Madeline Jones will join Algonquin Books as editor in the New York office on January 25. She was most recently at Henry Holt. Carrie Bloxson will join Hachette Book Group on February 1 as vp, diversity and inclusion, and will also join the company’s executive management board. She was interim ceo and chief marketing officer at social impact organization DoSomething.org, and previously worked as a vp,marketing at HarperCollins. Bloxson is charged with helping the company to “achieve its objective to create a more diverse, inclusive, and equitable company with increased representation of people of color in HBG’s leadership, workplaces, and […]
New Imprints
Spiegel & Grau Returns, As An Independent Publisher
Cindy Spiegel and Julie Grau are re-launching Spiegel & Grau as an independent publisher. The line was started at Doubleday in 2007, moved to Random House in a December 2008 reorganization, and was ultimately discontinued in early 2019 in the consolidation of Random House and Crown. The founders will serve as co-ceos, with Liza Wachter as president. Wachter previously co-founded the RWSG Literary Agency, which was acquired by WME in 2016. The new company plans to publish 15 to 20 titles a year, but will also “produce original audio content and shepherd works from print or audio to film and […]
People: Grove Promotes Executives, Boosts Starting Salaries; Jay-Z’s Roc Nation Forms Imprint with Random House
At Grove Atlantic, Peter Blackstock is promoted to vp, deputy publisher, and his new responsibilities including beginning to work with ceo and publisher Morgan Entrekin on matters relating to business and finance. Amy Hundley is promoted to vp, executive editor, while continuing as director of subsidiary rights. More broadly, the company will raise their starting salary to $40,000 for full-time employees. A new executive committee has been formed to help with “day-to-day running of the company and larger business decisions.” It comprises Elisabeth Schmitz, Judy Hottensen and Deb Seager, as well as Hundley, Blackstock and Entrekin. Entrekin said in the […]
People, Etc.
Sarah Bonamino has been promoted to publicist at St. Martin’s Publishing Group. Cecilia Lyra has joined P.S. Literary Agency as associate literary agent. She was previously associate literary agent at The Rights Factory. Literary agents Lester Hekking and Rik Kleuver have joined the management team at Sebes & Bisseling Literary Agency. Picks Jenna Bush Hager‘s Read With Jenna book club pick for December is The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison. Fishing Someone associated with Melania Trump talked to Page Six to encourage the idea that she should get a book deal: “Melania is in meetings to write her White House memoir, and it would […]
People, Etc.
Ibrahim Ahmad will join Viking as executive editor starting January 11, reporting to Andrea Schulz. He was previously editorial director at Akashic Books, where he worked for two decades. Selena James has joined Amazon Publishing as senior editor for Little A and Amazon Original Stories. She was previously at Kensington. Stephanie Purcell will join Bloomsbury UK as group rights director, reporting to Kathleen Farrar. She has been rights director at Simon & Schuster UK. Clark Christian has been hired as marketing director for the Thomas Nelson Bible group. Most recently he worked in product marketing for healthcare education company, PESI. Layoffs […]
People, Etc.
Annysa Polanco has been promoted to director, diversity, equity & inclusion at Penguin Random House. In the coming year, the company will add “more fully-dedicated positions” in diversity, equity & inclusions roles across the divisions, including a new “board-level DE&I leadership position” that will report directly to PRH US ceo Madeline McIntosh. Polanco will report to that new executive once the role is filled. Michael DeFazio had been promoted to vice president & executive director, production planning, analytics, and paper purchasing, Penguin Random House. Film/TV Production outfit The Mazur Kaplan Company — run by bookseller Mitchell Kaplan and producer Paula […]