Main areas of interest:

• Picture books
• Chapter books and graphic novels for younger readers
• Non-fiction

Karen Boersma began her publishing career as a publicist for Doubleday Canada and then moved to roles in editorial and rights at the University of Toronto Press. Since then, she has focused on working with independent Canadian publishers, including Groundwood Books/Douglas & McIntyre, where she was responsible for international rights and export sales, and Kids Can Press, first as Vice-President of Rights & Licensing and then Associate Publisher and finally as Publisher.  In 2012, she moved to Owlkids Books, a division of Bayard Canada, in her current role as Publisher, where she oversees all aspects of the company, including the editorial program, sales and marketing, and finance. In 2022, she was additionally named Publisher of Bayard Canada Livres, the French language youth division of Bayard Canada, with a focus on strategic planning and sales. 

The Owlkids office is based in Toronto, but the team works with artists from across Canada and around the world to ensure that their books reflect the breadth of our global society and the multicultural world we live in—a world where diversity is becoming more, not less, important. We believe that children’s books can play an important role in helping the next generation—citizens of the world—embrace differences, whether of language, race, religion, gender identity, or culture. 

Which books do you wish you had published? 

How I Live Now by Meg Rosoff; Little Shrew by Akiko Miyakoshi

Main areas of interest:

• Cross-cultural and migrant literature
• Lyrical literary fiction
• Women’s writing

Ge Guo majored in German Language and Literature at Fudan University and studied as an exchange student at the University of Salzburg. After graduating, she worked as a journalist in Shanghai before beginning her publishing career at CITIC Press in 2019, where she published works by Penelope Fitzgerald and Robert Gottlieb, one of the most influential publishers of modern literature.

In 2021, she joined Archipel Press as the second editor of what was then a one-person publishing house. Since then, the press has welcomed four new colleagues to the team. Ge has edited works by Sally Rooney, Natalia Ginzburg, James Baldwin, Denis Johnson, Colm Tóibín, Hernan Diaz, Jessica Au, and Elisa Shua Dusapin, among others, and accompanied the latter four authors on their book tours in China in 2024 and 2025.

She was a Frankfurt Book Fair Fellow in 2024, an experience she found deeply rewarding. Her current editorial focus is on cross-cultural and migrant narratives told through a female lens—reflected in the Australian titles she has published, including Cold Enough for Snow by Jessica Au (Chinese–Australian–Japanese) and The Confectioner’s Daughter by Lou Drofenik (Maltese–American–Australian), as well as the forthcoming Theory & Practice by Michelle de Kretser (Sri Lankan–Australian).

Which books do you wish you had published?  

Memoirs of a Polar Bear by Yoko Tawada; The Largesse of the Sea Maiden by Denis Johnson; the poems of Paul Celan. 

Main areas of interest:  

• Literary fiction
• Literary narrative non-fiction (memoir, nature, history, urgent/contemporary themes)
• For the other Singel lists: thrillers, children’s books, romance, (commercial) non-fiction

Esther Hendriks is commissioning editor at De Arbeiderspers, part of Singel Publishers in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. With over 20 years’ experience, she enjoys the world of publishing every day. She has been a publicist, copy and commissioning editor at different leading Dutch publishing houses like Prometheus, Nieuw Amsterdam, Signatuur and Orlando, and has been working as an editor at De Arbeiderspers for 15 years now. On that list are around 75 new titles a year, and Esther is responsible for the literary Anglo-Saxon translations (fiction and non-fiction), and titles from Scandinavia and Eastern European countries. She is especially interested in strong new and established literary voices in fiction and narrative, voice driven non-fiction. The editorial teams at the Singel group work closely together without competition, so for other imprints of the group she can recommend her colleagues titles from other genres, too.

