Prashant Pathak is the Co-Founder and Director of Publishers Without Borders, a global and non-commercial community supporting publishing professionals through collaboration and knowledge-sharing. With 20 years of experience across publishing, licensing, printing, EdTech, and gaming, Prashant brings a cross-sector perspective to building content, partnerships, and global markets.

Prashant joined us on the Booksmarts Podcast to discuss how the London Book Fair has evolved—from 2010's concerns regarding ebooks to today's focus on AI and new technology. He also shares practical advice on turning a busy three days into real outcomes, and explains how Publishers Without Borders fosters genuine human connection beyond the show floor.

To learn more about Publishers Without Borders, click here. You can find Prashant Pathak on most social networking platforms, including LinkedIn.

Ken Jones is an experienced book publishing software expert. Before founding Circular Software, he served as the Technical Production Manager, software trainer, and automation developer at Penguin. Circular Software is a UK company that specializes in software, training, and strategic guidance for publishers—including Quarto Group, Bonnier Books, Hachette, Simon & Schuster, and Pan Macmillan—helping them get the most from their print and digital workflows.

Ken joined us on the Booksmarts Podcast to discuss the role of fixed-layout EPUBs in modern publishing exploring how they differ from reflowable ebooks and PDFs, along with their design, content, and accessibility considerations. During the conversation, he referenced a recent Circular Software article on Groundbreaking No-Code Accessibility for Fixed-Layout EPUB, which highlights how the company helped Pottermore Publishing achieve top quality accessibility standards in their eBook conversion of the Bloomsbury Pocket Potters series.

He also recommended Canva's Affinity Studio as a free alternative to Adobe—a highly valuable resource for publishers that can accommodate ebook capabilities.

To learn more about Circular Software, visit their website.

Marit Vagstad has worked in the book publishing industry for more than 20 years in marketing, sales, and product management roles. She currently is the Director of CoreSource, Ingram Content Group’s digital distribution solution and manages teams responsible for Key Account Management and Product Success.

She joined us on the Booksmarts Podcast to discuss the pivotal role CoreSource plays in data distribution, the evolving challenges in metadata management, and how Ingram is leveraging technology to help publishers thrive amid rapid changes in discoverability and accessibility.

To learn more about Ingram CoreSource, visit their website.

Brooke Dobson is Co-Founder and Chief Revenue Officer of Shimmr AI, a fully automated platform for publishers that creates automated advertising for discovery and sales of books. With expertise in economic forecasting, marketing analytics, and AI technologies, Brooke brings a unique view into AI applications in publishing.

She joined us on the Booksmarts Podcast to discuss how advancements in AI are transforming book marketing, as well as the importance of metadata and Generative Engine Optimization (GEO), and practical strategies publishers can use to boost discoverability, connect with readers, and enhance their marketing through automation.

Learn more about Shimmr, visit their website and be sure to read their recent article—featuring Joshua Tallent: How to Make Your Books AI Discoverable: A Publisher's Guide to GEO.

Gavin Marcus is the CEO and co-founder of Storywise. He spent 10 years running an indie book publishing and distribution business before launching Storywise. Jeremy Esekow is Storywise's Chief Product Officer and co-founder. He has a Doctorate in Behavioral Psychology and an extensive background in business and finance.

They joined us on the Booksmarts Podcast to discuss the creation and importance of Storywise, their platform that helps publishers and authors manage submissions, discover stories, and improve manuscripts for both fiction and nonfiction titles.

Learn more about Storywise on LinkedIn or at storywisepublishers.com.

Phil Madans is a seasoned publishing executive with over 42 years of experience in trade publishing, including more than a decade as Executive Director of Digital Publishing Technology at Hachette Book Group.

Throughout his career, Phil has championed the use of technology to enhance—not complicate—the publishing process, bringing deep expertise in publishing systems, metadata, workflow optimization, and digital strategy. He has led major enterprise system implementations, overseen the integration of large-scale acquisitions, and played a pivotal role in developing and promoting industry standards. Phil has been an active member of the publishing community, particularly the Book Industry Study Group, where he has volunteered for more than twenty years and currently serves on its Board of Directors.

Phil is available for consulting engagements and can be reached on LinkedIn or at philipjmadans@gmail.com.

Ann Kjellberg is the Founding Editor of the Book Post book review, an innovative newsletter-based book review service which delivers thoughtful, in-depth literary criticism from distinguished writers directly to subscribers' inboxes.

With nearly 30 years of experience at the New York Review of Books, Kjellberg brings a wealth of expertise to the evolving world of literary journalism. She joins the BookSmarts Podcast to explore the changing landscape of book reviewing, offering a unique perspective on the challenges facing book reviews in the digital age. This episode delves into the decline of traditional book reviews, the limitations of short-form content platforms like BookTok and Bookstagram, and the critical mission of preserving the influence of book reviewing for the future.

Subscribe to the Book Post newsletter at books.substack.com or bookpostusa.com. Follow them on all social media platforms at @bookpostUSA.

Len Edgerly is the host of the Kindle Chronicles podcast, a long-running show dedicated to exploring digital reading technologies and publishing innovations.

He joins the BookSmarts Podcast to discuss the evolving landscape of e-reader technology, sharing insights from his 15 years of covering Kindle and digital reading developments. Len offers a unique perspective on the future of reading, including potential AI integrations and the importance of maintaining a focused reading experience. If you're interested in following Len's work, check out his Morning Journal on Alexa flash briefings or his Substack newsletter at lenedgerly.substack.com.

Find Len Edgerly on his Kindle Chronicles podcast and explore his latest digital publishing insights today!