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Biography vs. Memoir: What’s the Difference? Why does it Matter?

Biography vs. Memoir: What’s the Difference? Why does it Matter?

By Scott Lorenz
Westwind Book Marketing

Biographies and memoirs are commonly confused, both telling personal stories about an individual’s life. However, there is a distinct difference, and this plays an important role in the purpose of the book and how it is marketed. Let’s take a look at both!

Biography

A biography is a nonfiction account of a person’s entire life. It includes key events that shaped them as a person, as well as information about their relationships, work, education, and defining character traits. Biographies can be written about both people who have passed or people who are alive today. Sometimes, biographies are written by the subject themself, and this is known as an autobiography.

The information presented in a biography is objective and factual, often taken from first-hand accounts such as interviews, letters, diaries, newspapers, and more. Biographies are often written in the third person. The main goal of a biography is to present a fact-based record of someone’s childhood, adolescence, and adulthood.

Here are some examples of well-known biographies. All of these extend over their subjects’ entire lives and come from reliable sources.

  • Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson: “Based on more than forty interviews with Steve Jobs conducted over two years—as well as interviews with more than 100 family members, friends, adversaries, competitors, and colleagues—Walter Isaacson has written a riveting story of the roller-coaster life and searingly intense personality of a creative entrepreneur whose passion for perfection and ferocious drive revolutionized six industries.”
  • The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot: “Over the decade it took to uncover this story, Rebecca became enmeshed in the lives of the Lacks family—especially Henrietta’s daughter Deborah. Deborah was consumed with questions: Had scientists cloned her mother? Had they killed her to harvest her cells? And if her mother was so important to medicine, why couldn’t her children afford health insurance?”
  • Alan Turing: The Enigma by Andrew Hodges: “This New York Times bestselling biography of the founder of computer science, with a new preface by the author that addresses Turing’s royal pardon in 2013, is the definitive account of an extraordinary mind and life.”
  • Frida: A Biography of Frida Kahlo by Hayden Herrera: “This engrossing biography of Mexican painter Frida Kahlo reveals a woman of extreme magnetism and originality, an artist whose sensual vibrancy came straight from her own experiences.”
  • Mad Girl’s Love Song: Sylvia Plath and Life Before Ted by Andrew Wilson: “Drawing on exclusive interviews with friends and lovers who have never spoken openly about Plath before and using previously unavailable archives and papers, this is the first book to focus on the early life of the twentieth century’s most popular and enduring female poet.”

Memoir

A memoir is a story of a person’s life as told by that person. Unlike an autobiography, a memoir centers on emotion and reflection rather than a timeline. Memoirs tend to be limited to a specific time or experience. Memoirs generally fit into one of the following structures: flashback, chronological, themed, or overcoming a struggle.

Memoirs come directly from the source and don’t take an objective approach, since they focus on how the author perceived a situation or event. They are written from a first-person point of view. Memoirs take aspects of fiction novels as well, as they include scenes, dialogue, and an engaging narrative. The main goal of a memoir is for an author to explore a specific theme or situation in their life in an emotion-based way.

Here are some examples of memoirs. Each one focuses on a theme or event that had a profound impact on the author’s life.

  • I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou: “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings captures the longing of lonely children, the brute insult of bigotry, and the wonder of words that can make the world right. Maya Angelou’s debut memoir is a modern American classic beloved worldwide.”
  • Into Thin Air: A Personal Account of the Mount Everest Disaster by Jon Krakauer: “A bank of clouds was assembling on the not-so-distant horizon, but journalist-mountaineer Jon Krakauer, standing on the summit of Mt. Everest, saw nothing that ‘suggested that a murderous storm was bearing down.’ He was wrong. By writing Into Thin Air, Krakauer may have hoped to exorcise some of his own demons and lay to rest some of the painful questions that still surround the event.”
  • Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert: “This wise and rapturous book is the story of how she left behind all these outward marks of success, and set out to explore three different aspects of her nature, against the backdrop of three different cultures: pleasure in Italy, devotion in India, and on the Indonesian island of Bali, a balance between worldly enjoyment and divine transcendence.”
  • The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion: “This powerful book is Didion’s attempt to make sense of the ’weeks and then months that cut loose any fixed idea I ever had about death, about illness, about marriage and children and memory, about the shallowness of sanity, about life itself.’”
  • Night by Elie Wiesel: “Night is Elie Wiesel’s masterpiece, a candid, horrific, and deeply poignant autobiographical account of his survival as a teenager in the Nazi death camps.”