While reading she questions: will this fire enthusiasm, widen the horizon (and that of the company, and the Dutch readers)? Does it inspire a broad audience? These are often psychologically moving texts with a strong story told by a unique voice: (epic) novels, nature writing, traveling, history, memoirs – the literary style of the writing is very important. De Arbeiderspers publishes international authors such as Jessica Au, Tom Crewe, Joan Didion, Jennifer Egan, Annie Ernaux, Louise Glück, Michel Houellebecq, Keri Hulme, Thomas Mann, Cormac McCarthy, Angela Merkel, Benjamin Moser, Donal Ryan, Nan Shepherd and Marek Torcik. Sister company Nijgh & Van Ditmar will soon publish Helen Garner.

In the rare time Esther doesn’t read, she likes hiking in the mountains, visiting theatres and museums, drinking wine and eating cheese with friends.

Which books do you wish you had published? 

The Eight Life (for Brilka) by Nino Haratischvili, North Woods by Daniel Mason and A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara.

Main areas of interest:

• Literary fiction
• Literary horror and speculative
• ‘Weird Girl Lit’
• Modern classics
• LGBTQIA+ titles

Harriet Hirshman is Senior Commissioning Editor at Dead Ink Books, an independent publisher in Liverpool, UK. She manages the complete list from contract to publication, and her role includes commissioning, editorial, production, and selling rights.

Since 2022, Harriet has acquired thirty titles for Dead Ink, including Monstrilio by Gerardo Sámano Córdova, A Beast Slinks Towards Beijing by Alice Evelyn Yang, and Lost in the Garden by Adam S. Leslie, which won the Nero Prize for Fiction 2024. She is now leading Dead Ink’s first translation project, having acquired the rights to Walking with the Dead by Micheliny Verunschk.

In 2024, Harriet was shortlisted for Future Leader of the Year at the FutureBook Awards. She was recently chosen to attend Jaipur Literature Festival through the India–UK Publishing Fellowship, organised by Jaipur BookMark and the British Council.

Which books do you wish you had published?

Tell Me I’m Worthless by Alison Rumfitt; Boy Parts by Eliza Clark; A Visit from the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan; Annihilation by Jeff Vandermeer; All Fours by Miranda July.

Main areas of interest:

• Picture books for ages 0-8

Allyn Johnston founded the children’s imprint Beach Lane Books at Simon & Schuster on April Fool’s Day, 2008, after 22 years at Harcourt Children’s Books in San Diego, California. The primary focus of her 40 years in children’s publishing has been and continues to be picture books—both fiction and nonfiction—for children from birth to age 8. She also publishes select middle grade and young adult novels. Among the many highly-acclaimed authors and illustrators with whom she works and has worked with in the past are Lois Ehlert, Marla Frazee, Jeanette Winter, Mem Fox, Cynthia Rylant, Avi, M. T. Anderson, Mark Teague, Ame Dyckman, Debra Frasier, Amy Schwartz, Jan Thomas, Arthur Howard, and Mary Lyn Ray.

Which books do you wish you had published?

School’s First Day of School by Adam Rex, illustrated by Christian Robinson; The Carrot Seed by Crockett Johnson; Who Sank the Boat? by Pamela Allen; Goodnight, Gorilla by Peggy Rathmann; Wilfrid Gordon McDonald Partridge by Mem Fox, illustrated by Julie Vivas; Julius, the Baby of the World and the Miller Family novels by Kevin Henkes.

Main areas of interest:  

• Upmarket literary fiction
• Historical fiction
• Thriller and mysteries (both commercial and literary)
• Modern classics

Ilaria Marzi is the Editorial Director for Foreign Fiction at HarperCollins Italia. She began her publishing career in 2006 at Garzanti (GeMS), working as an editor for both Italian and Foreign Fiction. During her decade at Garzanti, she gained extensive experience acquiring a broad range of titles and working closely with international authors such as M.L. Stedman, Ruta Sepetys, Vanessa Diffenbaugh, Deborah Levy, Gail Honeyman, and Sofie Laguna. She also played a pivotal role in scouting emerging talent, most notably discovering Enrico Galiano, who has since become one of Italy's most successful authors.

