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The BookMachine Podcast: Conversations in Publishing shines a light on the unsung heroes of the publishing industry, sharing the career journeys of inspiring people across all departments. Hosts Gavin and Gemma will guide you as we speak with brilliant guests and explore topics of interest to publishing professionals, industry hopefuls and anyone interested in what goes on behind the pages.
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From Fairies to Falconry: Commissioning non-fiction illustrated titles to brief with Charles Catton, Editorial Director at Amber Books
50:01
It is a truth universally acknowledged that commissioning editors receive submissions and work with authors and agents to finesse an existing manuscript. But there’s another way. Independent publisher of adult non-fiction illustrated titles, Amber Books, has spent years developing their own content, commissioning authors to a brief and developing a…
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Emma Steel started her career in teaching and went on to be a Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator (known as a SENCO to those in the know). But how did her journey lead her to award-winning independent children’s publisher Sweet Cherry, and how did her experiences feed into the founding of their Every Cherry, their innovative imprint that focuses…
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Not just a stunt: The ingredients for great non-fiction marketing campaigns with Akua Boateng, Senior Marketing Manager, Bloomsbury
37:16
Remember those memorable campaigns for non-fiction books that took to the streets to gain maximum impact? Akua Boateng, Senior Marketing Manager for non-fiction at Bloomsbury, does. She has worked on a range of events, marketing stunts and other “out-of-home” promotions to make a splash, build awareness, entertain and capture the imagination and at…
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The fantasy genre is an exciting place to be right now – with portmanteaus like ‘Romantasy’ entering common industry parlance, and new instalments of beloved series creating new levels of buzz. In the latest episode of The BookMachine Podcast, we were overjoyed to speak with Anissa de Gomery, Founder of FairyLoot, one of the biggest book subscripti…
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Inside AI: Tools and opportunities to chart the future of publishing with Sebastian Mayeres and Thad McIlroy
43:40
Will AI only cause disruption to the publishing industry or can it be used as a tool to empower and pilot our way through increasingly complex markets? In Episode 17 of The BookMachine Podcast, we’re thrilled to speak to leading digital publishing analyst Thad McIlroy and publishing software expert Sebastian Mayeres about how they see AI impacting …
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Unlocking the Wisdom of Words: Publishing Global Language Titles with Emma Green - Editorial Director, Languages at John Murray Press
41:53
Languages publishing is a unique niche of the industry – calling for specific skills and eagle-eyed market observations to successfully reach language learners on the lookout for books and materials. In Episode 16 of The BookMachine Podcast, we sit down with Emma Green, Editorial Director, Languages at John Murray Press to zoom in on what’s changed…
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Coaching and Developing People: Publishing’s Untapped Super Power - with Rebecca Smart, Leadership & Talent Coach at Penguin Random House
37:06
Building a career in publishing – whether in a large or small company – requires a great amount of self awareness. Key to this is understanding how you have to be, and what you have to do, to be successful. We were delighted to speak with Rebecca Smart, about her role as Leadership and Talent Coach at Penguin Random House as well as an accomplished…
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Marketing to schools and the power of teacher case studies - Olivia Tanner (Digital Marketing Strategist at BookMachine)
37:18
We were delighted to speak with Olivia Tanner, Digital Marketing Strategist at BookMachine Creative Agency and experienced education marketer about the importance of marketing to schools in the right way. We asked her about what techniques and approaches she uses to get busy teachers on board and why teacher case studies and hearing directly from t…
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With spiralling costs and huge disruption to the supply chain, publishing production departments have had it tough of late. We speak with award-winning production professional Srishti Kadu to get her take on the recent changes and challenges that production colleagues are responding to. We discuss her thoughts on production careers, global impacts …
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Infusing Inspiration in Publishing - Shannon Cullen, Group Publishing Director at Quarto Kids
36:08
Managing teams across generations and departments can call for a variety of approaches and working styles, which is why hearing from experts on the topic is key. We were delighted to speak with Shannon Cullen, Group Publishing Director of Quarto Kids, about her career and journey to her role where she is now. We ask about her experience moving from…
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The publishing industry has changed a lot in the past few years, how are industry leaders changing with it? We were thrilled to speak with Emma House, Founder and Managing Consultant of the Oreham Group, about her approach to leadership and what lights her up when managing teams and company strategies. We talk about the challenges posed by the pand…
