Jennifer Smith, Acquisitions & Business Development

What I’m looking for . . .

I believe everyone has a story to tell and the best part of my work is helping people share theirs with as wide an audience as possible. At the same time, I remain steadfast in my belief that the printed book (and its ebook and audiobook siblings) is still the most powerful way to share ideas. My acquisitions are exclusively non-fiction, with some emphasis on business, leadership, entrepreneurship, corporate history, and celebratory or commemorative books for organizations and institutions. And I never turn down the opportunity to consider a great cookbook!

What I read (and loved) lately . . .

My recent fiction favourites include All the Devils are Here by Louise Penny and Before the Fall by Noah Hawley.  I've been digging into the backlist of prolific Scottish mystery writer, Val McDermid - she's a great read or fans of Ann Cleeves. On the non-fiction side of things, I read Joe Biden's memoir, Promise Me Dad, shortly after the election, and I think I've gained a better understanding of what drives him. The last book I read was Ballad of the Whiskey Robber by Julian Rubenstein, which was recommended to me by a colleague here at ECW and I am sure glad they did: hockey and bank robberies in mid-nineties Budapest. A winner!

What I do outside of work . . .