Ask the Industry Expert: Literary Agent Kate Burke

It's a pleasure to welcome literary agent Kate Burke to the RNA blog today for an interview with Helena Fairfax. Kate is with Diane Banks Associates and worked previously at Headline, Penguin, HarperCollins, and as Editorial Director at Century (Random House). Thanks so much for joining us, Kate!

Please tell us a little about Diane Banks Associates, how long the agency has been established, and how you came to join. 

Diane set up the agency in 2006 after a career in publishing on the rights side. I head up the fiction side of things for the agency and we also have a non-fiction agent, a children’s/YA agent and a broadcast agent, so we are a full-service agency, handling all rights (translation, film & TV, audio, speaking engagements, etc) in house.

I joined five years ago and also came from the publishing side – I had been an editor for ten years, publishing all types of commercial fiction and editing lots of bestselling authors (Marian Keyes, Fern Britton, Lisa Jewell, Jane Fallon, Jane Green, Cecelia Ahern, Penny Vincenzi to name but a few!) I loved my time as an editor but what I really wanted to do was seek out new writers, so switching sides and becoming an agent was the perfect solution. From my experience at four major publishers, I know what editors are looking to acquire, what they want to see in a submission letter, how they want a book to be pitched to them and, above all, I know that a manuscript needs to be up to scratch before an editor can consider it and share it with their team, so I offer my clients extensive editorial feedback before submitting their manuscripts to publishers.

What genres do you represent personally?

My main areas of fiction are women’s/contemporary romance, historical, psychological/domestic suspense, crime, thrillers and sagas. I’m always looking for new writers in these areas.

You've had extensive experience in commissioning and publishing commercial fiction. What is it about a book that makes you decide it will sell well? (Difficult question, I know…!)

This probably sounds a bit basic but I need to be gripped by the writing and want to read on! It’s all about engaging the reader – I can work with a writer to fix a plot, timeline or structure of a novel – but that writing quality – the flow of words, the telling of the story, characters that feel real – needs to be there from the outset. What’s also needed (for me to see its selling potential) is an original storyline/hook, one that I can pitch to editors in just a couple of sentences.

Have you noticed any particular trends in romance recently, and if so, what do you think is going to be big this year?

I wish I had a crystal ball to predict what will be big this year! Sadly, I don’t, but dark women’s fiction (often labelled domestic or psychological suspense) continues to sell well and I think that trend of exploring the darker side of relationships and romance isn’t going away. That said, I think there has been so much dark and thrillerish romance published over the past few years that readers are now ready for something more uplifting! I think we will see more romantic comedies coming out over the next year or so – warm, romantic, life-affirming reads that will provide a nice balance to all the darker, creepier novels out there.

Do you ever find authors outside the slush pile? If so, how?

Rarely but it does happen. Sometimes I’ll meet authors at literary festivals or conferences and they’ll pitch their novel to me or sometimes a friend or contact of one of my authors will send their manuscript in. The slush pile is usually where I find most of my clients though.

What advice would you give someone submitting to you?

Know your audience and read widely in the area in which you’re writing. It really helps to know who you’re writing for and which genre your novel would fit into. I like it when writers can position their novel in terms of genre and comparable authors, and they know who they are writing for.

I would also advise that writers check out our submission guidelines on our website before submitting and that they send over clean chapters (ie, not ones riddled with mistakes!) Also, it helps if they get my name right on their submission email (if I had a dollar for every time I received an email saying ‘Dear Katie’…!)

What’s your favourite romance novel of all time?

Oh, so hard to choose! Not strictly romances, I know, but it’s a tie between The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro and The History of Love by Nicole Krauss. Oh, and I love Jane Eyre. Sorry – this question is impossible to answer!

What do you like to do in your spare time?

I have two small children so very little spare time these days but reading is my favourite past-time and I love the cinema and theatre too. 

If you could describe your working day in just three words, what would they be?

Emails, edits and negotiations. (Sadly, there’s no time for reading at my desk so that gets done outside of the office!)

Thanks so much for taking time out of your busy schedule to answer our questions, Kate. It's been a great pleasure getting to know you. Wishing you and Diane Banks Associates all the best for 2018!

If you've enjoyed Kate's interview, or have any questions or comments at all, please let us know. We'd love to hear from you!

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About Helena

Helena Fairfax is a romance author and freelance editor. Her latest novel – a feel good contemporary romance called Felicity at the Cross Hotel – is just the type of warm, romantic, life-affirming read Kate mentions in her interview. You can find out more about Helena's books and her editing services on her website www.helenafairfax.com

Ask the Industry Expert: Literary Agent Rebecca Ritchie

Tonight the winners of the Romantic Novelists' Association Industry Awards 2017 will be announced at the RNA Winter Party. It's a special pleasure to welcome Rebecca Ritchie of the AM Heath Agency to the RNA blog today, because Rebecca has been shortlisted for the literary agent of the year award for her work "supporting, mentoring and nurturing authors' careers and promoting the romance genre and the RNA in particular".
Many congratulations on your nomination, Rebecca, and thank you for taking the time to come and talk to us!

