S&S' Midson to become publicity consultant

Simon & Schuster non-fiction commissioning editor Colin Midson is leaving the company to set up as a publicity book consultant.

Midson will launch the business in March and can already count Bloomsbury among his clients. He will be running campaigns for some of the publisher’s new books, along with carrying out PR and on-going editorial projects from his list at S&S.

Midson said publicity was an increasingly crucial way for publishers to get their books direct to readers.

He said: “In the changeable worlds of publishing and bookselling, publicity is becoming an ever more powerful tool—it is increasingly a way for publishers to communicate not just with customers but directly with readers themselves. 

"I look forward to working with a wide range of publishers, festivals, and directly with agencies and authors, and plan to offer a personal service across a range of services that don’t traditionally fall under the remit of in-house PR departments.”  

Mike Jones, editorial director at S&S said the company was “sorry” to see Colin go, but wished him the best with his new venture.

During his time at Simon & Schuster, Midson commissioned books by the likes of Jeremy Vine, Tom Vanderbilt and Billy Idol, and was the UK editor of 2011 CWA Non-fiction Gold Dagger-winner, The Killer of Little Shepherds by Douglas Starr.

Midson was previously Bloomsbury publicity director.