Celina De Leon - Publicist
Philadelphia, PA, United States
I help authors from start to finish -- from launching your digital brand to reaching your readers on social media.
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Overview
I am a publicist and social media strategist with 10+ years of experience. I create easy-to-manage author websites and blogs. I develop and implement tailored digital and social media strategy plans. I make influencer lists and social media campaigns. I enhance your presence on social media and ensure a consistent identity on all of your platforms. I edit and publish blog posts. I manage your social media pages. I follow and engage with influencers on your behalf. I promote your great work so you can focus on creating more great books!
Services
Fiction
Comics & Graphic Novels
LGBTQ Fiction
Middle Grade
Non-Fiction
Comics Non-Fiction
LGBTQ Non-Fiction
Works with
WordPress
Work experience
Book Publicist + Social Media Strategist
Self-employed
March, 2011
–
Present
(about 12 years)
• Earn press coverage and social media attention for writers and artists
• Plan and administer press and social media engagement campaigns in support of clients’ goals
• Design and create WordPress blogging sites for clients' everyday writing and publicity needs
• Launch short-term boosts and long-term press and social media campaigns
Max Slavkin, Co-founder and CEO of Creative Action Network
Celina is incredible! With everything from ideation and strategy, to daily implementation across social channels, Celina brought energy, new ideas, and an inspiring work ethic to her job. She created an editorial calendar for us, analytics systems, and impressed our team every day with clever and thoughtful content ideas. Can't recommend her enough!
Betsy Streeter, Author of The SilverWood and Neptune Road novels
Celina helped me make sense of what was a very jumbled social media presence. She reviewed everything I had, compared it with best practices, and wrote me copy to use everywhere. She also answered a ton of questions. I keep the document that she created for me in a binder and still refer to it. Now I am more focused, and am doing things that make sense to me and that build up my voice and audience. Celina brings clarity and organization to her work, which is so important in a world where there are messages flying around every which way and it can be hard to maintain focus. I hope to work with her again in the future!
Don Weiss, Communicable Disease Epidemiologist at NYC Health Department
Celina gave my Twitter account the boost it needed to expand my following, perk interest in my then new ebook 'Mailaise,' and create authentic connections with avid readers and influencers in my fields of interest. Celina is a strategic communicator who knows how to stay true to your voice and adhere to social media best practices. I recommend her to anyone looking to increase their reach on social media.
Associate Director of Media Communications
Swarthmore College
June, 2012
–
June, 2013
(about 1 year)
• Developed the College’s strategic publicity and social media communications plans
• Directed press promotion efforts and earned media coverage for the College in top-tier, regional, national, and international outlets
• Spearheaded the College's social media campaigns and community management efforts
• Led workshops on social media best practices and launched a campus-wide social media working group
Jim MacMillan, Assistant Director of External Affairs at the Klein College of Media and Communication at Temple University
Soon after Celina De Leon arrived on Swarthmore's communications staff, her work ignited the college's social media platforms, created strong messages and a crystal-clear identity. At the same time, Celina's instructional work with other college departments helped to elevate the digital identity for all who participated. And Celina is a delight to work with!
Ben Berger, Associate Professor of Political Science
Celina strategically gained media opportunities for me, and for Swarthmore College generally, during the 2012 election cycle. Her persistence and savvy helped make us a go-to source for reporters, bloggers and columnists, and her professionalism and energy made her a pleasure to work with.
Erin Entrada Kelly, Author of Blackbird Fly, The Land of Forgotten Girls and Hello Universe
Celina is a sharp and strategic public relations professional. She is easy to work with and open to ideas. It was a pleasure working with her.