Why does this distinction matter?

Websites like Amazon categorize biographies and memoirs into the same section, so why should they be marketed differently? In a nutshell, biographies and memoirs hold different purposes for readers. A person researching an individual will likely prefer the fact-based biography, while someone looking for a relatable story will gravitate towards a memoir. Therefore, books should be marketed as such to reach their intended audience.

When marketing biographies, focus on the factual aspects. Highlight the first-hand sources, such as photos or interviews. Emphasize what your book offers that a source like Wikipedia does not.

When marketing memoirs, use the emotional aspects to your advantage. Many memoirs focus on childhood events, marriage, divorce, or other life events that readers can relate to. Memoirs can be marketed similarly to fiction novels, although the non-fiction aspect sets them apart as unique stories.

The Bottom Line: Biographies are factual accounts of an individual’s entire life, while memoirs focus on the emotional aspects of a specific event or theme in the author’s life.

#Biographies are factual accounts of an individual’s entire life, while #memoirs focus on the emotional aspects of a specific event or theme in the author’s life. #iartg #writingcommunity #writing Click to tweet this article to your friends and followers! 𝕏

About Book Publicist Scott Lorenz

Book publicist Scott Lorenz is President of Westwind Communications, a public relations and marketing firm that has a special knack for working with authors to help them get all the publicity they deserve and more. Lorenz works with bestselling authors and self-published authors promoting all types of books, whether it’s their first book or their 15th book. He’s handled publicity for books by CEOs, CIA Officers, Navy SEALS, Homemakers, Fitness Gurus, Doctors, Lawyers and Adventurers. His clients have been featured by Good Morning America, FOX & Friends, CNN, ABC News, New York Times, Nightline, TIME, PBS, LA Times, USA Today, Washington Post, Woman’s World, & Howard Stern to name a few.

Learn more about Westwind Book Marketing at https://www.WestwindBookMarketing.com or contact Lorenz at [email protected] or 734-667-2090. Follow Lorenz on Twitter @aBookPublicist. Want help titling a book? Check out Scott Lorenz’s new award-winning, bestselling book: Book Title Generator- A Proven System in Naming Your Book www.BookTitleGenerator.net.


Love in the Stacks: The Rise of Romance Bookstores

Get Your Book into a Romance Book Store

By Scott Lorenz
Westwind Book Marketing

The popularity of romance books has been steadily on the rise for several years now. Stemming from the trend, the latest phenomenon in the reading community is brick and mortar stores exclusively for romance novels. According to an article by Alexandra Alter in The New York Times, romance bookstores are scattered throughout the nation “and have become vibrant community hubs for romance fans.”

The Rise of Romance

“The current romance craze traces to the early days of the pandemic,” says Alter. Romance books began to trend as people were in search of exciting love stories in times of boredom and uneasiness. Alter continues, “Print sales more than doubled in the last few years, from 18 million copies in 2020 to 39 million in 2023.” A significant turning point in the world of romance novels pre-pandemic was the 2016 release of Colleen Hoover’s It Ends With Us. Hoover’s novel topped the charts, selling 6.9 million copies and remaining on The New York Times’ Best Sellers list for 131 weeks, according to Vox. The book gained tons of attention on social media, especially BookTok, because of its subject matter of abusive relationships. The iconic romance novel has now been made into a movie starring Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni.

Dream Me Home

Another notable novel intertwines romance and mystery: Dream Me Home written by psychotherapist Laurie Elizabeth Murphy. Murphy says her book “is about characters that are real, and face real dilemmas, they make irrational decisions even with the best intentions, and cannot always control the outcomes of the most well-planned lives.” The book was published in 2023 and Murphy won first place with Dream Me Home at the 2024 PenCraft Book Awards for Best Fiction in the Mystery category. Visit Murphy’s website to learn more about her award-winning novel.

