Tramp Press appoints UK publishing director in bid for growth

Dublin-based independent Tramp Press is creating a UK outpost with the appointment of Laura Waddell to the newly created role of UK publishing director.

Tasked with helping Tramp Press grow its UK presence, Waddell will hold special responsibility for UK sales, reporting from January to co-publishers at Tramp Press Sarah Davis-Goff and Lisa Coen.

"This growth is in line with our ambitions to become one of the best independent publishers at work in the UK and Ireland," said Davis-Goff. "We’re so looking forward to increasing Tramp’s presence across the UK, and our ideal will be to retain rights to our most successful authors as we grow. Laura is so talented and focused, we can’t wait to get to work next year."

Waddell previously worked as publishing manager at HarperCollins, acquiring children's reference titles such as The Little Inventors Handbook and publishing books in the National Geographic Kids range. Prior to that, she held editorial and marketing roles with indie publishers of trade-focused and translated fiction. She sits on the board of Gutter Magazine, is a mentor for Scottish Review of Books Emerging Critics, a Saltire Society Literary Award judge, and a frequent cultural commentator for print and radio.  

"As a longtime admirer of Tramp Press from afar, this opportunity to work with Sarah and Lisa to build presence in the UK feels serendipitous and I am still pinching myself," Waddell said of her new role. "I couldn't be more excited to make a return to team indie publishing working with a publishing house whose ethos I hugely respect and whose exquisite literary list is poised to grow."