Sara-Jade Virtue

I've worked in the book industry for over 23 years, firstly in the Fiction buying team at Waterstones Head Office, before a brief stint as Book Buyer at Fopp. I joined Simon & Schuster UK in July 2007 and spent 12 years as Special Sales Director and Brand Director for the industry-first women’s fiction community Books and the City, which launched on Valentine’s Day 2011. I moved into Editorial in November 2019 as Brand Development Director, working across the commercial women’s fiction list identifying new talent and developing growth strategies for brand and emerging authors.I led the Jackie Collins legacy publishing programme, rebranding activity on bestselling authors including Milly Johnson, Santa Montefiore, Rachel Hore, Jane Costello and Paige Toon, and many collaborations and partnerships with media, libraries, and literary festivals. I acquired and published a small stable of my own authors including Beverley Kendall, Annabel Abbs, Claire Frost and Oti Mabuse.I created and managed the #DigitalOriginals publishing programme and #OneDay open submission project, which launched the careers of Sunday Times bestselling and award-winning writers including Heidi Swain, Jennifer Bibby, Holly Hepburn, Jackie Fraser and Julie Haworth.I worked with the RNA as industry spokesperson for the #RespectRomFic movement aiming to increase the profile of romantic novelists in the UK, and am co-founder and co-director of the #LoveStoriesEtc romance literary festival that returns to Manchester Central Library for a third year in July 2026.I volunteer at my local Community Library in London as founder of the monthly #HCLBooksEtc bookswap bookclub, resident Book Doctor, and host of the HUSH: Silent Reading Social events, and am passionate about, and committed to, connecting authors to readers in transformative ways.

A versatile, creative and innovative publishing professional, I specialise in strategic brand development - from developmental and structural editing to cover direction and event planning - for authors writing in the women's fiction and romance space. A persuasive communicator and presenter, I create collaborative relationships and commercial links between Editorial, Sales, Marketing and Publicity departments, media reviewers, retailers, influencers, readers and writers to build successful communities.If you're a romance writer looking for expert guidance, I would love to help you achieve your goals. I am offering a range of services including first three chapter assessments, full manuscript developmental and structural edits, pitch and synopsis advice, and virtual sessions for ongoing support and feedback. I can tailor-make a package according to your needs and budget, so please do reach out to book an initial no charge/no obligation chat.If you're a publishing house building a growth strategy for one of your romance authors, and need a fresh perspective and new ideas, I would love to hear from you.If you are a bookshop, library or literary festival organiser looking for a chair, moderator, host or interviewer for a romance event, I can help!Please click on the email icon link above to get in touch.

TESTIMONIALS'SJ is inspiring, passionate about books and reading, masterful in her powers of organisation and her attention to detail. An award-winning champion of romantic and women’s fiction, she’s a brilliant communicator, one of publishing’s heroes. I’m so grateful for all that she’s done for my books.’ RACHEL HORE, author'I worked with SJ for eighteen glorious years and never stopped being in awe of her as a professional, and also as a person. I have never met anyone quite so passionate in the job and so accomplished. She is someone who thinks in the box, around the box and outside the box and I don’t think there is anything she couldn’t do when she puts her hand to it. Her organisational skills, her devotion to duty, she grafts like a workhorse on steroids and she achieves. And she cares about her authors and her peers, that has always been evident. Working with her has been a joy especially in my genre which she has championed and pushed and elevated like no other I can think of. This might seem like high praise, but it’s still not praise enough - I can’t do her justice. All I will say is that anyone who has SJ in their corner will be all the richer for it.' MILLY JOHNSON, author'SJ was my first point of contact in the publishing industry and instilled in me the belief that my aspirations were achievable. More than that, she became instrumental in supporting me while we made each and every one of them happen. A decade of working with a true industry champion, an innovator with drive, determination, a finger on the pulse and total commitment to making the impossible happen has rubbed off on me and my career is all the richer for it. Simply put, SJ is a powerhouse