Starting at Sourcebooks on Wed.

It’s official: I’ll be starting at Sourcebooks as Senior Editor in their New York office on Wednesday.  And apparently I already have an email address: leah.hultenschmidt [at] sourcebooks.com.  I’ve really admired what they’ve been able to do for authors, their covers, their visibility in the marketplace and the vision of Publisher Dominique Raccah.  The whole group is incredibly smart, dedicated and forward-thinking.   I’m absolutely thrilled to be on board.  In fact, I think I say that in the press release.

Speaking of the press release:

Sourcebooks Casablanca launched its first romance fiction list in fall 2007, and is quickly becoming a top 10 publisher in the genre.  In less than 3 years, the imprint now publishes 5 to 8 mass market romances per month, and was named Publisher of the Year by the Romance Writers of America New York City chapter, which also designated Deb Werksman, Sourcebooks’ romance editor, as its Editor of the Year.

Sourcebooks Casablanca has exceeded all expectations in the romance category, successfully launching the careers of debut authors such as Terry Spear (Heart of the Wolf, 2008 PW Book of the Year), Cheryl Brooks (Hero: The Cat Start Chronicles, BN Top of the New Year Pick), RITA Finalist Laurie Brown (What Would Jane Austen Do?), and Holt Medallion winner Robin Kaye (Breakfast in Bed), among others.

Sourcebooks Casablanca is also known for providing an exciting and career-building publishing home for such bestselling authors as Kathryne Kennedy, Stephanie Rowe, Lisa Renee Jones, Linda Wisdom and Leigh Michaels, as well as publishing new books by New York Times and USA Today bestselling authors such as Laura Kinsale, Elaine Coffman, Catherine Mann, Kristine Grayson and Patricia Rice.

Sourcebooks Casablanca is now building on this success with the addition of Leah Hultenschmidt as Senior Editor.  Leah will acquire romance and YA projects for Sourcebooks’ Casablanca and Fire imprints, and she is the newest addition to the Sourcebooks New York office.

“I’m thrilled to be coming on board at Sourcebooks, whose innovation and commitment to authors is well known throughout the industry,” said Hultenschmidt.

Leah was most recently Editorial Director at Dorchester Publishing, one of the leading independent publishing houses for mass market fiction, where she served over ten years. She specialized in acquiring and editing romance fiction, westerns, and other mass market originals, and also has experience managing content for the Dorchester website. Leah has worked with New York Times bestselling authors Angie Fox and Jennifer Ashley and USA Today bestselling authors Joy Nash and Robin Popp, as well as many others. She developed the award-winning Classic Film Collection within the Western line to bring back into print novels that were the basis for such famous films as The Searches, Destry Rides Again, and The Outlaw Josey Wales.

Her first day with Sourcebooks is Wednesday, September 1.