Helen Huthwaite
PublisherHelen is pretty sure that if you cut her open she would bleed Avon, having joined the division soon after its inception in 2010 and leading the team as Publishing Director since 2017. Helen’s voracious love of commercial fiction means that working at Avon isn’t much like a job at all, particularly as she gets to work with some of the very best authors in the business on the most page-turning novels around.
Amy Mae Baxter
Editorial DirectorAmy has had a varied career prior to Avon, having previously worked at Dialogue Books and Penguin Random House, working on everything from sexy romance novels to historical essay collections. Her passion, however, is hooky commercial fiction. Whether it be thrilling crime or soaring romance, Amy is focussed on books with a brilliant one sentence pitch – books that move genres on, whilst remaining firmly seated in tropes we know and love. Much of her career has been spent working with writers of colour, and in her spare time, she runs a books magazine by and about writers of colour, Bad Form. She is particularly interested in hearing from writers from underrepresented backgrounds, especially those interested in developing IP ideas.
Anna Nightingale
Commissioning EditorAnna’s career began at Head of Zeus, and she’s since worked at Vintage and Transworld, as well as in a freelance capacity. At Avon she feels privileged to be working with a talented list of authors across the commercial fiction spectrum, from twisty psychological thrillers to uplifting romantic comedies. She’s always chasing that addictive, unputdownable feeling and is keen to find books that will stand out from the crowd with a stellar one-line pitch.
Billie Lindon
EditorBilly is always hungry for the zing of a perfect one-line pitch. They’re looking for twisty novels which delight and surprise while maintaining satisfying genre conventions. Billy’s favourite books are genuinely funny romcoms, and they always want to fall in love with characters. With over six years of experience as an editor and a published author themself, Billy particularly enjoys working collaboratively in the creative process. They want to champion underrepresented voices, and unsurprisingly love working with queer writers and storylines.
Maddie Wilson
EditorMaddie has over five years of editorial experience in the publishing industry behind her and when she’s not editing, she can usually be found with a book in hand and a cat on her lap reading anything pacey and plot driven! Maddie reads widely across genres and is passionate about all areas of commercial fiction, so she is interested in any new books – crime, romance, fantasy and anything in between. She is particularly passionate about books that champion complex characters with strong voices and real-world battles, that feel so true to life they leap off the page.
Jess Zahra
Editorial AssistantBefore landing her first editorial role at Summersdale, Jess worked on the front lines of publishing as a bookseller (and yes, customers do say the weirdest things in bookshops!), wrote for the Society of Young Publishers InPrint Magazine and finished her degree. During this time, she developed a strong interest in supporting publishing hopefuls and writers living with chronic illness and hopes to help embed accessibility in the future of the industry. Avon marks her first foray into fiction and she’s already having the time of her life!
Emily Hall
Marketing Manager This is Emily’s first role in the publishing industry, having moved between marketing agencies and the charity sector. She has a wealth of experience in influencer and digital marketing, and loves transferring that knowledge over to the publishing sector!
Like most people in the publishing World, Emily has a genuine love for books and all things storytelling, having completed an English Literature degree, and a Masters degree in Journalism.
She lives in Brighton, where she enjoys writing poetry and sitting by the beach to finish the draft of her first novel!
Jessica Whitehead
Marketing and Publicity AssistantHaving studied a BA in English and Creative Writing, and an MA in Creative Writing: Scriptwriting, Jessie has always been a lover of reading and stories – particularly romance, thrillers and historical fiction. Marketing encompasses her passions altogether, combining her love of writing, photography and filmmaking. When she’s not working, she’s usually writing, listening to music, traveling or reading her way through her ever-growing book collection!