Publishing Trends

PEOPLE

HarperCollins has announced that Kate Elton, Group Managing Director for the Adult Commercial Divisions, has been appointed interim CEO of HarperCollins UK, following the resignation of Charlie Redmayne. At Harper Collins U.S., Sally Franklin has joined as director of managing editorial, handling Harper, Ecco, Broadside, Harper Business, and Harper Influence. At Harlequin, Kimberley Conroy will join Harlequin Special Edition as assistant editor.

 

At Penguin Random House, Caro Perny has joined as director of publicity for Bantam Dell. She was formerly at Tor. Nate Lanman is joining Del Rey as editor, reporting to Tricia Narwani.  Carline Bialas has joined as post production associate at Penguin Audio. Ashley Hong joins as editor for Crown Currency. Carina Taylor joins Inklore as an art director. Shivana Sookdeo joins Inklore as designer. With Random House Children’s Books, Christina Chung has joined as designer, art/design. Sydney Niegos has joined as associate marketing manager, trade marketing. Matt Kissel has joined as marketing designer. Kate Weissman has joined as assistant production designer, Art/Design. Within Riverhead, Laura Mucha has joined as an associate editor. She was previously an assistant editor at Norton. Gabrielle Nugent has joined as a publicity manager. She was previously a senior publicist at Norton.

 

Publishing house Hachette Book Group hires Jeffrey Chin as associate director, sales analytics. He was previously at Harper Collins. Taylor Pisanie has joined as coordinator, account marketing at Hachette Book Group. At Grand Central, Maris Tasaka has joined as a marketing manager. She was previously at Flatiron Books. At Workman Kids, Maria Kofman joins as a senior designer. Within Union Square, Lisa McDowell joins as a production manager. She was previously at Macmillan. At Basic Books, Ivy Givens will join as editor. Most recently, she was an associate editor at Mariner Books. Julia Rickard will also join as publicity manager. Most recently, she was a senior publicist at Viking/Penguin.

 

Within Simon and Schuster, Wil Apolinario has joined as senior manager, client services and support. He was previously the service delivery manager at LVMH Fashion Group. At Simon Maverik, Savannah Breckenridge has joined as senior marketing manager. She was previously marketing manager at Saga Press.

 

Bloomsbury announced that Keith Underwood will join as chief financial and operating officer, reporting to Nigel Newton, starting February 2, 2026. He was previously chief financial and operating officer at Guardian Media Group. Underwood will join the company’s board as well. At Bloomsbury Academic, Sang Duffy has joined as global marketing associate. Duffy was previously publishing manager at Sibylline Press.

 

At Macmillan, Olivia Lapinski joined as finance analyst. Julian Marchetti has joined as junior financial analyst. Thomas Yuhas joined as associate director, business intelligence, platform development.  At Celadon Books, Lexy Cassola has joined as senior editor. She was previously at Zando.  Ivan Taurisano has joined as associate editor at First Second. Previously, he was an associate editor at Abrams.

 

Within Tor Publishing, Lauren Moye has joined as an associate marketing manager, reporting to Tyrinne Lewis. She was previously at Harper Collins.

 

The New York Times Company announced that John Maher has joined as news editor for the New York Times Book Review. He was previously news director at Publishers Weekly.

 

At Sourcebooks, Renata Sweeney has joined as director of online marketing, audience development. Amanda Kain has joined as senior art director. Lauren Klouda has joined as director of retail marketing & creative services. Sara High has joined as vice president of international sales. She was most recently vice president, director of international sales at Hachette Book Group. Shariq Khan has joined as technical support specialist. Gianna Antolos has joined as senior marketing manager. ​​Amanda Rowe has joined as senior book designer. Ashley Burns has joined as associate production editor. Amber Turkin has joined as assistant marketing manager for Poisoned Pen Press. Katie Meek has joined as production specialist II. Jen Cogliantry has joined as art director.

 

W.W. Norton announced that Karen Lotz joins as director for children’s books and strategic development. She was previously group managing director at Walker Books.

