Picador

Meet the team

Publisher
Mary Mount
I have worked in publishing for over twenty-five years. I was thrilled to join Picador, one of the country's finest literary lists, as Publisher in 2022. I publish literary fiction and narrative non-fiction from the UK and around the world. I’m always looking for writers with an original voice. In non-fiction I’m particularly interested in memoir, politics and modern history and I am a great admirer of the poets on our list. I count myself extremely lucky to be working at Picador, on a list of such extraordinary writers and with such a brilliant, insightful group of editors.
Publishing Director
Georgina Morley
I’ve been a non-fiction editor at PanMacmillan for an unconscionably long time, but only moved across to Picador relatively recently, in 2018. I publish history, historical biography, memoir and narrative non-fiction. I’m looking for authors who combine a deep knowledge and understanding of their subject with a gift for clear and compelling prose. My authors include Peter Ackroyd, Hugh Aldersley Williams, Sophie Ambler, Jeremy Bowen, Michael Burleigh, Yashaswini Chandra, Jane Glover, Natalie Haynes, Adam Hochschild, Channing Joseph, Jackie Higgins, Judith Mackrell, Polly Morland, Catherine Nixey, David Nott, David Olusoga, Suzanne O’Sullivan, Robert Service and Francesca Stavrakopoulou.
Publishing Director
Sophie Jonathan
I have been working at Picador since 2010 and have been lucky enough to build a wide-ranging list about which I am passionate. I mostly publish literary fiction, where I look for stories that are rich in voice and expansive in scope, that move across the world and backwards and forwards in time. I love fiction that combines a perfectly handled plot, vivid characters, genuine wit, and truly beautiful – even lyrical – writing. I’m interested in how a book’s form contributes to its intrigue, and I love literary fiction that dips a toe into other genres. I publish some non-fiction too, and am always looking to find unique personal narratives and books with a cause: writing that will ignite passion and debate. Across my publishing I am particularly interested in stories that engage with the identity of place. My authors include Sarah Moss, Emily St. John Mandel, Hernan Diaz, Maddie Mortimer, Kiran Millwood Hargrave, Jessie Burton, Mariam Khan, Emma Stonex, Lily King, Hannah Kent, Elizabeth Macneal, Tim Winton, Jim Crace, Cecilia Rabess, Megan Hunter and Ayesha Manazir Siddiqi.
Publishing Director
Andrea Henry
I joined Picador at the very end of 2021 with a remit to publish a range of non-fiction, both voice-driven and concept-driven; I enjoy publishing a smart gift book as much as a literary-prize contender. Over the years, I have worked with an array of authors, including politicians, activists, journalists, academics, medics, social entrepreneurs and comedians: all of whom with something important to say about the world. I’m particularly interested in diverse and feminist voices. I am now delighted to be working with Picador authors such as the Secret Barrister, Jeffrey Boakye, Ben Judah, Jenny Kleeman, Graham Robb and Jon Ronson.
Publishing Director
Anne Meadows
I joined Picador in the summer of 2022 after twelve years at Granta, where I published an array of prize-winning literary fiction and non-fiction from around the world in a range of genres; from the very literary to speculative and horror. The authors I have worked with include Gwendoline Riley, Sarah Moss, Eleanor Catton, Catherine Lacey, Patrick deWitt, Margo Jefferson, Sayaka Murata, Mariana Enriquez and Mark O’Connell. In fiction, I look for literary craft and a strong voice; from big, astonishing novels that land like a thunder-clap to perfectly crafted gems that uncover how we harm and love each other. In non-fiction, I am a sucker for a good prose stylist teaching me something new and making me rethink the world. My nascent Picador list includes the writers: Gwendoline Riley, Kaveh Akbar, Louise Hegarty, August Thompson, Mai Sennaar, Mieko Kawakami, Jen Hadfield, Gina Chung, Hanna Bervoets, Neema Shah, Stephanie Sy-Quia, and Samanta Schweblin.
Poetry Editor
Colette Bryce
I was appointed Poetry Editor in 2022, taking over the excellent list built up over twenty-five years by my predecessor Don Paterson. It is my honour to look after the work of some of the best poets in the English language, from celebrated national laureates to the leading lights of a new generation. Picador poets include: Carol Ann Duffy, Robin Robertson, Denise Riley, Raymond Antrobus, Ian Duhig, Kathleen Jamie, Jacob Polley, Rachel Long, P J Harvey, Frances Leviston, Jericho Brown, Karen Solie, Sean O’Brien, Kae Tempest, Harry Josephine Giles and new signings Maya C Popa, Airea D Matthews and Susannah Dickey. I’ll be working closely with the team to develop the dynamic and varied list at Picador, as a home for the most original poetry across styles and genres. Please direct queries via Ebruba Abel-Unokan.
Senior Commissioning Editor
Alpana Sajip
I joined the Picador nonfiction team in 2024 after nearly four years at Penguin, and am excited to be building a list that will cover subjects including history, biography, politics, current affairs, art, feminism, investigative journalism and narrative nonfiction. I love books that reimagine history, uncover untold stories or help readers see the world differently, and I’m particularly drawn to novelistic nonfiction that delves deep into complex characters. Above all, I’m looking for great storytelling.
Commissioning Editor
Orla King
In fiction, I’m looking for contemporary character-driven narratives that sit in the upmarket/literary crossover sweet spot. I like a tangled family drama and stories that span decades and continents. I’m always hoping to find literary fiction with a speculative element, something a bit ‘weird’ that plays with genre and grounds a strong concept in emotional truth. I also love lush, immersive historical fiction, and gothic or light fantastical elements are very much welcomed. I am keen to publish more fiction in translation. I like narrative non-fiction that drops me into a moment in history, through memoir or an investigative approach, and writers who can make sense of the issues we are currently grappling with and explain them to readers in fresh and fun ways. My authors include Elizabeth O’Connor, Gráinne O'Hare, Harriet Gibsone, Ted Chiang, Brian Bilston, Toshikazu Kawaguchi, Emma Flint, Nathan Hill, Lizzie Pook, Elaine Hsieh Chou, Éric Vuillard, Laurent Petitmangin, Bette Howland, Sanaka Hiiragi and Anthony Passeron.
Assistant Editor
Rosie Shackles
I joined the Picador team in 2022, and I work with George Morley and Anne Meadows on their respective lists, which include Rose Boyt, Natalie Haynes, August Thompson, Jen Hadfield, Gina Chung, Kaveh Akbar, Neema Shah and Louise Hegarty. I also look after Henry Hoke and Jamaica Kincaid's publishing here at Picador.

