Longtime president and publisher of Viking Children’s Books Regina Hayes will relinquish that position and serve as editor-at-large, just as she celebrates her thirtieth anniversary at Penguin. Writers House agent Ken Wright will take over as vp and publisher of Viking Children’s on August 27, reporting to Penguin Children’s president Don Weisberg.
Weisberg says in the announcement, “Ken Wright is respected among the industry for his literary and commercial sensibility. His fantastic nose for new talent and respect for the classics make him the perfect candidate to helm and grow Viking’s celebrated list.” Wright notes, “Let’s face it, it’s one of the best jobs in the business. I am very fortunate.” Prior to joining Writers House he was as Scholastic as an editorial director and then associate publisher of the trade division.
Zola Books has made two key hires, bringing in Mary Ann Naples as chief of business development and Seale Ballenger as head of marketing and publicity. Naples was most recently vp, business development at OpenSky, and at Zola Books she will lead development of exclusive ebook partnerships with major authors. Ballenger was previously vp, group publicity director at William Morrow.
Denise Mina has won the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year award for The End of the Wasp Season (Orion/Reagan Arthur Books).
Robert Creamer, 90, author of biographies of Babe Ruth and Casey Stengel, died Wednesday in Saratoga Springs, NY from prostate cancer.
NYT obit
Finally, the Hunger Games figures we cited Thursday indicate the number of copies circulating for print and digital formats, not copies “sold” as originally stated.