I’ve just come out of our inaugural A&B weekly meeting. As a small team, meetings have always been rather redundant as, previously working all together on one floor, there was never any real need for formal meetings, we all just knew what was happening and group discussions would take place in impromptu ways.

Now, however, we are split onto two floors, so it’s good to have an excuse to commune around one table, catch-up with everyone’s news to ensure no one has missed out on anything, have a chance to brainstorm, and to discuss all aspects of the business together. And have biscuits.

If you had been a fly on the wall you would have heard us discussing (amongst other things) ideas for the cover to our latest acquisition Bitter Greens, by Kate Forsyth (an absolutely mesmerising novel built around the Rapunzel fairy tale – just finished it, loved loved loved it!), new non-traditional sales outlets, the possibility of using NetGalley to generate reviews, the need for some potted plants (I only just refrained from suggesting an office pet – did anyone read this week’s Stylist feature about making your workplace more efficient?), and the fact that we have a new Publishing Assistant, the lovely Sophie Robinson, who will be joining the A&B team next Monday! Biscuits of the day were shortbread fingers, hobnobs and some mini-madeleines from Villandry (which Lara left for us).

Already looking forward to the next meeting, although plenty to get done until then!

Chiara Priorelli, Publicity & Online Marketing Manager