Please tell us a little about the AM Heath Agency, how long it’s been established, and how you came to join.

AM Heath was founded in 1919, which makes it one of the UK’s oldest literary agencies. It represents established contemporary authors like Hilary Mantel, Maggie O’Farrell and Conn Iggulden, iconic literary estates, such as those of George Orwell and Winston Graham, and of course the RNA’s very own, wonderful Katie Fforde. I joined AM Heath in April 2017, after over six years at Curtis Brown where I worked alongside Sheila Crowley and had the pleasure of working on some of my favourite authors – Jojo Moyes, Santa Montefiore and Jane Costello, to name just a few – and also started building my own list. The first author I took on was Iona Grey – who I met at a RNA event! – and her debut novel Letters to the Lost went on to be published by Simon and Schuster and won the overall Goldsboro Books Romantic Novel of the Year award in 2016. I joined AM Heath to build up the commercial women’s fiction side of the list, which is an area that the other agents here don’t tend to focus on hugely.

What genres do you represent?

Commercial fiction across the board: contemporary women’s fiction, historical, reading group, crime, thriller and psychological suspense.

What is it you are looking for when a manuscript lands on your desk? Are there any specific plots or themes you’d like to see?

The first thing, of course, is the writing. As an agent, when you open a submission and can tell immediately that someone can truly write – that you’re in the hands of a genuine storyteller – you can relax and let the story transport you with it. Of course the plot and the characters have to be great too, but excellent writing is first and foremost. When it comes to commercial women’s fiction specifically, character is paramount: as a reader you want to really get your teeth into a protagonist’s character, to really root for them or to love to hate them. In terms of specific plots/themes, I’d never want to be too prescriptive, but I’d love to find a really moving love story (heartbreaking, heart-warming, I don’t mind), and while I’m always partial to some gripping psychological suspense I do think the genre is saturated and there are enough horrors to read about in the news, so I’d also love to find something at the opposite end of the spectrum: some uplifting, life-affirming fiction.

  

Your agency recently put out a call for pitches on Twitter, under the hashtag #TellAMH. How successful was this? Did you have any interesting pitches, and what made them stand out? Is something your agency will be repeating often? (Lots of questions in one here…!)

This was a fun week! We invited debut writers to pitch their novels to us on Twitter (so their pitches had to be concise, 140 characters – not an easy feat), with each day focusing on a different genre. We received hundreds of pitches and invited our favourites to submit directly to us, and I thought the commercial women’s fiction day was particularly strong. The pitches that stood out most were the ones where the novel had a clear, intriguing hook that made you want to read on, or where they asked a question that you just had to know the answer to.

You attended the recent Frankfurt Book Fair. What was your role at the Book Fair and how important is this event for you and your agency?

At the Frankfurt Book Fair (and at the London Book Fair in the Spring) we meet with editors from around the world, pitch our authors’ books and hear what editors are looking to acquire and find out what’s working in their markets. While of course we correspond by phone and email throughout the year, it’s always wonderful to meet with editors face to face and foster those relationships (and of course there are plenty of parties to attend too!) I met with editors from the US, Germany, the Netherlands, Italy, Israel and more, and pitched books by my own and also my colleagues’ clients.

What advice would you give someone submitting to you?

Really know your novel: be able to sum up the hook of your novel at the start of your covering letter in an immediately memorable way that just compels me to read on. I always think it’s a good exercise to be able to complete the sentence: “My novel is about a woman/man who…” – it really makes you distil the essence of your novel and what’s unique about it into a single punchy line.

What’s your favourite romance novel of all time?

I can’t pick one! Sense and Sensibility (my absolute favourite Austen), I Capture the Castle (a more perfect coming-of-age love story there isn’t), The Time Traveller’s Wife, Love Story (small but perfectly formed), Me Before You for starters. But there are so many more.

Apart from your own authors, which book have you enjoyed the most in the past twelve months, and why?

Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman – quirky, sweet, heart-breaking, funny and moving, I loved it.

What do you like to do in your spare time?

Tennis, cooking, travelling.

If you could describe your working-day in just three words, what would they be?

Frenetic, fun, fulfilling.

Thanks so much for dropping in, Rebecca, and for your thoughtful answers. Wishing you all the best  and we hope everyone at the Winter Party has a great evening!

* * *

Helena Fairfax writes heartwarming contemporary romances, except when she's in the mood for danger, when she writes romantic suspense. Her novel A Year of Light and Shadows tells the story of how plain Lizzie Smith is plunged into a year of mystery involving a missing princess, a false diamond, and a handsome bodyguard.

You can find out more about Helena's books and her editing services on her website www.helenafairfax.com

Ask the Industry Expert: Literary Agent Sara Keane

Today we're delighted to welcome literary agent Sara Keane, of the Keane Kataria Literary Agency. Sara has more than 25 years' experience in the publishing industry, in roles including editorial and rights in book, video, audiobook and magazine publishing. Sara is kindly giving up her time today to talk with Helena Fairfax.

Welcome, Sara!

