Last week Wells Tower won the New York Public Library’s Young Lions fiction award for his debut story collection EVERYTHING RAVAGED, EVERYTHING BURNED.NYPL In the UK, EDItEUR has hired Graham Bell as chief data architect. He was most recently head of publishing systems at Harper UK. In the UK, Tindal Street will move their sales and distribution to Atlantic Books. The Bookseller reports that Scott Pack will take the new role of directorof digital product development at Harper UK, reporting to David Roth-Ey, while continuing to serve as publisher for what’s left of The Friday Project. And Chicken House founder […]
Personnel
Davidar "Was Asked to Leave the Company," Apparently In Wake of Sexual Harassment Charge
Penguin Canada revealed Friday that David Davidar “was asked to leave the company last month,” as opposed to the original story that he chose to resign. Former rights and contract director Lisa Rundle filed a lawsuit on Thursday that alleges sexual harassment against Davidar and wrongful dismissal by Penguin Canada, seeking $100,000 from Davidar and over $400,000 from the company (CA). Rundle asserts in Ontario court documents that Davidar “sexually harassed her repeatedly over the past three years, culminating in outright assault at the Frankfurt Book Fair last fall,” the Globe and Mail writes, “and that she was fired after […]
People
At the Simon & Schuster adult trade imprint, Michelle Jasmine and Jessica Abell have both been promoted to associate publicist. And at S&S’s Howard Books imprint, Holly Halverson joined the company as senior editor (she was at the Hachette Book Group most recently), and Jessica Wong has been promoted to associate editor. VP of publicity Jennifer Willingham has been promoted to associate publisher, and Angie VanTassell has been hired as director of publicity. She was at Alday Communications most recently. Ashley Earnhardt has been promoted to publishing manager. At Simon & Schuster UK, a consolidation of Pocket Books into the […]
People, Etc.
At Penguin Children’s, Camilla Sanderson has been appointed to the new position of vp, digital business development. She’ll “establish relationships with app and other developers to create the newest products for the group’s key brands and titles” and “explore the growing field of digital to try to ascertain the next potential formats and markets available.” Helen Boomer will be return to the company as vp, director of sub rights for Penguin Children’s, taking over from Sanderson. All Penguin Children’s rights will now be under a single director. Boomer was in rights at Viking and Puffin for 11 years before, most […]
People, Etc.
At Penguin Group USA, Heidi Graynor has been promoted to vp, sales administration. She has been with the company since 1983. At McClelland and Stewart, associate publisher for nonfiction Susan Renouf is retiring from the company as of June 30, though she will resume her consulting and editorial business. Christine Gillespie has been promoted to vp, associate publisher for Knopf, Pantheon and Schocken, continuing to report to Patricia Johnson. Sterling editor Alyssa Smith is reported to have lost her home to a fire in Union City, NJ that consumed three buildings. Rose Fox has a page with information, also seeking […]
David Davidar Leaving Penguin to Write; Canada Will Report to Shanks in US
Penguin Canada president and ceo David Davidar, considered to be on the fast-track to upper Penguin management worldwide (and named to the new post of ceo of Penguin International last year, with oversight for Africa, the Middle East and the India sub-continent), is leaving the company and returning to India to write and pursue “other projects.” After his departure, with no firm date announced, the Canadian unit (which had sales of over $100 million recently) will report to Penguin US ceo David Shanks. Canadian spokesperson Yvonne Hunter indicates this will be a permanent realignment, with no new executive to be […]