People 9/27

Marc Resnick has been promoted to vp, editorial director. Newly reporting to him are associate editors Hannah Phillips, Sallie Lotz, and Sarah Grill, who is moving from Charlie Spicer‘s desk.

Marya Pasciuto has joined as an editor, reporting to Betty Wong. They were previously at Callisto Media.

The author announced new gifts of $5.3 million. He is donating $2 million to PEN in support of their work for free expression; $2 million to Scholastic’s classroom project “The United States of Readers”; and $1.3 million to two universities. That money is shared by Howard University, for 12 James Patterson Writer Education Scholarships, worth $10,000 each, and the Iowa Writers’ Workshop, for 14 fellowships. The AP connects the gifts to Patterson’s remarks about racism last summer while promoting his memoir, for which he apologized.

Patterson says in a statement, “I was brought up to give back — so my mother and grandmother should get the praise here. I’ve dedicated my career to getting as many people to love books as possible. I advocate for literacy and schools, fund teacher scholarships, and support other writers, booksellers, and librarians in any way that I can.”

Longtime publishing director Beth Coates has resigned to work on her own writing, and the imprint’s editors have all been reassigned to hardback imprints.

Gregory Brandenburgh has joined as a member of the international rights and sales team. Most recently, he was vp and Hampton Roads associate publisher at Red Wheel Weiser, retiring from the company at the end of 2021.