PEOPLE
Jonathan Shar has been named CEO of Barnes & Noble Education by the company’s board of directors. He succeeds Michael P. Huseby, whose resignation from the position went into effect on June 11th.
The National Book Foundation, has elected three new board members, bringing the board total to 23 members: Jonathan Karp, president and CEO of Simon & Schuster, Peggy Koenig, chair emeritus, Abry Partners; and Jahm Najafi, founder and CEO, The Najafi Companies.
As reported earlier, layoffs at Hachette Book Group include Little, Brown, where seven people were laid off including executive editor Ben George (who can be contacted at benjamincgeorge@gmail.com) and VP publisher Terry Adams. Hachette executive director of field sales, John Leary, left the company June 7th after 23 years. This follows a reorganization of the sales team: David Chaudhry, senior national accounts manager of CBA sales is leaving the company. Heather Hulse, manager of CBA sales administration is leaving the company. Meanwhile, Maggie Curley, formerly marketing analytics coordinator at Open Road Media, has joined Orbit as marketing manager. Nick Devaney joins as director of field sales on June 17. Most recently, Devaney was director of field sales at Penguin Random House, working on the Penguin list. Laura Pennock joins as VP of mass merchandising, wholesale, and library marketing on June 24th. She was previously at Macmillan where she oversaw the mass merchandising, wholesale, and distribution channels.
At Penguin Random House, Ben Hyman will join as editorial director for Schocklen on July 8th, reporting to Jordan Pavlin. Mari Kesselring has joined as publishing manager for Driven. .
At Simon & Schuster, Anne Speyer has joined Marysue Rucci Books as executive editor. Lesley Collins has joined as domestic rights manager and film and TV liaison. She was previously digital sales manager for the company.
At HarperCollins, Juliette Shapland, SVP, rights and permissions, will retire on July 31st after 26 years with the company. Jean McGinley will become SVP, rights and permissions, effective July 29th.
Disney has Anuoluwapo Ohioma, formerly associate editor at Penguin Workshop, has joined Freedom Fire/Disney Hyperion as editor.
New York Times Book Review, Jennifer Harlan will join as senior staff editor, focusing on service journalism about “what to read next”. She was previously at the Projects and Initiatives desk at the Times.
At Albert Whitman, Sue Tarsky, publishing director, has left the company and can be contacted at s.tarsky@btinternet.com.
House of SpeakEasy has appointed Daniel Gallant to executive director. He is a development and communications strategist for arts and cultural entities, as well as a writer, lecturer and event producer.
At Union Square & Co. Danielle Curtis has joined as editor for the health and wellness categories. She was most recently at Wiley.
At Abrams, Amanda Banci, formerly book production manager at Book of the Month, has joined as production manager. Kristina Korpus, formerly manga editor at Seven Seas Entertainment, has joined Abrams ComicArts as editor. Nate Lee, formerly administrative assistant at Writers House, has joined as assistant managing editor.
At Sourcebooks, Morgan Pfeiffer has joined as special markets sales coordinator.
Sasquatch Books, which was recently acquired by Blue Star Press, has Frances Baca join as president and Brian Hurley join as publishing director. Avalon Radys has joined as senior editor.
Entangled Publishing welcomes Sylvan Creekmore, formerly editor at Avon, has joined as senior editor.
At Nosy Crow Inc., Olivia Blackmer has joined as marketing assistant.
The University of Wisconsin Press sees Dan Crissman, formerly editorial director at Indiana University Press, join as editor-in-chief.
At Princeton University Press, Tim Wilkins, director of North American sales, will move into the newly created role of director of finance and sales.
At ReaderLink, Mark Nawrocki has joined as business analyst II. David Gorzek has joined as financial planning manager.
At Candlewick Press, Martha Kennedy is joining as assistant art director. Karen Menzie, formerly director of sales at Zibby Books, is joining as senior national account manager to Amazon.
Choose Your Own Adventure, Lizzi Middleman has returned as marketing director. Middleman started her career in publishing at Chooseco over a decade ago and has since worked at Hachette Book Group.
Poets & Writers, Jared Jackson has joined as director of programs and partnerships. He was previously program director, literary programs and emerging voices at PEN America.
At Books-A-Million, Courtney Adair joins as general counsel, reporting to president and CFP Todd Noden.
In Agency News…
At KT Literary, Kait Feldman has joined as an agent. Chelsea Hensley has been promoted to agent. Lauren Symonds has been promoted to senior agent.
