NetGalley Launches Booktrovert.com, a Modern Consumer Marketing Platform for Publishers and Sleek Destination Website for Readers

Newburyport, MA (June 23, 2025)—NetGalley, LLC—the recognized industry-standard for digital galley distribution and book marketing, and part of the Firebrand Group collection of companies owned by Media Do International (MD-i)—today announced the launch of Booktrovert.com, a standalone consumer marketing and advertising platform and destination website for readers. Powered by NetGalley, Booktrovert spurs book discovery through digital giveaways, special promotions, and engaging bookish activities, while providing publishers and authors with a powerful tool to reach a wider audience.

For readers, Booktrovert.com offers ebook giveaways, reader perks (pre-orders, special deals, and more), fun games and activities, exclusive merch, and unique curation tools to organize book lists—all on a sleek, accessible, mobile-friendly website.

Booktrovert addresses the industry’s growing need for a modern consumer marketing platform with flexible options for secure ebook giveaways. Publishers, authors, and marketing agencies can easily set up ebook giveaways and advertising campaigns using a simple self-service interface built within the NetGalley.com platform. Campaigns can feature single or multiple books, offering options for giveaways, pre-orders, and direct purchase links. Booktrovert campaigns can be public or private, allowing for exclusive engagement with targeted audiences, such as event attendees, book clubs, launch teams, and more.

“Booktrovert is our answer to the book industry’s demand for robust consumer marketing tools,” said NetGalley President Lindsey Lochner. “By leveraging NetGalley’s established technology, plus our decades of experience in community building and reader engagement metrics, Booktrovert offers publishers and authors a direct way to connect with a significantly wider audience and build excitement around their books. Best of all, NetGalley remains the trusted back-end system for managing marketing and publicity efforts to both the professional community who use NetGalley, and consumers via Booktrovert.”

Key features of Booktrovert for publishers & authors:

Self-Service Interface: Schedule and purchase campaigns all via a simple interface within NetGalley.com.
Digital Giveaways: Create giveaway landing pages featuring up to ten books at once.
Special Promotions: Launch targeted campaigns to generate buzz and sales across a book’s lifecycle.
Flexible Campaigns: Easily offer campaigns of all sizes—from exclusive private campaigns to large-scale outreach with urgency and excitement.
Pre-Order & Buy Links: Direct readers to purchase books and drive sales to preferred retailers.
Secure Ebook Distribution: Deliver instant digital fulfillment for giveaways via Kobo, Kindle, and a proprietary Web Reader.
In-Depth Reporting & Analytics: Receive campaign traffic stats, clicks on CTA, plus optional bonus charts, aggregated demographic data, and more.

Any NetGalley client—whether a subscription or pay-per-title client—looking to reach U.S. readers can purchase Booktrovert campaigns within their NetGalley account.

For more information about Booktrovert, visit Booktrovert.com or contact booktrovert@netgalley.com.

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NetGalley and Rakuten Kobo Launch New Technology Partnership to Integrate a Kobo Reading Option within the NetGalley Platform

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Newburyport, MA (April 30, 2025)—NetGalley, LLC, the recognized industry-standard for digital galley distribution and book marketing, and Rakuten Kobo, global digital reading retailer, announced today a new technology partnership for the collaborative development of an integrated Kobo reading option connected to the NetGalley platform.

Starting today, NetGalley clients can bulk-enable a “Send to Kobo” reading option for their digital review copies in advance of a late May launch to NetGalley members. Once live, the Kobo integration will allow NetGalley members to seamlessly send NetGalley epub files to their Kobo eReaders or the Kobo app, offering greater reading flexibility and convenience without the need for sideloading. ePub files will be protected with Kobo’s proprietary DRM.

“We’re thrilled to partner with Rakuten Kobo to bring this streamlined reading option to the NetGalley community,” said NetGalley President Lindsey Lochner. “At NetGalley, we’re committed to making books easily and securely accessible to members, however they like to read—and we’re proud to have co-created a complete end-to-end connection between NetGalley and Kobo to ensure NetGalley members can access books on their preferred device.”

