Agent Jud Laghi has formed the Jud Laghi Agency. He will continue to be affiliated with LJK Literary Management, where he was a senior agent, and will share office space and collaborate on projects with Kirshbaum and his colleagues. Laghi says, “I’ll continue to represent primarily non-fiction projects, especially narrative, popular culture and business, along with literary fiction and thrillers. And I’m excited to both see, and partake in, what new opportunities will arise for authors in our rapidly evolving industry.” Barnes & Noble.com has hired Jonathan Shar as general manager, digital newsstand and emerging content, responsible for “creating and […]
Agency News
DeFiore Absorbs the Creative Culture
Following the recently-announced departure of co-founder Mary Ann Naples, the remaining staff of the literary agency The Creative Culture has become part of DeFiore and Company. Agents Debra Goldstein, Laura Nolan, Matthew Elblonk and Karen Gerwin are all joining DeFiore in the agency’s Flatiron offices, with company now comprising nine agents. In other personnel news, at the Random House publishing group marketing department, Matt Schwartz has been promoted to the new position of vp, director of digital marketing and strategy, reporting to director of marketing Sanyu Dillon. “In addition to overseeing our digital marketing initiatives, he will also partner in […]
People and Companies
Agent Mary Ann Naples, co-owner of The Creative Culture, has joined startup OpenSky (www.theopenskyproject.com) as vp of development, representing the voices of authors and brands at the company. Former Scholastic UK managing director (and then briefly chief executive of the Headline publishing group) Kate Wilson is starting a children’s book publisher, Nosy Crow, launching in January 2011. The company is focusing on both traditional printed books as well as books as electronic apps. Ralph Munsen joins Hachette Book Group today as svp, chief information officer. He was most recently vp, technology at Clear Channel..He will lead HBG’s technology group, and […]
People
Today all from the UK: At Harper UK, publishing director Lynne Drew has been promoted to publisher, fiction and will now oversee the company’s entire adult fiction program. Publishing director Julia Wisdom moves up to publisher, crime and thrillers, and deputy publishing director Sarah Ritherdon is in charge of commercial women’s fiction, with both reporting to Drew. Senior commissioning editor Emma Coode has been promoted to editorial director of science fiction imprint Voyager, reporting to publishing director Jane Johnson. Former Harper UK Children’s publishing director Gillie Russell will join Aitken Alexander as an agent, focusing on YA and children’s books. […]
People, and A New Funke
Laney Katz Becker has joined the Markson Thoma Literary Agency as an agent. She was previously at Folio Literary Management. Former publisher of Harcourt Children’s Lori Benton has joined educational children’s publisher Capstone as general manager/publisher of their fiction imprints, which include Stone Arch Books and Picture Window Books.Cornelia Funke‘s next book RECKLESS (and the first in a new series) will have an international laydown on September 14. Little, Brown Children’s says they will print a million copies for the US market, joined on publication date with releases from Chicken House in the UK and Dressler in Germany. The book […]
People
Direct Brands has hired David Gitow as chief marketing officer and Alan Katz as evp, business development, the first major appointments under new ceo Deborah Fine. Gitow was cmo at both BN.com and Barnes & Noble, and in a long time stretch at Time, Inc. founded and ran Time, Inc. Home Entertainment. Katz has had a long career in magazine publishing, including executive positions at Vanity Fair and New York. BookEnds Literary Agency co-founder Jacky Sach will retire from publishing after 10 years as an agent for “new opportunities.” Sach began her publishing career in 1985 at Berkley. BookEnds will […]