For more than 25 years, Scott Manning has created and implemented public relations campaigns for a wide variety of high-profile authors, products and organizations. His experience includes special events planning and media placement via long-standing contacts with journalists, book reviewers and broadcast producers.


In addition to the ongoing affiliation with Grove Atlantic, Scott Manning & Associates has conducted publicity campaigns for a wide range of clients including Houghton Mifflin, Plume, Taschen, Abrams, Penguin Books for Young Readers, Books & Co./Turtle Point Press, Newmarket Press, Rizzoli, Basic Books, Walker, Rutledge Hill Press, Miramax Books, Bloomsbury USA, Rodale and The Avalon Publishing Group. Authors Lynn Tillman (No Lease on Life, Harcourt), Paul & Julie Lerner (Lerner’s Consumer Guide to Health Care, Lerner Communications), Brenda Webster (The Last Good Freudian, Holmes and Meier) and Matthew Polly (American Shaolin, Gotham), among others have contracted with Manning directly to handle aspects of their publicity. Ms. Tillman’s novel was nominated for the 1998 National Book Critics’ Circle Award. The Lerners were featured in a five-part series on NBC’s Today Show. The Last Good Freudian appeared on both the San Francisco Chronicle and Los Angeles Times bestseller lists. Polly was featured as a guest on NPR's Whad'Ya Know?

Along with its book-related projects, Scott Manning & Associates has conducted campaigns on behalf of Barnes & Noble.com, iUniverse, Poets & Writers, Inc., The Great Books Foundation, and PublishingOnline.com. Manning has also served as a consultant to Other Press and The Cato Institute on their overall publishing public relations strategies.

During his tenure as Vice President, Director of Publicity at William Morrow & Company, he was responsible for public relations efforts on behalf of more than 250 hardcover and trade paperback books per year. Highlights from that period include his work with Deborah Tannen, Ph.D., international best-selling authors Sidney Sheldon and Colleen McCullough, renowned Cajun chef Paul Prudhomme, and then first lady Barbara Bush.

In the late 1980s, Manning gained experience in consumer product public relations as an account supervisor at Manning, Selvage & Lee, one of the nation’s largest PR firms. During that time, he coordinated the Weight Watchers International Member of the Year competition, which included regional events around the U.S., a national competition in New York and an international event at Versailles. While at MS&L, he also handled publicity for Waldenbooks and Family Circle Magazine.

Throughout his career, Manning has conceived, planned and implemented a number of special events. He was co-chairman of three black-tie fundraising events for the Multiple Sclerosis Society, created the 50th anniversary party for Avon Books held at Radio City Music Hall, and hosted publication parties for Barbara Bush, Susan Isaacs and Patricia Wells, among others.