in the publishing industry and anyone fortunate enough to work with her will be blessed.' HEIDI SWAIN, author'I have always considered SJ as the real power and charisma behind Simon & Schuster. The nickname attributed to her was their ‘secret weapon’, and I completely agree with that. She is a force of nature. Everything she does is fired by passion, enthusiasm, creativity and innovation. She thinks outside of the box, and every idea she comes up with is followed through with real drive and energy. I was very lucky to have her ‘on my team’ for 14 years while I was published by Simon & Schuster. She became not only a colleague but a friend too. Everyone was infected by her wonderful sense of humour, cheerfulness, dynamism and positive, can-do and will-do attitude. She’s a ray of sunshine. I’d leap at the opportunity to work with her again!' SANTA MONTEFIORE, author'SJ is a total breath of fresh air in the world of publishing - approachable, supportive, passionate and fun, she's a hotbed of ideas and ALWAYS knows how to make a manuscript ten times better. What SJ doesn't know about writing romance probably isn't worth knowing - book now if you can!' LORRAINE BROWN, author'I've been fortunate enough to work with SJ since 2021, after I submitted my manuscript to the #DigitalOriginals #OneDay open submissions programme. SJ has always championed my writing, and the romantic fiction genre in general, and has supported me throughout my writing journey. With SJ as my editor, my debut novel went on to win the Romantic Novelists' Association's Katie Fforde Debut Romantic Novel award in 2023 and my second was shortlisted for the Popular Romantic Fiction award for 2025. It's been an absolute privilege to work with SJ and her passion and enthusiasm for the genre really shines through.' JULIE HAWORTH, author'If SJ did not exist I would hesitate to make her up, because nobody would believe my description of her. She's a powerhouse, known and respected industry-wide for her energy and inspiration. Twenty years of watching her work has only increased my admiration. She never wastes anybody's time; all her advice and decisions are thought-through, solid gold ideas. She is unfailingly frank and honest, while keeping an eye on the feelings of others. And how does she pack an extra few hours into each day? SJ outpaces AI when it comes to planning, and she is quick to spot any flaws in a book pitch, and then just as quick at suggesting a fix. She truly loves what she does and it shows; I feel very lucky to have sheltered beneath her benign, no-nonsense wing all these years, and anybody with a serious desire to improve and progress in publishing should seek her out.' BERNADETTE STRACHAN, author'SJ is a marvel. Innovative, imaginative and immensely dedicated to books, she brings laser-focused attention to detail and boundless enthusiasm to every project she works on. I've had the pleasure of benefitting from her expertise for over ten years and can wholeheartedly recommend her.' HOLLY HEPBURN, author'SJ’s energy, enthusiasm for and dedication to promoting love stories of all kinds knows no bounds. Her reputation in the industry is second to none, and with good reason: she knows everyone because she never stops working to champion not only her own authors but also the genre as a whole. Her work ethic is extraordinary. She’s also fun, kind and completely lacking in bullshit. I am lucky to have worked with SJ – as any romance author would be. Any and all advice she offers will be solid gold.' SHARON GOSLING, author'SJ is one of the very best people I've worked with in publishing - a true creative powerhouse. She is the biggest cheerleader, not just of authors, but of the whole genre and industry. Every meeting or conversation I've had with SJ has left me feeling energised, excited and reinvigorated about my work and writing. And that's in no small part because I see how much she cares, and how willing she's always been to go above and beyond in everything she does. I truly believe publishing is a better, kinder, happier place because of SJ's passion and creativity, and I can't stress enough how lucky I feel to have worked with her.' LUCY VINE, author'I've had the privilege of working with SJ since my first novel debuted during the isolating months of covid. As a nervous newbie, and not knowing very much about the publishing industry, SJ's knowledge, kindness and unfaltering support meant the world and always will. Her belief, not just in my books but also in me, has lifted my confidence in ways I don't have words for. Lucky is the person who gets to work with her next.' EVA VERDE, author'SJ is genuinely one of the best people in this industry because she's honest, incredibly smart and so kind. If you're a romance author looking for guidance speak to SJ. She's worth every penny.' LIZZIE HUXLEY-JONES, author'Passionate, dynamic and creative, SJ is a publishing legend. If you need a champion in your corner to make your work shine, she's the best - book now!' KATE LORD BROWN, author‘SJ is one of the greatest, most passionate and influential people currently working in British publishing, and she is everything publishing should be.’ LISA JEWELL, author‘SJ is absolutely one of the best people in book publishing and such a cheerleader and powerhouse.’ SARRA MANNING, author'Anyone lucky enough to work with SJ will recognize her inimitable blend of imagination, warmth and sheer hard graft. In an industry that can sometimes feel risk-averse, she shines as a true innovator, a champion of new ideas - and new ways to bring them to market.' LOUISE CANDLISH, author'It is such a joy to work with SJ – her projects are always innovative, exciting and inspiring, as is she. Her energy and enthusiasm know no bounds, and her eagle-eyed attention to detail ensures excellence, whatever she is undertaking. She is a legend in the publishing industry, as well as being effervescent company. If something has her name attached, you can guarantee it will be a winner.' VERONICA HENRY, author'SJ is such a centre point of the romance community, not only for publishers, but for readers, authors and booksellers too. During my fifteen years in publishing I’ve not met anyone who champions the romance genre with quite as much gumption, smarts and genuine passion as SJ. She is an absolute tour de force and any author would be lucky to benefit from her wisdom and perspective.' KIRSTY GREENWOOD, author'SJ is one of the main reasons I became an author. As a newbie stepping a tentative foot into the industry, I had no idea what to expect, so imagine my joy when SJ was one of the very first people I met. Her unbridled passion, teeth-to-the-bit style tenacity and huge wide-open heart has inspired me at every step. Nobody gets things done better; nobody is a bigger champion; nobody does more – not only for her own authors, but all of us who are lucky enough to be in her orbit. I can’t imagine there being anything she couldn’t do, if she set her mind to it, and she’d likely do it better than anyone else. Publishing is extremely lucky to have her.’ ISABELLE BROOM, author'SJ is a true one-off: commercially insightful, endlessly creative, unswervingly committed, she always has authors' best interests at heart. There is almost nothing she doesn't know about the art of publishing, storytelling and connecting readers and writers - and if there is then she'll make it her business to learn all about it.  I was lucky enough to work with her for many years and there is no one I would want at my side in the publishing journey more than her.' CLARE HEY, Publishing Director‘SJ is a brilliant editor and project manager. She works in full collaboration across teams and manages projects to budget and on time. She has in-depth industry knowledge and understanding of all aspects of the publishing process.’ JO DICKINSON, Executive Director'SJ is one of the best and most passionate champions of the romance genre that I have come across in over twenty years in publishing. What she doesn’t know about romance fiction isn’t worth knowing. She is an enthusiastic and devoted campaigner of all things #RespectRomFic, a genuine advocate of authors and their work and an incredible distiller of plots and how to make them even stronger. Having had the privilege over five years of working together to hear her pitch books in meetings and to witness her galvanise an entire team and infuse them with her excitement and passion for books and their authors, there is no one I’d rather have in my corner if I was an author. SJ is more than a safe pair of hands, she is the person who will fight the good fight for you, will generously share her knowledge about publishing, the market and the genre. She is a force to be reckoned with and anyone would thank their lucky stars to have her champion them.' KATHERINE ARMSTRONG, Publishing Director'SJ is one of those diamonds in a difficult, competitive, and often baffling industry. Not only has she been a force of nature for every author that has been lucky to have her championing them, she is also a holistic industry professional, one of those rarity’s that has time and space for everyone, no matter your budget, your presence and your following. She has fiercely championed, for as long as I can remember, independent bookshops, libraries, debut authors and established bestsellers alike. Her energy, integrity and passion are unrivalled. With advocacy that is never performative or selective, her work is driven from a deep belief in books, readers, and the ecosystems that allow stories to thrive. She is without a doubt the kind of professional that makes the industry better, just by being in it.' KATHRYN, Tea Leaves & Reads