The Bookseller Rising Stars celebrated

The Bookseller Rising Stars were lauded for their “wealth of talent” and ability to take on the upcoming challenges facing the trade at a party last night (7th July) to celebrate the 2016 inductees.

Tom Tivnan, The Bookseller features and insight editor and creator of the annual Rising Stars list, told attendees that 2016 had “by far most nominations since in the six years we have done this. So there were a lot of talented people we had to leave off—so you are the cream of the crop.”

Tivnan said that the recent EU referendum vote had “added more challenges to the trade, but if you are the next generation of leaders, the industry is in good hands.”

The gathering, held at the National Portrait Gallery’s bookshop in London, was attended by almost all of the 40-strong Rising Stars class of 2016, including Trapeze editor Emma Smith, this year’s Shooting Star—the Rising Star chosen to be recognised just a little bit more than others on the list.   

Also present were Theresa Duncan, director of Rising Star sponsor Redwood Publishing Recruitment, Frankfurt Book Fair PR manager Anglo/International Kathrin Grün and FBF’s communications director Katja Böhne. FBF has backed the Rising Stars list for the past three years.

The Rising Stars is an annual list run since 2011 which features the top up-and-comers and leaders of the future in the book trade. Just over 200 people have been named Rising Stars in those six years including Waterstones head of books Melissa Cox, Transworld publishing director, commercial fiction Sarah Adams and agent Madeleine Milburn.