Gail M. Kearns, President, To Press & Beyond | The Book Sherpa
Gail M. Kearns is the Founder and President of To Press & Beyond, a full-service book shepherding agency where she helps authors navigate the complex landscape of independent publishing. Known by her clients as the "Book Sherpa," Gail has spent over 25 years guiding writers through the publishing process—from manuscript development and editing to design, production, distribution, and marketing.
With a portfolio that includes over 500 authors and independent publishers worldwide, Gail specializes in transforming raw manuscripts into professional, market-ready books. Her agency provides comprehensive support ("handholding with a smile") for fiction, nonfiction, and children’s books, ensuring that independent titles meet or exceed the quality standards of major publishing houses.
Before establishing To Press & Beyond, Gail worked in the motion picture industry as a Production Coordinator and Development Executive. In this capacity, she scouted books with potential for film adaptation, a role that honed her eye for compelling narrative structure and strong commercial viability. This unique background allows her to help authors not only publish their work but also position their brands and stories effectively for a wider audience.
Gail holds a Bachelor of Science from Hunter College, City University of New York. In addition to her publishing and consulting work, she is an accomplished author herself, co-authoring The Gourmet Girls Go Camping Cookbook.
Originally from Bennington, Vermont, and having spent significant time in New York and California, she now resides in Browns Summit, North Carolina, serving clients across the globe.