A book launch looks different these days: while a national tour is all but unheard of, authors can connect with far greater numbers of readers online. Digital platforms—from social media to virtual book clubs and beyond—are now arguably the most important pillar of a successful launch strategy.

Agent Tianna Kelly and lifestyle creator Désirée (@rainydayslibrary) join us to discuss how digital spaces continue to transform how books connect with readers:

• The role of digital analytics in shaping launch strategies
• Balancing traditional marketing with digital reach
• How digital platforms (e.g., Fable.co) create more equitable opportunities for debut authors
• How authors can use data to connect with readers during a launch

Special thanks to Literary Agents of Change for collaborating with the Authors Guild Foundation on this series.

A Q&A will follow the presentation; you can pre-submit a question when registering for the event. A recording will be made available for those who cannot attend live.

The event will take place via Zoom with automatic closed captioning. To request any other accessibility features, please email support@authorsguild.org and we will make every effort to accommodate.

Panelists

Tianna Kelly (she/they) is a literary agent building a list inspired by her love of dark romance, sharp romantic comedies, genre-bending romantasy, and bold speculative fiction. She is especially drawn to Queer and own-voices stories with complex emotions, unforgettable relationships, and high-stakes worldbuilding that blur the line between love and disaster (in the best way). With over three years of experience in publishing marketing, she brings a sharp eye for positioning, audience, and platform development to every project.

Désirée Worrall-Bélanger is a Canadian lifestyle content creator known as @rainydayslibrary. She’s worked with various publishers and book-adjacent brands over her 5 years of content creation, which led to her landing her job at Fable where she is the Senior Partnerships & Editorial Coordinator.

She’s worked with publishers and authors alike to help them get their titles into the hands of more readers through influencer marketing and in-app efforts on Fable.

When she’s not working, Desiree can be found reading with her cats, hiking with her partner, or shopping at her local bookstore to add yet another book to her never-ending TBR.