I love literary fiction that prioritises plot. I’m drawn to page-turners that are full of secrets and questions right to the final minute, that don’t compromise on beautiful writing. I have always been a sucker for a love story.

In nonfiction, l enjoy historical or political stories told with the verve and urgency of a novel, whether that be a scandalous news story, or a deeply-researched retelling of a historical moment I thought I knew.
Assistant Editor
Ebruba Abel-Unokan
I joined the Picador team in 2022 and I assist Mary Mount and Colette Bryce. I enjoy philosophical and speculative fiction with an emotional core, concerned with what our anxieties and fears of technology reveal about the human condition. In non-fiction, my interests range from music and photography criticism to life writing and biography. In poetry, I’m primarily interested in formally innovative, ambitious, and high-concept collections.
Editorial Assistant
Daisy Dickeson
After a year of bookselling, I joined the team in 2022. At Picador, I work with Sophie Jonathan on her list, which includes Sarah Moss, Kiran Millwood Hargrave, Elizabeth Macneal, Emma Stonex and Megan Hunter. I also work with Harriet Sanders on the Macmillan Collector’s Library list.

In fiction, I love beautiful writing which packs an emotional punch – whether it’s full of warmth or darkness, a moving story is always what I’m looking for. I also love experimental writing which uses form, narrative and genre in exciting and unexpected ways. In non-fiction, I enjoy narrative-led writing which can break through to the heart of a broad subject.
Editorial Assistant
Lewis Russell
I joined Picador in 2023. I primarily assist Andrea Henry with her non-fiction list, while also working with Mary Mount and Sophie Jonathan on some of their fiction titles.