Cheryl L. Davis has joined the Authors Guild as general counsel. She is a former partner at Menaker & Herrmann, where she focused on intellectual property issues and litigating copyright and trademark cases. Davis is also an award-winning playwright. She says in the announcement, “This job is really a dream come true for me. Not only does it open new horizons for me in the practice of intellectual property law, it gives me the opportunity to help my fellow authors and advocate for their rights.”
At Putnam, Tara Singh Carlson has been promoted to executive editor.
Gallery Books Group associate publisher Jennifer Long has been named a vice president, and beginning in January she will oversee all mass market publications at Simon & Schuster. She also takes over management of Gallery’s marketing team. As a result of the marketing group realignment, Liz Psaltis will be leaving the company at the end of this year.
Julie Temple Stan has joined Highlights in the new position of vice president, editorial director, Highlights Learning. Mostly recently, she worked as president of baby gift box company Bluum.
At Hachette Australia, Vanessa Radnidge was promoted to head of nonfiction; Rebecca Saunders was made head of fiction; Robert Watkins moves up to head of literary and head of illustrated; and Jeanmarie Morosin is now head of children’s publishing.
At Canada’s Greystone Books, managing editor Jennifer Croll has been promoted to the new role of editorial director; and Paula Ayer and Lucy Kenward have been hired as editors.
Amelia Edwards, 77, founding art director of Walker Books Group, died on November 22. Walker picture book publisher Deirdre McDermott said, “She enthused those of us who were privileged enough to have worked alongside her with her energy, her humor (she really loved to laugh — which she did often and loudly), and her sharing, inclusive nature. We learned everything about typography and great picture book illustration from Amelia. She used to say that she was ‘in charge of the white space.’ Amelia was the most generous mentor and friend.”
Best Ofs
Both Newsday and Elle announced their Best Books of 2017 lists.