In 2016, Ilaria joined HarperCollins Italia as Italian Fiction and Non-Fiction Acquiring Editor, discovering the bestselling philosophers Maura Gancitano and Andrea Colamedici.

In 2019, she transitioned to focus on Foreign Fiction, becoming responsible for the entire international fiction list. In this role, she has been instrumental in both strengthening the main foreign fiction line and diversifying the publisher's portfolio through a range of strategic initiatives. Collaborating with the Editorial Director for Italian Fiction, she co-created "Midnight," a commercial collection targeting a younger, social-media-oriented audience, and "HarperCollins Black," a line dedicated to the full spectrum of the thriller genre, featuring authors such as Don Winslow, Val McDermid, Karin Slaughter and Daniel Silva. Most recently, she launched "Made in Korea," a collection she is particularly passionate about, which is dedicated to authentic Korean literature and features prominent authors such as Sohn Won-pyung, Kang Ji-young, Lee Yuri, and Choi Eun-young. 

Her editorial interests centre on upmarket literary fiction, with a specific emphasis on strong, unconventional female voices and feminist perspectives. In her current position, she works with acclaimed authors including Meg Mason, Bella Mackie, Monica Heisey, Chitra B. Divakaruni, Asako Yuzuki—whose novel Butter became one of the biggest publishing phenomena of the year—Christina Baker Kline, Trent Dalton, and Emily Henry. She also manages the publishing strategy for Kate Morton, overseeing both new releases and the author's backlist, reflecting her commitment to attentive author development and long-term catalogue growth. In addition to her focus on contemporary voices, Ilaria is also passionate about rediscovering and reviving forgotten literary gems, an interest reflected in her publication of works such as Brother of the More Famous Jack by Barbara Trapido and Norrtullsligan by Elin Wägner.

Which books do you wish you had published?

The Power by Naomi Alderman, A Wild Sheep Chase by Haruki Murakami, Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides, White Teeth by Zadie Smith, Fanny by Erica Jong, The Crimson Petal and the White by Michel Faber.

Main areas of interest:

• Memoirs and biographies,
• Current affairs and politics
• Health and popular psychology
• Pop science

Sabine Niemeier leads an editorial team and oversees a diverse list of general interest non-fiction, publishing 140 titles annually in both hardcover and paperback formats.

She acquires narrative non-fiction, both domestic and in translation, and she is dedicated to finding accessible and engaging stories that are both entertaining and informative. Her list of internationally recognized authors includes Tsitsi Dangarembga, Maria Ressa, Sanna Marin, Annie Jacobsen, John Sweeney, Ozzy Osbourne, Matthew Perry, Meik Wiking, Jemma Sbegh and Brooke McAlary.

She enjoys working closely with authors, managing all editorial tasks to bring their visions to life. Her commitment to discovering fresh voices in non-fiction continues to inspire her work and shape the literary landscape at Heyne.

With a degree in Cultural Studies and over 25 years of professional experience, she has worked for both independent publishers and large houses.

Which books do you wish you had published?

Penguin Bloom: The Odd Little Bird Who Saved a Family by Cameron Bloom & Bradley Trevor Greive, Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals by Oliver Burkeman, Island Home: A Landscape Memoir by Tim Winton.

Main areas of interest: 

• Literary fiction and non-fiction
• Contemporary classics

Eric Obenauf is the publisher and editorial director of Two Dollar Radio, a press he co-founded with his partner Eliza Wood-Obenauf, now an imprint of Seven Stories Press.

Two Dollar Radio titles have won the New York Publisher Library Young Lions Fiction Award, been honoured by the National Book Foundation (U.S.), finalists for the Los Angeles Times Book Prize, the Carnegie Medal for Excellence, the Story Prize, the Rome Prize for Literature, and the National Book Critics Circle Award, amongst others. Authors he's worked with include Hanif Abdurraqib, Katya Apekina, Ella Baxter, Kathryn Bromwich, Paige Clark, Grace Krilanovich, Nora Lange, Ellen van Neerven, Bennett Sims, Adam Thompson, and Rudolph Wurlitzer.

