Emma Layfield has made the permanent move to Children’s Books North (CBN), having co-founded the organisation in 2020. Layfield leaves her role as picture book development director (North) after 25 years at Hachette Children’s Group (HCG) to grow CBN further.
Layfield co-founded CBN in 2020 with Tilda Johnson and Liz Scott as an independent networking group for published children’s authors, illustrators and publishing professionals based in the North of England and Scotland. Having grown from 60 members to over 400, CBN hosts events for its members including networking socials, and champions its members’ work through weekly blog interviews and other social media initiatives. Since its founding, CBN has partnered with Youth Libraries Group to deliver a conference and with Just So Festival to curate a day of author/illustrator events. CBN has also appeared on panel discussions at industry events such as The Bookseller’s Children’s Conference and Portico Library’s Pathways into Publishing. The organisation runs a yearly mentor scheme for aspiring publishing professionals living in the North and Scotland.
In this new phase CBN will retain its primary focus to connect, support and promote its members, and to amplify regional diversity in the publishing industry. The organisation plans to expand its partnerships and initiatives with a range of Northern organisations, including a new festival partnership with Durham Book Festival and a networking social in Newcastle. CBN will also be offering more mentoring and development opportunities for aspiring authors, illustrators and publishing professionals based in the North, while it has recently launched a website.
Layfield said: “Children’s Books North has gone from strength to strength over the last four years. We have ambitious plans for the future to further aid connectivity and accessibility to creatives outside of the M25 and improve access to the industry for those who don’t have connections in London. A huge thank you to all our members and partners for joining us on this exciting next step. And I would like to take this opportunity to thank Hachette UK for the last 25 years and for giving me (and many others) the opportunity to work in publishing outside of London.”
Claire Malcolm, chief executive of New Writing North, commented: “It has been a real pleasure to work with Emma as she has developed Hachette’s work across the North. The impact of the work she has achieved has been significant. New Writing North have been pleased to support the development of Children’s Books North and are planning more collaborations with the organisation as it grows. It’s incredibly exciting that someone with Emma’s skills and experience has manifested such an exciting new organisation and that it can now showcase and support the wealth of talented writers and illustrators working in the northern literary scene.”
David Shelley, chief executive officer at Hachette Book Group, added: “Emma has done amazing work at Hachette – as a publisher, and as a lynchpin of our National Office strategy. She will be hugely missed here, but I couldn’t be more pleased or excited about her plans for Children’s Books North. It has made such a difference in the industry already, and I know Emma and the team at CBN will help to further boost the careers and connections of everyone involved in children’s publishing in the North of England and Scotland.”
Ivan Wadeson, executive director at Manchester City of Literature, said: “Children’s Books North has played a vital role to increase the visibility of writers and illustrators in the North of England and Scotland. I am delighted with the news that Emma is taking on the role full-time to increase further CBN’s success. At Manchester City of Literature, we look forward to working together even more closely in the future.”
To contact Layfield directly, email: emma@childrensbooksnorth.co.uk or call 07398 493 354.
