#91 Book Publisher Lisa Sharkey On Hot Topics, and Her Harper (Collins) Influence

Lisa Sharkey is the SVP 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. Sharkey has overseen the acquisition and publication of more than seventy-five New York Times Bestsellers, including multiple number one bestsellers.

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.

A two-time Emmy Award winner, Sharkey is also the recipient of Peabody and Dupont Awards for her work as part of the ABC News team during 9/11. Sharkey is also a member of various groups and organizations including: the New York regional cabinet for Washington University in St. Louis, and the advisory board for NABU.org.

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.

In this episode:

• The evolution of social media and publishing [5:09]

• Partnering with your publisher [6:11]

• Lisa's thoughts discoverability and TikTok for authors [10:06]

• Backlists: The backbone of publishing [13:15]

• How Lisa approaches publishing from a news and journalism background [20:33]

• How Lisa stays on top of trends as an early adapter [23:02]

• The power of networking [26:33]

• AI's influence on publishing and how Lisa uses it [33:46]

• Lisa's acquisitions and how she comes up with new ideas for books [34:21]

• How to get on Lisa's radar [38:17]

Connect with Lisa:

• Instagram: @sharkogram

• LinkedIn: @lisasharkey

• X: @lisasharkey

• Facebook: @lisa.sharkey

Wash U Distinguished Alumni Award Introduction Video: https://youtu.be/FPOmW1p5cxg

Wash U Distinguished Alumni Award Acceptance Speech: https://www.youtube.com/live/r7fK7APGjP8?si=HhpuCJ26x0r3UsDG&t=1959

Estelle mentions Lisa in Episode #90 Estelle's Edge on the U.S. Book Show 2024 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Kh2TKt8lok

Episode mentioning Harris Faulkner: Episode #41 Harris Faukner and How Faith Still Moves Mountains https://estelleserasmus.com/41-harris-faulkner-and-how-faith-still-moves-mountains/

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