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WWW.PUBLISHERSWEEKLY.COM 3

The

Stars of 2019

Star Watch Celebrates Five Years

By Liz Hartman

T

his year marks the fifth anniversary of Star Watch, a partnership between Publishers Weekly
and the Frankfurter Buchmesse, which recognizes outstanding individuals who further
the cultural and economic success of publishers, bookstores, and the industry at large.
Congratulations are due to all who have joined to support this program, which has
become a highly anticipated annual event. It takes the village of publishing—the houses
that nurture and support their talent, the Frankfurter Buchmesse, the American
Booksellers Association, and the team here at PW,to put it all together.
We are delighted to present the fifth class of honorees and finalists of Star Watch. Out of hundreds of
nominees, 46 honorees (one of which is a husband/wife team) and five finalists have been selected. On
September 18, at a party at Marquee in Manhattan, a Superstar will be announced who will win a spon-
sored trip to the Frankfurt Book Fair in October, courtesy of the fair.
The 51 rising stars represent every corner of the industry, from production managers to editors, literary
agents, and booksellers. But they all share similar qualities: an unwavering commitment to advancing
the world of books, tireless energy, and formidable talent. Here’s a glimpse at our finalists with full
profiles on the following pages as well as snapshots of all of our honorees.
Arthur A. Levine, publisher and founder of Levine Querido, calls one of our finalists, Nick Thomas, “a
young man with an extremely rare combination of intelligence, taste, empathy, and drive.” Thomas is dedi-
cated to the press’s mission to focus on previously underrepresented authors and the finest books in transla-
tion from around the world.
Theresa Zoro, executive creative director of marketing and publicity of Random House, labels another
finalist, Andrea DeWerd, “a true marketing dynamo.” DeWerd, who recently jumped from the Doubleday,
Dial, and Spiegel & Grau imprints to the very different Currency, Convergent, Crown Forum, and Image
imprints, was undaunted by the move.
“An extraordinary literary citizen” is how one of last year’s honorees, Veronica Santiago Liu, describes
Jennifer N. Baker, a production editor at Teachers College Press and founder of the podcast Minorities
in Publishing. Baker calls the podcast a labor of love. “It’s been very fruitful not from a standpoint of it’s
about me, but from a standpoint that they are not alone.” she says. “And that’s why I keep doing it.”
Our finalist on the bookselling side, Nicole Brinkley, floor and digital manager at Oblong Books and
Music in Rhinebeck, N.Y., is “a tireless wearer of many hats who handsells like a magician,” says literary
agent Jennifer Laughran.
Hailing from the Midwest is Emily Folks at Andrews McMeel, who, according to the v-p of publishing
sales, Lynn McAdoo, “has a natural ability to identify and champion trends, as well as to transform them
into new products or formats that will appeal to both retailers and end consumers.”
Read on and be awed, impressed, and delighted with these young publishing professionals who are
swiftly ushering in a new 21st-century version of publishing with their passion, intelligence, innovation
and indefatigable diligence. See you at the party.