A New Publicist?

I was taking my walk around the park the other day and chewing -- again -- on the issue of marketing and publicity. I had read on a blog yet another flat, no-questions-asked declaration of the fact that this business is not only about writing. That we must also market, and market vigorously, spend great amounts of time devouring all resources in learning how to do it well, etc. Since it's a personal trend in me to do just that sort of thing in any new endeavor, that would mean a lot of my time. Maybe I should hire a publicist, I thought. Would that be so bad?

So I went to the Lord with my questions, and here's the thought that immediately came into my head:

"Well, you could try that if you like. You'd have to let your existing publicist go, if you mean to hire a new one, of course... but I'll be happy to step out of the way if you think a human agency can do a better job..."

Hmph. So much for that idea!

Karen