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Woodburn to join Canongate as Hawton leaves to pursue new opportunities
Leah Woodburn will be joining Canongate on 5th June as editor at large, with editor Aa’Ishah Hawton leaving at the end of April to pursue new opportunities.
Joining Canongate from Daniela Schlingmann Literary Scouting, Woodburn will be working three days a week and commissioning around five novels a year. She spent 15 years working at Hachette, co-founding and running Tinder Press, before working for Daniela Schlingmann’s scouting agency as a consultant for the past two and a half years.
Woodburn will be focused on commissioning literary fiction with a broad appeal, as well as looking after a number of Canongate’s existing authors. She will join Ellah Wakatama in acquiring fiction for Canongate, while Simon Thorogood and Helena Gonda continue their focus on non-fiction. Francis Bickmore and Jamie Byng will continue to commission across both fiction and non-fiction.
Woodburn said: "I really love the Canongate approach to publishing. The team there brings an irresistible dynamism, creativity and spark to all that they do, and I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to join them and return to my editorial roots. Canongate has a outstanding stable of authors, and I’m looking forward to helping shape the fiction list."
Jenny Fry, publisher and commercial director, added: "I am excited to be bringing such an exceptional and experienced editor as Leah to Canongate because I have long admired her taste.
"However, this news is bittersweet because we’re all going to miss working with Aa’Ishah, a deeply thoughtful and diligent editor who is loved by authors and staff alike."
After joining in 2017 as editorial assistant, Hawton has worked with authors including Meron Hadero, Patience Agbabi, Molly Aitken and Ruth Ozeki. She commented: "My time at Canongate has been filled with some of the most incredible books you could hope to publish, books that change the way you think, that carve a space in your heart and refuse to leave.
"To have been entrusted with such works by their authors has been a privilege. I have also been lucky enough to work with brilliant and talented colleagues, for which I’m extremely grateful. It’s bittersweet to say goodbye, but I’m looking forward to seeking new opportunities."
From 28th April, Hawton can be contacted at azhawton@gmail.com. From 5th June, Leah can be contacted on leah.woodburn@canongate.co.uk.
