Meet Cassie Drumm.

Cassie Drumm is an Associate Publicist at Running Press in Philadelphia. After completing a Master’s in Publishing from Rosemont College, she has gone on to enjoy exploring and living in the city. When she’s not reading, she spends her time obsessing over giraffes, watching Netflix originals, and trying to make her cat internet famous. Visit her at cassiemdrumm.com.

You probably get asked this a lot… **coughs** but how did you manage to get a job in the cutthroat world of publishing?

“It was all timing for me, really. I interned at Running Press in my last semester as an undergrad and an entry level job happened to open up just as my internship was ending. At the time I would have said it was mostly luck, but having worked in the industry and mentored interns, it’s also a fair bit of skill and knowledge. If you’re planning on interning (not just in publishing but anywhere), remember to ask a lot of questions, pay attention to office etiquette, and don’t be afraid to take initiative where you can.”

Do you feel obtaining a Masters degree in Publishing has benefited you as a publicist?

“My Master’s program was one of the ways I was connected with Running Press and led to my internship and eventual job. So yes, I’d say it has benefited me greatly in my current job. It’s pretty helpful to have a rounded knowledge of the industry. I took a Publishing Law class in grad school and I recently used that knowledge to sort through a contract to find the answer to a question that an illustrator had for me. I do think it’s really important to have hands-on experience in the industry as well, so I’d say my education has only benefited me in combination with my real-world applications of it.”

What do you believe is the future for the book publishing world?

“Hmm, well I don’t believe that print books are going anywhere anytime soon. But book publishing is definitely moving into a more digital and interactive space. The great thing about this is people are finding many online communities to talk with others who are reading the same things. I think that book publishers will start to get more involved with offering exclusives to bloggers, benefits to being a part of the online book community, and more interactive elements with ebooks.”

Can you share with us a little about what you do at Running Press?

“My official title (as of right now) is Associate Publicist, but I really do a little bit of everything the in the marketing and publicity department. The main part of my job is pitching books to reviewers, reporters, bloggers, editors, and anyone else who might be able to get the name of the book out there. I work a lot with our kids titles, so I submit those for awards and work on marketing plans for them involving online and social media ads, author appearances, and educator guides. And I also work on the social media pages for Running Press, which is a more time-consuming job than many might think.”

Where to find Cassie Drumm:

Website/Blog: https://cassiemdrumm.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/cassiemdrumm

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cassiemdrummblog/

Instagram: @cassiemdrumm

Thanks Cassie for the interview!