HILLEL ITALIE,AP National Writer
NEW YORK (AP) — The publisher of Barack Obama's "The Audacity of Hope" has stepped down.
Jenny Frost, who as head of the Crown Publishing Group oversaw the release of Obama's million-selling book, left Wednesday, effective immediately.
Crown's parent company, Random House Inc., announced Frost's departure and said it was "as a result" of a "reorganization" of Crown, which is being split into "separately structured and distinct groups."
Random House spokesman Stuart Applebaum said that no staff reductions were planned.
Frost, 53, had served as president and publisher of Crown since 2002 and had survived a major restructuring last year when Random House consolidated its five major divisions into three and laid off an undetermined number of employees.
Best sellers released during her reign included Ann Coulter's "Treason," Erik Larson's "The Devil in the White City," Obama's "The Audacity of Hope" and the million-selling reissue of an earlier book by Obama, "Dreams From My Father." Next year, Crown will publish a memoir by former President George W. Bush.
Frost, who did not immediately respond to telephone and e-mail messages seeking comment, will be replaced by Maya Mavjee. Mavjee, who starts her new job Jan. 1, is currently executive publisher of the Doubleday Canada Publishing Group and executive vice president of Random House of Canada, Ltd.
