3 Things: An Ongoing Q&A Series

What do you look for in an author?

1. The whole person: Once I get the gist of the topic, I look at the person's background, experience, credentials and motivations. What makes them unique? Why do they want to write about the topic?
2. Ability/desire to sell the book: These books aren't going to sell themselves. No, really. Even if the publisher does a great job placing the book in bookstores ("sell-in"), getting people to buy it over time ("sell-through) depends on the author's efforts and persistence.
3. Rapport: Publishing is a long cycle. We need to work together well.

What are the advantages of working with you?

1. You work with me. Although I partner with subagents for foreign rights and tv/film sales, and even other agents, I'm a one-person shop. So it's li'l ole me answering the phone, typing emails, and dealing with my clients at every stage of publishing their books.
   
2. Every project requires something different. I consider from the beginning how to position your book, how it will work in the marketplace, what are the author's goals.
3. You hear of businesses scaling up. My model is about scaling down. I want to focus on a handful of clients at a time.
   

How do you see your role as an agent?

1. I’m an advisor and advocate, first and foremost. My author’s best interest is my chief interest.
2. I'm an explainer. I decode for my clients why some things are done they way they are. Publishing is a weird industry and sometimes, it's better to save your energy than tilting at windmills.
3. I'm a problem solver. I'm the person the author should call when things go wrong. Even when the solution is out of our control, you should never feel alone. We're in it together.

What kinds of books are you most interested in?

1. Although I read fiction in my down time, my professional skills and instincts are developed for nonfiction. Please only query me about nonfiction projects.
2. I'm partial to investigative and narrative journalism, argument-driven work, how-tos that address an unmet need, deep dives on unexpected topics, unfamiliar takes on familiar topics.
3. I want to do my part to diversify books and pay special attention to queries from underrepresented voices.

What are your hobbies? Reading technically counts as work so is not on the list.

1. Food. In my family, we talk about what to eat while eating and plan the next meal during the current meal. 
2. Voting. I always aimed to vote but since 2016, I now make sure to show up at every election: local, state and national. 
3. Does Twitter count as a hobby? You can find me there most days. 

What are some of your favorite nonfiction books? Books I represent are not included. In case you're wondering, they're all my favorite :-)

1. Personal Memoirs of U.S Grant, published by Mark Twain to make money for the nearly penniless Civil War general. The agent in me can't help but admire author royalties of 30% of gross sales that Grant received from Twain.
2. Derek Jarman's Garden. Someone, please bring this book back in print.
3. Taking Charge of Your Fertility, which should be given to every teenager and taught in schools.

What are your favorite novels? Too many! Here are three recent novels that I read and enjoyed during the pandemic.

1. The Doomsday Book. An Oxford historian goes back to the middle ages and has to deal with a deadly virus (the black plague). What's not to love?
   
2. Gentleman in Moscow. My dad and older daughter have similar literary tastes, which leans Russian/Ukranian. I wish he was around to read this with us.
   
3. Station Eleven. I knew nothing about the premise going in and after getting over the shock, I scarfed down the pages in a day. It is one of those RARE cases that I loved the book and despite significant plot changes, loved the HBO series too.
   

What are your tech essentials? This question is inspired by the WSJ column of the same name.

1. Apple Watch, which I need at least once a day to find my misplaced phone. I represented a book about branded sounds. If I have a signature sound, that sharp ping is it.
2. Slack. What a relief to know I can always turn to my Slack of agent friends for advice and support.
3. Pens in a box. I'm always on the hunt for the best pen you can lose without fretting. Current favorite: Pilot Precise V5, extra fine in black.
   

What can aspiring authors do to break into book publishing?

1. Expose your writing to readers. Think beyond traditional publications. Online publications, your own blog, someone else's blog, social media posts--they all count. When people know your name and look for your writing, that's an asset that impresses book publishers.
2. Look for opportunities to be edited. Getting edited will flex new writing muscles and develop your voice. Like playing tennis with a good opponent, an editor's A-game will bring out a writer's A-game.
3. Open yourself to rejections. Think of anyone who reads your work as test readers. Any reaction is better than none, and feedback that gives you insight about yourself or your work is gold.