Bookshop'SJ is one of the most committed and dedicated people I know in the industry, with vast experience in her field. She brings all her passion to bear on whatever she does - her knowledge of commercial women’s fiction and her fierce loyalty to its authors is unparalleled.' PETER SAXTON, Waterstones'SJ is such a champion within the book industry of commercial fiction - if it’s a good read she will be championing the book and the author. She is someone you want on your side whether you are starting out in the industry or would just like someone by your side as you travel through this wonderful world of books. Aside from putting books in the hands of readers, she has also organised some of the best book launches I have ever been to!' ANGELA ADDINGTON, Gardners Books Ltd'Working with SJ is a joy. In just three years, Love Stories Etc, the romance festival she co-founded and co-directs, has become a major highlight of the Manchester Libraries event programme, recently earning us Library of the Year at the Romantic Novelists' Association Industry Awards. SJ truly ‘gets’ libraries; she understands how important they are, and how they bring readers and writers together. I love her inspiration, her sharp mind, and her uncanny ability to produce magic' DANNY MIDDLETON, Manchester Libraries'SJ's support is invaluable for Edinburgh Women's Fiction Festival. From our first discussions before we launched, her enthusiasm, support, and belief gave us the confidence to follow through. She shared our vision of lifting up women's voices with influential people in the industry which helped our legitimacy as a fledgling festival. Her editing workshops inspired our writers, many of whom continue to use the valuable tips she provided during their session. SJ is also an excellent events chairperson. She has a warmth and magnetism that makes everyone in the audience and on the stage feel important. We love her, and the romance world is lucky to have her on side!' KRISTIN PEDROJA, Edinburgh Women's Fiction Festival'SJ is such a champion of authors and readers alike. She has been a passionate advocate for romance writers in particular, who have often been overlooked, and has worked tirelessly and effectively to change those perceptions. She is a joy and an inspiration on every level.' DIANA BEAUMONT, DHH Literary Agency'All good book marketing has one aim: to generate conversation about books and to pass on the electric thrill of discovering a book you love so that you set off a chain reaction known as ‘word of mouth’. It is word of mouth that powers publishing — it embodies what authors need from their publishers. SJ’s authentic passion for reading, her unshakeable respect for authors and her creative vision for how to reach readers make her one of the very best generators of this magic chain reaction that I have ever worked with. Her infectious joy in reading, partnered with her steely grip on logistics make her a dream partner for any campaign or event.' LIZZY KREMER, David Higham Associates‘SJ is certainly one of the best people working in British publishing today -  her knowledge, expertise, commitment, and championing of authors is incredible and inspiring. Quite simply she is brilliant!’ AMANDA PRESTON, LBA Books'I have worked with SJ both as a Sales Director and as a Literary Agent and can joyfully attest to her star quality. SJ combines the vanishingly rare combination of commercial acumen, literary awareness, deep market experience, insane work ethic and great personal charm. Her secret sauce is that she has a best-in-class ability to position, publish, refine and promote great stories to the benefit of all. There is no one better at helping ensure product market-fit and there is no one more joyful to work with. Money spent on SJ will repay you tenfold and I have never worked with anyone more talented, diligent and passionate about her clients. Strong recommend.' JON STEFANI, Publisher and Literary Agent'I am yet to meet another person who has as much enthusiasm, knowledge and innovative ideas in the romantic fiction sphere as SJ. She's a get-things-done force of nature, and the biggest supporter of romantic novelists across the whole of the publishing industry. Her editorial instincts are spot-on and she is a master of building authors' brands. Hers is a voice I will always trust, and it has been a privilege to work with her.' CLAIRE FROST, journalist and author'SJ is one of the most dynamic and dedicated people it has ever been my pleasure to work with in publishing. She is commercially astute, yet unfailingly creative, and can find any solution to any problem. She can spot talent and potential like no other, and is warm, constructive, intelligent, and passionate. Her work has been boundary-pushing, and I have absolutely zero hesitation in recommending her.' LISA HOWELLS, journalist and author