At Random House Children’s, Lauren Diaz Morgan has been promoted to associate manager, subsidiary rights. Jake Eldred becomes senior managing editor.
Amanda Orozco has joined Transatlantic Agency as literary agent. She was previously with Park & Fine Literary and Media.
Talent agency Markham Froggatt and Irwin has joined The Curtis Brown Group in the UK.
Picks
Farrar, Straus announced that Severance by Ling Ma is December’s NYT-PBS NewsHour Now Read Book Club Pick.
Awards
Anna Burns won the International Dublin Literary Award for Milkman.
Thinkingdom Media Group’s Astra Publishing House, minedition Switzerland, minedition France, and Thinkingdom in China are backing a new Astra International Picture Book Writing Contest, to “encourage, discover, and honor talented writers of picture books for children ages 3–8 from all over the world.” Entries are welcomed in English, Chinese, French, Spanish, or German. Winners will receive cash prizes of $10,000, $5,000, or $1,000, plus a separate “opportunity to sign publishing contracts with the sponsors to publish the manuscripts in one or more languages.”
Diversity
Canadian book chain Indigo has signed the 15 Percent Pledge, committing to increasing their commitment to diversity, equality and inclusion. The retailer wrote on their website that they aim to have “at least 15 percent of the books on display and new to our assortment written by BIPOC authors” by 2021. They will also aim to have at least 15 percent of their lifestyle products from businesses owned by Black and Indigenous people and people of color over the next 2 to 5 years; will have least 23 percent of the books on display written by BIPOC authors in the next 2 to 5 years; and will “regularly reassess our assortment to ensure it represents the diversity of Canada.” Additionally, the company promised that “at least 25 percent of our [marketing] campaigns will feature BIPOC models and at least 20 percent of our social content will feature BIPOC brands and books.”
In addition, the company wrote on its website that it’s increasing its diversity and inclusion efforts by adding employee training and resources. Indigo ceo Heather Reisman said in a statement, “We are pleased to be joining the 15 Percent Pledge. We are looking forward to further growing the number of brands and authors that we support through our platform and continue to look for opportunities to ensure that all Canadians see themselves in Indigo.”