Description
Explore the intricacies of book publishing from concept to publication and discover how to develop a unique author brand. In this engaging workshop, you’ll gain insights into the publishing process and receive personalized guidance to enhance your author identity.
Many people have wonderful ideas for their books, but what most don’t realize is that every author is a brand. In this class you’ll come to realize that as important as it is to write a great book, it’s equally important to figure out who is going to read your book and where you’re going to find your readers.
About Lisa Sharkey
Lisa Sharkey is the senior vice president and publisher of the newly inaugurated HarperCollins imprint, Harper Influence, where her team acquires high profile non-fiction spanning popular culture, from general lifestyle and entertainment to stories of survival and inspiration. Whether in the fields of science, medicine, nature, music, lifestyle, spirituality, cooking, design, or news-driven narratives, the defining theme of her books surrounds cultural impact and relevance. A creative pioneer across multiple media platforms, Lisa Sharkey has overseen the acquisition and publication of more than seventy-five New York Times Bestsellers, including multiple number one bestsellers.
As part of her HarperCollins innovation, Sharkey created a robust video and livestreaming division with tens of millions of views of book-related content. Lisa is also a veteran interviewer, moderator, and speaker on various topics from book publishing to transferable skills in the media landscape. In March, Sharkey delivered the keynote address at the London Book Fair Writers’ Summit and was a featured speaker at the fair. She also teaches author branding and advises writers at conferences across the country as a faculty member at Aspen Words and The Kauai Writers Conference.
She has published authors including Rep. Jamie Raskin, Benjamin Hall, Michelle Miller, Johnny Joey Jones, Pete Hegseth, Shannon Bream, Jim Acosta, Tim Tebow, the late Rep. Elijah Cummings, Megyn Kelly, Gabrielle Douglas, Dr. Deborah Birx, Dan Ariely, Laurie Hernandez, Jessie James Decker, Russ, Sammy Hagar, Cissy Houston, Pat Benatar, Maira Kalman, Hannah Brown, Amy Morin, Toni Braxton, Rev. Run Simmons, Gregg Allman, Lindsey Vonn, Jorge Posada, Bud Selig, Tony La Russa, Peter Max, Melissa Ben-Ishay, Dr. Jennifer Ashton, Randi Zuckerberg, Tippi Hedron, Maurice Benard, Chita Rivera, Geoffrey Kent, and HM King Charles III.
Prior to her publishing career, Sharkey was President of Al Roker Entertainment, Senior Producer of Good Morning America and worked at various network news organizations from CBS to PBS and KingWorld’s Inside Edition. She executive produced the documentary Profiles in Courage: A Kennedy Legacy, hosted by Caroline Kennedy.
Sharkey also spearheads the annual Mona Sherman Memorial Lecture, honoring her late mother Mona Sherman, bringing high-profile speakers to the Berkshires in Massachusetts at no cost to the community. For the past eleven years, Sharkey has been a mentor for American Corporate Partners helping veterans transition out of the military and into civilian jobs. She is also a certified Yoga instructor.
Lisa earned her bachelor’s degree in comparative arts from Washington University in St. Louis. Most recently, she received the 2024 Distinguished Alumni Award from the School of Arts and Sciences. Lisa resides in one of New York City’s first eco-houses designed by her husband and three children. After creating the eco-house, Sharkey co-authored with her husband, architect Paul Gleicher, the book Dreaming Green: Eco-Fabulous Homes Designed to Inspire published in 2008 by Clarkson Potter.
