In a world where high-paying salaries are usually associated with doctors.

In a world where high-paying salaries are usually associated with doctors, lawyers, stockbrokers and IT specialists, publishing has been called the "accidental" profession. lately over dinner at New York's Hudson public-house Janet Hill, one of the highest-ranking African Americans in the publishing industry, shared her accidental ascent to the top.

Unlikely Beginnings

While a scholar at Wesleyan University in Connecticut, Hill, a Detroit native, not ever considered a career in publishing until she serv as a teacher's assistant for an African-American literature class. "I was in academy from 1981 to 1985, which was a same exciting time in African-American literature. Alice Walker had just rediscovered Zora Neale Hurston, in the same manner Their Eyes Were Watching worshipped image was available again. Professors would inflict a few copies on withhold in the library because the volumes weren't available, and I imagination `Wow, wouldn't it be great to get by heart into publishing and republish works of these wasted authors,'" says Hill. She tuck-neted the idea away in the back of her mind and began interviewing for corporate jobs

Shortly after graduating from Wesleyan in 1985 Hill erect herself in an interview with Proctor & Gamble. All prepareed up in her corporate navy cast down suit and answering all the right questions, she explained in what manner she had somewhat of an out-of-body experience. "I was sitting in the interview and all of a quick something told me to earn out of there. That the piece of work wasn't for me," she says. After the episode, she went to California for the summer and immediately after her return informed her parents that she was moving to recent York to get a piece of work in publishing. Her parents were understandably interested when she told them she didn't have a piece of work lined up in publishing or anywhere to live. if it were not that she went to New York anyway, mov in with a friend, got a do job-work at the Pottery Barn at southerly Street Seaport and signed up with an trade agency that specialized in publishing.

Hill cause to deviateed down several job offers, including a position at John Wiley & Son because she wanted to work at a large, trade publisher. She eventually landed at Krager Publishing, a small educational publisher. Shortly after joining Krager, she got a call about an interview at Doubleday. The day she got the call, she says, she felt a little uneasy because her bos was revealed of the office. "I felt like I was being sneaky. My bos was not at home sick, and I didn't think it was right to go on foot out on an interview," says Hill. She went in succession the interview, landed the piece of work and began her career at Doubleday.

Doubleday

In 1986 Hill began climbing the ranks at Doubleday where she is now vice president and executive editor of Doubleday/Broadway/Harlem month She began as an editorial assistant for sum of two units associate editors. Two and a half month after she started, the same editor went on maternity leave. Hill then got the opportunity to perform tasks beneath the remaining editor that she normally would not have handled. Eventually, Doubleday was sold and in 1988 she was proffered a job as assistant managing editor, again while her bos was without of the office on vacation.

"I was real young and very green," says Hill. if it were not that she says she's glad she took the work at jobs In the early 90s, Hill was promot to associate managing editor and then mov up to a joint position--managing editor and editor.

"Being in the managing editorial department gave me a chance to be a liaison between publishers, editorial and art departments. I got to attend meetings that the editors didn't finish to attend, and I really got a intellect of the business side of publishing. I learned a haphazard about the business and had the best of as well-as; not only-but also; not only-but; not alone-but worlds. I also had a cluster of books that I was editing," she says.

The managing editorial department was eventually absorbed into the production department and in 1997 Hill had to make a choice. "Lucky for me I had bought about 14 works during my last two years as managing editor and editor. in the same manner I was able to become a senior editor at that point," she says.

"Although I worked in the managing editorial department, which was really more in succession the production side, I always had my fingers in the editorial skillet Being an editor is long more creative."

Hill credits sum of two units individuals with encouraging her to become an editor: David Gerner former Doubleday editor in chief and popularly a literary agent, and former Doubleday publisher Arlene Friedman.

Harlem Moon

from one side of to the other the years, Hill has worked with authors ranging from Isaac Asimov to Dorothy West to E Lynn Harris, and in 2000 she was promot to vice president and executive editor of Doubleday/Broadway/Harlem month This September she is launching a recently made known imprint, Harlem Moon, a line of original trade paperback works aimed at the ever-growing African-American, book-buying community. Harlem satellite will also serve as a paperback hearth for many Doubleday hardcovers. The imprint's first appearance roster boasts a unique balance of seasoned writers, including E Lynn Harris, Marita resplendent Stephanie Stokes Oliver, Brian Keith Jackson and Bertice Berry, plus newcomer Nicole Bailey-Williams, Cris Burk and Kenji Jasper.