“When I told other authors about the cyclone of national publicity Michael was able to churn up for my debut book, they said, ‘No one in publishing does that anymore.’ My response was, ‘Well, you haven’t met Michael.’ What struck me was the genuine fondness journalists, book reviewers, and radio producers had for him as a human being. They sensed, as did I, that he got behind a book not because it was a job, but because deep in his heart he believed in it.”

– Ariel Sabar, author of My Father’s Paradise, winner of the National Book Critics Circle Award

“I can’t count the number of times a producer or reporter has said to me, ‘The fabulous Michael Taeckens sent me your book, and I know that anything he sends me will be wonderful.’ Michael is not only savvy about media and publicity, he’s also charming and charismatic, and he’s built a vast network of people in the publishing and media world who know him, trust him, and adore him. Four of my books have been New York Times bestsellers, and I give Michael a great deal of the credit for that success. People constantly ask me how I manage to get such great media coverage and publicity for my books, and I just shrug and say, ‘Michael.’”

—Amy Stewart, author of the New York Times bestsellers Flower Confidential and Wicked Plants

“Michael Taeckens is simply extraordinary at bringing books to their broadest possible readerships. He’s passionate, intelligent, and committed—he brings an incredible array of skills into singular chorus. I watched my own book turn into a minor phenomenon under his careful curatorial skill and magical midwifery; it was nothing short of astounding. I was able to see what ‘buzz’ really means, and how it can work on behalf of a book—I felt Michael cultivating and sustaining a steady groundswell of excitement. He’s truly a tireless advocate, fueled by genuine passion and seasoned by years of experience. He works from the heart, for books he believes in, and I felt the impact of his work on deep levels—not just as a writer but as a human being.”

—Leslie Jamison, author of the New York Times bestseller The Empathy Exams

“Michael Taeckens is passionate about the books he loves, and I cannot overstate how far that goes in such a passion-fueled industry. He was an instrumental part of the team that put Water for Elephants on the map—landing coverage on NPR and in the New York Times Book Review, People, USA Today, the New Yorker, Entertainment Weekly, and much more—and for that, I’ll be forever grateful. He is an exceptionally talented, well-connected publicist who is also such a stand-up guy you can’t help but love him.”

—Sara Gruen, author of the New York Times bestseller Water for Elephants

“I credit a large part of my success to the creativity and brilliance of Michael Taeckens, who helped pave my road to New York Times bestsellerdom. I challenge you to find anyone in the industry, from authors to reviewers, to booksellers, who has anything less than great things to say about him. Michael’s not only a superstar publicist, but a true champion of books.”

—Jonathan Evison, author of the New York Times bestseller West of Here

“Michael Taeckens is, simply put, the best publicist in the business. He turned my domestic, suburban novel into a New York Times bestseller. Michael is wise about the book industry, supportive of his authors, funny, kind, and a terrific listener. He placed reviews for my novel everywhere, from The Wall Street Journal to People. He convinced Stephen King to appear on stage with me! Honestly, the best part of publishing my next novel will be the chance to work with him again.”

—Lauren Grodstein, author of the New York Times bestseller A Friend of the Family

“What debut novelist gets NPR’s All Things Considered, People, and USA Today—to name just a few—all in the first week of publication? This one did, thanks to the pied piping of Michael Taeckens. When he believes in a book, he believes, and the press knows it and follows eagerly where he leads. Michael is a treasure on so many levels. I can’t wait to work with him again.”

—Hillary Jordan, author of Mudbound

“Michael Taeckens’ wildfire creativity and out-of-the-box ways of doing things burst open doors that had always been dead-bolted to me. I began to see first-hand how everyone in the business seemed to know him, love him, and trust his word about books. Along with the team at Algonquin, he managed to create a tsunami of interest around my novel, and every time, I was ready to gratefully acknowledge that the superb campaign they had created for me was over, Michael ignited new interest.”

—Caroline Leavitt, author of the New York Times bestseller Pictures of You

“If Michael Taeckens were a book he would be a bestseller, and not a trashy bestseller, but a classic—one that makes us all glad that a truly worthy book is getting the attention it deserves. He’s the kind of publicist who gets the kind of book you have written and doesn’t just have a cookie-cutter formula for how to get your book into the hands of readers. As a reluctant public persona myself, Michael made me eager to participate in my books’ promotion. I felt I had my front, back, and all sides covered. He’s sensitive, easy to work with, very smart, supportive, and oh-so-elegant. In fact, he snows your hosts before you even get there, and then disappears, convincing everyone that YOU are the star. But he is! I am so glad to hear he is now running his own business, because that means we can all work with him, not just the lucky authors of his publishing house.”

