Frances Foster (editor)

Frances Foster (née Starbuck, June 3, 1931 – June 8, 2014) was a children's books editor.

Early life and career

Frances Foster, née Frances Starbuck, was born on June 3, 1931.[1] Her father was a banker and her mother an artist.[2] Born in Oakland, California, Foster and her family moved to Berkeley after her parents opened a weaving studio, where she spent most of her childhood.[2] Foster studied at Denison University, where she received a bachelor's degree in English literature in 1953.[1][3]

After she finished studying, Foster spent one year working in Rome. She then returned to the United States in search of a job in the book publishing industry. She went to Alice Dalgliesh's office and asked her for a job, which Dalgliesh offered, as her previous assistant was going on maternity leave.[2] After some time working with Dalgliesh, Foster left to become a freelance editor at Knopf while raising her two children.[3] During her time working for Knopf, Foster served as the editor of several notable authors, such as Leo Lionni and Roald Dahl.[4]

In 1995, Foster was hired by the publishing company Farrar, Straus and Giroux to head a new imprint under her name, Frances Foster Books.[5] The imprint would publish around a dozen new children's books every year,[1] with titles by authors such as Peter Sís and Louis Sachar.[3]

Foster retired from her work as editor in 2013 due to health issues.[4]

Personal life

Foster married her husband in 1956, with whom she had two children.[1] Foster was cousin to writer and poet Elizabeth Coatsworth, and her grandmother's brother was Elbert Hubbard, an artist who founded the Roycroft Press.[2]

Death

Foster died on June 8, 2014, at the age of 83. According to her daughter, it was due to a stroke she suffered in 2012.[1]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Slotnik, Daniel E. (June 18, 2014). "Frances Foster, 83, Children's Book Editor: [Obituary (Obit); Biography]". New York Times.
  2. ^ a b c d Marcus, Leonard S. (September 2003). "An interview with Frances Foster". The Horn Book Magazine. 79 (5): 545–560.
  3. ^ a b c Feeney, Mark (September 1, 1999). "Fostering children's literature For 45 years, legendary editor Frances Foster has left a singular imprint on books for young people". Boston Globe. p. 47.
  4. ^ a b Lodge, Sally (July 16, 2013). "Legendary Editor Frances Foster Retires". Publishers Weekly. Retrieved March 9, 2024.
  5. ^ Bing, Jonathan (September 9, 1996). "A Golden anniversary for Farrar, Straus & Giroux". Publishers Weekly. 243 (37): 22.