 

At Abrams, Gracie Munson has joined as brand manager. Kate McManus has joined as assistant manager for school and library sales. Leo Lerner has joined as assistant manager, special markets. 

 

Within Candlewick Press, Holiday House, and Peachtree, Emma Ledbetter has joined Candlewick as executive editorial director of picture books. She was previously editorial director of picture books at Abrams Children’s. Thomas Gengozian has joined as national account manager for Readerlink. He previously worked for Industry Print as key account sales manager. Marion Jenkins has joined as senior national account manager to Amazon. She previously worked for Amazon’s Kindle Direct Publishing division as strategic partner manager.

 

At Chooseco, Jessica Yang has joined as editor. She was previously at Quirk Books.

 

Within Ploughshares, Hanif Abdurraqib has been named the first-ever nonfiction editor at the literary journal.

 

Publishing House Zando hires ​​Alicia Kroell as senior editor. They were previously at Catapult. Amber Oliver is set to join on November 3 as senior editor. She was previously at Bloomsbury. 

 

At World Editions, Lisa Grgas joins the editorial team. She was previously supervising editor of The Literary Review for 20 years.

 

Transit Books hires Madeleine Nephew as a marketing and communications manager. She was previously a publicist at New Directions. Jarrod Annis has been named their publicist and field sales manager.

 

At Beacon Press, Aaron Wistar joined as associate editor, acquiring in history, political economy, parenting, and urban issues/housing. He was previously assistant editor at Harvard University Press.

 

At Bookends Literary, Dakota Reed has joined as director of media rights, handling all performance, merchandising, and other media rights. She was previously at Ingram Content Group.

 

For TvS Media Group, Debra Linn has joined as marketing director. She was previously marketing director for Algonquin Books.

 

At Hay House, Allison Adler has joined as senior editor. She was previously at Chronicle Prism.

 

Company Kevin Anderson & Associates hires Sarah Grill as project manager. She was previously senior editor at Atria and Emily Bestler Books.

 

At Podium Entertainment, Emily Magee has joined as director of acquisitions. She was previously at PocketFM. Stephanie Manova has also joined as director of acquisitions. She was previously at Crooked Lane Books and Alcove Press.

 

At Alcove Press, Maia Larson joins as editor. Larson was previously at Pegasus Books and Radish Fiction.

 

At Blink, Veronique Norton has joined as editorial director. Previously, she was at Coronet, which closed over the summer. 

 

Crooked Lane hires Elena Silverberg as subsidiary rights manager. Silverberg was previously at Skyhorse.

 

At Harlequin, Kimberley Conroy is set to join Harlequin Special Edition as assistant editor.

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In Agency News…

Within Watermark Agency, Lynn Grady joins as vice president and agent based in New York City. She was previously SVP and deputy publisher at William Morrow, publisher at Dey Street Books, and group publisher at Chronicle Books. Pete Mulvihill joins as an agent based in San Francisco. He is also the co-owner of Green Apple Books. Lily McMahon joins as literary associate based in San Francisco. McMahon was most recently an assistant editor at Bloomsbury UK.

 

At Howard Morhaim Literary Agency, Nina Richner has been promoted to literary agent.

 

Britt Siess Creative Management promotes Katie Brackman to junior agent.

 

At P.S. Literary Agency, Alexandra Grana has joined as associate literary agent. She was previously associate literary agent at Corvisiero Literary Agency.

 

Dunow, Carlson & Lerner brings on Veronica Goldstein as an agent. She was previously an agent at UTA. 

 

Within Park, Fine & Brower, Stuti Telidevara is promoted to literary agent.

 

At Storm Literary Agency, Jenna Satterthwaite has been promoted to agent.

 

The Future of Agency hires Saimah Haque as a senior marketing director.

 

At The Rights Factory, Alexandra D’amico has joined as literary agent and co-associate film and TV agent, representing adult fiction and nonfiction. She was previously associate agent at Transatlantic. Natasha Mihell has been promoted to literary agent and co-associate film and TV agent, relaunching the agency’s film/TV efforts with Alexandra. Trisha Telep has been promoted to literary agent. Nikki Carrero has been promoted to assistant agent, representing adult and YA fiction.