Darzik

Physician Fionne Foxxe Farraday’s science fiction fantasy Darzik is a continuation of her Mates of the Alliance series. This compelling series tells the story of the love connection between a human and an extraterrestrial being. Farraday says, “In this story, Emily has been through something horrific which altered the course of her life. She is a survivor and doesn’t see herself as a victim. Most of this book is her journey to reclaim her life and how Darzik is there for her through it all as her staunchest cheerleader, the one who sees her bravery and supports her as she steps forward into a new life.” Find out more about Darzik here.

Get Involved in the Romance World

More and more people have jumped on the romance novel train. The industry has grown far from its old “smut” and guilty pleasure stereotypes. As the community has grown, there are now events for romance fans to come together in celebration of their shared interest. Here are a couple of upcoming events for romance fans: Romance Con taking place September 6-7, 2024, in Milwaukee, WI and Black Romance Book Fest taking place May 30-June 1, 2025, in Atlanta, GA.

Advice for Romance Writers

In every good romance novel, there are common aspects that are keys to its success. For example, to write a good romance story there needs to be tension. According to The Book Coach, readers become more engaged as the tension between characters strengthens, building up the story and creating an emotional connection with the reader. Similar to other genres, a good romance includes some kind of character development.

A blog post on QinPrinting says to “avoid creating a one-dimensional character and instead focus on making your heroine human, flawed, and capable of growth.” This allows readers to relate to the character, which heavily influences how much they will enjoy the story. You can also implement character development with the use of tropes; everybody loves a good enemy to lovers’ trope! A final piece of advice is to have a happy ending to your book.

As The Urban Writers stated, “Real life doesn’t always guarantee happy endings, especially when it comes to love… readers understand this and are drawn to romance bestsellers because they know that a happy ending is in the cards.” Readers expect a “happily ever after” to follow the whirlwind of drama they’ve just been taken through.

Romance Bookstores in the US

  • The Ripped Bodice in Los Angeles, CA as well as Brooklyn, NY
  • Love’s Sweet Arrow in Tinsley Park, IL
  • The Last Chapter in Chicago, IL
  • Meet Cute in San Diego, CA
  • Blush in Wichita, KS
  • Under the Cover in Kansas City, MO
  • Tropes & Trifles in Minneapolis, MN
  • Grump & Sunshine in Belfast, ME
  • A Novel Romance in Louisville, KY
  • Beach Read Books in Wilmington, NC
  • Lovebound Library in Salt Lake City, UT
  • …And more!

The Bottom Line: If you’re a romance reader or writer, dive deeper into the community. Visit these romance bookstores, join/start a romance book club, or write a romance novel of your own!

If you’re a #romance reader or #writer, dive deeper into the community. Visit these romance #bookstores, join/start a romance book club, or write a romance #novel of your own! Click to tweet this article to your friends and followers! 𝕏

About Book Publicist Scott Lorenz

Book publicist Scott Lorenz is President of Westwind Communications, a public relations and marketing firm that has a special knack for working with authors to help them get all the publicity they deserve and more. Lorenz works with bestselling authors and self-published authors promoting all types of books, whether it’s their first book or their 15th book. He’s handled publicity for books by CEOs, CIA Officers, Navy SEALS, Homemakers, Fitness Gurus, Doctors, Lawyers and Adventurers. His clients have been featured by Good Morning America, FOX & Friends, CNN, ABC News, New York Times, Nightline, TIME, PBS, LA Times, USA Today, Washington Post, Woman’s World, & Howard Stern to name a few.

Learn more about Westwind Book Marketing at https://www.WestwindBookMarketing.com or contact Lorenz at [email protected] or 734-667-2090. Follow Lorenz on Twitter @aBookPublicist. Want help titling a book? Check out Scott Lorenz’s new award-winning, bestselling book: Book Title Generator- A Proven System in Naming Your Book www.BookTitleGenerator.net.