Eric was one of five finalists in Publishers Weekly's "Star Watch" program, while Two Dollar Radio received the "Voice of the Heartland Award" from the Great Lakes Independent Booksellers Association and Midwest Independent Booksellers Association, and was named "publisher of the year" in 2020 by Foreword Reviews.

Which books do you wish you had published? 

Praiseworthy by Alexis Wright, Pity the Beast by Robin McLean, The Birthday Party by Laurent Mauvignier, Hard Rain Falling by Don Carpenter. 

Main areas of interest:

• Women’s fiction (family sagas, historical, healing and book club novels)
• Crime fiction (commercial and upmarket)
• Literary novels (contemporary and modern classics)

Jérôme Pescheux holds a BBA (Essec Business School) and a Bachelor of Modern Literature (Sorbonne). He began his career with an internship at L'Archipel, before completing others at Anne Carrière, J'ai Lu and Le Castor Astral. He then worked in the editorial departments of Le Cerf and Le Rocher publishing houses before returning to L'Archipel in 2001, where he is now Editorial Director, in charge of foreign acquisitions.

Founded in 1991, L'Archipel, now a subsidiary of Editis (France's second-largest publishing group), is a generalist publishing house that releases 100 titles per year (mainly commercial, both fiction and non-fiction), including around 30 translations.

Our leading female novelists over the years: Colleen McCullough, Tamara McKinley, Sarah Lark, Anna Jacobs, Di Morrissey, Elizabeth Haran, Santa Montefiore, Melanie Rose, Sally Page, Rosie Clarke, Jane Crilly, Philippa Gregory, Monica Dickens and Meg Keneally, among others. 

Among our current and past authors of thrillers/suspense novels: Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child, Sebastian Fitzek, James Patterson, Lisa Gardner, Andrew Klavan, Alice Hunter, Catherine Cooper, Susan Hill, Andrew Pyper, Chevy Stevens and Catherine Ryan Howard. 

Even though L'Archipel is a mainstream publishing house, renowned for its commercial novels, I am always curious and on the lookout for “coups de coeur” to add to a list that includes The Absolutist by John Boyne, The Book of Lost Things by John Connolly, the Pulitzer Prize Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout and, more recently, Prima Facie by Suzie Miller. And I am also looking for “Big Names” to enrich my collection of autographs which contains books signed by Sir Roger Moore, Muhammad Ali, Nobel Peace Prize Winner Shirin Ebadi and Emma Thompson. 

Which books do you wish you had published?  

By Reason of Insanity by Shane Stevens; A Quiet Belief in Angels by R. J. Ellory; Bright Lights, Big City by Jay McInerney; The Genius by Jesse Kellerman; All the Colors of the Dark by Chris Withaker. And so many others…

Main areas of interest:

• Artful books that make an impact for ages 0 to 14
• Artful picture books that make you cross a room to pick them up, and look unlike anything else in the market
• Illustrated nonfiction that tackles a little-known but fascinating topic, highlights under-published ideas or voices, or with a clear hook and something to say
• Books that push the boundaries of bookmaking in new ways, while still being both durable and affordable.

Ariel Richardson is a Senior Editor in Children's at Chronicle Books in San Francisco, and the Picture Book Lead. She is a versatile bookmaker, working at the intersection of art and impact. She’s had demonstrated successes, from Invisible Things debuting on the New York Times bestseller list to Seen and Unseen: What Dorothea Lange, Toyo Miyatake, and Ansel Adams’s Photographs Reveal About the Japanese American Incarceration winning the Robert F. Sibert Medal and Bologna Ragazzi Award.

