Dragon. You can pre-order NOW and Grace is offering Special Exclusive pre-order goodies (all are being designed now):
For a free enamel pin (design to come), pre-order from @porter_square_books : https://www.portersquarebooks.com/book/9780316478328
For a free school visit webinar for your classroom (details to come), pre-order from the @carlemuseum : https://shop.carlemuseum.org/gate-girl-and-dragon-pre-order
For free stickers (design to come), pre-order from @high_five_books :
Grace leaves tomorrow for the New England Independent Book Association Awards. Chinese Menu was awarded the Middle Grade winner. Grace is then flying to Cleveland for a Moon Festival event. Alvina recently went to the Wild Robot movie premier in Toronto! Savannah helped her boyfriend move into a new apartment and is celebrating her 30th birthday! She would like to have a Gatsby-themed party! (Alvina once went to a “Flowers in the Attic” theme party!) The book friends talk about “too young trauma books”!
Digital Marketing
Savannah walks us through her career in digital marketing. Her first job was working at an elevator parts store in Florida! After that she moved to NYC and did a publishing program at Summer Publishing Institute. She worked for Thames & Hudson and eventually got a job at Little Brown in 2018. Savannah breaks down the digital marketing process.
What we have been eating lately
Savannah has been making and eating Arayes (meat stuffed pita) at home! Grace has been enjoying Tru Fru chocolate covered strawberries! Alvina has been trying to make cottage cheese chips and enjoying different kinds of seeds.
Gratefuls
Grace is grateful for the cooler weather to run in! The Street Team application was a success for her upcoming new novel! Alvina is also grateful for the success of The Wild Robot by Peter Brown and The Immortal Dark by Tigest Garma. Savannah is grateful for the cooler weather and autumnal weather in general!
THANK YOU!
Thank you to Hachette Audio, Little Brown Books for Young Readers, and Alex at Pacyworks Studio for producing and editing this podcast. Be sure to rate and review us on Apple Podcasts and tell a friend about us. (Use the hashtag #bookfriendsforever.)
You can find Alvina @Planetalvina on Twitter and TikTok and @Alvinaling on Instagram and Threads, @alvinaling on BlueSky
You can find Grace @Pacylin on Instagram and Threads, @authorgracelin on Facebook, @gracelinauthor on TikTok.
You can find Savannah on TikTok and Instagram @savannah.kennelly, @THENOVL, Savannah.kennelly.com, @Littlebrownyoungreaders on any of the social media platforms.
Please keep tagging and messaging us on social media using the hashtag #bookfriendsforever! OR email us at bookfriendsforever@gmail.com! Please let us know if you have any topic ideas!
