David R. Yale was born and raised in New York City. While studying for a Masters Degree in American Studies at the University of Minnesota, Yale started his career as a communicator as a part-time teaching associate in the Communications Program.

He first started doing publicity when he served as the Recreation Director at Shingle Creek and Bohannon Parks in North Minneapolis. The special events he planned with his staff, including greased watermelon and pie-eating contests, ice painting on the skating rink, and paper hot air balloon launches, got continual front page and prime time coverage from Twin Cities media.

When Yale moved to the Bay Area, the Oakland Department of Parks & Recreation signed him on as a PR Specialist, under the apprenticeship of veteran publicist and journalist Burton Weber. It was here that Yale learned how journalists think and what they want from publicists.

The first person in the United States to develop and teach workshops on newsletter and brochure production, Yale has taught more than 200 seminars for clients ranging from AT&T and Arbitron to the University of Minnesota.

After moving back to his hometown, New York City, Yale landed a contract to write the first edition of The Publicity Handbook, which was published as a Bantam paperback original. He interviewed dozens of journalists and publicists to round out his own experience with perspectives and information from others. The process took an entire year of full time work.

The book, which is lively and makes learning about publicity fascinating, draws on Yale's abilities as a story teller. He has had two short stories published, one of which was performed with jazz accompaniment at the Mendota (MN) Jazz Emporium in the 1970s. Another, as yet unpublished short story, won the Third Prize for Short Stories in a Writer's Digest contest in the late '70s.

Co-author Andrew J. Carothers has more than 10 years of public relations and investor relations experience. His career has included helping corporations, agencies and non-profit organizations gain media exposure and increase shareholder value through successful applications of traditional and internet-based publicity, public relations, and investor relations.

Carothers is well-versed in developing online PR strategies and tactics for product launches, trend stories, and employee communications. He has managed all PR activities for Autodesk's core architecture, engineering and construction markets, as well as for the company's imaging and visualization software. His experience includes developing online PR strategies and tactics for product launches, trend stories, and employee communications.

Autodesk is one of the largest software companies in the world and the leading design and digital content creation resource.

Prior to joining Autodesk, Carothers managed public and investor relations for Health Systems Design Corporation (Oakland, CA), a then-newly public health care information systems company.

His previous work includes developing and implementing strategic public relations plans for clients while at San Francisco-based PR agency Kearns & West and for the Council on International Education Exchange.

Carothers, who holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of California, Los Angeles, is currently an independent consultant based in San Rafael, CA.