Overview
I am the co-creator and co-editor of the award-winning speculative fiction and young adult book review blog, The Book Smugglers. Since creating the site in 2008, I have grown the business from a small blogspot hobby site to a Hugo Award-nominated destination for all things SFF. Beyond my work as a Book Smuggler, I am also a regular weekly columnist for Kirkus’s Science Fiction & Fantasy blog, a contributor to Tor, and have been published by io9.
In addition to my passion for all things SFF, I also am a professional in the book publishing business. In my years at Rodale and Workman Publishing, I worked on all facets of digital content creation, strategy, and marketing for practical nonfiction genres (including health and wellness, cooking, crafting and DIY, travel, and kids nonfiction) to raise awareness of our key authors and brands (including Brain Quest, 1000 Places to See Before You Die, and Barbecue Bible). I collaborated with authors to build up their social media accounts, implement SEO-friendly metadata to enhance discoverability, ran preorder campaigns, crafted email newsletters, and targeted audiences and platforms for digital advertusing.
Currently, I work at Penguin Random House, with a focus on digital products.
I am eager to help you and your book find your audience with the creation of a custom marketing strategy.
Services
Non-Fiction
Fiction
Works with
Awards
- Winner, Best Art & Film Blog, Vuelio (2015)
- Finalist, Best Semiprozine, Hugo Awards (2017, 2018)
- Finalist, Best Fanzine, Hugo Awards (2014)
- Winner, Best Fanzine, Hugo Awards (2020)
Certifications
- NYU M.S. in Digital Publishing
- UCLA B.A. in Economics
- UCLA B.A. in History
Work experience
Penguin Random House
Workman Publishing
Responsible for developing, defining, and executing digital consumer marketing strategy for Workman Publishing. Generate big ideas, make data-driven strategic decisions, evaluate new technologies and processes, and drive audience growth and engagement for Workman’s titles, brands and products across digital platforms. Relaunch corporate website.
Workman Publishing
Oversee publisher operations for Workman Publishing Company. Implement and deploy cloud-based title management system, customize digital asset warehousing and ONIX and file distribution. Collaborate with Editorial, Marketing/Publicity, Sales and IT to evaluate and customize digital systems, products, and tools. Create and implement new workflows and best practices across all imprints to create efficiencies and boost sales.
Kirkus Media
Weekly contributor to Kirkus's Science Fiction & Fantasy blog.
Workman Publishing
Manage daily relationships and sales for all of Workman Publishing Company’s digital accounts. Create and execute strategic digital marketing promotions for accounts and consumers, including creation of content verticals and online communities. Pursue new digital business opportunities.
Rodale
Oversee, execute, and distribute ebook conversions. Coordinate digital projects between Editorial, Subsidiary Rights, and Marketing departments.
Tor.com (Macmillan)
Contributor to the website, specializing in reviews of science fiction, fantasy and SFF genre related features.
Sacramento Book Review
Monthly SFF & YA Reviewer (print and digital, syndicated).
Self-employed
Co-creator of Hugo Award-nominated speculative fiction book review blog. Form contacts with major and independent publishers, authors, bloggers, and readers in U.S. and U.K. Design and format website. Oversee advertising network and buys. Editor and chief designer for Book Smugglers Publishing, a digital-first publisher of short fiction, novellas, novels, and genre-focused nonfiction.
Projects
Cake Magic
Organized and executed digital advertising campaign to promote Cake Magic cookbook by Carolyn Wright, including ad creation, targeting key audiences, blog tour organization, and writing of article/blog post content (e.g. "What's Your Inner Cake?" quiz).
Touchstone Trilogy by Andrea K Host
Repackaged and created paperback editions of Andrea K Host's Touchstone Trilogy, driving series awareness and book sales prior to release of new novella in the series.
Big Fat Notebooks
Created four month campaign for middle grade nonfiction Big Fat Notebooks series, including 25 influencer brand ambassador blog tour, social media advertising, and search advertising to create brand awareness for the series.
Portfolio
Thea has 10 reviews
Professionalism
Quality
Value
Responsiveness
Katherine L.
Dec, 2021
JB C.
Feb, 2020
Kelly M.
Jan, 2020
Willem N.
Nov, 2019
Michael D.
Aug, 2019
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