Author Relations Manager

deseretmanagement; United States; Hybrid; USD 70,000 - 95,000; Full time

Job summary

Shadow Mountain is seeking an experienced Author Relations Manager to serve as the primary point of contact between the imprint and its authors. You will manage relationships from contract signing through post-publication, ensuring transparent communication, feedback relay, and advocacy for author needs.

The role requires building trust, coordinating with Editorial and Marketing, and guiding author campaigns while maintaining strong, responsive lines of communication across teams in a hybrid

Qualifications

• Ideal candidates will demonstrate the ability to build trust-based relationships, communicate transparently, relay feedback, advocate for author needs, and bring author insights to campaign development.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the primary liaison for all author relations, managing 30+ active relationships.
• Build genuine relationships - understand each author's brand, audience, communication preferences, and career goals.
• Lead a structured welcome process for every new author: set expectations on timelines, key contacts, and Shadow Mountain's publishing process.
• Onboard new authors to Shadow Mountain's marketing processes and expectations, including in-person headquarters tours and introductions to the team.
• Within the first 90 days, meet in person with each active author to demonstrate commitment to getting to know them.
• New authors should be toured around the headquarters in SLC and other relevant facilities, meeting the team and feeling part of the DBC family.
• Receive regular production status updates from Editorial, communicate progress to authors, and flag delays with transparency.
• Coordinate with Editorial to ensure involvement in cover development before author feedback is solicited.
• Represent authors' goals and brand in marketing planning sessions and launch timelines.

Job description

Our company is committed to being trusted voices of light and truth reaching hundreds of millions of people worldwide.

Author Relations Manager

Reports to Shadow Mountain Associate Publisher

Location

Deseret Book Corporate Office

Salt Lake City, UT

Start Date

Immediately

Position Type

Full Time; Hybrid

The Opportunity

About Shadow Mountain

Shadow Mountain is a national trade imprint of Deseret Book Company, publishing award-winning fiction and nonfiction for adults, young adults, and middle-grade readers. Our titles regularly appear on the New York Times and national bestseller lists, and our catalog spans mystery and suspense, romance, historical fiction, cookbooks, picture books, and inspirational nonfiction.

Position Summary

Shadow Mountain is seeking an experienced Author Relations Manager to join our team. The position will serve as the primary point of contact between Shadow Mountain and its author roster - from contract signing through post-publication and beyond. Ideal candidates will demonstrate the ability to build trust-based relationships, communicate transparently, relay feedback, advocate for author needs, and bring author insights to campaign development. This role is the author's single point of truth inside the company - if it touches the author, it flows through this position.

Core Responsibilities

Author Onboarding & Relationship Management

• Serve as the primary liaison for all author relations, managing 30+ active relationships.
• Build genuine relationships - understand each author's brand, audience, communication preferences, and career goals.
• Lead a structured welcome process for every new author: set expectations on timelines, key contacts, and how Shadow Mountain's publishing process works.
• Onboard new authors to Shadow Mountain's marketing processes and expectations, including in-person headquarters tours and introductions to the team.
• Within the first 90 days, meet in person with each active author (treating authors to lunch, etc.) to demonstrate a commitment to get to know them.
• New authors should be toured around the headquarters in SLC and other relevant facilities, getting to know the team and "pulling back the curtain" to help them feel a part of the DBC family.

Production-Stage Relay

• Receive regular production status updates (in writing) from Editorial via scheduled meetings or email.
• Communicate production status, milestone progress, and schedule changes to authors proactively.
• Flag delays to authors before they surface elsewhere - honesty and transparency are non-negotiable.
• Coordinate with Editorial to ensure the Author Relations Manager is looped in on cover development before author feedback is solicited.

Contract & Promise Tracking

• Receive a Contract Handoff Summary from Acquisitions within 48 hours of every new contract signing.
• Maintain a running record of all contractual promises, committed budgets, and special commitments made during the acquisition process.
• Ensure campaign plans and marketing execution align with contractual commitments; flag discrepancies to the Associate Publisher.

Cover Feedback Coordination

• Serve as the conduit for all author feedback on cover design: gather author input, funnel it to Editorial/Design, communicate outcomes, and advocate for the author's voice throughout the process.
• Ensure the author feels heard even when design decisions go a different direction - manage expectations with transparency and empathy.

Campaign Strategy Input

• Represent the author's goals, expectations, and brand in all marketing planning sessions.
• Present marketing plans, ad strategies, and launch timelines to authors; gather and incorporate feedback.
• Weigh in on campaigns, launches, and advertising from the author's perspective.
• Ensure campaigns align with contractual commitments and author expectations.

Core 30 Launch Team

• For each title, curate and manage a team of 30 A+ reviewers and influencers (the "Core 30") who receive early access and serve as launch-window advocates.
• Maintain the Core 30 roster, coordinate early copy distribution, and track reviewer engagement and review posting.
• Coordinate with the Marketing & Publicity Manager, who manages broader influencer outreach beyond the Core 30.

ARC & Finished Copy Distribution

• Own all ARC and finished copy distribution - author copies, reviewer/trade copies, and all platform distribution (Edelweiss, NetGalley, Goodreads).
• Manage all distribution lists, shipping logistics, and tracking.
• Frequent warehouse trips (checking on inventory, shipping out ARCs, press checks on final marketing goods, etc.) are crucial.
• In times of "crisis" (e.g., author doesn't have enough books/materials for a signing) this person would be the primary contact to solve that problem.

Author Training & Coaching

• Coach authors on street teams, social media best practices, and personal marketing - step-by-step guidance for debuts, ongoing guidance for all.
• Maintain and distribute author-facing guides and resources (Book Chat tool