Tara Lewis

Tara Lewis – Marketer

I am a children's, middle-grade, and YA book marketing expert with twenty-five years of experience in the Big Ten and freelancing.

Overview

I am an experienced children’s marketing professional with more than twenty-five years in the children’s book publishing industry. I have insight into the workings of children’s book publishers and internal operations and processes, having managed a global marketing department as a Director at Disney Publishing Worldwide for six years and managed teams at Scholastic Inc. for six years.


I have worked with a broad range of children’s original titles in the picture book, middle-grade, and young adult categories. I have also spearheaded the campaigns for many licensed book series such as Scooby-Doo, Disney Princess, Harry Potter paperbacks, Pokemon, Powerpuff Girls, Marvel, Lego, Tinkerbell, Matchbox, Winnie the Pooh, and Baby Einstein.


My marketing planning included not only devising the strategies but also conducting competitive analysis reports, writing press releases, articles, blogs, catalog copy, and news pieces for the product. I worked on a daily basis with the editorial teams to bring a successful book to market.


As a freelancer, I am thrilled to provide the following services:


-Marketing plan development (strategy, tactics, social, deliverables, etc.)

-Writing press releases, author bios, catalog copy, book blurbs

-Market research and competitive analysis



My areas of specialty are picture books, middle-grade, and YA sci-fi/fantasy. I love working with self-published authors to help them navigate and understand the publishing process. I also enjoy working with seasoned publishing veterans.


I have an impeccable career history at the highest level at the best publishing houses in the world. Let me help you - and your book - make the leap from good to great! I will help your book get the exposure and readership that it deserves.

Services
Non-Fiction
Children’s Non-Fiction Parenting & Families Self-Help & Self-Improvement
Fiction
Middle Grade Picture Books Young Adult
Languages
English (US)
Certifications
  • Dale Carnegie leadership training
  • Disney Institute leadership and business training
  • Social Media Marketing, Semrush Academy
  • SEO Principles, Semrush Academy

Work experience

Disney Publishing Worldwide

Jul, 2000 — Apr, 2006 (almost 6 years)
Managed the global marketing department for Disney Publishing Worldwide and all its imprints. Oversaw marketing strategy and campaigns, publicity, promotion, author relationships, multi-million dollar budget, staff of 26 employees worldwide.

Hyperion Books for Children

Oct, 1999 — Apr, 2006 (over 6 years)
Managed the global marketing department for Hyperion Books for Children and all its imprints. Oversaw marketing strategy and campaigns, publicity, promotion, author relationships, staff of 26 employees worldwide.

Scholastic Inc.

Aug, 1994 — Jul, 2000 (almost 6 years)
Marketing manager for trade paperback and licensed imprints. Oversaw all marketing, promotion, and publicity campaigns and author relationships for relevant books and series.

Projects

Science-Fiction and Fantasy marketing

Comprehensive marketing and publicity campaign including social and digital media, Amazon marketing, press release, author bio, awards and grants.

Me and My Afro by Aiden Taylor

Create a full media, publicity, and marketing campaign to launch this wonderful story of self-love, inclusion, diversity, and acceptance.

Freelance book campaigns

Edit and/or develop marketing strategies and analysis for self-published authors or to enhance book proposals for published authors.

Harry Potter

Managed the paperback book marketing for the first three Harry Potter books.

-Dovetailed off the massive hardcover marketing campaign to push the paperbacks into all bookstore and non-traditional outlets
-Worked on a one-of-a-kind , never-before, and never-since book launch event: a nationwide midnight launch party for book IV

Disney licensed properties book publishing

Managed the marketing strategies for all of Disney book brands including Winnie the Pooh, Tinkerbell (and Peter Pan), Mickey Mouse, W.I.T.C.H., and more.

-Implemented a valued multi-million dollar promotion through McDonald's Happy Meal for the W.I.T.C.H. book series

-Was the Walt Disney Company's and Disney Publishing Worldwide's brand ambassador for Disney Fairies across all book and consumer product outlets

Goosebumps

Managed and executed the marketing plans and strategy for over 160 of these series titles.
-Instrumental in the development and production of the Goosebumps Scare Shack, one of the largest in-store floor displays ever created for a children's paperback series
-Implemented one of the largest free book giveaways ever in Central Park, New York City

Clifford the Big Red Dog

Managed marketing plans for five years for this well-loved and longstanding early book series.

