Farrin Jacobs will join Little, Brown Young Reader’s Poppy imprint as editorial director on October 15, reporting to Megan Tingley. Jacobs spent the past six years at HarperTeen, most recently as editorial director.
Tom Miller has joined the Business Group at McGraw-Hill Professional as executive editor. He was formerly executive editor at Wiley.
At Perseus Distribution, Judy Courtade has been promoted to the newly created role of associate director, backlist sales, effective October 15. Jessica Schmidt has been named associate director, client services. She was most recently manager of publisher relations at Audible. Additionally, Ari Brenman joins as manager, client services. Previously he was sales associate at New Video Group.
At Nelson Literary Agency, Anita Mumm has been promoted to submissions & Asian territory rights coordinator.
Lucy Abrahams in the UK is now scouting for Buchet Chastel.
The University of Missouri Press has rehired Clair Willcox as editor-in-chief and associate director just two months after laying him off in an attempt by the school to shut the press down. Willcox will report to provost Brian Foster, who said in a statement, “we’re very excited to have Clair returning to the Press as we move forward with this transition.”
Keeping to their traditional schedule, the Swedish Academy announced that the Nobel Prize for Literature will be awarded on Thursday, October 11.
The Women’s Prize for Fiction (formerly known as the Orange Prize) will be “privately funded” in 2013 by a mix of companies and individuals, including Christopher Foyle, Joanna Trollope, Cherie Blair and Martha Lane Fox. The full prize money will be awarded, and a corporate sponsor is expected for 2014.