Matt Klise has been promoted to associate editor at Penguin Books.
April Wills has joined Sourcebooks as managing editor, children’s and YA.
Annie Hwang has joined Ayesha Pande Literary as an agent. She was at Folio Literary Management.
Alison Lewis has been promoted to agent at the Zoë Pagnamenta Agency.
Ashley Runyon will return to the University Press of Kentucky on March 11 as director. Most recently, she ran the trade list for Indiana University Press and Red Lightning Books.
Michael Millman joins the University of New Mexico Press as a senior acquisitions editor. He was previously with Viking and ABC-Clio/Greenwood.
At Bonnier Books UK, Stephen Dumughn has been promoted to the newly created role of adult trade marketing director. Felice McKeown becomes campaigns director.
Penguin Press UK publicity director Rosie Glaisher will retire next week after 32 years at the company. Thi Dinh will succeed her on February 24, reporting to managing director Stefan McGrath. She most recently worked at Riot Communications and Bloomsbury and as an independent publicist.
Charles Portis, 86, author of the novels True Grit, Norwood, and others, died on Monday in Little Rock, AR.
Novelist, playwright, biographer, and “literary bon vivant” A.E. Hotchner, 102, died on Saturday at home in Westport, CT.
Bookselling
The Barnes & Noble store in Braintree, MA will close on Saturday, February 22 after 26 years in business. According to a sign posted on the door, they were “unable to come to agreeable terms” on their lease with the landlord.
Events
Judy Blume will host the Children’s Author Breakfast at Book Expo, featuring Misty Copeland (Bunheads); Natalie Portman (Natalie Portman’s Fables); Raj Haldar (No Reading Allowed); Marie Lu (Skyhunter); and Kwame Mbalia (Tristan Strong Destroys the World).
Forthcoming
LeBron James his written a picture book for children, I PROMISE, which Harper Children’s will release on August 11. His foundation’s I Promise program has opened its own school in his hometown of Akron, OH, where it also coaches, teaches and mentors 1,100 children and offers scholarships to the University of Akron and Kent State University. The picture book is illustrated by Nina Mata. Harper says James will also write a middle grade novel for publication in 2021.
Initiatives
Bertelsmann has declared a goal to be climate neutral (“Klimaneutral”) in 10 years, by 2030. The company plans to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions they are responsible for 50 percent compared with 2018, and will offset the other half of their emissions.