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 […]
New Imprints
Molly Stern Launches New Publisher, Zando
Two years after she was dismissed from her position as svp, publisher of Crown in a reorganization after it was merged into the Random House Publishing Group, Molly Stern has formally announced her new independent publishing company, Zando (named for her sons, Zach and Oscar). The company is backed by “a significant start-up investment” from Sister, the studio founded in 2019 by Elisabeth Murdoch, Stacey Snider and Jane Featherstone. Those three all sit on Zando’s board of directors, along with Matthew Lieber of Gimlet, and producer David Benioff. Murdoch says “Molly and Sister have a huge passion for new voices” […]
Reduced Scope for Jimmy Patterson Books
The Jimmy Patterson children’s imprint at Little, Brown will narrow its focus going forward, limited to publishing titles authored by or written in collaboration/partnership with James Patterson. Founded in 2015, the line’s original objective was to have about half of their titles as independently authored books, acquired by staff with Patterson’s input and oversight. Going forward, Jimmy Patterson will no longer acquire non-Patterson titles. The books already under contract will all still be published under the Jimmy Patterson name “with James Patterson’s full engagement and support,” though their publication will be overseen by Little, Brown Children’s. The company says that […]
People, Etc.
SVP international sales and rights at Abrams, Mary Wowk will retire on December 31. Wowk joined Abrams in March 2007 as vp sales. Her long career in publishing has included working at Houghton Mifflin, Little Brown, Simon & Schuster, Anness Publishing, and Black Dog & Leventhal. At Viking Penguin, Maya Baran has been promoted to assistant director of publicity; Kristina Fazzalaro to publicity manager; and Ciara Johnson to associate publicist. Ilana Gold has joined Workman Publishing as assistant director of publicity. She was previously at Hilsinger-Mendelson. An effort is underway to find a buyer who will save the Venice, FL […]
People, Etc.
Mary Krienke has been promoted to agent at Sterling Lord Literistic. Elizabeth Vogt has been promoted to associate editor at Viking Penguin. Hannah Ladds will join the Madeleine Milburn Agency as dramatic rights agent on October 5. She was most recently at David Higham Associates. Harper Children’s announced a new leadership structure at their flagship Harper imprint, with vp, director of publishing, the Harper Group Rich Thomas leading the line. VP, publishing director, Nancy Inteli will lead the picture book and programs teams and vp, publishing director Erica Sussman will lead the middle grade, teen, and IP teams. Both will […]
People, Etc.
Gisselda Nuñez will join HarperCollins in the new role of vp, diversity, equity, and inclusion on September 21. Nuñez will “lead and advise the company on DE&I initiatives, creating a strategy/vision that aligns with HarperCollins’s values and culture.” She was previously executive director, head of diversity strategy at Morgan Stanley. Amanda Armstrong-Frank has been promoted to the new role of director of workplace culture and diversity initiatives at Simon & Schuster. Armstrong-Frank will “advise, advocate, and act to improve workplace culture, including diverse representation at all levels,” reporting to both Jonathan Karp and the ViacomCBS office of global inclusion under […]