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C.S. Lewis & Co.Small press publicity

For small and independent presses

A publicist for small press titles that works beside your team

Last updated: November 2026

A publicist for small press books adds focused, daily publicity work to a title without replacing the press’s own team, and C.S. Lewis & Co. Publicists is built to work that way.

C.S. Lewis & Co. Publicists coordinates closely with publishers’ publicity teams so its efforts complement theirs. For a small or independent press, that means one title can get a customized campaign, steady follow-up, and same day news response, while the in-house team keeps serving the rest of the list.

Talk about a title on your list

Why would a small press hire an outside publicist?

Mostly for capacity and relationships. According to the firm’s FAQ, small press publicity departments tend to work hard and have fewer authors and books to focus on, but also fewer resources than big publishers, and usually lack the budget or staff to design a targeted, strategic campaign for each author.

An outside publicist does nothing but publicity. C.S. Lewis & Co. Publicists says it has first name relationships with hundreds of editors, reporters, columnists, and producers, and its daily work is focused on getting clients into the news and keeping them there.

Good fit

When an outside publicist makes sense

  • The book is launching soon.
  • The author is an expert who can speak to current news.
  • The subject sits in one of the firm’s ten listed subject areas.
  • The press wants national radio, television, or print reach.

Honest limits

When your own team may be enough

If your press already has the time and media relationships to tailor a campaign for the title, or the book’s goals are modest and mostly local, an outside publicist may not be needed. A separate fee is a real cost, and the firm does not publish its prices.

Experience

Presses whose titles appear in the firm’s client sampling

The client sampling C.S. Lewis & Co. Publicists publishes names large houses such as Viking Penguin, St. Martin’s Press, and Harmony Books alongside these presses:

  • Addicus Books
  • Lifeline Press
  • Square One Publishers
  • Ash Tree Publishing
  • Station Hill Press
  • Windsor Peak Press
  • Bard Press
  • Bay Books

See the full client sampling and subject areas.

How should a press split the work with a publicist?

Agree on roles before outreach starts. This checklist reflects the firm’s practice of complementing a press team rather than duplicating it.

  1. Agree which outlets the press team pitches and which the publicist pitches, so no contact gets two pitches.
  2. Share the publication date, review copy plans, and any events the press has booked.
  3. Let the publicist build the media kit around the author’s expertise and goals.
  4. Keep the author in daily reach of the publicist for news-tied pitching.
  5. Share results with the press so later printings and future titles benefit.

This page is part of the guide to publicity for small publishers from C.S. Lewis & Co. Publicists.

Questions about hiring a publicist for small press books

See all 46 questions in the FAQ
My small press has a publicist. Do I still need one?
Not always. The firm’s FAQ notes that small press publicity departments tend to work hard and have fewer titles to focus on, but also fewer resources for a targeted, strategic campaign per author. An outside publicist adds capacity and media relationships, and C.S. Lewis & Co. Publicists coordinates with press teams so efforts complement each other.
Do you work with small and independent presses?
Yes. C.S. Lewis & Co. Publicists serves publishers as well as authors and works closely with publishers’ publicity teams so its efforts complement theirs. Its client sampling includes titles from presses such as Addicus Books, Lifeline Press, Square One Publishers, Ash Tree Publishing, Station Hill Press, Windsor Peak Press, and Bard Press.
Will an outside publicist clash with our in-house team?
It should not. C.S. Lewis & Co. Publicists says it works closely with publishers’ and businesses’ publicity teams so its efforts complement theirs. Agree early on who handles which outlets and how results are shared, so media contacts receive one clear, coordinated pitch.
How should a small press choose a book publicist?
Look for subject experience that matches your list, a clear plan for follow-up, examples of real media hits, client statements you can verify, and a willingness to coordinate with your in-house team. C.S. Lewis & Co. Publicists publishes its subject areas, a client sampling, client statements, and links to clients’ own media pages.
When might a small press not need an outside publicist?
A press may not need one when its own team has the time and media relationships to give a title a tailored campaign, or when the book’s goals are modest and mostly local. An outside publicist tends to make the most sense for a title with an expert author, news hooks, and a launch coming soon.
Who pays for an outside publicist, the publisher or the author?
Either can. C.S. Lewis & Co. Publicists works with authors directly and with publishers, and it coordinates with publisher and business publicity teams so the efforts complement each other. Who pays is an arrangement between the parties involved, so discuss it with the firm when you request a quote.

Published by C.S. Lewis & Co. Publicists