Elmore Leonard, 87, author of more than 40 novels who helped redefine the crime genre over the past four decades, died Tuesday morning at his home outside of Detroit from complications of a stroke he suffered earlier this month. His novels, many of which were the basis of successful film and television adaptations, included GET SHORTY, RUM PUNCH, 3:10 to YUMA, OUT OF SIGHT and, most recently, RAYLAN, and the Library of America had recently announced plans to publish the first of a three-volume collection of his books beginning in fall 2014.
As part of S&S Children’s reorganization of its publicity department, Anna McKean has been promoted to associate director of publicity for Aladdin, Pulse, Beach Lane, Paula Wiseman, and Novelty and Licensed Publishing, while Katy Hershberger has been named associate director of publicity of SSBFYR, McElderry, and Atheneum. In addition, Jillian Vandall recently joined the department as associate publicist. Previously she was a publicity assistant at Gallery Books.
At Chronicle Books, Sarah Billingsley has been promoted to editor, Food & Drink Group and Kelsey Premo Jones moves up to designer, marketing communications.
At Crown Publishing Group, Katie Stuart has been promoted to subsidiary rights associate.
Jessica Regel has joined Foundry Literary+Media as a domestic agent and Foreign Rights Associate for the agency’s children’s list, further growing Foundry’s Books for Young Readers department. She spent the past 11 years as an agent at Jean V. Naggar Literary Agency.
Shannon Hassan will join Marsal Lyon Literary Agency at the end of August. Previously she was an agent at the Warner Literary Group.
HarperCollins Canada will handle sales and distribution for UK-based children’s publisher Usborne Publishing Ltd.
Rachel Hecht is re-joining Mary Anne Thompson Associates as executive director of Children’s/YA scouting. In addition, the scouting firm has been appointed North American scout for Baltos Lankos in Lithuania, covering the adult market.
Macmillan and Nancy Tillman have licensed an interactive edition of Tillman’s picture book ON THE DAY YOU WERE BORN to Sourcebooks’ Put Me In the Story App.