“This partnership with NetGalley reflects our dedication to a more open approach to digital reading, where readers have more control over the way they experience books,” said Rakuten Kobo CEO, Michael Tamblyn. “By launching with easy ‘Send to Kobo’ ePub support, we are giving to NetGalley members what we hope is the best possible reading experience, taking full advantage of the format’s flexibility and customization options on their Kobo devices and in the Kobo app. We’re excited to see how this integration enhances the way readers discover and engage with new books, and we’re committed to expanding format support as we move forward.”

Following NetGalley’s January 2025 launch of a new proprietary in-browser reader, the addition of “Send to Kobo” is a further enhancement to the list of NetGalley’s Reading Options in the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, United Kingdom, and France. At launch, the Kobo reading option will be available for ePub files, with PDF support expected later this year. The Kobo reading option will be introduced on the Japanese domain once PDF support is available.

“Send to Kobo” will be available to NetGalley members starting late May. Additionally, once Booktrovert—NetGalley’s forthcoming consumer marketing platform—is live in late June 2025, Kobo will be one of three default options for eBook giveaway fulfillment.

Both NetGalley and Kobo are excited about the positive impact this partnership will have on the book community. For more information, contact concierge@netgalley.com.

NetGalley Announces Staff Reorganization Ahead of Standalone Consumer Marketing Platform Launch

Newburyport, MA (March 10, 2025)—NetGalley, LLC—the recognized industry-standard for digital galley distribution and book marketing, and part of the Firebrand Group collection of companies owned by Media Do International (MD-i)—announced today a set of strategic initiatives intended to position the company for continued growth in the digital book market. The initiatives include a staff reorganization and the forthcoming launch of Booktrovert, a much anticipated standalone consumer marketing platform where readers can celebrate their love of books by participating in digital giveaways, special promotions, and fun bookish activities.

The staff reorganization, led by NetGalley Chief Executive Officer Angela Bole and newly appointed NetGalley President Lindsey Lochner, focused on the strategic alignment of job titles and responsibilities to produce a clearer understanding of the NetGalley team structure—internally and externally—ahead of the Booktrovert launch. The reorganization did not include layoffs or reductions in staff. All changes are effective as of March 1, 2025.

A highlight of the reorganization beyond Lochner’s promotion to the position of president includes the establishment of four distinct departments led by a set of vice presidents reporting directly to Lochner:

Business Growth & Engagement, US & International, led by Senior Vice President Kristina Radke, previously vice president of business growth & engagement; Radke also assumes new responsibility for NetGalley’s promotional team under the reorganization
Community Growth & Engagement, led by Vice President Tarah Theoret, previously senior director of community experience
Product Management, led by Vice President Mary Pratt, previously director of product management
Engineering, led by Vice President Darren Shifflett, previously engineering manager

In addition, Darcy Piedmonte, NetGalley’s senior sales manager since 2022, has been named director, customer acquisition & success, reporting to Radke. Bole remains NetGalley’s chief executive officer; Tom Shawver remains NetGalley’s chief technology officer.

“We expect the staff reorganization to enhance clarity and focus ahead of our eagerly anticipated Booktrovert launch,” said Bole. “The team has been working tirelessly to build something special with Booktrovert and we’re excited to strengthen our internal structure as we take final steps to launch the new product.”

Booktrovert will launch in the U.S. as a standalone consumer website in Q2 2025, but publishers, authors, and PR firms can start setting up book giveaways and other marketing campaigns in early April using a simple self-service interface built within the NetGalley.com platform. Campaigns can be created for one or more books, and each book can be designated a giveaway or available to pre-order or buy now. Furthering its flexibility, Booktrovert campaigns can be public or, if a publisher wants to limit access to exclusive audiences, private—expanding the Booktrovert use case to support event giveaways, book clubs, “street/launch team” copies, pre-order incentives, and more.

“Publishers have long asked how they can best utilize NetGalley’s tools for their consumer marketing efforts, and it’s no secret publishers, authors, and readers alike are seeking more options for secure ebook giveaways,” said Lochner. “We’re excited to answer the call with Booktrovert, opening up a significantly wider audience and connecting even more readers to more books.”