How To Title a Book: 4 Key Tricks from Award-winning Book Publicist Scott Lorenz

How To Title a Book: 4 Key Tricks from Award-winning Book Publicist Scott Lorenz

By Scott Lorenz
Westwind Communications

Book Title GeneratorThe saying goes “Don’t judge a book by its cover,” but in the marketing world, the cover and title are crucial to the book’s success. No one picks up a book that doesn’t catch their attention with the cover and title. As a book publicist, I have gathered the tips and tricks for titling books in my awarding-winning Book Title Generator, which outlines 4 key factors for naming your book:

1. Make it Memorable

You want your title to stick with potential readers, so make it stand out! Use words that evoke emotion, try out some literary devices such as alliteration or allusions, or capitalize off of the popularity of “clickbait,” aka dramatic or sensational phrases that encourage the reader to seek out further information. Ask yourself, “among the hundreds of thousands of books out there, how can my book title stand out?”

2. Make it Descriptive

What is your book about? The title is the first indicator for readers, so you want your title to reflect the plot of the book. A single-word title may have worked decades ago, but with how many books exist now, it can easily get lost. However, you want to avoid overly complicated or difficult-to-remember titles, so consider using a subtitle. On Amazon, you can put 200 characters in your title, so take advantage of it! Subtitles increase searchability and pique the interest of potential readers. Use the title and subtitle to explain the theme, the genre, a character, or another aspect of your book that makes it unique!

3. Tell them the Genre

Genre is very important when it comes to book marketing, as people will often be seeking out specific types of books, so make it clear from the start. Include a reference to the genre directly in your title or subtitle. For example, if your book is about the paranormal, include that in the subtitle. If your book is part of a series, include that. Reaching your target audience is key to a book’s success!

4. Use Keywords to Increase Searchability

Keywords are what people enter into a website when searching for a product. For most products, this is straightforward, i.e. search “car wax” for car wax. For books, however, keywords are more subjective. This is why descriptive titles are so important; you want to include words or phrases that accurately describe your book but are also common things that people would type into a search bar. Figuring out keywords can take some effort: try typing a similar title or genre into Amazon or Goodreads and see what comes up. Are the results comparable to your book? If not, you may need to rethink your title. Additionally, there is new technology that many writers use to help with keywords. Software such as Publisher Rocket can analyze data directly from Amazon and determine the profitability and competition for specific words or phrases.

These four points are just the starting point to developing a strong title but are easily the most important. Taking the time to develop a title using these tools is crucial to your book’s reach, profitability, and long-term performance. Don’t be afraid to change your book’s title if it will increase your chances of success! For more information, check out Book Title Generator, which offers even more details on these key points, as well as more tips and tricks, a plethora of real-life examples, and a list of resources for authors to use.

The Bottom Line: The title is the first thing readers are drawn to when looking at books, so make it descriptive, make it memorable, incorporate the genre, and utilize keywords to increase your success!

How To Title a Book: 4 Key Tricks from Award-winning Book Publicist Scott Lorenz #booktitlegenerator #booktitles #booktitle #booknaming Click to tweet this article to your friends and followers! 𝕏

About Book Publicist Scott Lorenz

Book publicist Scott Lorenz is President of Westwind Communications, a public relations and marketing firm that has a special knack for working with authors to help them get all the publicity they deserve and more. Lorenz works with bestselling authors and self-published authors promoting all types of books, whether it’s their first book or their 15th book. He’s handled publicity for books by CEOs, CIA Officers, Navy SEALS, Homemakers, Fitness Gurus, Doctors, Lawyers and Adventurers. His clients have been featured by Good Morning America, FOX & Friends, CNN, ABC News, New York Times, Nightline, TIME, PBS, LA Times, USA Today, Washington Post, Woman’s World, & Howard Stern to name a few.

