Ja-lene Clark has produced over one hundred books. She began her career in 1996 when she joined Council Oak Books, the publisher of such classics as THE ROOTS OF CONSCIOUSNESS by JEFFREY MISHLOVE and BEYOND FEAR: A TOLTEC GUIDE TO FREEDOM AND JOY by NEW YORK TIMES bestselling author, DON MIGUEL RUIZ. As ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER, she was responsible for operations and the direction of new book projects through even the most subtle processes of publishing and into the market place—from acquisitions, editorial, art direction, package concept, marketing and as well as ancillary development of series and/or sideline concepts.
She wrote marketing materials, including catalogs and jacket copy, to position titles for distribution and release into the trade and other special markets. She managed a sales force of sixty-five independent reps in the gift and trade market, sought and closed special sales deals, wrote budgets and directed the financial operations of the company. Ja-lene also developed a stable of freelance experts including: artists, editors, researchers, designers and indexers. She sold rights, managed an inventory of three hundred backlist titles, and directed publicity and advertising campaigns.
Under her leadership and through her tenure with Council Oak, sales increased by 150% and the first profitable year in the company’s twenty-year history was achieved.
She assisted in the acquisition and merger of the Wildcat Canyon publishing house by Council Oak as well as the acquisition of two-dozen titles from trade publisher Beyond Word’s list. During her tenure the Council Oak list grew from fifty titles to three hundred.
Ja-lene has produced new titles with two “Oprah” authors: Tamara Traeder the author of GIRLFRIENDS: INVISIBLE BONDS, ENDURING TIES (52 weeks on the NEW YORK TIMES bestseller list) and Brenda Kinsel, the author of 40 OVER 40: 40 THINGS EVERY WOMAN OVER 40 NEEDS TO KNOW ABOUT GETTING DRESSED. Her taste in acquisitions varied from mainstream projects that empower women such as the HIP GIRLS HANDBOOK written by Jennifer Musselman, who currently serves as Director of Communications for NICKELODEON in Los Angeles, to more eclectic titles such as LET IT BE EASY: SIMPLE ACTIONS TO CREATE AN EXTRAORDINARY LIFE written by Tolly Burkan, the father of the firewalking movement. Her passion projects at Council Oak included a series of interspecies communication titles authored by animal communicator Kate Solisti including CONVERSATIONS WITH CAT, CONVERSATIONS WITH DOG and CONVERSATIONS WITH HORSE. Ja-lene masterminded an “extreme book makeover” on these three previously published cheaper quality paperback books and transformed them into marketable and beautiful new gift editions, then subsequently sold these more esoteric books into the mainstream market through a top pet supply outlet. She developed original concepts including HOGS ON 66: THE BEST FEED AND HANGOUTS FOR ROAD TRIPS ON ROUTE 66 by Michael Wallis (the voice of the Sheriff in Pixar’s animated feature CARS) and Marion Clark, co-developed SURVIVOR VANUATU cast member Scout Cloud Lee’s book SWORN TO FUN! and author Don Miguel Ruiz’s book THE TOLTEC PROPHECIES.
Ja-lene worked in magazine publishing and on marketing campaigns while at Source Publications as BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER. At Source she developed a 5000 page web site for the Tulsa City-County Library, assisted in executing branding campaigns for Sabre, Sabre BTS, and Travelocity, worked on three b2b magazines, and developed strategic marketing campaigns. She also developed cause-marketing campaigns with The Nature Conservancy and created direct mail campaigns for Sabre with response rates as high as 80%.
She served as BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT ADVISOR to the HARMONY CHANNEL, the first visual music television network offering positive, experience-based programming that uplifts and enhances the viewers state of mind. Ja-lene is one of the founding members of c3 (Center for Conscious Creativity) in Los Angeles and is part of their think-tank committee of experts who are exploring the transformative power of art and media.
In 2006 Ja-lene left Council Oak and founded Shift Insight to follow her personal vision of empowering authors and media makers with her guidance. Utilizing her wealth of experience she serves a client base, growing through word of mouth as a collaborator who facilitates the development of the concept, editing, packaging, production, marketing and distribution of multimedia content through the use of new emerging technologies, traditional outlets and alternative resources. The Writer’s Immersion is the signature service offering of Shift Insight, setting it light-years ahead of what is offered through traditional editing services. Since 2006 Ja-lene has successfully completed projects on 16 books using the Immersion process.
In 2009 Ja-lene formed a partnership with Jo Ann Deck to create Gather Insight, gathering place forum for a community of spiritual teachers that offers interaction with these teachers through free online events, classes and unique books published and distributed by Gather Insight. Since Gather Insight launched in June of 2009 visitors from 80 countries have benefited from the events offered and the 11 books Ja-lene has published.
Shift Insight is here to offer many ways of coming together to create. Please visit the media development services page to explore the many possibilities.
