Former Houghton Mifflin executive editor Jane Rosenman will join Algonquin as an editor starting after Labor Day. Publisher Elisabeth Scharlatt says, “What a great fit. Jane’s sensibility is so well suited to Algonquin’s list of fiction and narrative non-fiction.” In other personnel news, writer and TV performer Jo Unwin, 43, is joining Conville & Walsh as an agent focosing on books for children and teens, “looking to build a quality list of both British and international writers, and also a list handling brilliant American writers into the UK.” Unwin will also continue to scout film properties for Aardman Features (Wallce […]
Personnel
On Laurence Urdang, 81
Lexicographer Laurence Urdang, managing editor of the first edition of the Random House Dictionary of the English Language and contributor/publisher of over 100 dictionaries and other reference books, died last week from congestive heart failure. The NYT notes of the RH dictionary that it “was the first dictionary to be organized with the aid of a computer — Mr. Urdang presided over a seven-year research and compilation project that, at a cost of $3 million, was, at the time, the largest undertaking in the history of Random House, a company founded in 1925. But it was merely a foundation for […]
Announcements
Sarah Durand joins Atria Books as a Senior Editor, effective September 2. She was previously with HarperCollins, where she most recently headed up the HarperEntertainment licensing program. Anna Baijars has been appointed Publishing Director at WSOY General Literature, reporting to president Veli-Pekka Elonen, effective next month. Baijars has previously worked for Gummerus Publishers as Publishing Director.
Toulantis Leaves BN.com
BarnesandNoble.com ceo since 2002 Marie Toulantis has resigned her position, but will serve as a consultant to the company. For the moment, e-commerce vp Tom Burke and cfo Kevin Frain have assumed her duties, reporting to company ceo Steve Riggio, which tells you a little something about what Toulantis did there. BN reports quarterly earnings later this week.Release
Announcements
In McGraw-Hill’s Business editorial group, Donya Dickerson has been promoted to senior editor. She was an editor. At Simon & Schuster Children’s, Craig Mandeville has been promoted to Vice President, General Manager for Adult and Children’s Publishing. Frank Totaro has been appointed to the position of Vice President, Deputy Publisher, Novelty and Licensed Publishing, effective immediately, and Alyson Grubard has been named Director of Licensing and Brand Management, reporting to Totaro. HarperFiction UK has promoted deputy publishing director Wayne Brookes to publishing director, reporting to Julia Wisdom, with Voyager’s Sarah Hodgson also moving up to deputy publishing director, reporting to […]
Announcements
Anna Crowe has joined Houghton Mifflin Harcourt as a Senior Publicist. She was previously with Bantam Dell.