Learn more about Westwind Book Marketing at https://westwindbookmarketing.com/ or contact Lorenz at [email protected] or 734-667-2090. Follow Lorenz on Twitter @aBookPublicist. Want help titling a book? Check out Scott Lorenz’s new award-winning, bestselling book: Book Title Generator- A Proven System in Naming Your Book  www.BookTitleGenerator.net


How Authors Can Use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to Title Their Books

How Authors Can Use Artificial Intelligence

By Scott Lorenz
Westwind Book Marketing

You never get a second chance to make a first impression. That’s why the title of your book is so important. The title is the first thing potential readers will see or hear about your book. While thinking of a compelling title is easier said than done, it’s essential if you’d like to sell your book.

I wrote a book about how to title a book called Book Title Generator. The good news is artificial intelligence (AI) can now help in the process. You still need to understand the underlying concepts in titling a book – SEO, Amazon optimization, using numbers, idioms, short titles, etc. Let’s take a closer look at how authors are tapping into the power of AI to title their books so you can do the same.

AI-Powered Book Title Generators

Fortunately, there are a number of AI-powered book title generators to help you title your books, regardless of genre. You can enter a few phrases or keywords related to your book’s content and receive a list of potential book titles to get your creative juices flowing.

An AI-powered book title generator can also analyze your target audience, so you know your readers’ demographics, interests, and preferences. It may recommend titles that resonate with your specific audience.

In addition, you can set different parameters like your preferred tone to customize the titles the generators provide you. This makes it a breeze to ensure the suggested titles fit your vision and brand.

ChatGPT and Bing Chat AI are the most popular tools for generating book titles.  Both can generate unlimited title ideas. You just have to use a descriptive prompt about the genre, setting, story line, targeted age group, and other factors. It’s quite amazing how many clever titles it can generate quickly.  Here are several other reputable AI-powered book title generators you may want to explore:

  • AskYourPDF: AskYourPDF offers several content development tools, including an AI Book Title Generator.
  • Simplified AI: Even if you’re new to AI, you’ll appreciate this intuitive tool that can help you generate a variety of serious, thought provoking, and humorous book titles.
  • Toolbaz: With Toolbaz, you can come up with book titles in various genres, styles, and lengths.
  • AISEO: If SEO is your goal, AISEO will help you optimize your book titles for search engines.
  • BookAI: You can count on BookAI to review your manuscript and share relevant title ideas.
  • Taskade: Taskade can assist you with every stage of the book writing process, such as brainstorming, and title generation based on the keywords you input.

Benefits of Using AI in Titling Your Book

Whether you’re a new author or have been writing and publishing books for years, an AI-powered title generation can offer many benefits, including:

  • Time Savings: Create unique, compelling book titles and save hours upon hours on brainstorming and manual tests.
  • Increased Profits: An engaging title can intrigue readers and lead to more sales.
  • Flexibility: AI book title generators accommodate all types of authors, regardless of genres or writing styles.
  • Chance to Stand Out: With an intriguing book title, you’ll be able to differentiate yourself in the competitive market and in turn, raise your chances of success.

If you’d like to see a step-by-step overview in using AI, check out an online video class by Jess Todtfeld, President of Success In Media, Inc, a leading business communication expert whose clients include the United Nations and Fortune 500 firms. ChatGPT to Supercharge Your Public Relations Media Training. Just watching the free previews will help you.

The Bottom Line: Titling your book doesn’t have to be a long, drawn-out process. With AI, you can come up with the ideal title in a fraction of the time. Best of luck!

#AI is a valuable tool when it comes to #bookmarketing, as it is an effective and efficient way to expand your audience. Click to tweet this article to your friends and followers! 𝕏

About Book Publicist Scott Lorenz

Book publicist Scott Lorenz is President of Westwind Communications, a public relations and marketing firm that has a special knack for working with authors to help them get all the publicity they deserve and more. Lorenz works with bestselling authors and self-published authors promoting all types of books, whether it’s their first book or their 15th book. He’s handled publicity for books by CEOs, CIA Officers, Navy SEALS, Homemakers, Fitness Gurus, Doctors, Lawyers and Adventurers. His clients have been featured by Good Morning America, FOX & Friends, CNN, ABC News, New York Times, Nightline, TIME, PBS, LA Times, USA Today, Washington Post, Woman’s World, & Howard Stern to name a few.

