Friends and colleagues of Larry Ashmead have teamed up to create an annual award for young book editors dedicated to the memory of the late editor. Announced this week, the award will go to one young editor with “approximately four years’ experience” nominated by an “established” publisher or editor.
The award will cover the tuition and costs for a “recognized publishing educational venue” and provide “access to a distinguished advisory committee of prominent editors,” according to a press release. "Those with more experience {than fouryears} will also be considered,” said HarperCollins senior v-p and director of rights Brenda Segel, speaking for the award committee. A life-long lover of books, Ashmead died of pneumonia at 78 in September 2010 following a long career at HarperCollins and, before that, a number of houses including Simon & Schuster and Doubleday.
This year’s Ashmead Award winner will attend the Yale Publishing Course, held in late July in New Haven, Con. Submission information is online at www.theashmeadaward.com. Applications are due June 15.