At Creative Artist Agency, Michael Johnston has been promoted to agent in the books department. Tia Ikemoto has been promoted to agent in the books department. Julie Flanagan has been promoted to agent in the books department. Kelly Berger has been promoted to motion picture literary agent.
At Stimola Literary Studio, Hillary Godwin, formerly submission reader for Roaring Brook Press, has joined as literary agent assistant.
Aitken Alexander Associates, Harriet Moore will join June 17th. She was previously at David Higham Associates.
At Aevitas Creative Management UK, The Viney Agency founded by Charlie Viney has merged with ACM UK. Jack Ramm joins as agent. He previously ran his own agency, Ramm Studios. Jon Michael Darga has been promoted to senior agent.
At Kevin Anderson & Associates, Heather Schroder has joined as director of talent, VP, managing and growing KAA’s network of writers. Her agency, Compass Literary, will continue to operate as its own entity.
CookeMcDermid Literary Management, founding partner Sally Harding is retiring. She started The Harding Agency in 2005 and merged with The Cooke Agency in 2017.
PROMOTIONS
At Penguin Random House, Casey Moses has been promoted to assistant art director. Bessa Zenebework has been promoted to senior manager, advertising. Tricia Ryzner has been promoted to senior manager, advertising. Jordan Bishop has been promoted to senior associate, audience engagement. Kortney Hartz has been promoted to publishing manager. Lauren Appleton has been promoted to executive editor of Tarcher Perigee.
At Hachette Book Group, Saimah Haque is promoted to senior director of consumer marketing. Medina Cekovic will be moving into the newly created position of ecommerce marketing manager.
At Abrams, Rebecca Kaplan has been promoted to VP and editor-in-chief. Hema Sukhram is being promoted to royalty manager.
HarperCollins has promoted Meghan Deans to executive director of marketing at Ecco. Jacob Surpin has moved over as senior editor. Surpin was previously at Tarcher Perigee.
At Rizzoli International Publications, Tina Persaud, previously editorial director for Laurence King, has been appointed associate publisher of Rizzoli UK, starting in August.
At Scholastic MacKenzie Kurtzner has been promoted to planning coordinator.
At Sourcebooks, Raquel Latko has been promoted to associate director of sales, mass merch adult, managing sales and distribution strategy for adult titles into Readerlink accounts. Jess Elliot has been promoted to associate director of sales, mass merch kids, managing sales and distribution strategy for kids and YA titles into Readerlink accounts. Christina Noriega has been promoted to director of special markets and gift sales and will prioritize new business opportunities.
Sasquatch Books has promoted Tony Ong to art director. Anna Goldstein has been promoted to executive art director. Peggy Gannon has been promoted to senior production manager.
Chronicle Books has promoted Carlee Boomer to distribution client sales coordinator.
Candlewick Press has promoted Ainslie Campbell-Schwartz to associate editor.
John Hopkins University Press has promoted Kelly Hannagan to senior digital marketing manager. Kait Howard has been promoted to publicity director.
At ReaderLink, Will Campbell has been promoted to VP of Walmart sales. Julian Fernandez has been promoted to supply planner II.
Soho Press has promoted Lily Detaeye to associate publisher.
DULY NOTED
Authors Equity, the new publishing house that was created in March by former Penguin Random House and Macmillan executives Madeline McIntosh, Don Weisberg, and Nina von Moltke has announced its first 10 titles.
Arnaud Nourry, the former longtime head of Hachette Livre, has founded a publishing company, Les Nouveaux Éditeurs, which has entered into a first-look agreement for future editorial acquisitions with Simon & Schuster.
Anime NYC and Japan Society have come together to launch a new awards program, the American Manga Awards. It will take place on August 22nd and look to “celebrate the outstanding achievements of professionals in the world of Japanese comics”.
Jennifer Weiner announced that she is partnering with Philadelphia-based literary organization Blue Stoop to launch the Jennifer Weiner Fellowship. The fellowship will award $5,000 and mentoring opportunities to six emerging women prose writers in the US. Recipients will include “at least two writers of color, at least two parents, and at least two writers living in the greater Philadelphia area”.
EVENTS
June 19th-23rd
Beijing International Book Fair
Beijing, CNCC
June 23-26th
Newark, NJ
June 27th – July 2nd
San Diego, CA
July 4-7th
Los Angeles, CA
July 11-13th
Online
July 13-14th
Governors Island, NY
July 17th-23rd
HK