Deputy Press Secretary, Associate Press Secretary, and Community and Ethnic Press Officer
NYC Health Department
July, 2007
–
January, 2011
(over 3 years)
• Acted as agency spokesperson to promote Department’s progressive health agenda
• Coordinated the promotion of agency’s public health campaigns and its social marketing activities
• Collaborated with marketing and governmental affairs units on public relations and strategy
• Prepared and supported Health Commissioner during press interviews and engagements
• Managed responses to large volume of local, national and international press inquiries
Diane M. Randolph, Social Media, Marketing & PR Strategist
Celina was a great member of the Communciation team. She worked collaboratively with each member of staff, was proactive in her approach, and supported knowledge growth among team-members of how to effectively engage and support work with external partners, particularly those in ethnic media. I highly reccomend her for work in any communication based setting.
Sheryl Tirol, Senior Publicist at Grace Hill Media
Celina is great person to work with. In addition to being a very pleasant person, she's a very hard worker. Celina is dedicated to her work and always go above and beyond what is asked of her. She is very thorough and detail-oriented.
Projects
Engage with Influencers in Preparation for Book Launch
I created a digital and social media strategy plan for children's author and cartoonist, Art Roche, in preparation for the release of his first middle grade graphic novel with publisher Andrews McMeel. I also implemented many of the plan's action steps on behalf of the author. This included creating a new website and blog, as well as Amazon and Goodreads pages, a list of influencers to engage and follow and a list of social media campaigns.
From client, Art Roche: It's been my pleasure to work with Celina on improving my digital presence in preparation for an upcoming book launch. Celina has been an invaluable resource to me in identifying key influencers, and developing strategies to effectively communicate with them in an authentic way. I would heartily recommend her to anyone who needs a responsive partner to help sharpen their brand. I'm a huge fan!
Enhanced Digital Infrastructure for Book Launch
I strengthened my client, author and cartoonist, Paige Braddock's digital and social media presence in anticipation of the release of the latest installment in her ground-breaking comics series, Jane's World - the first gay-themed work to receive online distribution by a national media syndicate in the U.S. This included creating a Wikipedia for Paige Braddock, Amazon and Goodreads pages, a consistent digital and social media identity, a new website and blog, a list of influencers to engage and follow, and social media campaigns for her book's launch.
From client, Paige Braddock: Before beginning to work with Celina, my online presence was unfocused, random and basically a mess. Her initial goal was to help me by auditing everything I had online, streamlining my profiles/blogs and then helping me focus my 'brand' statement for each of my varied creative enterprises. I’ve learned a lot from Celina. She anticipates problems, questions and needs with impressive depth and thoughtfulness. I consider Celina the one member of my creative team that I could not live without. In reference to her abilities in the Social Media arena, I frequently use her name and the word 'genius' in the same sentence.
Launch of Stinky Cecil - Children's Graphic Novel Series
I created the digital and social media infrastructure for the launch of my client, Paige Braddock's first children's graphic novel series with Andrews McMeel. I also launched and managed her social media presence while she met her publisher's writing deadlines. Her third novel in the series is set to be released in 2018. In addition to social media management and campaigns, I help the author produce blog posts for her fans.
Launch of Lesbian Romance Writer - Missouri Vaun
I helped my client launch her inaugural line of lesbian romance novels published from start to finish under the pen name, Missouri Vaun. I served as her first line editor, created her digital infrastructure, pitched her manuscript to key lesbian publishing houses and managed her digital and social media presence while she met her publisher's writing deadlines. I also engaged with lesbian influencers to increase Missouri Vaun's visibility among lesbians and lesbian romance readers across all of her social media pages. On behalf of the author, I engaged with major lesbian influencer, kd lang. This engagement helped boost Missouri Vaun's credibility as a lesbian influencer. She now has 11 novels and short stories available through Bold Strokes Books and Amazon and more than 1,800 Twitter followers. I help her manage her social media presence whenever she has pressing deadlines and edit and publish her blog posts.
