For our season ending May event Minnesota Book Publishers Roundtable held an in-person panel discussing book distribution.
As books travel from publisher to consumer, the decisions a business makes to navigate this journey are critical to a book’s visibility and ultimate success in the trade and the title’s financial well-being. With options ranging from traditional full-service trade distribution to wholesale and third-party fulfillment centers to direct-to-consumer strategies, there is no one-size-fits-all approach to book distribution.
This meeting is a must-hear for anyone interested in the complex process of efficiently and effectively getting books onto shelves and into readers’ hands.
Panelists
Dr. Artika Tyner (https://www.artikatyner.com/) is a passionate educator, award-winning author, civil rights attorney, sought-after speaker, and advocate for justice. She lives in Saint Paul, Minnesota, and is the founder of the Planting People Growing Justice Leadership Institute.
Andrew DeYoung is Publisher for Books at 1517 Media, overseeing the three imprints of Broadleaf Books, Beaming Books, and Fortress Press. He is also the author of The Exo Project, a 2018 Minnesota Book Award Winner; The Temps; and The Day He Never Came Home, a Minnesota-set thriller forthcoming in July from Sourcebooks.
Hanna Kjeldbjerg (she/her) is the vice president of Wise Ink Media. With over a decade of experience in publishing, she has helped almost two hundred authors bring their sizable stories to life. She has presented about publishing at the Loft Literary Center, the Wordsmith conference, IBPA’s Publishing University, and Write On, Door County. Hanna is the cofounder of Err Artist Collective, which curated monthly variety shows and zines for over six years. Her installation art has been a part of the Art Shanty Projects, and her writing has been featured in Publishers Weekly and Paper Darts.
(Moderator) In addition to serving on the MBPR board, Rachel Zugschwert is the executive vice president of marketing at Lerner Publishing Group. Previously, she has worked in book marketing at 1517 Media, Consortium Book Sales & Distribution, and Simon & Schuster. She has a Masters in Publishing from Pace University, and delights in helping readers find the right books.