Grove Atlantic has hired Judy Hottensen, who will rejoin the company as associate publisher, beginning September 6. She spent the past six years at Weinstein Books, most recently as publisher, but was at Grove/Atlantic from 1992 through 2005. Hottensen fills the position vacated earlier this summer by Eric Price. He is pursuing an interest in the visual arts, but will continue to acquire and edit for Grove’s drama list and assist in various operational and financial matters.
Elisabeth Schmitz has been promoted to VP, editorial director, and she and publicity director Deb Seager will both serve on Grove/Atlantic’s executive management committee, along with Hottensen. In addition, Stephanie Gilardi has been hired as senior publicist. Previously she was a publicist with The Penguin Press.
In a separate release, Perseus CEO David Steinberger said he would have word “very soon” on a new publisher for Weinstein Books (which operates as a co-publishing venture with Perseus), where a search has been underway, with Da Capo Press publisher John Radziewicz running the imprint on an interim basis. “As much as we’ll miss working with Judy at Weinstein Books, we’ll still be joining forces with her to make great books happen, since Grove Atlantic is of course one of our major distribution clients through PGW,” Steinberger said.
Elsewhere, executive director of marketing and publicity at Abrams Lottchen Shivers has left the company. She can be reached at lottchen.shivers@gmail.com.
Leslie Brandon will join Holt as a publicist on September 20. She was at The Overlook Press.
At Dutton, Ava Kavyani has been promoted to senior publicist.
Kathleen Purcell has purchased book publicity firm Pigtail Public Relations from Kimberly Bouchard. The company specializes in children’s, parenting and special needs books. Bouchard, who founded the pr company in 2000, is joining the Macmillan Speakers Bureau as sales, operations and event manager.
At Quercus, Paul Lenton has been named finance director, replacing Mike McGrath, who has taken on a wider role as executive director of group sales and will oversee all of Quercus’ sales, marketing, rights, co-edition and publicity efforts worldwide. In addition, David North has been promoted to executive director and publisher, overseeing the company’s four imprints, and Wayne Davies moves up to executive director, digital.
Susan Fromberg Schaffer, the National Book Award-nominated author of 14 novels and several books of poetry, died August 26 in Chicago at the age of 71. She had suffered a stroke more than two years ago and never regained mobility and speech, and was felled by a second stroke.
LAT Obit
Effective October 1, Publishers Group West will distribute Unbridled Books‘ print titles, with the press signing with Constellation for their ebook distribution.