Simon & Schuster's new lifestyle imprint will be called Simon Element, and its first list will be released next spring, the publisher announced today. In February, S&S had announced that Richard Rhorer was moving from the S&S flagship imprint to head a new imprint dedicated to lifestyle and practical nonfiction books, and said more information would be forthcoming. The new imprint, it was also announced, will be part of the Atria division and will publish 30 to 40 new titles annually.
Among the details released are the names of the Simon Element staff. Leading the editorial team will be Doris Cooper, who has been named editor-in-chief. Cooper had been editor-in-chief of Clarkson Potter, where she oversaw a lifestyle list that included such bestselling authors as Chrissy Teigen, Gina Homolka, Clea Shearer and Joanna Teplin (The Home Edit), Michiko Kakutani, James Beard Award winners Toni Tipton Martin and Carla Lalli Music, and Melissa Clark and Martha Stewart.
A second editor coming from a Penguin Random House imprint to Simon Element is Leah Trouwborst, who will join the editorial team on May 24 as senior editor. Trouwborst was most recently at Portfolio.
Justin Schwartz has been named v-p and executive editor for Simon Element, moving to the imprint from the Houghton Mifflin Harcourt trade division, where he launched the Whole 30 franchise. In an internal move, Leah Miller is joining Simon Element from Atria. Also on the editorial team is associate editor Veronica Alvarado, who was most recently with Tiller Press, and who began her editorial career at Skyhorse Publishing.
Simon Element's inaugural list will include books by Dr. Robin Berzin, CEO and founder of Parsley Health; Holly Erickson and Natalie Mortimer, founders of the Modern Proper, a recipe-based website and social media platform; and Alison Seponara, licensed therapist and creator of the hugely popular @theanxietyhealer Instagram account.
Commenting on the launch of Simon Element, Rhorer said the imprint will offer readers an array of choices. “Elements are the foundational materials that life is built upon. Our books will provide the information, advice, and inspiration that readers will turn to for personal transformation and a more enriching life,” said Rhorer. “Whether someone wants to prepare a delicious meal, nurture a deeper personal relationship, or adopt healthier habits, Simon Element will have books from authorities with the expertise to guide them on their way.”
