About Laura Kelly
Book publishing
Most recently, I served as VP/Global Editor-in-Chief at Reader's Digest books.
There I oversaw the worldwide Select Editions product line, which takes bestselling books from publishers such as Random House, Simon & Schuster, HarperCollins, Penguin and others and repackages them in a shorter anthology format. This gave me the opportunity to work with top authors such as Nicholas Sparks, Ann Rule, Lee Child, Mary Higgins Clark, James Patterson, Walter Isaacson, and many others.
As global editor-in-chief I worked closely with marketing & promotion, research, internet, public relations, and finance teams setting creative and business strategies. I was also direct supervisor of more than 18 editorial, design, subsidiary rights, and production staff and indirect supervisor of 20 worldwide editors in chief.
My favorite projects at Reader's Digest included starting up a membership blog for the large condensed books readership; redesigning a 50-year-old, highly successful product line; creating a 10-volume original book serial set on a fictional island in Georgia; annual trips to Europe to meet with international publishers and book editors; punching up miles of blurb and newsletter copy; and brainstorming and test-launching more than 10 new book product lines.
Magazine publishing
Prior to Reader's Digest books, I worked in magazine publishing for many years. I was managing editor at places such as Family Life, a start-up national parenting magazine published by Wenner Media, Sesame Street Parents monthly magazine, and at a variety of Hachette magazines.
Being a magazine managing editor was the perfect amalgam of my interests in words, design, and never missing a deadline. I worked closely with top art directors, magazine publishers and salespeople, production and manufacturing folk, and of course numerous editors and writers.
Other
I grew up in suburban Detroit, where I read a lot of books, played tennis, and taught piano. I later graduated from The University of Michigan with an honors degree in English Language and Literature, and then moved to the east coast.
Laura Kelly
A 20-year veteran of the book and magazine publishing industries, Laura recently became a creative partner in Warren's expanding editorial business and is overseeing project management, web/blog production, marketing & promotion, and editing.
Please feel free to contact Laura at laura@warrenberger.com.
