Valerie Brandes has over 10 years book trade experience both in the UK and in the USA and is a proud graduate of the MA Publishing Studies at City University London. She left Profile Books to set up Jacaranda Books Art Music in 2012, feeling the need to explore publishing the kinds of books she longed to see and read, but was having trouble finding. She bought her first title, Fashion Africa, in 2012 and it was published in February 2014. Valerie is an ardent supporter of promoting ethnic and gender equality and diversity in the publishing industry. She is on the Committee for Jerwood Fiction Uncovered Prize. She tweets @valrey