Any NetGalley client—whether a subscription or pay-per-title client—can purchase Booktrovert campaigns, as well as optional add-ons for advertising and detailed analytics for giveaways. More information about Booktrovert will be announced in the coming months. Those with specific questions and those interested in more information sooner, can contact concierge@netgalley.com.

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About NetGalley, LLC
NetGalley helps publishers and authors promote digital review copies and audiobooks to book advocates and industry professionals. Hundreds of thousands of members rely on NetGalley’s secure, sustainable, and easy-to-use platform to discover books, share reviews, and champion literacy. The NetGalley team coordinates closely with publishers on targeted promotions, and provides training, strategy, and consultation for incorporating NetGalley into overall marketing and publicity efforts. NetGalley is a strategic part of the Firebrand Group collection of companies owned by Media Do International (MD-i) which together provide leading software and services to help publishers succeed. To learn more, visit netgalley.com/tour.

About Media Do International (MD-i)
Media Do International (MD-i) owns the Firebrand Group, a collection of companies including Firebrand Technologies, NetGalley, LLC, and Supadu Ltd. that provide leading software and services to help publishers succeed. MD-i is itself the US-based subsidiary of Japan’s Media Do Co. Ltd, one of the largest ebook distribution companies in the world retaining the largest share of Japan’s ebook market. Media Do Co. Ltd.’s mission is to make more content available for more people. To learn more, visit mediado.jp/english.

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Firebrand Technologies and NetGalley, LLC Welcome New Chief Technology Officer

Longstanding book publishing tech companies continue to invest in strengthening their technology team with appointment of new CTO, Tom Shawver

FOR RELEASE

Newburyport, MA (January 11, 2023)—Firebrand Technologies and NetGalley, LLC—each a strategic part of the Firebrand Group collection of companies owned by Media Do International (MD-i)—announced today the appointment of Tom Shawver in the role of Chief Technology Officer (CTO). As CTO of both companies, Shawver will lead and refine the overall technology strategy, ensuring scalability, security, and efficiency across multiple product lines. Shawver’s official start date is January 16, 2024.

“I’m excited to be part of two companies so pivotal to book publishing and helping publishers reach their audiences in the growing digital space,” said Shawver. “Strengthening the way readers find and enjoy new stories, information, and perspectives is both a professional and personal passion of mine. Firebrand and NetGalley define the industry standard with a collection of tools absolutely vital to their publishing partners and distribution network, and I’m both humbled and invigorated to have the opportunity to expand and streamline that platform with such an experienced team.”

A lifelong technologist, Shawver has spent over 15 years leading companies of all sizes—ranging from seed-stage to the Fortune 500—in embracing cutting-edge solutions to drive growth. Before Firebrand Technologies and NetGalley, LLC, Shawver was the Chief Technology Officer at 360 Media Direct, working with both book and magazine publishers to drive digital content adoption among readers.

Starting at the ground level of the cloud computing boom, Shawver has specialized in building software platforms that scale globally, react quickly, and stay highly integrated with other industry-leading software. He maintains and contributes to widely used open source software products that power thousands of companies worldwide, focusing on security and customer identity. He holds a degree in Computer Science from Albright College, where he also studied in the Music and Digital Media programs.

“We’re beyond excited for Tom to join our teams as Chief Technology Officer,” said Firebrand Technologies and NetGalley, LLC CEO Angela Bole. “Our unique, community-focused approach to technology development creates an optimal atmosphere for innovation and product success. I’m certain Tom’s experience and personal aptitude will fit in perfectly and prove vital to the future of our companies as we continue to adapt to serve our clients’ needs.”

Firebrand Technologies and NetGalley, LLC are fully-virtual technology companies working in and for the book publishing industry. In partnership, the companies have been helping publishers manage their internal workflows, digital distribution, and marketing efforts for over 35 years with technology solutions that touch the lives of thousands of print, ebook, and audio professionals every day.

In February 2021, Firebrand Technologies and NetGalley, LLC were acquired by Media Do International (MD-i), the US-based subsidiary of Japan’s Media Do Co., Ltd, one of the largest ebook distribution companies in the world retaining the largest share of Japan’s $4.5 billion ebook market. Bole, former CEO of the Independent Book Publishers Association, succeeded Fran Toolan as CEO of Firebrand Technologies and NetGalley, LLC on February 1, 2023. Toolan remains on the companies’ board.