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Leading with Inclusion - Jaini Haria, Campaigns Manager (Ebury) at Penguin Random House UK and Lydia Cronin, Demand Generation Manager at Bright Network
50:49
People in leadership roles in the publishing industry have a lot of responsibility to lead the way with diversity and inclusion in the front of their minds. They are responsible for opening doorways and creating space in an industry that’s often been described as opaque or tight-knit. But how can publishers do this the right way, from hiring, in th…
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Printing in the Digital Age - Jonathan Huddart, Head of Sales, Books and Journals at CPI Books
40:22
Whether it's paperback, hardback, colour books, journals or directories, the book production industry grows more complex by the day. Businesses in this field (and professionals heading them) need to acquire a specific toolkit to stay afloat during these changes. So, we were delighted to talk with Jonathan Huddart, Head of Sales, Books and Journals …
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When Pixels Meet Pages: AI and Design with Micaela Alcaino (Designer and Illustrator) and Rebecca Blake (Advocacy Liaison at The Graphic Artists Guild)
50:43
Are you a creative and a little bit frightened of our new AI overlords like ChatGPT and Mid Journey? In this episode, we talk to Micaela Alcaino, award-winning Designer and Illustrator, and Rebecca Blake, (Advocacy Liaison at The Graphic Artists Guild) about their insights on the current AI boom in the design sector. We’ll be discussing how AI feed…
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Claire Fenby and Marcela Torres - Head of Marketing and Marketing Executive at Boldwood Books - From freelancing to small press of the year
35:44
In this episode, we have two guests from Boldwood Books, Claire Fenby and Marcela Torres. Get ready as they share their journey in transforming a small publishing press into a resounding success, with their recent win of “Small Press of the Year” at the British Book Awards 2023. Claire, Head of Marketing, had a pivotal role in the founding of One M…
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Dr. David Barker - Senior Lecturer in Publishing at The University of Derby - From Commissioning to Curriculum
47:15
In this episode we are joined by Dr. David Barker, Senior Lecturer in Publishing at the University of Derby. With years of experience in commissioning editorial, including founding Continuum’s unique “33 ⅓” series, David offers valuable insights into skills needed in commissioning, including fine-tuning your editorial eye. We ask David about his ex…
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Louise Harvey - Audio Manager at Little, Brown Book Group - Making Noise with Audiobook Publishing
37:24
Listen up! This episode we’re speaking to Louise Harvey of Little, Brown Books about the skills needed for a career in audio publishing. Are there transferable skills from other sectors of publishing? What’s unique about a career in audio? And are there challenges due to misconceptions about the place of audiobooks in reading? We’ll be asking Louis…
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We are living in the age of the “Litfluencer”, with influencers forming a key part of publishing marketing and communications strategies. Hope is immersed in online book spaces and has cultivated relationships with influencers that have led to successful campaigns, such as for Julia May Jonas’ Vladimir and Booker Prize-nominated Maps of Our Spectac…
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Karina Urquhart - Executive Director, Book Industry Communication (BIC) - From publishing operations to supply side supremo
39:57
Ever wondered how the books you love actually got into your hands? This month we are talking to Karina Urquhart - Executive Director of Book Industry Communication (BIC) about her career journey from operations to supply side - and the steps that books go through to reach the readers who love them. Links for The London Book Fair Register for The Lo…
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Roll up roll up, this month we’re talking about publishing trade fairs. We are delighted to welcome our first guest - Orna O’Brien, Head of Marketing at BolognaBookPlus, but you might know her from her work at London Book Fair and Publishing Training Centre. Orna is sharing insight into her career that has thrived on human connection and working to…
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Gavin Summers & Gemma Rostill: Co-founder & Director and Digital Marketing Strategist at BookMachine
34:22
Once upon a time in a land before podcasts, BookMachine was born to connect publishing professionals. How has BookMachine changed over the years (and what IS The BookMachine Podcast)? In our introductory episode, our co-hosts share their personal journeys and eureka moments in their publishing careers from educational and trade publishing to buildi…
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Listen to a sneak peek of The BookMachine Podcast: Conversations in Publishing, hear what the podcast is all about and meet cohosts Gavin and Gemma. Exclusive offer for Podcast Listeners! Get 20% off BookMachine Campus Membership with the code BMPOD20. Go to bookmachine.org/campus. Find out about BookMachine at the links below: BookMachine Creative…
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