Meredith McGinnis will join Norton’s trade department on December 3 in the newly-created position of director of marketing, responsible for creating strategy, determining priorities and procedures, and overseeing all aspects of marketing initiatives, both traditional and digital, for the entire trade list. She was most recently director of marketing at Harmony and Clarkson Potter and has almost two decades of experience in book publishing. McGinnis will report to Norton president Drake McFeely.
Jo Lusby has been promoted to managing director, Penguin Random House North Asia, after nine years as managing director for Penguin China. Lusby reports to Gabrielle Coyne and will work alongside Cyrus Kheradi, who will also have oversight of Penguin Random House US sales and marketing in Korea. Coyne said in the announcement: “I have no doubt that Jo’s experience with English, Chinese, and Korean language publishing under the Penguin brand, as well as helping drive the sale and marketing of imported books from the US and UK, are what we need in order strengthen our core and achieve our strategy. The recent acquisition of a distribution license in China, coupled with digital agreements for sales of our eBooks now being in place, positions us to expand Chinese and English language publishing across adult and children’s markets.” Lusby added: “There is a thriving community of English and local language readers and booksellers in the diverse markets of North Asia. I am very proud of our achievements here since 2005 and I am very much looking forward to working with international colleagues, to grow local publishing and English-language sales for Penguin Random House in this dynamic region.”
Sulay Hernandez has launched Unveiled Ink, a book development and editorial consulting venture working with with literary agents and writers to prepare manuscripts for traditional or self-publication. She had been an editor at Other Press and Touchstone.
Former World Book Night US executive director Carl Lennertz has launched ExpressEdit.net, a service “based on my belief that the first pages of a manuscript draft hold all keys to the entire pace, characters, details, settings and tone of the book.” He provides “an in-depth edit of your first 15 pages.” Lennertz notes, I am not at all as experienced as the many freelance editors working now, but I know I can provide a service that can benefit many authors, notably those without the funds for a full edit or someone just looking for a fresh perspective.”
In distribution news, as of January 1, 2015 the University of Chicago Press will distribute, sell, and market Pluto Press and Zed Books in North and South America, except Canada (representing the latter in Australia and New Zealand as well).