Book Marketing Tips and Author Success Podcast
Book marketing podcast for authors covering how to market a book, self-publishing, Amazon for authors, proven strategies to sell more books, and how to survive in this industry.
Join bestselling author and book marketing maven Penny Sansevieri and savvy publishing insider Amy Cornell for lively, no-nonsense conversations filled with smart strategies, creative inspiration, and publishing know-how you can actually use.
Whether you’re self-published, traditionally published, or somewhere in between, this podcast delivers real-world advice to help you sell more books, build your platform, and thrive in the ever-evolving publishing landscape. From clever promo hacks to critical industry insights, each episode is designed to move the needle on your success.
Fresh ideas. Actionable tips. Unfiltered talk.
If you’re serious about your author career, hit subscribe and tune in—your next big breakthrough could be one episode away.
Episodes
343 episodes
20,000 Views. Three Book Sales. Here’s What Went Wrong.
Imagine spending $44,000 on a book launch and selling three books. Or generating 20,000 views and walking away with three preorders.Those aren’t hypothetical numbers—and they expose one of the biggest problems in book marke...
Bookstore Events Have Changed: What Authors Need to Know
Are Barnes & Noble author events going away? Not exactly. But the days of walking into a bookstore, asking for a signing, and expecting the store to supply the audience are rapidly disappearing—and that may actually be good news for authors...
What’s In, What’s Out: The Book Marketing Edition
Every so often, book marketing needs a good cleanout.So in this episode, we’re doing our own book marketing “In & Out” list—the strategies, habits, and author expectations we’re happily carrying forward, and the ones we think ...
Why Authors Avoid Marketing—and What’s Really Keeping You Stuck
If you’ve ever put off your book marketing, disappeared down another research rabbit hole, or told yourself you’ll get serious about promotion after the next book is finished, this episode is for you.And no, we’re not here to call author...
What Bestselling Authors Know About Getting Readers to Click Buy
Top authors are not successful simply because they write good books or have bigger marketing budgets. The strongest authors understand something many writers overlook: readers are constantly deciding whether a book feels worth their time, atten...
The Amazon AI Search Update That Could Change Your Book Sales
Amazon is changing how readers discover books, and authors who understand the shift now will be in a much stronger position than those who wait for the results to become obvious. Search is becoming more conversational, recommendations are becom...
Should You Sell Books Direct? The Truth About Leaving Amazon Behind
Selling direct to readers can sound like the ultimate author-business upgrade: higher royalties, faster payouts, more control, and a customer list you actually own.But is it the right move for your book right now?In this ...
Paid Author Newsletters: Smart New Income Stream or Expensive Distraction?
Could your author newsletter become a new income stream—or will charging readers create more work than revenue?Paid newsletters are everywhere right now, especially with platforms like Substack making it look easy to turn emails into mon...
15 Minutes to More Book Visibility: The Marketing Moves That Keep Working
You do not need a free afternoon—or an exhausting new marketing plan—to make meaningful progress with your book. In this episode, Penny Sansevieri and Amy Cornell break down how authors can use just 15 focused minutes to improve the parts of th...
Get Your Book Into Libraries—and Build the Local Buzz That Travels
As Penny's new book, Think Local, Sell Global, heads into pre-order, this replay felt especially timely.One of the biggest mistakes authors make is assuming that local book marketing is somehow “small.” In reality, the relations...
Christmas in July: Your Holiday Book Sales Plan Starts Here
Holiday book sales do not start when shoppers begin panic-buying gifts in December. They start months earlier, when smart authors begin positioning their books for the gift guides, media mentions, newsletters, local segments, creator roundups, ...
Think Local, Sell Everywhere: Book Marketing That Actually Sells Books
Most authors overlook one of the most powerful marketing opportunities they already have: their local market. While everyone else fights for attention online, smart authors are building visibility, reader loyalty, and consistent book sales righ...
Publishing Horror Stories: The Expensive Mistakes Authors Never See Coming
You hired help so publishing would feel easier. Instead, your Amazon listing disappears, your book ends up connected to the wrong author page, and suddenly nobody can figure out who actually owns the account. Sound dramatic? We wish it were rar...
The Relaunch Blueprint: Four Ways to Revive Book Sales
Most authors treat launch day like a verdict: the book goes live, sales come in (or don’t), and suddenly it feels like the market has spoken. Quiet numbers can trigger a brutal spiral — exhaustion, disappointment, and the sinking feeling that m...
Amazon’s AI Translation Shortcut: Smart Strategy or Costly Mistake?
Amazon just removed one of the biggest barriers to international publishing, and authors are going to be tempted to move fast. With Amazon quietly rolling out an AI-powered translation tool inside KDP, turning your book into Spanish, German, an...
The Dangerous Myth About Book Sales That’s Holding You Back
If your book sales have you questioning everything, the problem might not be your book—it might be the benchmark you’re using.In this episode, we’re dismantling one of the biggest misconceptions in publishing: what “normal” book sales ac...
Readers Don’t Buy Books—Consumers Do. Here’s Why That Matters
Most authors think they’re selling to readers. That’s the first mistake.Because readers and book consumers are not the same—and confusing the two is one of the biggest reasons books don’t sell.In this episode, we break down the cr...
AI Is Scamming Authors: How to Spot Fake Book Marketing Before You Lose Money
Scam emails used to be obvious. Bad grammar, generic messaging, easy to ignore. That version is gone.Today’s scams sound like a real professional—someone who’s “read your book,” understands your audience, and has a polished, confident pl...
Your Amazon Retail Page Has a Problem and You Probably Can't See It
Your Amazon book page might be costing you sales—and the worst part is, you probably can’t see it.Most authors assume that once their book is uploaded, the hard part is done. But in reality, your Amazon page is a live sales environment, ...
Publicity Doesn’t Sell Books: What Authors Get Wrong (and What Works Instead)
Publicity feels like the breakthrough moment every author is chasing—but most big interviews, features, and media hits don’t translate into book sales the way you expect. In many cases, they don’t move the needle at all.In this episode, ...
The Word-of-Mouth Engine: How to Turn Readers Into Your Best Marketing Team
95% of books are sold through word of mouth—but most authors are still chasing reach instead of building relationships. That’s a problem, especially in a market where social media visibility is unpredictable and ad costs continue to climb.<...
Podcast Pitching Secrets For Authors: What Podcast Hosts Actually Say Yes To (Part 2)
“I’d love to come on your show and talk about my new book” is one of the fastest ways to get ignored.In Part 2 of this series, we move from mindset to execution—breaking down exactly how to pitch podcasts in a way that gets attention, ea...
Podcast Pitching Secrets for Authors: How to Get Booked on Podcasts (Part 1)
Most authors want podcast interviews to sell books—and that’s exactly why so many pitches get ignored.In this first episode of a two-part series, we break down the simple shift that changes everything: pitch value first. Your book...
Borrowed Buzz: The Smarter Way to Stay Visible Year-Round
Books aren’t “news” on their own anymore—and repeating “buy my book” is one of the fastest ways to burn out (and lose your audience’s attention).In this episode, we break down a smarter, more sustainable approach: borrowed bu...
Latest Goodreads Changes and Why They Matter for Authors
Goodreads recently rolled out changes that have authors and readers debating everything from review bombing to pre-publication ratings. In this episode, we break down what actually changed, what it means for authors, and how to respond without ...