As director of publicity for the William Morrow publishing house, Bachman specializes in cookbook authors. She’s teamed up with more than 200, including such luminaries as Julia Child, Paul Prudhomme, Mary Ann Esposito, Florence Henderson and the Hot Tamales. Yet none can match the fanatic disciples of famed Bayou chef Emeril Lagasse as they hoot, holler and wildly applaud his creations and line up to get autographed copies of his books.

“It’s a cult following,” says Bachman. “Since people get to see Emeril a lot on the Food Network, they relate to him as a friend, connecting as if they really know him. When they get to see him in person, some of his fans are way over the top.”

Bachman recalls one of the ebullient chef’s book-signings in Birmingham, Mich., where the store projected a turnout of 2,000 people. More than 4,000 stopped by. At another signing in Poughkeepsie, N.Y., fans waited up to six hours to snatch his signature. One fan, in particular, is remembered for her persistence.

“I’m standing next to Emeril as he’s signing stacks of books when a security guard approaches to say a woman, who had passed out in the bathroom, refuses to leave with the rescue squad until she gets her book autographed,” recalls Bachman.

“So, I grab Emeril and we plow our way toward the bathroom where he signs her book as she’s being strapped to a gurney. Then, they take her out and put her in the rescue truck.”

A native of Wilmington, Del., Bachman majored in communication with a focus in public relations. For a senior class project, she helped devise promotional ideas and strategies for the Delaware Food Bank. After graduating, Bachman heard about an alum, Grace Thompson, who was looking to place a recent graduate with her New York City agency, which represented such food products as Miracle Whip and McIlhenny Co.’s Tabasco Pepper Sauce.

“New York was the last place I wanted to work,” confesses Bachman, “but, it’s turned out to be a wonderful experience. I discovered that a lot of the spokespersons for food products were also authors of cookbooks. That eventually led to my current position with William Morrow.”

When Bachman gears up for an author’s promotional tour, life is anything but glamorous. A typical day finds her awake at 5 a.m. and at a television studio an hour later, where she assists the cookbook author in preparing ingredients for the television segment. Then, it’s off to a radio station for an interview. That’s generally followed by a meeting with a local food writer who’s preparing a feature story.

After a break for lunch, they arrive at a bookstore for a signing, which often lasts until 11 p.m., when Bachman and the author finally get to relax and have dinner.

“It can be pretty grueling,” she says. “We often will schedule five days in a row, have a few days off and then, we’re back at it again. I’ve worked 25 hours straight at times.”

“Good cooking comes from the heart,” says Bachman. “It’s like love, a nurturing thing. I see these 90-year-old ladies who prepare and decorate these amazing cakes that they give to Emeril as gifts. More and more, men are involved and even little kids tear up basil leaves, mix and pour the varied ingredients. On television, the restaurant chefs are just trying to teach the rudiments of cooking. They get to see people’s reaction to the food—they can smell it, see it, taste it. They’ve made cooking cool.”

Bachman also has worked with the legendary Julia Child, now in her 80s. On a recent segment of the Rosie O’Donnell show, Child turned up to concoct crème brûlée.

“She came out with goggles on and a blow torch to brown it up,” laughs Bachman. “She really has a great sense of humor. The staff on the show gave her a Big Mac as we were leaving. She started eating it and told them it was better than some of the things she’s whipped up.”

A nondescript van is the vehicle of choice as Bachman and her authors hit the highways on their book tours. While they receive a slew of invitations to dine at four-star restaurants, they often sample a local favorite spot.

“After Emeril’s booksignings, it’s pretty late at night, so there’s not much open,” says Bachman. “We’ll often pull into a diner or truck stop. It’s funny to watch the people’s expressions. Some have no clue, while others, their eyes are popping out of their heads. And, they’ll stop by and Emeril will talk to them about cooking. That’s what gives him the most pleasure.”