Agent Laurie McLean has left Larsen Pomada after 8 years and formed Foreword Literary, in partnership with former Larsen Pomada colleague Pam van Hylckama Vlieg and Gordon Warnock, who was an agent at Andrea Hurst & Associates. They are joined by assistant agents Danielle Smith and Jen Karsbaek. Foreword Literary will be a “virtual agency,” with professionals in the San Francisco Bay area, Sacramento, Chicago and the central coast of California to start. The agency aims to “blend the knowledge and skills of traditional publishing with the brash new opportunities engendered by digital publishing, self-publishing, ebooks, and technology. NYT bestselling YA fantasy author Julie Kagawa is moving with McLean, as are 24 of her other clients, 23 of van Hylckama Vlieg’s clients, and all of Warnock’s clients.
Simon and Schuster UK Children’s has appointed Elv Moody as the new editorial director for children’s fiction, starting in early June. She is currently editorial director at Puffin UK.
At Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Jill Lazer adds responsibility for the production of the new culinary list and CliffsNotes, in addition to her current role of managing the HMH general interest titles, promoted to vp of production. Sandy Grebenar has been promoted to svp, production and creative services, also expanding her role to include the new culinary line, Websters New World and CliffsNotes.
In Italy at Edizioni Mondadori there is a new organizational structure. Antonio Riccardi was appointed associate publisher, reporting to managing director Laura Donnini. In the fiction department, still run by Antonio Franchini, Federica Manzon was appointed editor of foreign literary and general fiction; Joy Terekiev is senior editor of foreign imprint authors and women’s fiction; and Marta Treves is editor of foreign entertainment fiction, fantasy, crossover and new adult. Luigi Sponzilli rejoined the paperback department as senior editor for the Oscar imprint. Chiara Scaglioni joined the popular nonfiction department as editor, reporting to Gabriella Ungarelli.