📚 Lisa Sharkey: Senior Vice President & Publisher at Harper Influence, HarperCollins Publishers
Hello, Hello. It’s Julia. Welcome to my weekly newsletter where I explore the ways we communicate and connect. I’m excited to feature Lisa Sharkey. Thank you to Jessica Kleiman for nominating her. This edition feels like the perfect way to kick off the unofficial start of summer reading season with Lisa’s passion for telling stories.
In This Edition
💡 Follow Your Curiosity
🔍 Find Interesting People
🎧 Focus on Listening
About Lisa
Lisa Sharkey is Senior Vice President and Publisher of Harper Influence at HarperCollins Publishers. After a distinguished career as an Emmy, Peabody, and Dupont Award-winning journalist at ABC News and other news organizations, she transitioned into book publishing to champion impactful non-fiction stories that start and shift conversations, inspire meaningful change and spark interest in people who make a difference and ideas that matter.
As the founding publisher of Harper Influence, she specializes in acquiring and nurturing high-profile primarily non-fiction books that resonate across memoir, science, contemporary culture, and leadership. She works closely with authors to shape their ideas into narratives that make a lasting impact on readers worldwide.
In addition to her publishing work, she teaches undergraduate students at Washington University in St. Louis, introducing them to the world of publishing through the life cycle of books from acquisition to publication and beyond. She also mentors emerging writers and publishers worldwide through initiatives like PublisHer, international writers' conferences, helping storytellers refine their author brands to enhance and grow their platforms.
What sparked your path into your field?
After working my way up in television news, I didn’t want to climb any higher — the work that was getting me most excited was when the books were coming into the newsroom. When I would feature books on Good Morning America, they started to take off in exciting ways. This caught the attention of the CEO of HarperCollins, leading to a 5 year conversation. Ultimately, I started as the Director of Creative Development 18 years ago and have loved every minute. In that role, I had a team of people and we acquired books for all lines of the company. We brought in best selling books from newsmakers and interesting people from across the zeitgeist. We consistently hit bestseller lists with our acquisitions.
Last year, I was asked to create a new imprint within the company. I was honored to take this on and created Harper Influence. Out of our nine books published so far, six have hit The New York Times bestseller list. Now as a Publisher, which is a title I always coveted, I continue to work with the most interesting people in the world. Sometimes I generate ideas. Other times agents bring me proposals. The most exciting part is developing the book from start to finish and taking it from conception to publication. Each book is its own brand. Every publication is personal and precious to the author, and I pride myself in developing strong relationships with the people whose names are the covers.
What’s a new project you’re excited to be working on now?
I recently signed science journalist Jeffrey Kluger who wrote an incredible Time magazine article: “Scientists Have Bred Woolly Mice on Their Journey to Bring Back the Mammoth.” It captured my curiosity, and I felt it was bigger than an article and so I reached out to Kluger’s agent. It’s a full circle moment because years ago when I was interviewing at Good Morning America, I was asked “What is a big event that GMA could cover to capture everyone’s attention?” 25 years ago, I said it would be really cool if we could bring back the Woolly Mammoth, and here we are so close to that moment with this story which will now become a Harper Influence book.
What values drive you personally and professionally?
Curiosity. I’m curious about everything. Compassion is also #1 – I lead with compassion for myself and for the authors. Vulnerability is something I embrace and respect. In book publishing when you are working with so many people’s personal stories, you need to be able to open up for them to open up to you.
Family is very important to me. I’m a mother of three children. I have two sisters. I’m close to my dad and step-dad. I love to be the host and rituals for Jewish holidays matter to me. I bring people together for Seders, Rosh Hashanah dinners and breaking the fast after Yom Kippur.
I value generosity and giving back. I’m involved with mentoring military veterans transitioning into careers. I also mentor women book publishers by speaking with the PublisHer community. I teach at writer’s conferences in San Miguel de Allende and Kauai. When I’m there, I also teach morning yoga because I believe in the importance of getting up and starting the day with movement, breath and mindfulness.
What pivotal projects have shaped your career?
My mission is to find the most interesting people and help them tell stories. I ask myself this question often: who is the most interesting person in the world? A few years back, I realized one of those people without a book was Prince Charles, now King Charles. I wanted to know his vision for the world. He was already talking about meaningful topics — organic foods, sustainability and the environment — so I wrote him a letter. It resulted in an extraordinary book “Harmony: A New Way of Looking at Our World.” I got to spend time with him. I was blown away by his passion, knowledge, expertise and desire to make the world a better place.
I’ll also share an example of a story where I heard someone speak live and was so inspired that I wanted to help tell her story to the world. I attended a women’s power breakfast and heard Regina Calcaterra’s story. She is a lawyer who served as the first woman Chief Deputy County Executive of Suffolk County, New York. She played a pivotal role rebuilding after Hurricane Sandy. She shared her story of growing up with an abusive mother, one of five siblings in and out of foster care and homelessness. I was blown away because you would have never known her story just by looking at her and hearing her speak. She went on to publish “Etched In Sand” with me and it has gone on to become an international bestseller.
The unifying thread in the books I publish is inspiration and resilience. These two stories embody the themes of many books I’ve published over the years.
What book would you recommend for people to read to help their communications?
Dale Carnegie’s “How to Win Friends and Influence People.” I share this book because people want to talk about themselves, but my number one bit of advice is sometimes you need to stop talking and simply listen. Open your ears to what other people are saying. Get to know them personally. Take time to be a sponge.
These lessons are also in Amy Morin’s books. Amy is a smart and compassionate person whose focus is on mental strength as a psychotherapist. I’ve published six books with her. The books all spin off the mothership, “13 Things Mentally Strong People Don’t Do.” It’s an international success with additional books about women, kids, parents and couples. The twist is her books advise readers about what not to do such as wasting time feeling sorry for themselves, giving away their power and shying away from change.
What are the skills needed to be a great communicator?
Be a focused listener! You also need to be a great editor to boil down the most effective thing you want to say. I’ve been sitting in editorial meetings my entire career. You have these meetings in publishing every week and in the news business, every day. With dozens of people at the table, it’s obvious who is great at selling an idea. The winners communicate with confidence, creativity and humble power. They drive ears and eyes to tune in and turn on.
Thank you to Jessica Kleiman for nominating Lisa Sharkey to share her story. Enjoyed this article? I encourage you to share it. Have an idea for a future feature? Reply.
I love Lisa Sharkey. She is a SHero, a WOMentor and a grand friend. When she believes in you - nothing stops her. I am so deeply fortunate to have been, and continue to be, on the receiving end of her unstoppable and powerful life force.
Lisa Sharkey’s listening skill, enthusiasm, and encouragement is so lifegiving. She definitely practices curiosity and compassion, and I deeply appreciated learning from her at the Kauai Writers Conference, plus starting the day with her leading yoga on the beach! Thank you for highlighting a bit of her story.