Learn more about Westwind Communications’ book marketing approach at https://westwindbookmarketing.com/ or contact Lorenz at [email protected] or 734-667-2090 or fill out the form below. Follow Lorenz on Twitter @aBookPublicist. Want help titling a book? Check out Scott Lorenz’s new award winning, bestselling book: Book Title Generator- A Proven System in Naming Your Book www.BookTitleGenerator.net.


How Authors Can Take a Great Head Shot

How Authors Can Take a Great Head Shot

I’ve worked with some of the best photographers in the USA. I’ve been in dozens of studios all over the country and have been privy to their backstage techniques. These photographers have photographed Miss America contestants, professional hockey and baseball players as well as CEOs, authors, doctors, lawyers and entrepreneurs. I got the skinny directly from them on their tips for getting the best head shot possible.

While the written word is powerful in landing a media placement, as a book publicist I know that a great photo can clinch a media opportunity just as well and sometimes even faster. How? It’s simple. The photo immediately tells the reporter if the author looks credible and it tells a TV producer if the person is going to look good on a TV interview. If you don’t think they care, think again. It also declares race, sex and sometimes creed. It all matters, and don’t assume it’s a negative thing as it helps news producers provide a balanced newscast so that all voices can be heard. It’s the same with print or broadcast media.

To be sure you convey your message in your headshot and to put your best face forward you’ll want to hear some tips on How to take a great headshot.

First let’s talk about the use of the head shot and its purpose as that dictates the style.

Author Headshots will be used on a book cover and press materials, website and social media. You want multiple variations as the thumbnail close up on Amazon will be different from the one you use on LinkedIn, Amazon and your book flap. Is this a serious book? If so then you should look professional. If it’s a cookbook then look like a cook in proper attire in the kitchen. If you are a doctor, then look like one!

Renowned photographer Sam T’ang of Sam T’ang Production Studios, who regularly photographs Miss America and Miss USA contestants, says planning ahead is critical and offers these tips:

  1. Get a good night’s sleep and rest the day before your shoot. (You don’t want wrinkles or baggie eyes for your shoot).
  2. A good headshot should focus just on your face. Clothing should be complementary & should have contrast, IE, someone with lighter color hair should have darker tops or suits, someone with darker hair should have lighter colored tops or suits.
  3. Clothing/wardrobe should not be busy or have patterns. Always bring several different outfits if possible. It is always better to have too much than only one outfit to work with.
  4. Backgrounds should be clean, un-cluttered and should not have a pattern (unless it’s an environmental portrait).
  5. Accessories (Women). Jewelry should be subtle and not overpowering (again, the main focus is on the face).
  6. MAKEUP/HAIR (Women & Men). If it is possible to have a makeup artist/hair stylist, hire one! Makeup is not only important, but makeup looks COMPLETELY different on camera than in real life and the camera PICKS UP EVERYTHING. Everyday makeup under professional photography lighting and strobes will look like you have no makeup at all. A professional makeup artist is well worth the investment!
  7. A professional photographer should understand lighting conditions whether it’s natural light or strobes (flash). Good lighting makes a huge difference in your photos. Be aware that shooting under fluorescent lights will cast a green tint to your photos.
  8. There are many talented photographers out there, but only a few who actually specialize and can take a GREAT HEADSHOT. A good photographer should make you feel comfortable and be able to communicate and direct you, thus making your shots look natural and relaxed instead of stiff or too posed and awkward.
  9. Almost all images are retouched and edited. One caveat just doesn’t have your photographer OVER RETOUCH your photo or use FILTERS that make you look too plastic and not real (unless that is the look you want).

Jack Kenny whose photography book CUBA is filled with photos of the people of Cuba says he likes shooting outdoors in available light. Natural light outside can be beautiful. I like to shoot in doorways or windows or under overpasses, keeping the subject just out of the direct light.

For headshots, says Kenny, “I like to work both in the studio and in natural light. Sometimes I use a combination of the two where the natural light isn’t sufficient to “fill” the subject. For males I prefer to use a single light source (in varying sizes depending on the drama desired). The light is placed at a 30 to 90-degree angle from the subject and sometimes I use an edge light on the opposite side or a reflector to fill in the shadows. For women I tend to use a softer light – usually two front lights – one weaker than the other, and I keep the light sources closer to the camera.”

