Meet the Picador team

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  Publisher

  Mary Mount

  I have worked in publishing for over twenty-five years. I was thrilled to join Picador, one of the country's finest literary lists, as Publisher in 2022. I publish literary fiction and narrative non-fiction from the UK and around the world. I’m always looking for writers with an original voice. In non-fiction I’m particularly interested in memoir, politics and modern history and I am a great admirer of the poets on our list. I count myself extremely lucky to be working at Picador, on a list of such extraordinary writers and with such a brilliant, insightful group of editors. 

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  Publishing Director

  Sophie Jonathan

  I have been working at Picador since 2010 and have been lucky enough to build a wide-ranging list about which I am passionate. I mostly publish literary fiction, where I look for stories that are rich in voice and expansive in scope, that move across the world and backwards and forwards in time. I love fiction that combines a perfectly handled plot, vivid characters, genuine wit, and truly beautiful – even lyrical – writing. I’m interested in how a book’s form contributes to its intrigue, and I love literary fiction that dips a toe into other genres. I publish some non-fiction too, and am always looking to find unique personal narratives and books with a cause: writing that will ignite passion and debate. Across my publishing I am particularly interested in stories that engage with the identity of place. My authors include Sarah Moss, Emily St. John Mandel, Hernan Diaz, Maddie Mortimer, Kiran Millwood Hargrave, Jessie Burton, Mariam Khan, Emma Stonex, Lily King, Hannah Kent, Elizabeth Macneal, Tim Winton, Jim Crace, Cecilia Rabess, Megan Hunter and Ayesha Manazir Siddiqi. 

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  Publishing Director

  Andrea Henry

  I joined Picador at the very end of 2021 with a remit to publish a range of non-fiction, both voice-driven and concept-driven; I enjoy publishing a smart gift book as much as a literary-prize contender. Over the years, I have worked with an array of authors, including politicians, activists, journalists, academics, medics, social entrepreneurs and comedians: all of whom with something important to say about the world. I’m particularly interested in diverse and feminist voices. I am now delighted to be working with Picador authors such as the Secret Barrister, Jeffrey Boakye, Ben Judah, Jenny Kleeman, Graham Robb and Jon Ronson.

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  Poetry Editor

  Colette Bryce

  I was appointed Poetry Editor in 2022, taking over the excellent list built up over twenty-five years by my predecessor Don Paterson. It is my honour to look after the work of some of the best poets in the English language, from celebrated national laureates to the leading lights of a new generation. Picador poets include: Carol Ann Duffy, Robin Robertson, Denise Riley, Raymond Antrobus, Ian Duhig, Kathleen Jamie, Jacob Polley, Rachel Long, P J Harvey, Frances Leviston, Jericho Brown, Karen Solie, Sean O’Brien, Kae Tempest, Harry Josephine Giles and new signings Maya C Popa, Airea D Matthews and Susannah Dickey. I’ll be working closely with the team to develop the dynamic and varied list at Picador, as a home for the most original poetry across styles and genres. Please direct queries via Ebruba Abel-Unokan.

• Senior Commissioning Editor

  Alpana Sajip

  I joined the Picador nonfiction team in 2024 after nearly four years at Penguin, and am excited to be building a list that will cover subjects including history, biography, politics, current affairs, art, feminism, investigative journalism and narrative nonfiction. I love books that reimagine history, uncover untold stories or help readers see the world differently, and I’m particularly drawn to novelistic nonfiction that delves deep into complex characters. Above all, I’m looking for great storytelling.

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  Senior Commissioning Editor

  Orla King

  I’m looking for literary fiction that feels alive and has its finger on the pulse. I like some scaffolding of plot, either from a fresh, ambitious concept, or a story shaped and driven by relationships and their emotional stakes - whether it be a marriage falling apart, siblings warring, childhood friends choosing to let each other go, or an unlikely gang brought together. I would love to see more queer stories and novels exploring gender and different forms of romantic relationships, as well as literary fiction with a speculative element - something a bit ‘weird’ that plays with genre but stays grounded in an emotional truth. I also love sharp, immersive historical fiction, and mind-opening visions of the future. I am passionate about fiction in translation, bringing the freshest voices from around the world to our readers. I like translated fiction that captures the political heat of the day on the page no matter where it is set, and explores the lives, hopes and fears of people around the world today.

  My authors include Toshikazu Kawaguchi, Rebecca Birrell, Julia May Jonas, Lee Heejoo, Gráinne O’Hare, Mieko Kawakami, Samanta Schweblin, Elizabeth O’Connor, Ted Chiang, Nathan Hill, Verena Kessler, Genki Kawamura, Éric Vuillard, Anthony Passeron, Sanaka Hiiragi, Elaine Hsieh Chou, Laurent Petitmangin, Brian Bilston, Harriet Gibsone, Emma Flint, Edward Docx and Bette Howland.

• Editor

  Rosie Shackles

  I joined the Picador team in 2022, and I primarily work with Mary Mount on her publishing, along with building my own list. The writers I work with include Douglas Stuart, Jamaica Kincaid, CJ Green, Hanna Bervoets, and Louise Hegarty. 

  I love literary fiction that prioritises plot. I’m drawn to page-turners that are full of secrets and questions right to the final minute, and beautifully written, big-hearted family dramas that take me somewhere unfamiliar. I have always been a sucker for a love story. 

  In non-fiction, l enjoy historical or political stories told with the verve and urgency of a novel, whether that be a scandalous news story, or a deeply-researched reshaping of a historical moment I thought I knew.

• Editor

  Lewis Russell

  I joined Picador in 2023. I primarily assist Andrea Henry with her non-fiction list, while also working with Mary Mount and Sophie Jonathan on some of their fiction titles.

• Editorial Assistant

  James Taylor

  I joined Picador in 2024, and now work with Orla King and Sophie Jonathan on their respective lists, which include Sarah Moss, Elizabeth O'Connor, Garrett Carr, Emily St John Mandel, Toshikazu Kawaguchi, Kiran Millwood Hargrave, Brian Bilston, Emma Donoghue and Gráinne O'Hare. 

  
  In fiction, I love stories which are bold, strange, and experimental, but which equally keep the reader gripped by a tightly-screwed plot. I enjoy a good puzzle-box story, something layered and surprising. I'm also particularly interested in working-class and rural narratives, and books with a strong social conscience. In non-fiction, I'm interested in memoir and biography, art writing, and work which engages with nature and landscape.