Elise Burns, former head of sales at the Laurence King imprint of Hachette, died July 22, the Bookseller reported. She had more than 25 years of experience in the industry, across children's and adults' books, and was a trustee of the Book Trade Charity and a mentor for the Society of Young Publishers' Spare Zoom Project. Most recently she had been a "courageous and formidable" campaigner for Dignity in Dying and the assisted dying law.
Burns began her career in special sales at Walker Books, eventually becoming custom publishing director, before joining Pan Macmillan, where she was adult nonfiction sales director. Burns later moved to Bloomsbury as U.K. sales director, responsible for adult and children's trade and education sales; then Bonnier Books UK as group sales, marketing, and publicity director; and eventually to Hachette in October 2023.
"She was already well known to many at Hachette from her time at Walker Books, Macmillan, Bloomsbury and Bonnier, and it was wonderful to have her join us," said David Murphy, Orion sales director. "As anyone who met her would know, Elise brought amazing energy, expertise, humor, and passion to everything that she did. She made a hugely positive impact at Laurence King and was a hugely respected and loved colleague.... She will be hugely missed by so many people at Hachette, and across the entire publishing industry."
Anna Bond, managing director, Bonnier Books UK Children's Group, noted that she admired Burns's "energy and brilliant account relationships.... She was smart and direct and she rose to the new challenge of nonfiction as well as keeping her sense of humor when working with the demands of such huge accounts."
Henryk Wesolowski, former sales and marketing director at Walker Books, said Burns "had a real talent for developing new markets for our children's books by working closely with the editorial and art departments in Walker Books. She was, and remains, one of the most creative and effective sales people I have ever worked with and will be sorely missed by her colleagues and many friends in the publishing industry."