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From the outside, DK can seem almost bewilderingly diverse, replete with many exciting book lines, target audiences and styles. Today we're going to round off our introductions by taking a look at two people who's job it is to ensure order and promote a coherent plan for growth--Kristen O'Connell and Judi Powers:

Kristen O'Connell, Marketing Manager

I am the marketing manager for adult books at DK Publishing. I got my start in publishing as the result of an unlikely discussion over a paper coffee cup promoting the David Sedaris' book Naked with my first boss. As it turned out, he and the author were good friends, and he was impressed that I asked about the cup. I had the job offer by the time I returned to Human Resources. Everything should be so easy! That day, luck was on my side -- I ended up working with him for the next 8 years.

My day to day involves cheerleading to a wide variety of audiences-from bloggers to booksellers! I have a special place in my heart for cookbooks (and am improving my own culinary skills every week), and DK have some of the best in the business...but more from me on that later.

When not at work I live in Jersey City with my techie husband David and our fabulous mutt Abby.

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Tyler Cowen is our guest blogger during the week of June 23rd. If you have any questions for him add a comment to any of his posts. Here is some brief information about Discover Your Inner Economist:

In Discover Your Inner Economist one of America’s most respected economists presents a quirky, incisive romp through everyday life that reveals how you can turn economic reasoning to your advantage—often when you least expect it to be relevant.

Like no other economist, Tyler Cowen shows how economic notions--such as incentives, signals, and markets--apply far more widely than merely to the decisions of social planners, governments, and big business. What does economic theory say about ordering from a menu? Or attracting the right mate? Or controlling people who talk too much in meetings? Or dealing with your dentist? With a wryly amusing voice, in chapters such as “How to Control the World, The Basics” and “How to Control the World, Knowing When to Stop” Cowen reveals the hidden economic patterns behind everyday situations so you can get more of what you really want.

Readers will also gain less selfish insights into how to be a good partner, neighbor and even citizen of the world. For instance, what is the best way to give to charity? The chapter title “How to Save the World—More Christmas Presents Won’t Help” makes a point that is every bit as personal as it is global.

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One of the almost always nice things about book touring (along with the free hotel rooms and the chance to see parts of the country you never have before) is meeting people who have read your work -- although it can very rarely join the ranks of the tough things about book tour (flying everyday, being away from your family, the occasional empty event). It reminds you that writing isn't just something you do for yourself in your underwear. It's thrilling to realize that people actually read your stuff, and come out to tell you about what they thought of it. (Which is why it's very rarely tough: sometimes people schlep all the way to the book store to tell you they don't like your work. Who would do this? Would you?)

The most memorable event I've ever done was when I went to speak at the Bunker Family Reunion -- the gathering of people who descended from Chang & Eng Bunker -- the real-life twins who were the basis for my first novel.

The conjoined twins Eng and Chang Bunker fathered 21 children and now have 1,800 descendants - and every July many of them come together in Mt. Airy, NC., where the twins settled after escaping certain death in Siam. This year I've been invited, by way of the tabloids. ("Tell that Darin Strauss to come," one of Eng's great-grandsons said to a newspaper reporter who'd written a profile of me.)