—Julia Alvarez, author of Saving the World and How the García Girls Lost Their Accents

“Michael Taeckens is an unsung hero—ok, now sung—of the children and nature movement. Before ‘nature-deficit disorder’ became a meme, he nourished the term, convinced countless media outlets to take it seriously, and believed deeply in the cause. Because of Michael’s tireless work, Last Child in the Woods became one of the most media-reported books in Algonquin’s history, and that coverage continues today. I’m forever in his debt, as I suspect many authors are.”

—Richard Louv, author of the New York Times bestseller Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder

“Michael Taeckens has the affection and high regard of every bookseller I’ve ever met. They trust and admire him for his inventiveness, his pitch-perfect taste in books, his dedication and commitment to every book he recommends. If he hands you a book and tells you he believes it, trust me, you’re going to sell the hell out of that book.”

—Robert Goolrick, author of the New York Times bestseller A Reliable Wife

“Michael Taeckens is a wonder. He found a national stage for my little book by getting it into the hands of the perfect readers and influencers who would connect with the heart of the story. Michael thinks out of the box and works relentlessly to get not just good but great results. You could do no better!”

—Heidi Durrow, author of the New York Times bestseller The Girl Who Fell From the Sky

“Without a doubt Michael is one of the finest PR talents in the business (and I’ve been in it 60 years!). His expertise was certainly instrumental in making my book Tab Hunter Confidential a national bestseller. Everyone should be fortunate enough to have someone of Michael’s caliber on their team.”

—Tab Hunter, author of the New York Times bestseller Tab Hunter Confidential

“Over many years, I’ve worked with damn near everybody, and I have to say honestly that Michael Taeckens is absolutely the best in the business! He’s savvy and street-smart, well-connected, sensible, funny and pleasant, literary yet businesslike, and frankly he knows more about all aspects of publication than anybody else I can think of. He’s also a damn fine writer himself, which is immediately evident in any promotional material or kind of communication he may craft.”

—Lee Smith, author of the New York Times bestseller The Last Girls

“Michael Taeckens can do what it seems almost impossible to do these days, which is to attract major attention for a book from all corners. Thanks to his enthusiasm and reach—is there a single bookseller in America Michael doesn’t know?—he’s able to generate unprecedented excitement for a book and get it into many, many hands. I was amazed by how far and wide my novel managed to travel under his stewardship and just so thrilled to see it reaching markets and readers it had no chance of reaching otherwise. There’s just no one better in the business, bar none.”

—Fiona Maazel, author of the New York Times Notable Woke Up Lonely

“No one can hold a candle to Michael Taeckens when it comes to vision and preparation for placing literary work in the marketplace. He is consistently two steps ahead of the competition. He is knowledgeable about the field, dedicated, enthusiastic, creative, and, perhaps most importantly, a clear-eyed across-the-board, team player.”

—Ru Freeman, author of On Sal Mal Lane, a New York Times Book Review Editor’s Choice

“Michael Taeckens knows the publishing world inside and out and people out there know him. He was responsible for the promotion of two of my story collections and I was amazed by the response and attention. He knows what he’s doing, is known far and wide and has a stellar reputation. I feel so lucky to have worked with him!”

—Jill McCorkle, author of Going Away Shoes

“Michael Taeckens is the best advocate a writer could have. He is knowledgeable about the business, relentless in his efforts, and he is a joy to work with. Do yourself a favor: hire him!”

—Laila Lalami, author of Secret Son and Hope and Other Dangerous Pursuits

“As a literary agent, having your authors work with Michael Taeckens is like signing up for a day at the spa. You can relax and enjoy the ride knowing that Michael will expertly and creatively engineer the very best campaign, and make the best use of one’s budget. Your authors will feel understood and energized by his enthusiasm for their work, and his undaunted approach to bringing their books to the spotlight. His success is based on a rare mix of ‘old school’ know-how—which allows him to hand pick and be heard by the most respected reviewers—as well as an enthusiastic embrace of all of the possibilities that the newest marketing and publicity venues offer. Professional, armed with a great sense of humor and a passion for the written word, Michael is the solution to your authors marketing and publicity needs.”

—Stéphanie Abou, Literary Agent, Foundry Literary + Media