Name: Abby Aitcheson
Role: Commissioning Editor
Company: Upstart Press
My first job in publishing was: Editorial Assistant at PQ Blackwell (now Blackwell & Ruth). Glam books, gorgeous people – it made me feel pretty cool.
I’m currently reading: Vernon Subutex 1 by Virginie Despentes. I just finished Greta & Valdin and I can’t stop thinking about it. Ridiculously good!
My biggest career highlight in publishing has been: Afraid I’m going to have to do some name-dropping here… Receiving handwritten letters from childhood hero Jack Lasenby. Or having a kiki with Witi Ihimaera. Or when Dame Lynley Dodd agreed with me that an en dash would work better than a comma. Cheers, PRH! More recently: becoming a commissioning editor and getting the opportunity to champion new authors for Upstart Press. It’s an honour.
