Artistic License: Booking some publicity

Every so often, I receive a letter, e-mail or call from a disappointed novelist. Their reason for getting in touch is always the same: no publication has printed a review of their latest novel and they want to know why. Is it their publishing house that’s the problem? Maybe it didn’t send out the books? Or maybe it’s their publicist? Or has the media taken a dislike to them? Their novel is about ...