Perseus Books Group imprint Seal Press is being aligned within the company, moving from its historical place as part of the Avalon Group — Avalon Publishing purchased Seal in 2002 — to a more practical alignment with PBG’s Da Capo Press, where Seal will be an imprint. As a result, the publisher position is being eliminated, and publisher since 2005 Krista Lyons will leave the company on July 1. Avalon publisher Bill Newlin says in the announcement, “Krista Lyons has been Seal’s champion, publishing books for an expanding readership while remaining true to Seal’s roots in the feminist movement. For 19 years Krista has been a leader, a mentor, and a friend to countless authors and colleagues at both Seal and Avalon Travel, for which we’re enormously grateful.”
Da Capo Lifelong editorial director Renee Sedliar, based in Berkeley, CA, will now also become editorial director of Seal, continuing to report to Da Capo publisher John Radziewicz. Seal editors Laura Mazer and Stephanie Knapp will report to Sedliar, while associate publicist Molly Conway will report to Da Capo publicity director Lissa Warren.
In other personnel news, Kelly Barrales-Saylor has joined Sourcebooks as editorial director, children’s nonfiction. Previously she was editorial director at Albert Whitman.
The Crown Publishing Group announced a number of recent promotions within its marketing department. Kevin Sweeting has been promoted to senior marketing manager, Clarkson Potter, while Stephanie Davis also moves up to the same position for Clarkson Potter and Harmony. Lauren Velazquez has been promoted to assistant marketing manager, Clarkson Potter. Sean Civale and Roxane Hiatt have both been promoted to marketing associate, the former for Crown Archetype and Harmony, and the latter for Crown, Hogarth, Broadway, and Tim Duggan Books.
In addition, Stevie Mac has joined Crown as marketing manager, ad/promo. She most recently held marketing positions at IHOP and Whole Foods.
Erin Wicks has been promoted to associate editor at Harper.
At Open Road, Brett Collins has been promoted to creative product director. In addition, Aliza Polkes has joined as assistant editor, The Lineup.
Kathy Bartson has joined the Binc Foundation in the newly created role of director of development. Bartston, who has spent the past 16 years working for Ann Arbor-based nonprofits, will lead Binc’s fundraising initiatives with the goal of creating a financially sustainable Foundation to fund emergency financial assistance programs in support of bookstore employees across the country.
In the UK, Bea Hemming will join Jonathan Cape as deputy publishing director on August 30. Previously she was editorial director at Weidenfeld & Nicolson.
Marion Duvert is joining The Clegg Agency as foreign rights director. She was previously , senior editor for foreign fiction at Editions du Seuil (after selling foreign rights for Farrar, Straus).
Memorial
St. Martin’s has announced memorial information for the late Patti Hughes. The family is holding visiting hours for family and friends on Friday, June 17, 2016 from 4:00 to 8:00 at the Codey & Jones Funeral Home in Caldwell, NJ. A mass will be offered on Saturday, June 18 at 10 in Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament R.C. Church in Roseland, NJ. Macmillan will also be hosting a celebration of her publishing life on Wednesday, July 13 at 4:30 PM, with a location to come, and open to all who knew her. An online memorial page is available at www.codeyjonesfh.com.