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In the rugged terrain of New England, Keith Arsenault remains undeterred by the weather as he serves as a sales representative for Chesapeake & Hudson. During a March interview, Arsenault, a finalist for the 2025 Sales Rep of the Year award, had just navigated a late-spring blizzard while making his rounds at bookstores across Maine.
Since 2019, Arsenault has been representing independent publishers for Chesapeake & Hudson, marking his 33rd year in the book industry. His career began in retail, where he spent a decade in Providence, Rhode Island, before moving on to marketing with Avalon Publishing Group in the Bay Area. In 2005, he joined Publishers Group West, where his industry connections truly began to flourish.
During his time at PGW, Arsenault played a pivotal role in bringing the acclaimed book The Lost Words to North America. When he reached out to author Robert Macfarlane and illustrator Jackie Morris about the book’s potential in the U.S. market, Macfarlane expressed the need for a North American publisher. “I introduced them to House of Anansi, one of our distribution clients, who then took on the project,” Arsenault shared. His enthusiasm for the collaboration stands in stark contrast to the adage, “Never meet your heroes,” as he found great fulfillment in the encounter.
In more recent endeavors, Arsenault has advocated for Guillaume Lecasble’s Lobster, a surreal tale about a lobster and a debutante’s escape from the Titanic, translated into English by Polly McLean (Dedalus Limited). “It’s steamy, no pun intended,” remarked Arsenault, who has successfully moved a significant number of copies of this unconventional piece, showcasing his flair for promoting unique literature.
Jana Nelson, publicity manager at Broadleaf Books, praised Arsenault’s unwavering work ethic and infectious energy in her nomination for Sales Rep of the Year. She highlighted his dedication, noting how he spent an entire day with author Ethan Tapper at his forest preserve while promoting Tapper’s book, How to Love a Forest. Thanks to Arsenault’s extensive planning of in-store events, the book not only became a bestseller through the New England Independent Booksellers Association but also achieved considerable success for Broadleaf.
Arsenault expresses a deep appreciation for the relationships he forms within the industry. When asked if he could envision a career in sales outside of books, he firmly replied, “No.” His passion lies in the stories and ideas that books convey and in building trust with buyers so that they feel confident when he advises them about must-read titles.
A version of this article appeared in the 04/21/2025 issue of Publishers Weekly under the headline:
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