Biography

Peter Handel became an independent book publicist in 1993. Prior to that he worked in a variety of positions in the world of books: pulling stock in a wholesaler’s warehouse, selling for a regional distributor, introducing authors at a bookstore reading series, escorting visiting authors, and coordinating publicity and marketing for a small press.In mid 1994, with a partner, he set up an office in Berkeley, California.  In January 1998, his partner left to pursue a different career and he moved his office to its current West Berkeley location. He is now located in El Cerrito. 

He has developed author tours, arranged media exposure, given marketing advice, and written press material for more than one hundred authors and their books, from major publishers to fledgling small presses. His specialties are serious non-fiction and literary fiction, crime fiction, and travel books, although he is open to working with numerous other genres.

He has placed clients in the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Washington Post, San Francisco Chronicle, Portland Oregonian, Seattle P-I, and numerous other print outlets and broadcast media including The Lehrer NewsHour on PBS, several NPR shows (Weekend All Things Considered, Talk of the Nation, Science Friday), Wisconsin Public radio, and regional NPR and commercial radio stations across the country.

In 1986, Peter became a regular reviewer of fiction for The San Francisco Chronicle and from 1992 to 1998 he wrote a monthly mystery review column for the paper. He was the mystery columnist for Pages Magazine until its demise and is still a reviewer for the Portland Oregonian.