 

At Rosecliff Literary, Kelsey Evans joins as agent. She was previously at Triada US. Arizona Bell has joined as an agent, specializing in nonfiction.

 

Claire Draper has founded a new agency, Au Literary Management, and is bringing their client list with them.

 

Mulcahy Sweeney Associates has relaunched as International Creative Agency. Sharmaine Lovegrove, who is based in Berlin, joins as partner and agent. She was most recently cultural strategist at Hachette UK.

 

At Massie McQuilkin & Altman, Ashley Lopez is joining as literary agent. She was formerly director of foreign rights and an agent at WLA Books.

 

Within Susanna Lea Associates, Laura Mamelok has returned to the agency, where she worked for nearly a decade, as vice president. Most recently, she was senior subsidiary rights director at Little, Brown and Company. 

 

At Mushens Entertainment, Maria Whelan joins as agent. She was previously at InkWell Management.

 

Aevitas Creative Management hires Jenni Ferrari-Adler as a senior agent. She was previously at Verve.

 

At Salky Literary Management/Charlotte Sheedy Literary Agency, Kristin Ostby joins as literary agent and director of the children’s division of both agencies, based in New York. 

 

Within Looking Glass Literary & Media, Stefanie Molina-Santos is joining the agency, bringing her clients with her and representing picture books, middle grade, and adult fiction and nonfiction. She was previously at Ladderbird Literary Agency.

 

Agency Enliven Endeavors welcomes Calvert Morgan as senior literary agent. He was most recently executive editor at Riverhead.

 

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PROMOTIONS

At Penguin Random House, Aubrey Khan has been promoted to senior designer for Crown Publishing Group. Nerylsa Dijol has been promoted to designer and Elisabet Stenberg has been promoted to production manager for Penguin Publishing Group. Kelly Chian has been promoted to vice president, executive director, managing editorial and production editorial for Random House Publishing Group. Within Penguin Publishing Group, Mark Birkey has been promoted to senior director of  production editorial, Loren Noveck has been promoted to director of production editorial, Tess Espinoza has been promoted to senior director of production editorial, and Brittany Bergman has been promoted to senior production editor. Emily Isayeff has been promoted to director of publicity for Ballantine. Madison Goyette has been promoted to senior designer for BOOM! Studios. At Penguin Press, Casey Denis has been promoted to senior editor. At Penguin Audio, Brian Ramcharan has been promoted to executive producer. Denise Lee has been promoted to executive producer. Darlene Sterling has been promoted to senior manager for pre-production. Ian Conlin has been promoted to senior associate, production. Emily Krentz has been promoted to manager, post production & media assets. Brisa Robinson has been promoted to assistant director of publicity. At Crown, Lori Kusatzky has been promoted to editor. Austin Parks has been promoted to assistant editor. At Knopf, Micah Kelsey is promoted to associate publicist. At Random House Children’s, Lauren Adams has been promoted to senior director of marketing, brand, and licensed publishing. Emma Bohrer has been promoted to associate for marketing, brand, and licensed publishing. Jena DeBois has been promoted to assistant director, marketing, brand, and licensed publishing. Claire Rivkin has been promoted to senior manager for subsidiary rights. Lauren Adams has been promoted to senior director of marketing, brand, and licensed publishing. Emma Bohrer has been promoted to associate for marketing, brand, and licensed publishing. Jena DeBois has been promoted to assistant director in marketing, brand, and licensed publishing. Claire Rivkin has been promoted to senior manager, subsidiary rights. At Riverhead, Glory Anne Plata has been promoted to associate director of publicity. Viviann Do was promoted to associate marketing manager.

 

Hachette Book Group promoted Mackenzie Bronk to sales director, national accounts. Mackenzie Bronk has been promoted to director of sales, BN/BAM. Derek Meehan has been promoted to the newly created position of director for field strategy & operations. Workman Kids, Daniella Graner has been promoted to senior designer. Andy Wang has been promoted to designer.

