Kate Byrne promoted to editorial director at Headline

Headline's Kate Byrne, previously senior commissioning editor, has been promoted to editorial director and will take on responsibility for the Headline Accent imprint alongside Headline Eternal.

Byrne has been described as "the driving force" behind Headline’s digitally focused romance imprint Eternal, which has sold over 4.5 million copies since its launch in 2012, according to the publisher. Her author list includes Jo Watson, Lauren Layne, Sabrina Jeffries and Jill Shalvis, and emerging stars Jasmine Guillory, Lyssa Kay Adams and Cara Bastone.

Byrne is also the publisher of main list authors including Glenda Young, Jennie Felton, Christina Courtenay and Erin Green.

Her new remit will see her take the reins of the Accent list, in line with the imprint’s ambition for growth. The imprint focuses on digital commercial genre publishing and is home to long-term authors that include Lesley Cookman, Marsali Taylor, Karen King and Carol McGrath. More recently, acquisitions have included new novels by Adam Southward, Heidi Stephens, Anisha Bhatia, Jenni Keer, Ayesha Harruna Attah and Natalie Chandler.

Commenting on Byrne's promotion, Jen Doyle, fiction publishing director, said: "Kate is a highly-valued member of the Headline Fiction team and has shown time and time again her passion and precision when it comes to the publishing of her books. Her considerable skill and knowledge of digital publishing will take Headline Accent to new heights. We are ambitious for growth and Kate brings a clear understanding of what readers want from genre fiction, while continuing to push its boundaries. This is a truly well-deserved promotion and an exciting time for Headline Accent."