About Firebrand Technologies

Firebrand Technologies—a strategic part of the Firebrand Group collection of companies—is dedicated to providing leading software and services to help publishers succeed. Title Management tracks titles from pre-acquisition through post-production, marketing, and sales. Eloquence on Demand is the industry gold standard for implementing ONIX and maximizing control of how data reaches the marketplace. Eloquence on Alert’s proprietary title performance monitoring service collects key, hard-to-access details about your products from major online marketplaces and review sites, and puts all of that information directly at your fingertips. Firebrand Flywheel harnesses the power of AI-supported technology to identify hidden opportunities for driving backlist sales, precisely when it matters most. For more information, visit firebrandtech.com.

About NetGalley, LLC

NetGalley helps publishers and authors promote digital review copies and audiobooks to book advocates and industry professionals. Hundreds of thousands of members rely on NetGalley’s secure, sustainable, and easy-to-use platform to discover books, share reviews, and champion literacy. The NetGalley team coordinates closely with publishers on targeted promotions, and provides training, strategy, and consultation for incorporating NetGalley into overall marketing and publicity efforts. NetGalley is a strategic part of the Firebrand Group collection of companies, which together provide leading software and services to help publishers achieve success. To learn more, visit netgalley.com/tour.

About Media Do International (MD-i)

Media Do International (MD-i) owns the Firebrand Group, a collection of companies including Firebrand Technologies, NetGalley, LLC, and Supadu Ltd. that provide leading software and services to help publishers achieve success. MD-i is itself the US-based subsidiary of Japan’s Media Do Co. Ltd, one of the largest ebook distribution companies in the world retaining the largest share of Japan’s ebook market. Media Do Co. Ltd.’s mission is to make more content available for more people. For more information, visit mediado.jp/english.

Here’s a special message from Tom!

Firebrand Group Welcomes New CEO Angela Bole

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

February 23, 2023—Firebrand Group (FBG), the book industry’s leading technology company for cutting edge software and services, announced today the official placement of Angela Bole in the role of Chief Executive Officer. Her appointment to succeed previous CEO Fran Toolan was initially announced on June 9, 2022. Since then, Ms. Bole has worked alongside Mr. Toolan, the FBG Board of Directors, and various members of the FBG management team to ensure a smooth transition.

Ms. Bole joins Firebrand Group—a collection of companies including Firebrand Technologies, NetGalley LLC, and Supadu Ltd—at a pivotal moment in the company’s 35 year history. Firebrand Technologies and NetGalley were acquired by Media Do International (MD-i), the US-based subsidiary of Japan’s Media Do Co., Ltd, in 2021; Supadu in 2022. Today, this unique collection of companies, now all co-located under the Firebrand Group umbrella, provides publishers with cohesive tools to effectively manage internal workflows, external marketing, and eventual sales.

Previous to Firebrand Group, Ms. Bole served as CEO of the Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA). Throughout her time at IBPA her mission was “to lead and serve independent publishers through advocacy, education, and tools for success.” Ms. Bole is highly regarded in the book industry for raising the profile and visibility of the IBPA, and for encouraging book publishing best practices and the highest industry standards.

“We are excited to be joined by Angela Bole who will head up Firebrand Group,” says Daihei Shiohama, President and CEO of Media Do International, Inc. “We are fortunate to have secured Ms. Bole whose considerable experience and knowledge of the industry will take our family of companies forward in its next phase of development.”

About the Firebrand Group – The Firebrand Group, consisting of Firebrand Technologies, NetGalley, and Supadu, provides leading software and services to help publishers achieve success. The Firebrand Group is owned by Media Do International Inc. (MD-i), the US-based subsidiary of Japan’s Media Do Co., Ltd, one of the largest ebook distribution companies in the world retaining the largest share of Japan’s ebook market. For more information, visit firebrandtech.com. For more information on Media Do’s services and corporate divisions, visit mediado.jp/english.