-Oversaw the creation, production, and approvals for the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade Balloon
-Worked with our television synergy partners on marketing opportunities with consumer products and media

Portfolio

Isle of Dragons (# 1)

Thompson, L. A.

Spoken: A Novel

Weiss, Melanie

I AM

Allen, Mary C.

Silver Planet

Johnson, Tom

ME AND MY AFRO

Taylor, Aiden M

Emily Elizabeth recalls a snowy day while Clifford was a puppy, when he went sledding in her boot, was rescued from the ice by a hockey player, and helped build a snowman
Discover the bone-chilling adventures that made Goosebumps one of the bestselling children's book series of all time. Now with all-new bonus materials!Greg thinks there is something wrong with the old camera he found. The photos keep turning out . . . differen... read more
In the W.i.t.c.h. boxed set, see how the story started as the girls discover their new responsibility in The Power of Five and then find out how a friendship is destroyed in The Disappearance. In Finding Meridian, the girls travel to a new world and in The Fir... read more
Baby Einstein: Mirror Me!

Julie Aigner-Clark

Can you stick out your tongue like Frog? Puff up your cheeks like Cow? Scrunch up your nose like Jane the Monkey? Look in the mirror and try! This busy book with a mirror on every spread (and a peekaboo finale!) teaches babies and young children parts of the f... read more

Tara has 339 reviews

Professionalism

Quality

Value

Responsiveness

Laura Y.

Laura Y.

May, 2025

Working with Tara has been one of the most empowering parts of my publishing journey so far. Before meeting her, I felt totally overwhelmed by the idea of marketing my middle grade fantasy book. It all seemed like this big, mysterious world I wasn’t sure I could navigate. But Tara changed everyth...
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Kelly R.

Kelly R.

May, 2025

Exceptional! That's Tara. Her quote was by far the most comprehensive that I received so she established some high expectations, but then she exceeded them. She provided the much needed detail that I was looking for in a marketing strategy and it was clearly personalised for my book(s). Her e...
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Tara L.
I appreciate your feedback, Kelly! Thank you for your warm words. I am thrilled that you are finding the materials valuable. Yours was a special project, thank you for allowing me to be a small par...
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Emilia A.

Emilia A.

May, 2025

Incredibly detailed and actionable marketing plan. Tara delivered a marketing plan that goes far beyond generic advice. It’s an incredibly comprehensive, tailored, and strategic roadmap that covers every angle of book promotion an indie author could need. Every section is filled with clear and ...
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Tara L.
You've made my day! This is exactly what I strive for with each project. Thank you for sharing this and I am delighted that you feel empowered and not overwhelmed. It was so wonderful to work on yo...
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Kevin M.

Kevin M.

May, 2025

Tara was great to work with. Very professional and responsive. 100% recommend!
Tara L.
Thank you so much, Kevin. I am so glad you are pleased and wish you the very best of luck with your book! It was a terrific project.
Dan G.

Dan G.

May, 2025

My interactions with Tara have been wonderful, timely and professional. She’s provided a thorough roadmap in her document. There is so much in there. I am still going through bit by bit. Hopefully this will prove to be a very valuable resource. From a personal perspective, she was a joy to work w...
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Tara L.
Hi Dan, Thank you very much for your positive feedback, I am glad you are pleased. I look forward to hearing about all the great things to come for your books!

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Most recent contributions

How has freelancing impacted your work-life balance?

Becoming a freelancer was a great personal decision for me. It allowed me to focus on the aspects of my job that I loved--creating great marketing and working directly with authors, and take out all of the parts of my job that I once had passion for--the administative and management parts--but la...
Read more

How do you stay productive as a freelancer?

Staying productive requires having high standards -- that means providing excellent services combined with many years of experience, skills, and a passion for children's books, in my case. When you do great work with a great attitude, clients will find you. There's nothing more important to stayi...
Read more

What is key in setting up a successful collaboration?

It's very important when a marketing freelancer is working with an author to make sure that the freelancer's skills and experience aligns with the author's stated goals for their book. Having a clear contract that clearly outlines the deliverables, expectations, and outcomes is important so that ...
Read more

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