Thea James - Marketer
Hugo Award-winning creator & digital marketing professional with 10+ years of experience. Sci-Fi/Fantasy, YA & MG, Lifestyle
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Overview
I am a digital publishing and marketing professional with over ten years of experience connecting books with readers.
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.
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.
Non-Fiction
Biographies & Memoirs
Cooking, Food, Wine, & Spirits
Fiction
Fantasy
Horror
Middle Grade
Mystery & Crime
Science Fiction
Young Adult
Works with
ExpressionEngine
Shopify
Squarespace
WordPress
Certifications
- NYU M.S. in Digital Publishing
- UCLA B.A. in Economics
- UCLA B.A. in History
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)
Work experience
Director, Digital Operations
Penguin Random House
January, 2017
–
Present
(almost 6 years)
Director, Digital Marketing & Strategy
Workman Publishing
March, 2016
–
January, 2017
(10 months)
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.
Director, Publisher Operations & Digital Product Development
Workman Publishing
November, 2014
–
March, 2016
(over 1 year)
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.
Science Fiction & Fantasy Columnist
Kirkus Media
May, 2012
–
Present
(over 10 years)
Weekly contributor to Kirkus's Science Fiction & Fantasy blog.
Manager, Ebook Sales & Marketing
Workman Publishing
October, 2011
–
November, 2014
(about 3 years)
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.
Digital Books Coordinator
Rodale
March, 2011
–
October, 2011
(7 months)
Oversee, execute, and distribute ebook conversions. Coordinate digital projects between Editorial, Subsidiary Rights, and Marketing departments.
Contributor
Tor.com (Macmillan)
November, 2009
–
Present
(about 13 years)
Contributor to the website, specializing in reviews of science fiction, fantasy and SFF genre related features.
Reviewer
Sacramento Book Review
February, 2009
–
June, 2010
(over 1 year)
Monthly SFF & YA Reviewer (print and digital, syndicated).
Co-founder, Editor, Reviewer
Self-employed
January, 2008
–
Present
(almost 15 years)
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.
The Extrahuman Union Series by Susan Jane Bigelow
Repackaging, marketing, and editing the Extrahuman Union Series of science fiction superhero novels by Susan Jane Bigelow. Created digital assets, cross platform marketing and advertising campaign, and ebook price promotions for the series.
Portfolio (5 selected works)
Superior
Jessica Lack
A superhero's intern falls in love with a supervillain's apprentice in this star-crossed LGBT YA story from The Book Smugglers.Here's the thing about being a superhero intern: there's a lot less crime fighting than you think there will be, what with the whole liability issue and the administrative headache of constantly monitoring the Heroic Help Hotline. The most action that Jamie sees happen... read more
Broken (The Extrahuman Union) (Volume 1)
Susan Jane Bigelow
In a post-war, future world, where first contact has been made with intelligent life and humans are colonizing the stars, the nations of Earth have been united under a central government. Extrahumans, those possessing supernatural abilities such as flight and strength, are required by this government to belong to the Union, where they can be trained, monitored, and weaponized. Michael Forward ... read more
A Glimmer Of Silver
Juliet Kemp
Jennery is floating on xyr back when Ocean speaks for the first time. Just three days away from freedom, all Jennery has ever wanted to do was become a musician—because if you reach sixteen and Ocean hasn't spoken to you once, then you can pursue a different life instead of becoming a Communicator. But Ocean speaks to Jennery—only to Jennery. And Ocean is angry. And when Ocean is angry, bad th... read more
Awakenings
The Book Smugglers, Sara Fox, Michele Tracy Berger, Y.M. Pang, Itoro Udofia, Reiko Scott, Leah Cypess
An unlikely volunteer in a magical war. A young African American girl who "wins" a competition to host an extraterrestrial. A girl with ice in her heart, and another with an ancestor on her back. A cybernetic detective, and an Empress facing the first Choice of her life.Awakenings collects six short stories of different revelations, including:“When the Letter Comes” by Sara Fox"Nussia" by Mich... read more
The Book Smugglers' Quarterly Almanac: Volume 4
The Book Smugglers
A quarterly collection of awesome, selected and edited by The Book Smugglers Collecting original short fiction, essays, reviews, and reprints from diverse and powerful voices in speculative fiction, THE BOOK SMUGGLERS’ QUARTERLY ALMANAC is essential for any SFF fan. IN THIS VOLUME (JUNE 2017): A.E. ASH, FOZ MEADOWS, OCTAVIA CADE, GABRIEL SQUAILIA, BÁRBARA MORAIS, YUKIMI OGAWA, BOGI TAKÁCS, YOS... read more
Thea has 10 reviews
Professionalism
Professionalism
Quality
Quality
Value
Value
Communication & Punctuality
Communication & Punctuality
Thea's digital marketing plan was full of useful information. This is my debut, and I was lost. Her guidance makes the process easier to swallow and digestible. I'm grateful for her experience and plan. Metadata is a mystery to me, but she gave me everything I needed and more. I'm grateful for her help. I will be reaching out again.
Katherine Lore, December 2021
While there are concepts in marketing that are universal, each product (in this case book / series) is a little different. Thea took the time to read and analyze the product, then wrote a comprehensive marketing plan tailored to me and my book series. The report was thorough and gives me a framework to get me to my goal. This is exactly what I expect when I hire a marketing professional for se...
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JB Chivvy, February 2020
Thea James's work was polished, professional, and, to me as an author, invaluable! I consult the marketing document she prepared for me nearly every single day. Her research skills are impeccable--she's a joy to work with!
Kelly McWilliams, January 2020
Thea was an amazing marketer to work with! She was prompt and informative with her responses, all of which were filled with content that was utterly comprehensive. She is highly approachable and continues to be after our official collaboration ended.
She uses a Google application to conduct video meetings, which she uses to take you through her entire marketing plan in detail. The plan itself ...
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Willem Neill, November 2019
Awesome. Thea over-performed and over-delivered in every way. You get a chance to work with a long-time, savvy New York publishing professional who generously offers her insights and advice. No punches pulled, nothing watered down, she states EXACTLY what she feels you should do and gives you an incredibly detailed and specific road-map. She knows the biz front to back and you won't get this ki...
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Michael Daswick, August 2019
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