Matty Dalrymple talks with Carlo J. Emanuele about STORY FIRST, MARKETING SECOND, including why authors make the same mistake corporate executives do when they lead with features instead of value, how to move beyond genre labels to find the emotional core of your pitch, why comps should describe an experience rather than a category, why marketing tasks feel productive but often aren't, and how enthusiasm and vulnerability turn out to be the most effective marketing tools of all. Interview video at https://www.youtube.com/@TheIndyAuthorPodcast/podcasts Show notes, including extensive summary and transcript, at https://www.theindyauthor.com/episodes-all If you find the information in this video useful, please consider supporting The Indy Author! https://www.patreon.com/theindyauthor https://www.buymeacoffee.com/mattydalrymple Carlo J. Emanuele is an award-winning crime novelist and corporate executive from Milwaukee's South Side. Drawing from personal experience and a deep understanding of family, ambition, and adversity, he writes emotionally charged stories that explore the cost of power and the pursuit of redemption. His debut novel, The Sins We Inherit, has earned multiple national awards and critical acclaim for its gritty realism and heartfelt father-daughter core. The second installment, The Cost We Pay, launches this June. A former collegiate athlete and proud father of two, Carlo builds a cinematic crime saga rooted in legacy, identity, and transformation. Matty Dalrymple is the author of the Lizzy Ballard Thrillers, beginning with ROCK PAPER SCISSORS; the Ann Kinnear Suspense Novels, beginning with THE SENSE OF DEATH; and the Ann Kinnear Suspense Shorts. She is a member of International Thriller Writers and Sisters in Crime. More at mattydalrymple.com. Matty also writes, speaks, and consults on the writing craft and the publishing voyage, and shares what she's learned on THE INDY AUTHOR PODCAST. She writes nonfiction books for authors; her articles have appeared in Writer's Digest magazine; and she is a Partner Member of the Alliance of Independent Authors. More at theindyauthor.com. She also guides professionals in building their presence through a sideline or second act through her platform From Expertise to Authority. More at theindyauthor.com/authority.