Bloomsbury to hold international author showcase hosted by influencer Kevin T Norman

Bloomsbury and marketing agency Tandem Collective are hosting “Bloomsbury Night In: Global Edition”, a primarily industry-facing online author showcase, on 27th March. 

Hosted on Zoom, the event will be facilitated by the American TikTok and Instagram influencer Kevin T Norman. It is open to influencers and the general public, as well as press and retailers across Europe and beyond. 

Bloomsbury’s “UK Big Night In” event won The Bookseller Marketing Award in 2022 at the Independent Publishing Awards.

The authors at the showcase include fantasy writer Samantha Shannon, poet, journalist, author and economist Yuan Yang, authors Kalynn Bayron and Amy Neff, as well as writer and journalist Johann Hari and film-maker Harriet Constable.

“The advent of TikTok has significantly reshaped the landscape of cultural consumption, and has become a powerful force influencing consumer behaviour at a global level,” said Laura Di Giuseppe, project manager at Tandem Collective. “In the past year we have seen a trend in a younger generation of international book lovers who are choosing to read their favourite authors in English first, and the result is a surge in opportunities for export sales of English language editions for publishers.”

Sarah McLean, international group sales director at Bloomsbury, added: “Our international customers and readers are at the heart of our business and we are always thinking of ways to reach them in creative ways. We’re delighted to be taking this industry-leading initiative out to our international readers, working with Tandem and their network of influencers to get the widest possible engagement for these incredible authors and their books.”

To promote the event, Tandem is recruiting 100 creators, who will receive a “Bloomsbury Night In”-themed VIP goodie pack. Also, with the aim of boosting the immersive experience, the event will be accompanied by a WhatsApp broadcast. There will also be spot giveaways during the night to “incentivise attendance”, as well as quizzes and polls.

As part of the campaign, the marketing agency will engage local international retailers by tagging them in posts and offering bespoke content such as “how to buy English books” videos from creators, to promote the English-language editions in Europe and internationally.

Tickets to the event can be purchased online.