People 6/9

Christa Désir joins as vp, editorial director, focusing on key acquisitions, special projects, and new editorial strategies starting June 15. Désir was most recently vp, editorial director at Bloom Books and Sourcebooks Romance.

Executive editor Rakesh Satyal joins William Morrow, moving from Harper One, where he will continue to specialize in narrative nonfiction, as well as select fiction.

Kristen Bianco has joined as senior publicist. She was previously at Putnam.

Ebony LaDelle returns as marketing director. She previously worked at Simon & Schuster, but was most recently at Random House as brand marketing director for the Obama publishing properties.

Lynn Sikora has been promoted to director of international marketing & publicity.

Tyler Simon has been promoted to marketing associate.

Rebecca Podos has been promoted to managing partner, in addition to their duties as senior literary agent.

Ann Rose has joined as literary agent. She was previously at The Tobias Literary Agency.

Tali Shammas has joined as associate agent.

Emily Sacks joins as literary agent. She was previously at CAA.

Applications are now open for the new innovation project grant program — providing one-time awards ranging from $25,000 to $100,000 to literary arts nonprofits for “new, one-time, and forward-thinking projects [in 2027] that aim to address critical structural challenges that, if improved or solved, would ultimately strengthen literary arts nonprofits’ abilities to serve creative writers.” The fund will award $1 million in innovation grants overall, with applications due by August 17.

On Friday, June 12 from 1:00pm ET to 1:45pm ET, ReadingGroupGuides.com will host its 15th Annual Book Group Speed Dating Event. Representatives from five publishers will share selections from their publishing houses via video to give booksellers, librarians and book group leaders an inside look at new and upcoming titles that book groups will want to know about — and discuss. Advance signup is required.