Welcome to Open Book
by Jessica Sorentino
Open Book is a Substack about the relationship between authors, books, and readers.
It’s about learning to pay attention to the world around you, and remembering that readers are everywhere. Because at the end of the day, publishing is still primarily a word-of-mouth business, and books move through people.
Here, you’ll find:
Anecdotes — Personal reflections that transform everyday observations into insights for your author brand.
Author Interview Series — Conversations with authors about the communities, connections, and moments that shape their careers.
The Open Book Community — A place where authors come together to share ideas, ask questions, and build the kind of reader relationships that help books move.
Get to Know Me
Hi, I’m Jessica. For more than a decade, I’ve worked in publishing, including roles at Simon & Schuster and Macmillan Publishers. Today, I help authors build brands that connect their books with the readers who will love them most.
Everything I do comes back to relationships.
I believe books spread through people: a reader recommends a book to a friend, an author shares an idea that resonates, and a conversation grows into a community. My work is rooted in helping authors build those relationships and create sustainable creative careers around them.
I live in Connecticut with my family, and am endlessly curious about how people connect with ideas, stories, and each other.
How to Reach Me
If you have any questions, please send me an email at hello@jessicasorentino.com, or reply directly to any issue of Open Book.
If you’re an author looking to build a lasting brand and make meaningful connections with readers, agents, and publishers, I offer private consulting services, intentionally designed to position you for success. Visit my website to learn more.
Author’s Note: I spend most of my time Instagram…say hi there! 👋🏼
Also from Jessica
Third Glass is a book club podcast co-hosted with BB Corcoran. Each episode, we read one book, pair it with a bottle of wine, and talk about what worked, what didn’t, and what we can’t stop thinking about. Join the book club here!
