Tara Parsons will join Touchstone as editor-in-chief on January 4, reporting to Susan Moldow. Previously she was editorial director, fiction at Amazon Publishing. Moldow said in the announcement: “Tara’s range of commercial acquisitions combined with the unique experiences she has gained from working within an array of publishing models will make her a valuable and dynamic leader of the Touchstone editorial team.” Sally Kim had been editorial director at Touchstone until leaving for Putnam earlier this year. It’s the first time Touchstone has used the title editor-in-chief for a number of years. Mark Tavani will join Putnam as vp, executive […]
Obits
People: Helen Brann Dies, and More
Literary agent Helen Wetmore Brann, 82, died suddenly on Monday of complications from cancer. In July, Brann “entered into a success plan” with ICM. She started her agency in 1974 — among the first women to open her own agency — after working at the Sterling Lord Agency. Over her career she had represented writers including Julian Barnes, Richard Brautigan, Gerald Clarke, Daniel Yergin, Rod McKuen, Barbara Leaming, Stephen Sondheim, Robert B. Parker and Maya Angelou. A private service will be held at a later date. Donations in her memory can be made to the Palliative Care Service at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York. In other personnel news, Rachel […]
People
Peter Garabedian will retire from Macmillan at the end of the year, after joining the company in 2000 as COO. Dan Schwartz has been promoted to the new position of svp, finance and strategy, and “will drive the divisional strategy process, oversee the data science team, and have responsibility for the US finance organization.” Esther Kim is being promoted to the new position of director of business planning, and will work with Schwartz on topics related to analytics, business development and strategy. At HarperCollins, Shawn Nicholls has been promoted to associate publisher for Avon, Impulse, and Witness, as well as for mass market paperbacks, reporting to Lynn […]
People: Henning Mankell Dies, and More
Henning Mankell, 67, author of Kurt Wallander series of detective novels and over 40 works of fiction and theater, died Monday from complications of neck and lung cancer. Mankell’s crime novels sold more than 40 million copies around the world and were filmed as series for Swedish TV and the BBC (the latter starring Kenneth Branagh.) A spokeperson for his UK publishers Harvill Secker said in a statement: “Beloved by readers across the world, especially for his Kurt Wallander series, it was a privilege to have worked with a man of such talent and passion, and to have been his […]
People, Etc.: A New Trump Book for Threshold
Donald Trump will publish a new book, currently untitled, with Threshold Editions on October 27. Consistent with his presidential campaign, “Trump will outline how a crippled America could be restored to greatness,” the publisher reports. “The book will explore Trump’s view on key issues including the economy, big CEO salaries and taxes, healthcare, education, national security, and social issues. Of particular interest will be his vision for complete immigration reform, beginning with securing the borders and putting American workers first.” Trump adds, “I am excited to announce that work on my new bestseller is almost done…. Not since The Art of the Deal have […]
People, Etc.
At National Geographic Books, Hilary Black has been promoted to deputy editor, taking on a larger strategic and managerial role in acquisitions and positioning. In addition, Bridget English has been promoted to senior editor and Anne Smyth has been appointed as a full-time project manager. Karen Fink has joined Putnam as associate director of publicity. Previously she was deputy director of publicity at Grand Central. At Dutton, Liza Cassity has been promoted to publicity manager. Terry Vaughn, who held editorial positions at MIT, Oxford, and Princeton University Presses, died August 6 at the University Medical Center of Princeton from complications […]