"Consulting is not giving the right answer,
it's providing the right guidance."
"Consulting is not giving the right answer,
it's providing the right guidance."
About Karen Torres
My Story
My Story
My Story
After graduating from NYU's School of Journalism my mind was set on staying close to the written word, and because of my love of books and reading, publishing came as the easy answer.
When I started my career, I had no idea that I would end up in sales. But my love for independent bookstores drew me there. I loved visiting them, talking to the booksellers, and ultimately making many friends with owners, bookstore managers, event managers,
and store clerks.
My dream of one day owning a bookstore, changed once I got into publishing.
Working in sales, and concentrating my efforts in the indie marketplace, I came to realize and appreciate that I could be of great help to the independent bookstores from the position I held inside the publishing house. The dream morphed into doing everything I could in my career to help the bookselling community thrive and become a vital part of the success of our books and authors.
I worked at Hachette Book Group (in its various incarnations) for 36+ years. I began my career as a Marketing Assistant and rose within the ranks of the sales department to VP, Director of Field Sales, and Account Marketing for all of its imprints:
Grand Central Publishing, Basic Books Group, Hachette Audio, Hachette Books, Hachette Nashville, Little, Brown and Company, Little Brown Books for Young Readers, Orbit, Running Press Group, and Workman Publishing. I was honored to have received the Literary Marketplace Award for Excellence in Sales/Marketing and to have been chosen as a Publishers Weekly 2023 Notable Person of the Year and I was featured in their January 2024 issue.
Everything I did in my career was aimed at selling books, but there was always a special place in my heart for the indies. I worked on the
original launch of BINC.
My Story
My Story
I’ve served on the boards of the New England Independent Booksellers Association, and New Atlantic Independent Booksellers Association.
And I am currently serving as a trustee of the Professional Bookseller School.
I have forged rock-solid relationships with booksellers all over the country...some relationships spanning generations and multiple owners at various bookstores.
I am honored to have been part of many Hachette Book Group bestsellers. During my career, I had the honor of working with the following special authors, writers, musicians, personalities:
Jane Goodall, Nelson DeMille, Sandra Brown,
Jon Stewart, Madonna, Robert Waller, JK Rowling, James Patterson, David Baldacci, Michael Connelly, Preston and Childs, Emma Donoghue, Jack Welch, Brad Meltzer, Ayad Aktar,
Joshua Ferris, Kitty Kelly, David Sedaris,
Anita Shreve, Michael Moore, Pete Hamill,
Malcolm Gladwell, Sally Fields, Rick Moody,
Nick Sparks, Stephan Colbert, Alice Sebold,
Keith Richards, JoAnn Beard, Kate Atkinson,
Min Jin Lee, George Pelecanos, Maria Semple, Edna O'Brien, Jane Hamilton, Elin Hilderbrand, Luis Urrea, Jewell Parker Rhodes,
Stephanie Meyer, Ljeoma Oluo, Sally Mann, Clarence Clemons, Ted Turner, Uwem Akpan, Joyce Meyer, Joel Osteen, T.D. Jakes,
John Maxwell, Breena Clark, Peter Brown,
James Redfield, Malala Yousafzai,
Sophie Blackwell, Jennifer Lynn Brown,
Katie Couric, Grace Lin, N.K. Jemisin, Holly Black and Jason Reynolds, Ibram X. Kendi
…just to name a few.
I’m excited about this new chapter of helping booksellers, authors, agents, and publishers reach their full potential through our joint efforts.
Let’s talk.
GETTING BOOKS INTO THE RIGHT HANDS
Authors:
Let's talk about what you’re writing about and why and how to work with your agent, publisher and booksellers to reach your goal and your audience.
Bookstores:
Let’s talk about your mission and how to grow your business.
We have something for everyone (brick-and-mortar, pop-ups, B2B, school fairs, non-profits, and community centers).
Publishers:
Let’s talk about deepening your relationship with booksellers and how to help them
help you and how to support the growth of independent accounts.
Literary Agencies:
Let’s talk about how you can enlist publisher and bookseller support for your authors.
Book Clubs:
Let’s talk about connecting with bookstores, libraries and publishers early in the process. Our team of branding experts will help you develop a unique brand identity that sets you apart from your competitors. We'll work with you to create a brand strategy that resonates with your target audience and builds brand loyalty.