 

Within Simon and Schuster, Ricki Blaustein has been promoted to demand planning analyst in Simon & Schuster’s Adult Demand Planning department. Libby McGuire has been promoted to executive vice president and director of adult U.S. content coordination. Emma Shaw has been promoted to an art associate. Hana Park and Ian Straus have been promoted to senior editor. Anna Hauser has been promoted to assistant editor. Andrea Gochnauer has been promoted to associate director of academic marketing. Larry Hughes and Elizabeth Herman are promoted to director of Publicity. Cat Boyd is promoted to associate director of publicity. Hannah Bishop is promoted to senior publicity manager. Cassandra Perez is promoted to associate publicist. At Saga, Amara Hoshijo has been promoted to executive editor. Caroline Tew has been promoted to assistant editor. Karintha Parker has been promoted to publicist. Andrea Gochnauer has been promoted to associate director of academic marketing. At Atria, Alison Hinchcliffe has been promoted to associate director of publicity. Holly Rice has been promoted to publicity manager. Debbie Norflus has been promoted to publicist. Camila Araujo has been promoted to publicist. Elizabeth Hitti has been promoted to associate editor. Abby Mohr has been promoted to associate editor. Ifeoma Anyoku and Hannah Frankel have been promoted to assistant editors. At Simon Element, Francesca Carlos has been promoted to senior marketing manager. Maria Espinosa has been promoted to associate editor. Gina Navaroli has been promoted to assistant editor. Madelyn Rodriguez has been promoted to designer. At Gallery Books, Lauren Carr has been promoted to deputy director of publicity. Lucy Nalen has been promoted to senior publicity manager. Hanna Preston has been promoted to assistant editor. At Simon and Schuster Children’s, Nicole Russo has been promoted to executive publicity director. Tara Shanahan has been promoted to senior publicity director. Lisa Quach has been promoted to associate marketing director for Aladdin, Little Simon, Simon Spotlight, Simon Pulse, Margaret K. McElderry Books, and Scarlett Press. Lucy Nalen has been promoted to senior publicity manager. Nicole Russo has been promoted to executive publicity director. Tara Shanahan has been promoted to senior publicity director. Lisa Quach has been promoted to associate marketing director for Aladdin, Little Simon, Simon Spotlight, Simon Pulse, Margaret K. McElderry Books, and Scarlett Press. Caitlin Sweeny has been promoted to executive director, marketing for Little Simon, Simon Spotlight, Boynton Bookworks, Aladdin, Simon Pulse, Margaret K. McElderry Books, and Scarlett. Erin Toller has been promoted to executive director, marketing for Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, Atheneum Books for Young Readers, Caitlin Dlouhy Books, Denene Millner Books, Sarah Barley Books, and Beach Lane Books. Antonella Colon has been promoted to publicist.

 

At Harper Collins, Kate Johnson has been promoted to senior vice president, DTC and consumer engagement. Alvar Jover has been promoted to global director of growth and analytics, adding the US Trade business to his purview.

 

Sourcebooks has promoted Chelsey Moler Ford to managing editor for children’s books. Andy Augusto has been promoted to senior director of international sales. Kim Cook has been promoted to marketing associate for Callisto Adult. Ellie Tiemens has been promoted to production editor within bespoke publishing operations. Jessica Nordskog has been promoted to art director, Callisto. Anna Campbell has been promoted to book designer on the children’s design team.

 

At Vintage, Heather Fain is named SVP, publishing director at Vintage, and marketing strategy for Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group, reporting to KDPR president and publisher Maya Mavjee.

 

At Norton, Elisabeth Kerr has been promoted to the new position of director, content and business strategy. Nicola DeRobertis-Theye has been promoted to director of subsidiary rights. Megan Schindel has been promoted to director within college and trade permissions.

 

Within Blackstone Publishing, Francie Crawford has been promoted to marketing manager.

 

At Orion Fiction, Charlotte Mursell has been promoted to publisher.

 

Kensington has promoted Susanna Gruninger to director of subsidiary rights.

 

At Hanover Square Press, Grace Towery has been promoted to editor.

 

Within Viking, Elizabeth Pham Janowski has been promoted to assistant editor.

