Lia Ronnen joined Artisan Books as executive editor and associate publisher. She was executive editor at Melcher Media for 10 years.
Millicent Bennett will join Free Press as a senior editor on February 22. She has been at Random House for the past 3 years.
Digital Book World community leader Guy Gonzalez is leaving F+W Media at the end of the month. Matt Mullin, who worked on DBW among his assignments, will move over from the F+W events team to serve as DBW community relations/marketing manager.
In the UK, Sam Humphreys will leave Picador to become publisher of the Serpent’s Tail imprint, reporting to Profile publisher Daniel Crewe. Pete Ayrton will move over to editor-at-large.
Liz Gately Book Scouting has been appointed the US scout for Bragelonne in France. She is joined by new scout Cathrin Wirtz.
Chronicle Books has announced a batch of new hires and promotions. Among those joining the company are:
Daniel Hastings, executive producer, dynamic digital; Julie Hamilton (formerly at Rodale), senior sales manager, mass markets & warehouse clubs; Kim Lauber (formerly of Penguin Children’s), children’s marketing manager; Allison Weiner: designer, lifestyle; Holden Hardcastle, dynamic digital coordinator; and Kerri Suzanne Kyle (formerly at Borders), digital coordinator.
Among promotions, Victoria Thomas is now executive coordinator for editorial, sales & marketing; Todd Presley is HR manager; Jenifer Savasta is associate manager, subsidiary rights; and Naomi Kirsten is associate editor, children’s.
The International Publishers Association reported in an e-mail yesterday that the organization’s vice president Ibrahim El Moallem “is under attack, physically,” today. “Ibrahim says that the people on the street have gathered before his publishing house, Dar El Shorouk. They are defending him.” The IPA will post bulletins via @ipasecretary on Twitter.
Michelin North America (Canada) has new distributors in Canada for their travel guides, maps and atlases. Penguin Canada is distributing their titles in English; Ãditions du Renouveau Pédagogique is distributing the French versions.
In a new alliance, American Booksellers Association (ABA) members can now set up to use Monsoon‘s online selling software solutions to expose inventory to multiple online marketplaces and/or join Alibris at reduced fees.
To clarify yesterday’s item on Vince Flynn, he is collaborating with Brian Haig on an entirely new series. Flynn continues to write the Rapp books, the next of which is expected in October, on his own.