Ariel has a strong track record of international partnerships. She lectured for literacy nonprofit Room to Read in New Delhi, India before launching a publishing partnership, starting with Dancing Hands from the Philippines, followed by Minh and the Magic Grains of Rice from Vietnam, and now with an upcoming picture book from Nepal. She attended the Sharjah Book Festival in 2019, and her authors and illustrators have continued to attend every year since. Her books have received international recognition, from Woven of the World receiving the Bologna Ragazzi Special Mention and the BIBF Ananas Grand Prix, to Invisible Things being published in 16 languages to date.

Ariel has worked at three independent bookstores on two coasts. She has a masters degree in Children’s Literature from Simmons University and a bachelors degree in Sociology from UC Berkeley. Ariel is regularly faculty at conferences like SCBWI, Writing Barn, Storyteller Academy, and ICON. She regularly judges art competitions, such as for the Society of Illustrators and American Illustration. She is passionate about collaboration, career-building, mentoring, and increasing transparency in publishing.

Learn more at www.arielrichardson.com and www.chroniclebooks.com.

Which books do you wish you had published?

Nothing: John Cage and 4’33” by Nicholas Day, Today by Julie Morstad, Yo Soy Muslim: A Father’s Letter to His Daughter by Mark Gonzalez, A New Home by Tania de Regil, Alma and How She Got Her Name by Juana Martinez-Neal, I Talk Like a River by Jordan Scott

Main areas of interest: 

• Adult commercial fiction (all genres)
• Modern classics
• Upmarket and literary fiction

Juliana Tan is an executive editor at Gramedia Pustaka Utama (GPU), where she leads the editorial team for the adult fiction list, managing both domestic and translated foreign titles. Since joining the publishing company in 2012, she has curated a diverse international catalogue, acquiring and editing works by authors such as Agatha Christie, Liane Moriarty, Emily Henry, Taylor Jenkins Reid, and titles from Harlequin series.

In 2018, she pioneered the launch of GPU's Asian Translated Fiction division. Building a new portfolio from the ground up, she acquired works by authors like Keigo Higashino, Uketsu, Cho Nam-joo, and Jeong You-jeong, growing it into a key program for the company.

In her current role, her focus has expanded to the strategic curation of a broader range of translated fiction from across the globe. She leverages her experience to diversify GPU’s catalogue, actively seeking out and introducing Indonesian readers to compelling and distinctive narratives from beyond the dominant US and UK markets.

Which books do you wish you had published?

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown, Lonely Castle in the Mirror by Mizuki Tsujimura. 

Main areas of interest:

• Children’s and YA
• Crime and Thriller
• Literary fiction
• Memoir and narrative non-fiction
• Popular science, popular history, self-development, current affairs, business
• Fantasy and romantasy, speculative fiction and horror 

Laura White is a co-director at RR Scouting, one of the UK’s leading scouting agencies, with a roster of foreign publishing client and film/TV companies. Laura was very proudly born in the North of England, in Sheffield, and found out about the world of scouting whilst studying for a Masters in Publishing at UCL. Laura dabbled in agenting, and enjoyed four years working in scripted TV at global distribution company all3media international, working with award-winning production companies from the UK, Europe, US and Australia, before returning to scouting. 

RR Scouting Ltd is now a team of seven, operating out of London, with a team member in New York. RR Scouting scouts for foreign publishing clients in the US, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Sweden, Brazil, Norway, China, Japan, Serbia, Russia, Portugal and Israel. Our Film/TV clients have made some of the most exciting shows on international screens in recent years, many of which were adapted from IP. RR Scouting Ltd scouts across genres, territories and languages, passionate and deeply committed to championing new voices and matchmaking within the publishing industry and beyond. 

Which books do you wish you had facilitated the sale of? 

Shuggie Bain by Douglas Stuart; Grief is the Things with Feathers by Max Porter; The Most Fun We Ever Had by Claire Lombardo; The Slap by Christos Tsiolkas; any of Michael Robotham’s crime novels; Station Eleven by Emily St John Mandel; Say Nothing by Patrick Radden Keefe; Educated by Tara Westover.