 

At Flamingo Books, Cheryl Eissing has been promoted to senior editor.

 

At Emily Bestler Books, Hydia Scott-Riley has been promoted to assistant editor.

 

At Candlewick Press, Holiday House, and Peachtree, Cameron Moore has been promoted to associate national account manager for libraries & educators.

 

Levine Querido promoted Antonio Gonzalez Cerna to vp, director of marketing & publicity. Irene Vázquez has been promoted to editor. Danielle Maldonado has also been promoted to managing editor

 

At The New Press, Rachel Vega-DeCesario has been promoted to editor.

 

At Writers House, Angelamarie Malkoun has been promoted to associate, global licensing & media rights.

 

At Levine Querido, Antonio Gonzalez Cerna has been promoted to vp, director of marketing & publicity. Irene Vázquez has been promoted to editor. Danielle Maldonado has been promoted to Managing Editor

 

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DULY NOTED

Scholastic announced that the founding directors of Chicken House Publishing will step down after 25 years on December 31. This includes managing director Barry Cunningham, deputy managing director Rachel Hickman, and rights director Elinor Bagenal. Current editorial director Rachel Leyshon will become publisher as of January 1, 2026. They also named Lauren Sánchez Bezos as Literacy Champion for The United States of Readers, Scholastic’s classroom-to-home literacy support program for students in preK through eighth grade attending under-resourced schools.

 

At Hachette Book Group, Reese Witherspoon will be the spokesperson for the company’s Raising Readers initiative. She will deliver a message in fiction audiobooks, urging adults to encourage kids to read for enjoyment. 

 

Tracy Miracle has launched a publicity and marketing firm, Egypt Street PR & Literary. She was previously VP of publicity at Candlewick Press and the Walker Books Group, which she departed in July.

 

Viking celebrated its 100th anniversary at a party in New York City on Wednesday evening. As president and publisher Brian Tart noted in his remarks, founders Harold Guinzburg and George Oppenheimer intended to call the publisher Half Moon Press, named after Henry Hudson’s ship.

 

Former Tattered Cover co-owners Kristen Gilligan and Len Vlahos have launched hybrid publisher Left Field Publishing. They plan to publish fiction, non-fiction, YA and kids books. Authors pay half of upfront costs and share royalties with the company. The publisher writes, “At the same time, we will use crowdfunding campaigns to build excitement and raise money for some of those costs.” Titles slated for publication in 2025 and 2026 include, “An off-beat fantasy-YA from a critically-acclaimed, bestselling writer”; a “business book (on the art of negotiation) in the form of a novel by a successful real estate developer”; and a fantasy-horror novel by a debut author. 

 

Arthur Sze, 74, has been named the 25th poet laureate of the US. His most recent collection, Into the Hush, was published this year. He has spent twenty years in New Mexico teaching at the Institute of American Indian Arts. He succeeds Ada Limón and plans to focus on “poetry that has been translated into English from other languages.”

 

Author and literary agent Annie DeWitt has launched Enliven, an agency offering a “full suite of services, including literary agenting, book to film and TV rights, international rights, as well as a film development and production arm.” She was previously at the Shipman Agency.

 

The staff of Archway Editions posted a letter online announcing that the entire staff has stepped down, including founders Chris Molnar and Nic Nicoludis, senior editor Naomi Falk, and publicist Mia Risher.

 

Founder of Chicago Review of Books Adam Morgan has launched Alderbrink, an online magazine devoted to fine press books. Coverage will include reviews and breaking news. The magazine is named for Alderbrink Press, a Chicago fine press that was headquartered in the Fine Arts Building.

 

New York University hosts PublisHer event for the second time Monday, September 22nd. The  event was in collaboration with the New York University (NYU) School of Professional Studies‘ Center for Publishing, Writing, and Media, and with the UN Publications office.

 

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EVENTS

October 1st-6th 

The New Yorker Festival

New York, NY 

October 9th-25th

Litquake

San Francisco, CA

October 15-19th 

Frankfurt Book Fair

Frankfurt, DE

Saturday, October 25th

Boston Book Festival

Boston, MA