Portfolio (11 selected works)
All Things Rise (Return to Earth)
Missouri Vaun
Cole rescues Ava, a pilot from the Cloud City of Easton who crash-lands near her farm, setting in motion events that will alter the course of her life. It’s a hundred years after peak oil and the rich have risen above the Earth, inhabiting great Cloud Cities, while those left behind live a rural existence, off the grid. After suffering a vicious attack, Cole is transported to the Cloud City of... read more
Stinky Cecil in Operation Pond Rescue
Paige Braddock
"Funny and lovable! The characters in Stinky Cecil's pond world are honest, determined, loyal, and hilarious--especially when they forget themselves and act like real animals! I can¹t wait for more adventures!" --Jeff Smith, creator of Bone "'Sometimes big stories happen in small places' and big, fun, totally enjoyable tale happens right here in Stinky Cecil in Operation Pond Rescue. Paige Bra... read more
Jane's World, Volume 11
Paige Braddock
After her return from a few days off-world, Jane finds that things are not quite the way she left them. Corporate managers have hired zombies to fill open positions (They work for nearly nothing and they don't need healthcare, because they're dead.) But zombies are the least of Jane's problems! Dorrie signs her up for a lesbian soccer league, Jane's vintage VW van is haunted by her dead uncle,... read more
Whiskey Sunrise
Missouri Vaun
Royal Duval is the pride of her grandfather, Duke, from whom she learned all about faith, ambition, and women. After her father passed, Royal inherited his part of the family business: running bootleg whiskey. The back roads of Georgia had been perfect for the dissemination of the much sought after illegal elixir until the local Baptist minister, Abraham Porter, decided to make prohibition his... read more
The Ground Beneath
Missouri Vaun
Samantha Casey has been burned by love. She’s determined to remain single and keep a safe distance from any and all female temptations. Her plan is derailed when Jessica Walker strikes a barter deal with her that includes dinner together every night for a month. Jessica’s never been in love, but her sights are set on Sam. Night after night, in the face of Jessica’s beauty and hopefulness, Sam’... read more
The Time Before Now
Missouri Vaun
More than fifty years have passed since “peak oil” has left the Earth without access to modern technology while great Cloud Cities for the rich float above the oceans. On the ground below, Vivian Yates leaves Oklahoma on an epic 700-mile journey east to her ancestral home. Early on, she encounters Elizabeth, who preys on Vivian’s inexperience and naivety, luring her into a brief affair that en... read more
Death by Cocktail Straw
Missouri Vaun
How did a club night with friends go so off the rails? Nash’s day had started out so well. An adorable barista flirted with her as she picked up her morning espresso, which might have contributed to the distraction that moments later nearly ended in disaster. Nash had used the word “disaster” carelessly not realizing how far the rest of her day would spiral after her tragic morning commute. Pi... read more
One More Reason to Leave Orlando
Missouri Vaun
Nash Wiley, aka slow learner, discovers that hooking up with your sexy neighbor isn’t such a great idea, especially if you like your apartment and you’d like to keep living there. Having sex with both of your neighbors is an even worse idea, especially if those neighbors happen to be in a relationship… with each other. Threesomes always sounded so exotic and exciting in the abstract. As it tur... read more
Smothered and Covered
Missouri Vaun
The last person Nash Wiley expects to bump into over a two a.m. breakfast at Waffle House is her college crush, decked out in a curve-hugging law enforcement uniform. Nash can’t believe her luck when Ms. Crush asks to join her, explaining that she’s just getting off shift. But something seems a little off. It could be the glitter in her eye shadow, or the black lace bra peeking from her barely... read more
Birthright
Missouri Vaun
When her spies bring news that a swordswoman imprisoned in a neighboring kingdom bears the Royal mark, Princess Kathryn sets out to rescue Aiden, the woman she’s sure is the true heir to the Belstaff throne and the solution to a tyrant’s campaign to overrun her small queendom of Olmstead.That solution, however, is more of a problem. Too footloose for responsibility and distrustful of Kathryn’s... read more
Stinky Cecil in Terrarium Terror
Paige Braddock
Stinky Cecil is back in a hilarious new adventure!Cecil and his amphibian pals are taking a well-deserved break after saving their pond from freeway construction when a third-grade science class shows up for a field trip. The kids nab Cecil for their classroom terrarium! At first Cecil is terrified, but he quickly gets used to being a class pet. That is, until Nesbit the chameleon shows up. Ne... read more
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