Author Jay Asher responded further to remarks from SCBWI executive director Lin Oliver on Wednesday through a statement provided by Tammy Taylor at Sitrick and Company, a strategic communications firm whose specialties include reputation and crisis management. In the statement, Asher admits to having had relationships with “many” women connected in some way to the SCBWI, noting “Asher was married at the time of these relationships, as were many of the women.” Taylor says that seven anonymous women had sent a letter to SCBWI in April 2017 about Asher. “He is deeply sorry for the pain these consensual decisions caused his […]
Authors
Asher Says He Left SCBWI On His Own, and Feels “Harassed” Himself
After Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators executive director Lin Oliver acknowledged (per our report yesterday) that Jay Asher, author of Thirteen Reasons Why, had been expelled from the SCBWI last year in the wake of sexual harassment allegations, Asher denied that account to BuzzFeed News. “I love the organization, but they didn’t decide to push me out. It was my decision,” Asher said. He reports that Oliver “said the email [reporting allegations against him] contained nothing that their organization should have anything to do with.” But Oliver has said in written statements that “both Jay Asher and David Diaz […]
People, Etc.
Eric Henney will join Basic Books as editor, starting February 20. Most recently he was commissioning editor at Princeton University Press. Pronoy Sarkar has been promoted to associate editor at Picador. Among the St. Martin’s promotions announced yesterday, we overlooked that Anne Marie Tallberg moved up to vp, publishing director of St. Martin’s Paperbacks and Griffin, reporting to Jen Enderlin. At Bonnier’s Igloo Books, Bonnie Hunter has been hired as joint vp for the US business, running that unit along with Jeremy Nurnberg, who is promoted to joint vp. Hunter was director of sales at Parragon Books in the US. Additionally, Darren Witherall […]
People, Etc.
Anke Steinecke has been promoted to chief legal officer of Penguin Random House worldwide, and will continue as executive vice president, general counsel, Penguin Random House US reporting to ceo Markus Dohle in both capacities. Anna Dobben has joined the National Book Foundation as awards and relationships manager. She was previously publicist at Knopf. John Sellers will join Houghton Mifflin Harcourt on January 29 as publicity director for children’s books. He has been children’s reviews editor at Publishers Weekly since 2009. Sarah Brohman has joined LifeTree Media as editorial director. Previously she worked at Random House Canada and ran a freelance editing, content […]
People, Etc.
Rachel Chou will join Celadon Books as associate publisher, leading the publicity and marketing team, starting January 17. Most recently she had been general manager/chief content officer for Open Road Integrated Media, where she as part of the founding executive team. Beth Ineson will take over as executive director of the New England Independent Booksellers Association, as Steve Fischer retires. Most recently she was executive director, retail book sales, marketing and operations at America’s Test Kitchen. Jennifer Myers joined Crooked Lane as a production editor. She was previously an associate production editor at Berkley. At the Transatlantic Agency, Stephanie Sinclair has been […]
Book TV: The New York Times Pairs with PBS NewsHour; Chicago’s Book Hunt Pilot
The New York Times and PBS NewsHour will launch a collaborative monthly book club, Now Read This, starting with Jesmyn Ward’s National Book Award-winning novel Sing, Unburied, Sing. The book club will debut tonight on PBS NewsHour, and over the course of the month readers can join in on both outlet’s platforms and websites as well as a dedicated Facebook group. The month’s reading will culminate in the author being interviewed by NewsHour arts correspondent Jeffery Brown. “With the launch of ‘Now Read This’, we’re excited to expand the NewsHour’s decades long commitment to coverage of books and the arts,” […]