Dotsie--I'm happy to share what I know. In terms of getting a publicist, my agent helped me; so the answer to your question has to start with how I got an agent. A successful writer friend of mine, Jane Hammerslough, gave me some advice early on in my project. First of all, she recommended I read the book I suggested in an earlier posting: "The Shortest Distance Between You and a Published Book" by Susan Page. But she also said that being crystal clear and passionate about the concept of your book was the most important thing in terms of getting an agent. "An agent will come to YOU, if you're clear," she said. I didn't quite believe her, but that's exactly what happened to me. I talked shamelessly about my book idea everywhere I went--in airports, in stores, even at PTA meetings. (At this point, I hadn't written a word, but I WAS clear and I WAS passionate.) Within a few weeks of my conversation with Jane, I was been given business cards by two agents with encouragement to call them after I'd written a few chapters. The first I met in a train station; the second, at a party. Keep in mind that I had never met--at least to my knowledge--a literary agent in my life. Less than a month later, a third agent, Paul Fedorko, whom I met through a friend but had no idea was a literary agent, paid me a visit and asked about my book. (My friend had told Paul about my idea.) After I shared with him the concept, he said, "Do you have an agent yet?" When I told him I didn't, he said, "Well, I'm your agent." I was floored. I felt sure that once he saw my writing, he would change his mind (that self-doubt thing I had to work through), but he didn't. I know that between the lines of this answer, your readers are going to think, "Ah ha! She had connections." And, this is true. But I didn't KNOW I had connections, and I think Paul would validate my belief that the reason he took me on was not because of my friend but because I was clear about what I was doing and able to impart to him my vision. Hope this helps.