Meet the Team

Karen Sullivan, Founder & Publisher

Karen Sullivan was born in Canada, and moved to the UK at the age of twenty-one, ostensibly to travel around Europe. Unexpectedly landing her dream job in publishing, she settled in London and hasn’t looked back. After a few years working for an independent, starting as PA to the editorial director and eventually becoming commissioning editor, she left to raise her young family, working as a freelance editor and author of a wide range of non-fiction titles – predominantly relating to children’s health and wellbeing – and appearing on TV and radio. She returned to the ‘other side’ of publishing in 2013, taking on the role of managing editor for a small independent. This – and her own experience as an author – was the catalyst for founding Orenda Books, where author care and high-quality, culturally diverse, bold and original writing are paramount. Karen lives in London with her partner and two of her three sons, and remains a voracious reader and a passionate supporter of the book community. You can find Karen on Twitter @OrendaBooks.

 

 

West Camel, Editorial Director & Production Manager

Born and bred in south London – and not the Somerset village with which he shares a name – West Camel worked as an editor in higher education and business before turning his attention to the arts and publishing. He has worked as a book and arts journalist, and was editor at Dalkey Archive Press, where he edited the Best European Fiction 2015 anthology, before moving to Orenda Books just after its launch. He currently combines his work as editor at Orenda Books with writing and editing a wide range of material for various arts organisations, including ghost-writing a New Adult novel and editing The Riveter magazine for the European Literature Network. He has also written several short scripts, which have been produced in London’s fringe theatres, and was longlisted for the Old Vic’s 12 playwrights project. West Camel is on Twitter @west_camel

 

 

 

Cole Sullivan, Digital & Marketing Manager

Born in South London, Cole attended Dulwich College, and then worked at a local primary school for five years before studying Sport Business at Liverpool John Moores University as a mature student, graduating with a first-class degree in 2018. Cole never expected to end up in publishing, but he started taking on parts of the job as a student, to make ends meet, and carried on full time when he graduated. Cole loves creating visuals and book trailers, pitching for promotions, and overseeing digital and international sales. When he’s not behind his computer, he enjoys playing football and tennis, cycling and working out … and he’ll watch any form of sport, no matter what the hour. Favourite books include Michael Lewis’s The Blind Side, and his unashamedly guilty pleasure is the Shopaholic series.

 

 

 

 

Max Okore, Finance & Contracts Manager

Born in Accra and raised in London, Maxwell Okore is responsible for a number of roles at Orenda Books, including finance, contracts, royalties, logistics and compliance … the boring stuff. All-round experience: an electrician, bookmaker, social worker, press-cuttings business owner, university manager & professional barista. An alumni of Coleg Harlech in politics/history, he’s also been to two world cups and counting. Max hates email but always endeavours to reply within the time it takes a second-class letter to arrive. Although he’s known to attend the odd festival and book launch, Max is usually found holed up at Casa Orenda, oiling the gears of success.

 

 

 


Sophie Goodfellow, PR

Sophie Goodfellow has been working in publicity for almost ten years. In 2017, she joined FMcM as a communications manager, where she has delivered strategic and wide-ranging campaigns and secured coverage across all media for No. 1 bestselling authors, debut novelists, health and lifestyle figures and literary festivals. Comfortable working with all genres, she has a particular passion for translated and crime titles. She is a committee member for First Monday Crime, a monthly crime-writing panel event and has chaired panels, interviewing bestselling authors Louise Candlish, Abir Mukherjee, Ruth Ware, Kate Rhodes, and more. Since 2016, she has been a judge for the CWA Short Story Dagger. She oversees all of Orenda Books’ PR. You can chat to her on Twitter @sophieglorita.

 

 

 

Mark Swan, Designer

I’m kid-ethic but my real name is Mark Swan. I’ve been a graphic designer for over twenty years and have produced designs for many things, including album covers and film posters but book cover design is where my real passion lies. I have been with Team Orenda since the very first book and have had the pleasure of designing nearly all of the covers since. Thanks to Karen, I have also realised a lifelong dream to see my work in cake format. I’m on Twitter @Kidethic.

