Movies have previews. Why not books?
Yesterday, the Avon Books division of HarperCollins Publishers released a short promo video for Julia Quinn‘s soon-to-be-released novel, What Happens in London. The promo is so professionally done, I would probably have commented on it even if best-selling novelist Quinn (her last book hit #1 on The New York Times list) were not my daughter.
Ms. Quinn wrote the script. The young actress is Talia Gottlieb, a college senior who grew up in Kenya, the child of international aid workers. Ms. Gottlieb, who auditioned for the part at Ms. Quinn’s suggestion, beat out the other performers based upon her obvious-to-all-who-watch talents…not because she happens to be Ms. Quinn’s second cousin, once removed and my first cousin, twice removed. (Confusing, huh? For a consanguinity chart, click here.)
[youtube QztQ5-VKsYM nolink]
For more about the how and who of the promo, click here.
From the 
Armadas of publishing house execs, editors, and marketing staffers, agents working and being worked, 500 or so published authors, even more wannabes, and lots of book-toting and book-buying fans converged on SF’s Marriott Hotel for the RWA’s yearly conference.
Do students still read 