Carolyn Savarese has joined Kneerim & Williams as an affiliated agent. She was group vice president for global licensing, international sales and marketing, contracts and legal affairs for Perseus Books Group, where she worked for 18 years. She will look for “authors of influence and books that matter — on subjects personal or political, historical or scientific, cultural or culinary.”
Christopher Goff, senior vice president and general counsel for HarperCollins will retire on September 30 after 28 years with the company. Bill Adams, currently senior vice president and associate general counsel at Penguin Random House, will succeed him as general counsel worldwide. The general counsels of each division will dual-report to their CEOs and Adams. CEO Brian Murray says in the announcement, “Chris has been a guiding force at HarperCollins for 28 years. He has played an integral role in the growth we’ve seen over the last decade. In addition, he has navigated some of the most interesting and challenging issues the publishing industry has faced in recent history.”
Murray adds, “[Adams’s] extensive experience in the book and media industries makes him uniquely qualified for this expanded General Counsel role. Our broad global footprint creates both new challenges and new opportunities. Bill will be instrumental in streamlining our legal and compliance strategy and execution around the world.”
Raquel Pelzel will join Clarkson Potter as editorial director on July 5. She will oversee their culinary list, reporting to Doris Cooper. She is the co-author of close to 20 books with chefs and celebrities, and appears as a judge on Food Network’s Beat Bobby Flay and Chopped Junior.
Bridget Monroe Itkin has been promoted to editor at Artisan Books.
Danielle Springer has been promoted to assistant editor for Putnam.
Author Michael Bond, 91, the creator of Paddington Bear, died. His most recent Paddington story, Paddington’s Finest Hour, was published earlier this year.
Author of controversial memoir Tiger, Tiger Margaux Fragoso, 38, died on Friday in Mandeville, LA of ovarian cancer.
Tom Kremer, 87, founder of Notting Hill Editions and the Essay Prize, died on June 24.
Penguin Random House Publisher Services is expanding their sales and distribution agreement with DC Entertainment to include the UK and Ireland starting September 1. PRHPS president Jeff Abraham says in the release, “Together, we have seen tremendous growth in DC sales into the book trade channels and believe that there is opportunity to further expand its potential with this extremely important territorial addition.”