There are just four people in the CCV marketing department - Roger, Claire, Vicki and I. Between us, we deal with the marketing of every title published by the eight imprints in the CCV Division of Random House. The number of titles wanting attention can sometimes seem daunting, but one of the best things about working here is the variety. I can be looking at a Danish seafaring epic one minute and a history of Leeds United the next. To use a phrase that would get an author laughed out of the door, there’s never a dull moment.

There is, however, a relentless onslaught of meetings to organise. Launch meetings, focus meetings, genre meetings, author meetings, imprint meetings and even meetings about meetings. This is undoubtedly one of the less glamorous aspects of my job, but there remains a certain something about a pile of pristine agendas still warm from the copier.

Happily, we aren’t short of a chance to flex our creative muscles. The marketing department designs book proofs (preview copies of our titles), samplers, posters, leaflets and both print and online adverts. On top of all that, we also produce a monthly catalogue that is sent to every bookshop in the country.

Just as in any other field you care to mention, the Internet is an essential tool for marketing. The ability to get your message seen anytime and anywhere is indispensable, but attention spans are low and even the most rip-roaring, mind-bending campaign risks being lost in the general hubbub. Social media is perfect for getting up close and personal with your audience. Our Vintage Facebook page offers hundreds of fans regular updates, as well as the chance to win books, tickets to events and other prizes.

We are constantly creating and accumulating content to help market our titles. Whenever an author drops in, we film them reading from their latest work and answering questions about their approaches and inspirations. The videos are then edited and uploaded to our YouTube channel. This process is particularly enjoyable, what with meeting engaging people, using breathtakingly expensive equipment and software, and ultimately seeing the view count skyrocket. Recently we have shot grueling epics starring Per Petterson, author of I Curse the River of Time, Gerbrand Bakker, author of The Twin, and Nicholas Shakespeare, author of .Inheritance

Unlike marketing stationery or chemical weapons, marketing books is a fulfilling way to spend a working day. It’s truly exciting to spread the word about fantastic works of literature like Javier Marias’s Your Face Tomorrow, John Fowles’s The Magus, or Joseph Heller’s Catch-22. It’s equally exciting to consider what might arrive on our desks tomorrow.

William Smith