Book Publicity – Joanne McCall Book Publicist

AI is Not an Oracle

Joanne McCall — Mon, 03 Aug 2026 16:00:27 +0000

AI is supposed to save us time according to all the talk online. And sometimes it does. It can help brainstorm ideas, organize information, suggest titles, tighten a paragraph, or point us toward an angle we had not considered. But there is another side to it that receives far less attention. AI can also happily waste hours of your precious time. I experienced this recently while…

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Are You Capturing the Moment or Missing It?

Joanne McCall — Mon, 27 Jul 2026 16:00:36 +0000

AI is helping us move forward in remarkable ways. It can generate ideas, organize information, refine a message, brainstorm titles, and suggest new ways to promote a book or business. But every so often, I notice something interesting. The more technology becomes part of our lives, the more obvious it becomes when it is not serving us. And sometimes, what works best is decidedly old school.

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Thought Leadership is Earned. Not Claimed.

Joanne McCall — Mon, 29 Jun 2026 16:00:08 +0000

Not long ago, an author came to me for a consultation and, early in the conversation, described themselves as a thought leader. I hear that phrase a lot now. It has become one of those polished terms people reach for because it sounds impressive, strategic, and established. So I asked a simple follow-up question. What do you want to be known for? Then there was a pause. I waited.

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When AI Looks for an Expert, Will It Find You?

Joanne McCall — Mon, 22 Jun 2026 16:00:04 +0000

I had a conversation with someone today who asked me a question I hear all the time from authors and experts. “What kind of media can I get, and what will it do for me?” It’s the first question people ask when they start thinking seriously about publicity for their book. Will I get on TV? Will I become a New York Times bestselling author? Will podcasts want me?

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They Wanted Oprah Because Oprah Was Oprah

Joanne McCall — Mon, 15 Jun 2026 16:00:06 +0000

Back in the day, when Oprah was still huge on network television, I used to do a little private experiment on discovery calls. I would silently time how long it took a potential client to ask about getting on Oprah. And honestly, I understood. Oprah had enormous power. There was nothing quite like her. She could move books, shape conversations, introduce authors to millions of people…

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Why Readiness Creates Visibility

Joanne McCall — Mon, 25 May 2026 16:00:53 +0000

Years ago, I worked with an author who had a wonderful message. She was smart, thoughtful, credentialed, and full of heart. The kind of person who truly had something meaningful to contribute to public conversations. And we were getting interest. An interview here, a feature there, a quote here, a request for tips there. Many were a chance to weigh in on a timely topic.

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The Red Sheep Gets Remembered

Joanne McCall — Mon, 18 May 2026 16:00:31 +0000

Sometimes you do not know which part of a presentation is going to stick. You prepare your slides. You shape your teaching points. You think carefully about what your audience needs to hear, and you hope the right ideas land in the right hearts at the right time. And then, a few days later, someone posts on LinkedIn. That is what happened after last week’s Nonfiction Writers Conference…

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Your Book Is Not Your Hook

Joanne McCall — Mon, 11 May 2026 16:00:03 +0000

There is something powerful that happens when a room full of nonfiction writers gathers together. Even if the room is virtual, you can feel it. The ideas, and the questions, and the quiet determination. The “I know I have something important to say, but how do I help people find it?” energy. Love it. There is nothing like it. That was the feeling at this week’s Nonfiction Writers Conference…

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Your Book Publicity Plan Starts While You’re Still Writing

Joanne McCall — Mon, 04 May 2026 16:00:58 +0000

I recently spoke with an author who had finally finished her book. And I mean finally. After years of thinking about it, two years of writing it, rounds of editing, cover design, and formatting, she finally reached the end of the whole glorious, exhausting, emotional journey of bringing a book into the world. She was proud and rightly so. It is a very big deal. Then she said, “Okay…

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Big Media is Impressive. Fit is What Works

Joanne McCall — Mon, 27 Apr 2026 16:00:47 +0000

There was a time when top-tier media was not just the shiny prize. It was the thing that truly worked. A big national TV segment on Oprah, a major newspaper feature in the New York Times, a splashy magazine placement in People, was big. These could bring broad visibility, real credibility, and meaningful momentum in a way that was hard to match. This isn’t empty prestige. There’s a reason people…

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