Put Your Bookstore In Front of Publicists

NVNR 2026 Publicity Speed Dating (Virtual Edition)
May 7, 2026 on Zoom

There is still limited space available for the upcoming NVNR Publicity Speed Dating virtual event on May 7. Bookstores interested in expanding their events programs will have a chance to pitch their stores to a Zoom room of publicists from both large and small publishing houses.

Cost to attend is $35. Bookstore must be SIBA members and have a publicity kit to share with publicists.

In virtual Publicity Speed Dating, you have a 15-minute time slot to introduce your bookstore, share your event capabilities, and make broad requests to fill your event calendar. 15 minutes is the total time, so we suggest a practiced 10-minute pitch with 5 minutes left for questions. While you are pitching, your publicity kit will be shown on the screen, and publicists will also receive all of the kits.

Don't wait to create your publicity kit:

A "kit" is a double-sided PDF document that highlights your space, your event partners, your customer base, and your current events. Store publicity kits are due by April 27. Stores that do not provide a kit will not be allowed to present.

Your store publicity kit and the pitch you create to go with it are tools you can use throughout the year. Participating in Publicity Speed Dating not only introduces your bookstore to the people responsible for setting up author tours, but it is also good prep work for speaking to publishers and publicists during sales calls or when you meet with them at the NVNR Annual Conference in August in Baltimore.

Register here: SIBA Registration (login is required)
Publishers and publicists, sign up for free here: Publisher/Publicist Sign Up