Elizabeth Mendez Berry has joined One World as vice president and executive editor. She was previously with the Nathan Cummings Foundation, where she was the director of their arts and media portfolio. Gabriella Doob has been promoted to editor at Ecco. Lauren Diethelm has joined Random House Children’s as production associate. She was previously production assistant at professional sports publications. Bebe Barrow has joined Chronicle Books as sales operations coordinator. Lizz Skelly will join Bonnier Books UK as head of publicity for children’s books on February 17 (she is currently at PRH UK), and Emma Quick joins the company today […]
Awards
Russell’s My Dark Vanessa Tops March Indie Next List
The ABA named Kate Elizabeth Russell’s My Dark Vanessa as its Indie Next No. 1 pick for March. (The book has already sparked some controversy online. It comes to market as another highly-touted novel, acquired for seven figures and licensed around the world. Originally scheduled for January release, the book had its publication date moved, and could be in line for additional high-profile March selections.) Also on the list is Sharks in the Time of Saviors by Kawai Strong Washburn, excerpted and available for download in our Buzz Books 2020 Spring/Summer sampler. The rest of the picks: Writers & Lovers, […]
Briefs
People Linda Kaplan of Defiore and Company will now handle foreign rights for Mansion Street Literary Management. Awards Canadian author Susan Swan and Harper Canada senior editor Janice Zawerbny have founded the Carol Shields Prize for Fiction, which will award $150,000 annually to a work of fiction by a woman or nonbinary person published in the previous year, beginning in 2022. The prize is funded for the first three years by an anonymous corporate donor, and Swan and Zawerbny have created a foundation to raise money for administrative costs. Additionally, four finalists will each receive $12,500. The NYT writes that […]
February Picks
Reese Witherspoon chose The Scent Keeper by Erica Bauermeister as her February book club pick. Jenna Bush Hager’s Today Show Read With Jenna book club selected Abi Daré’s The Girl with the Louding Voice. Amazon‘s Spotlight Pick for February is Apeirogon by Colum McCann and its featured debut is Saint X by Alexis Schaitkin (excerpted and available for download now in our Buzz Books Fall/Winter sampler). The rest of their picks: The Girl with the Louding Voice, by Abi Daré Oona Out of Order, by Margarita Montimore Eden Mine, by S.M. Hulse When We We re Vikings, by Andrew David […]
People, Etc.
Florian Illies, publisher of Rowohlt in Germany, will step down “at his own request…at some later point this year.” Illies became publisher in January 2019, following the dismissal of publisher Barbara Laugwitz the previous August, a controversial selection at the time. Nicola Bartels will succeed him as publisher starting July 1. Bartels was most recently publisher at Random House Germany. Illies said in a statement, “I am leaving Rowohlt for personal reasons and I’ll do so with a heavy heart. After careful consideration, I have decided it is the time for a new beginning and to dedicate myself to my […]
People, Etc.
Harper Collins ANZ ceo James Kellow is stepping down after eight years in the role. Kellow joined the company in 2008 as sales director. Jim Demetriou will succeed him on March 3. He is currently group sales and marketing director at Allen & Unwin. Harper Collins UK ceo Charlie Redmayne said of Kellow: “James is one of the most experienced people in the industry and I would like to thank him for the significant contribution he has made to the company and I wish him every success with his future plans.” He said of Demetriou, “Jim is widely respected across […]