 

 

 

 

 

Anne Cater, Blog Tour Co-ordinator

Anne Cater has been reading for as long as she can remember.  She worked in the voluntary sector and the NHS for over thirty years and is now full-time self-employed; organising Blog Tours. She has worked with Orenda Books from Day One; reading and reviewing the books, and organising the mammoth monthly Blog Tours. She started her blog, Random Things Through My Letterbox, almost ten years ago. Anne reviews contemporary fiction for the Daily Express and is a judge for the CWA International (Translated) Dagger. She was a shadow panel judge for the Sunday Times Young Writer Award in 2020, and the British Book Awards (Nibbies) in 2021. Anne lives in Lincolnshire with her husband Martin and a small, very noisy cat called Costa. You can find her on Twitter @annecater.

 

 

 

 

Liz Wilkins, Submissions Assistant

A lifelong reader, Liz began reviewing properly five years ago and is now a huge part of the UK publishing community. Submissions reader for Orenda Books by night, and Tesco colleague by day, she is never without at least three books on the go. Liz is on Twitter @Lizzy11268.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mary Picken, Twitter Fairy

Book lover and book blogger at LiveandDeadly.net, Mary is former Head of Communications, England, at the BBC, and now living happily among piles of fabulous books in Scotland. You’ll find her on Twitter @bethsy and on the official Orenda Books account on alternate days.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Victoria Goldman, Proofreader

Victoria Goldman has worked as a freelance journalist and editor for over twenty-five years. She copy-edits and proofreads memoir and fiction for publishers and authors, and is one of LoveReading’s editorial expert panel reviewers. She also writes evidence-based health features for magazines and websites, and is one of Bupa’s freelance health editors. In 2019, Victoria was given an honourable mention in the DHH Literary Agency New Voices Award. She lives in Hertfordshire, England, with her husband and two sons. Victoria is on Twitter @VictoriaGoldma2.

Out Now

Coming Soon

A message from our Publisher, Karen Sullivan

Welcome! We are absolutely thrilled to unveil our new website and to offer you a host of new and better ways to get to know our authors and their books. We’ve filled this new site with everything you need to keep up with all of our inspiring new publications, to find out what our brilliant ...

Simone Buchholz and Vanda Symon in conversation with Craig Sisterson to launch Hotel Cartagena and Bound

Orenda Books is delighted to celebrate publication of ‘Queen of Krimi’ Simone Buchholz’s Hotel Cartagena (translated by Rachel Ward) and award-winning New Zealand crime writer Vanda Symon’s Bound with an online launch. Hotel Cartagena is the fourth in the international, bestselling Chastity Riley series, and it sees our protagonist trapped in a hotel bar, high above Hamburg Harbour, as gunmen take ...

Toronto International Festival of Authors presents NORDIC NOIR – with Agnes Ravatn & Thomas Enger

Agnes Ravatn and Thomas Enger will be taking part in 'Nordic Noir with TIFA' as part of the Toronto International Festival of Authors. The details and how to watch are below: When: 24th March - 7PM How to sign up: Click HERE What: Norwegian author and journalist Agnes Ravatn explores her latest psychological thriller, The Seven Doors, in ...

Simone Buchholz and Vanda Symon in conversation with Craig Sisterson to launch Hotel Cartagena and Bound

Orenda Books is delighted to celebrate publication of ‘Queen of Krimi’ Simone Buchholz’s Hotel Cartagena (translated by Rachel Ward) and award-winning New Zealand crime writer Vanda Symon’s Bound with an online launch. Hotel Cartagena is the fourth in the international, bestselling Chastity Riley series, and it sees our protagonist trapped in a hotel bar, high above Hamburg Harbour, as gunmen take ...

Toronto International Festival of Authors presents NORDIC NOIR – with Agnes Ravatn & Thomas Enger

Agnes Ravatn and Thomas Enger will be taking part in 'Nordic Noir with TIFA' as part of the Toronto International Festival of Authors. The details and how to watch are below: When: 24th March - 7PM How to sign up: Click HERE What: Norwegian author and journalist Agnes Ravatn explores her latest psychological thriller, The Seven Doors, in ...

Matt Wesolowski in conversation with Catriona Ward to celebrate publication of Matt’s dark, thought-provoking new thriller Deity

Orenda Books is delighted to celebrate publication of Matt Wesolowki’s dark, thought-provoking new thriller Deity with an online launch. The fourth in the critically acclaimed, award-winning Six Stories series, with a ‘true crime’ podcast-style narrative, Deity sees online journalist Scott King investigate mega popstar  Zach Crystal, who died in a suspicious fire at his northern Scottish retreat. Allegations of sexual ...
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