Meet the Team
Lynn Johnston -- President / Agent
Photo credit: Franco Vogt
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Hello! Thank you for taking time to learn more about me. For more than 20 years, I've represented nonfiction and a small selection of fiction. The books on my list have been called "firebreathng" and "righteous" by the New York Times, "exuberant" by O, The Oprah Magazine, and "a godsend" by Publishers Weekly. Among them are New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Los Angeles Times, and USA Today bestsellers; Books for a Better Life Award finalists; winner of the International Association of Culinary Professionals Cookbook Award; Audie Award winner of the Best Nonfiction Audiobook, Grammy nominee for Best Spoken Word Album; Porchlight Personal Development and Human Behavior Book of the Year, and other "best of the year" honorees.
In response to the question, "What do you do?" I once replied, "I care." It was at a party and although I meant it as a joke, I'd inadvertently gotten it right. I care about my authors, how their work transforms into book form, what happens to the book before and after publication, and ultimately the impact it has in the world. My authors have been honored with the Pulitzer Prize, Peabody Award, Global Teaching Prize (finalist), and GLAAD award, to name a few. I'm proud to work with each and every one. Here is a gallery of some of them in action. Before working in publishing, I held marketing and management positions and served on the the board or staff of notable non-profits, including Dress for Success, Bottomless Closet, and the American Bar Association. I was elected in 2022 to the board of the Association of American Literary Agents where I also serve on the Contracts Committee. I also serve on the advisory board of the Woodstock Book Fest. My degrees include an MBA and BA in Philosophy. I came to live and work in New York City by way of Chicago, Dallas, Austin, Dunedin (Florida), Bangkok and Saigon where I was born. My sunny home has several good bookstores within walking distance but never enough bookshelves. |
Sara Carder -- Director of Editorial Services
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I am an editor, collaborator, and writer with over 25 years of experience working in the publishing industry. Most recently, I was Editorial Director at TarcherPerigee, an imprint of Penguin Random House, where I acquired and edited bestselling nonfiction titles. I loved working “in house,” but I am now quite happy spending my days doing only the part I’ve always loved best: working closely with authors to help them create the books they want to share with the world.
I began my editorial career at Berkley Books, a division of Penguin Random House, working mainly on mysteries and thrillers. In 2000, I joined TarcherPerigee where I acquired and edited many bestselling nonfiction books including the international bestseller with over 2 million copies sold Attached by Amir Levine, M.D. and Rachel Heller, M.A., New York Times bestselling author Daniel J. Siegel, M.D.’s Brainstorm and Parenting from the Inside Out, and It’s Never Too Late to Begin Again by the legendary Julia Cameron, author of The Artist’s Way. I believe that great books can change lives and it is an honor to work with writers whose books inspire and inform a diverse audience of readers around the world. |
Debbie Clayman -- Director of Speaking Services
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I have spent over 20 years managing the logistics of conferences and events. My motto is you can never be too prepared, too organized, or too detailed. Luckily, I love a good spreadsheet. If you ever wondered who would put their kids’ summer camp schedule on a color-coded
spreadsheet, that’s me. I start every assignment asking what is important to the clients and what can I do to make their experience easier. Everything comes together better with great communication and organization. Relationships are at the heart of what I do. Your experience with our speaking services should be seamless, integrated, and enjoyable. I hold a marketing degree from Tulane and an MBA from NYU. I grew up in Dayton, Ohio, and have been lucky to call the great cities of Chicago, New Orleans, New York, and London home. You can find me in Brooklyn now, running and enjoying the view of Manhattan. I started running on a dare and now coach young adults recovering from cancer in a program called Cancer to 5K. I am inspired everyday by this group not just while running, but every day. When not working or running, I’m probably traveling or planning my next great adventure. If I can run, sightsee, and read a great book , that’s a pretty great day. |