According to Steve Kovich who shot for the Detroit Red Wings, Tigers, Lions and is currently the Tampa Bay Rays official team photographer, “You want to create depth and mood.  Lighting a subject from high above and off to the side is what I like to do. This lighting style is commonly referred to as “Rembrandt” lighting as this is the way the light came into his studio.”

“On the creative end, it’s the ability to evoke or more likely to capture emotion. Whether it be happy, sad, or otherwise,” says Kovich.

In the end, says Jack Kenny, almost any light can be used depending on the effects desired, but a true headshot should emphasize the subject and not the photographer.

About Sam T’ang

Based in Detroit and Miami, Sam T’ang is a national and international published photographer specializing in Beauty, Glamour, Fashion and Swimwear. Sam’s work has appeared in advertisements, calendars, magazines and posters: MAXIM, STUFF, PLAYBOY, FHM, COSMOPOLITAN, GLAMOUR, TEEN, YOUNG MISS, PERFECT 10, OCEAN DRIVE, HAWAIIAN TROPIC, VENUS SWIMWEAR, FITNESS USA, AUTORAMA, and many others.

Sam has photographed headshots for the Miss America, Miss Universe, Miss USA, Miss Teen USA, Miss Venus Swimwear, Miss Hawaiian Tropic pageant contestants, the Detroit Pistons and Detroit Red Wings players headshots/promos as well as thousands of models, actors and celebrities. 248-845-8274 and 305-502-1354.

About Jack Kenny

Based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, Kenny specializes in headshots and has photographed dozens of CEOs, doctors, lawyers, authors, and entrepreneurs. Kenny is also author/publisher of Cuba where he takes readers on a photographic journey through modern day Cuba. (734) 395-1265

About Steven Kovich

Based in St. Petersburg, Florida, Steven Kovich has photographed celebrities such as Kevin Costner, Kevin Bacon and Hulk Hogan as well as hundreds of sports figures including Derek Jeter and Red Wing hockey great Steve Yzerman. He’s also the Tampa Bay Rays official team photographer. His list of corporate clients includes Hyatt, Ameritech, AT&T, CBS, Coke, Chrysler, Domino’s Pizza, Detroit Symphony, ESPN, Ford, Dupont, General Motors, Getty Images, Proctor & Gamble, Pulte Homes, American Red Cross and the US Postal Service. Kovich’s web site has few words as he lets his photos speak for themselves. www.kovich.com 727-452-2349.

The Bottom Line: Your headshot is one of the most important elements in your book promotion. Get a professional to shoot it. Don’t skimp out and use a cropped shot from your summer vacation!

Your #headshot is one of the most important elements in your #bookpromotion. Get a professional to shoot it. Don’t skimp out and use a cropped shot from your summer vacation! Click to tweet this article to your friends and followers! 𝕏

About Book Publicist Scott Lorenz

Book publicist Scott Lorenz is President of Westwind Communications, a public relations and marketing firm that has a special knack for working with authors to help them get all the publicity they deserve and more. Lorenz works with bestselling authors and self-published authors promoting all types of books, whether it’s their first book or their 15th book. He’s handled publicity for books by CEOs, CIA Officers, Navy SEALS, Homemakers, Fitness Gurus, Doctors, Lawyers and Adventurers. His clients have been featured by Good Morning America, FOX & Friends, CNN, ABC News, New York Times, Nightline, TIME, PBS, LA Times, USA Today, Washington Post, Woman’s World, & Howard Stern to name a few.

Learn more about Westwind Book Marketing at https://www.WestwindBookMarketing.com or contact Lorenz at [email protected] or 734-667-2090 or fill out the form below. Follow Lorenz on Twitter @aBookPublicist. Want help titling a book? Check out Scott Lorenz’s new award winning, bestselling book: Book Title Generator- A Proven System in Naming Your Book www.BookTitleGenerator.net.