Becky Kraemer will join Tin House as publicity director starting December 1. She most recently led her own book publicity firm, Cursive Communications & Marketing. Elizabeth Breeden has been promoted to associate director of marketing at Simon & Schuster. Obituaries Sharon Propson, 44, a publicist for Random House for more than 20 years, died on November 7 of cancer. Random House Publishing Group president and publisher Gina Centrello writes, “Sharon was a consummate collaborator. She shared some of her most special gifts with her colleagues — her passion, generous heart, boisterous laugh, her patience, and unwavering attention as she mentored […]
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People, Etc.
Jenny Chen will join Ballantine Bantam Dell as a senior editor on November 16, reporting to Jennifer Hershey. She was at Crooked Lane Books.. At Hachette Nashville, Sean McGowan has joined as editor, acquiring for Center Street, Faith Words, and Worthy. India Hunter has joined as associate editor, acquiring for Faith Words and Worthy. At Brower Literary & Management, Aimee Ashcraft has been promoted to literary agent and Anna Atoria to associate subrights agent. Zoila Peña has been promoted to assistant manager of customer service for all Workman Publishing imprints. Imprints goop Press will try again, this time through Rodale Books. The magazine […]
People, Etc.: A New Penguin Random House Español Division, and More
Penguin Random House is creating a new Penguin Random House Español division as of January 1 that will bring together Miami-based Penguin Random House Grupo Editorial USA with the New York-based Vintage Español, announced Monday by PRH US ceo Madeline McIntosh. Silvia Matute will serve as president of the new division, out of Miami, continuing to report to Roberto Banchik at Penguin Random House Grupo Editorial. Vintage Español team members will remain based in New York and report to Matute effective immediately, and Vintage Español publishing director Cristobal Pera will “move on…later in the new year” after advising throughout the […]
People
At Atria, Lisa Sciambra has been promoted to director of publicity; Dana Trocker is now associate publisher; and Suzanne Donahue takes the new role of vp, director of backlist marketing, with all three reporting to publisher Libby McGuire. Additionally, Megan Rudloff has been promoted to publicist. At Random House Children’s, Lauren Adams has been promoted to assistant director, brands and proprietary marketing.
Kirkus Prize Winners Announced
The winners of the 2020 Kirkus Prize were announced Thursday night at a virtual ceremony hosted from the Austin Central Library. Raven Leilani‘s Luster (FSG) won for fiction. (The book was featured in our Buzz Books 2020 Spring/Summer sampler.) Mychal Denzel Smith‘s Stakes Is High: Life After the American Dream (Bold Type Books) took nonfiction. The award for Young Readers’ Literature went to I Am Every Good Thing, by Derrick Barnes, illustrated by Gordon C. James (Nancy Paulsen Books).
Harper Rebounds As Well with Good First Quarter
News Corp. reported earnings for their fiscal first quarter, ending September 30, on Thursday afternoon, with publisher HarperCollins showing growth after five straight quarters of sales declines. Sales of $458 million were up 13 percent versus $405 million a year ago. ($4 million of the gain was due to currency exchange.) EBITDA was back to the level from two years ago, at $71 million, up from $49 million a year ago. News Corp. said the publishers’ “strong results reflected the importance of savvy commissioning, combined with sensible cost control.” The growth was attributed to new releases from the general books […]