Authors rely on publishing consultants to advise, inform, and set expectations through the production process. Josephine Cataluña has dedicated herself to ensuring authors access the right services to achieve their goals and bring their dreams to life. In addition to her passion for literary projects, Josephine also finds inspiration from music and nature.
Tell us a bit about yourself.
I am a peaceful person who wants to enjoy life with my favourite people. I love animals and nature, especially white sand beaches. Summer is my favourite season. I do yoga and sing a lot. I was a bit of an introvert, especially during my younger years. I just hang out and open to a couple of friends. People who have high self-confidence who get to speak or perform in front of a huge crowd amazed me, maybe because I was not as confident then as I am now. I also enjoy learning about different cultures, cuisines, and fashion styles. I am a fan of romantic-comedy novels and movies.
What do you enjoy most about your role?
What I enjoy most about my role is being able to talk with different people from different walks of life and hearing about their life experiences and inspirations for writing their books. I get to understand things from their perspective, and I gain wisdom with each encounter, because more often than not I resonate with the stories they share. And when the book project is already done, it gives me a different fulfillment knowing I have helped an author figure their way forward in terms of publishing.
What does a typical week look like for you at Tellwell?
It gets quite busy at the start of the week with all the booked appointments and inquiries (by phone or email), talking with different authors, all at a different stage on their publishing journeys. Then I spend the middle part of the week towards Friday negotiating contracts while keeping in mind their service needs and what solution I could bring to each author.
What is a question you get asked the most by authors? How do you answer it?
The question I get asked the most is “How much does it cost to publish?” and I answer it with full transparency, making sure that they understand the value of each service they will be paying for.
Do you have an achievement that you are most proud of? What inspires you to succeed?
I am proud of my Sales Rookie 2022 award, because it means a lot of authors trust me and my consulting. I might be a neophyte at book publishing, but I am very passionate at delivering quality service and genuine advice. I understand the value that each author brings to the world.
If you authored a book, what would it be about?
If I were to publish a book, it would probably be about love in general and how it impacts a person’s transformation in becoming the best version of themselves.
What do you enjoy doing most outside work?
Singing and spending quality time with the people I love.
Do you have any good books or content to recommend?
I do have a short list of romance novels that I would love to get a hold of by the end of the year. A couple of them would be the latest releases by Nicholas Sparks.
What inspires you?
Ambition, happiness, and doing new things. Seeing someone achieve their dreams, seeing someone’s smile, doing adventures and thinking about happy moments with my daughter, family and friends—these are what inspire me. The beauty of nature, too!
