Owner of Houston independent mystery bookshop Murder By the Book McKenna Jordan will join Minotaur Books as a dedicated outside publishing consultant to the imprint, a newly created role. Jordan will report to associate publisher Kelley Ragland, who will help Jordan make “her unique and successful experience in the positioning, selling, and marketing of mysteries and crime fiction available on an exclusive basis to Minotaur’s staff of editors and marketers.”
Minotaur publisher Andy Martin said in the announcement: “Since I joined Minotaur Books in 2006, I have eagerly sought the advice of some of the great practitioners in the field out there hand-selling mysteries every day. McKenna was always very approachable, interested, energetic and wildly knowledgeable and insightful about the field. She personifies the best case scenario of a bookseller as a publishing partner. It will be extremely valuable and exciting to have her on board officially as a unique part of our team.” Jordan added: “I am so very excited to be working with Andrew, Kelley and the rest of the staff at Minotaur Books! After years of hand-selling their titles on the front lines at Murder By The Book, I hope to be able to bring a unique, first-hand insight about how best to market and promote Minotaur titles to all consumers.”
Hannah Bowman, senior agent at Liza Dawson Associates, will open a West Coast office of the agency on August 1st.
Moe Ferrara has joined BookEnds Literary Agency as a literary agent and subsidiary rights director. Previously she worked at the Guild Agency as contracts manager.
Lindsey Lochner has been promoted to community and marketing director at NetGalley.
Awards
Hungarian author László Krasznahorkai won the Booker International Prize, cited by the judges as “a visionary writer of extraordinary intensity and vocal range who captures the texture of present day existence in scenes that are terrifying, strange, appallingly comic, and often shatteringly beautiful.”
Alexander McCall Smith won the Bollinger Everyman Wodehouse Prize.
The Desmond Elliott Prize shortlist was announced, with the winner to be named July 1:
Elizabeth Is Missing, by Emma Healey
Our Endless Numbered Days, by Claire Fuller
A Song for Issy Bradley, by Carys Bray