Linda Lowenthal, who has been v-p and director of the Quality Paperback and One Spirit book clubs at Book-of-the-Month Club, has been named v-p and editorial director of Harmony Books and Three Rivers Press, divisions of Crown. She will replace Steve Magnuson, who is leaving the company later this month.
Crown president and publisher Chip Gibson said that Lowenthal's "empathy with the publishing philosophies of Harmony and Three Rivers, together with her highly regarded editorial and business leadership experience, make her wonderfully suited to run our two imprints." According to Gibson, Magnuson had been talking about leaving for some time, after 17 years with the group; he accepted Magnuson's resignation, as of April 16, "with deep regret."
In her eight years at BOMC, Lowenthal spearheaded the successful launch of One Spirit and led the repositioning of QPB. Before joining the club she was a senior editor at Bantam. Lowenthal will begin at Crown May 3.
