Harry N. Abrams has named Constance Herndon to the newly created post of director of lifestyle publishing. The appointment is part of Abrams's plan to expand its lifestyle publishing program.
Although Abrams has published lifestyle books in the past, publisher Mark Magowan explained "we wanted to put together a coherent program, and that is hard to do unless you approach it in a centralized way." Herndon will be in charge of all aspects of the lifestyle line, which will include books in such areas as cooking, decorating, beauty and entertaining. Magowan said Abrams will publish about 20 lifestyle titles annually, and he hopes that the program will be as successful as Abrams's push into the children's market has been. To help grow the line, Herndon will add a small staff. Most books will be released in hardcover and will be in the $20 to $50 range.
Herndon, who joined Abrams early last month, had been a senior editor at Simon & Schuster for the last six years and had also worked at Abbeville with Magowan. She will report to executive editor Eric Himmel.