Please tell us a little about the Keane Kataria Literary Agency, how long it’s been established, and how you became involved in setting it up.

Keane Kataria Literary Agency is a small, boutique agency based in Bath, specialising mainly in women’s fiction, historical fiction and crime, and was founded by myself and Kiran Kataria in 2014. We decided to pool our combined 50+ years of editorial and rights experience and set up our agency after the publisher where we both worked as commissioning editors suddenly went bust. We have a growing portfolio of authors, both debut and established, with whom we work very closely on developing their manuscripts before submitting their work to publishers. Our agency is now going from strength to strength, and we have had particular success with commercial women’s fiction, negotiating multi-book deals with UK and international publishers for our authors.

What is it you are looking for when a manuscript lands on your desk? Are there any specific plots or themes you’d like to see?

As a literary agent, I am obviously looking for manuscripts I can sell to publishers, which means I very much have the requirements of commissioning editors in mind. The most important consideration is whether I absolutely love a manuscript and really believe in it, as whenever I submit a manuscript to a publisher I am putting my own reputation on the line. So it is the combination of a strong commercial hook, quality writing and my personal response as I read that makes a manuscript stand out. Specifically, commercial women’s fiction, sagas, dual narrative, psychological thrillers and contemporary crime are what we are looking for at present.

Do you ever find authors outside the slush pile? If so, how?

The slush pile is fundamental and we do find many of our authors that way, but I have also been fortunate enough to find some fantastic authors outside the slush pile. Some through personal recommendation, others we meet at publishing events. Possibly the most unexpected was when I was put in touch with an author by a lady I got chatting to in the changing rooms at my health club. That’s what’s so great about being an agent: you never know exactly when and how the next wonderful author is going to magically appear in your life.

What advice would you give someone submitting to you?

Spend a long time editing your manuscript and be ruthless! Get feedback from other writers, or even from a professional editor. Submissions from authors who have received mentoring on the RNA New Writers’ Scheme would really stand out. Know the market you are writing for and where your book would fit into that market. Please read and follow our submission guidelines (on our website) and don’t submit genres we specifically say we do not work with.

Are you seeing any particular trends in commercial women's fiction/romance at the moment?

We’ve been seeing a shift away from billionaires and bondage, and in these troubling times readers are turning to sagas and feel-good commercial women’s fiction, with escapist, aspirational settings like tea shops in Cornwall. Seasonal books are a big trend, with the emphasis on summer and Christmas. I also think we are seeing more novels about romance in later life: we’ve recently sold one about a woman in her seventies starting over. I’ve heard this referred to as ‘Gran Lit’, but I prefer to call it ‘the Judi Dench effect’.

What’s your favourite romance novel of all time?

No marks for originality, but my favourite of all time would have to be Pride and Prejudice. I first read it in my early teens (well before the Colin Firth/wet shirt BBC adaptation), and it has been my comfort read ever since. And where would romantic fiction be without P&P? Here in Bath we have just had the annual Jane Austen festival, which attracts Austen devotees from all over the world who parade around the city in gorgeous Regency costumes. I’m planning on dressing up myself next year.

Apart from your own authors, which book have you enjoyed the most in the past twelve months, and why?

I re-read The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood after the TV serialisation, and got so much more out of it than when I first read it. It seems more relevant than ever, and reminded me that women in many parts of the world are still victims of misogyny and biological determinism - and there is no guarantee that our own society will never experience a backlash against feminism and the freedoms women take for granted in a modern liberal secular democracy. One of those freedoms being reading and writing romantic fiction, of course.

What do you like to do in your spare time?

I enjoy amateur dramatics, and usually perform in two or three productions a year. It’s fun, challenging and learning lines is very good for the brain. I also enjoy swimming, walking, gardening, upcycling furniture and visiting my family who are dotted around the world. Plus, I’ve recently started learning Italian.

If you could describe your working-day in just three words, what would they be?

Reading, editing, negotiating.

Thank you so much for taking the time to drop in, Sara, and for your thoughtful answers. It's been fascinating and a pleasure getting to know you.

If you've enjoyed Sara's interview, or have any questions or comments at all, please let us know. We'd love to hear from you!

About Helena

Helena Fairfax is a romance author and editor. Her latest release is a feel good romance called Felicity at the Cross Hotel, set in a hotel in the Lake District (the type of the escapist, aspirational setting Sara mentions!) You can find out more about Helena's books and her editing services on her website www.helenafairfax.com

If you would like to write for the RNA blog please contact us on elaineeverest@aol.com

Ask the Industry Expert: Literary Agent Tracy Brennan

It's a great pleasure to welcome literary agent Tracy Brennan of the Trace Literary Agency to the RNA blog today. Tracy is here all the way from Mishawaka, Indiana, to talk to Helena Fairfax about her agency and about her role representing British and Irish authors.

Welcome to the RNA, Tracy!

The Trace Literary Agency is based in Indiana, and yet you represent many top contemporary Irish authors, as well as authors from the UK. Please could you tell us how this came about, and

how you came to set up your business.

This is a question I get all the time.  And I always say, “How much time do you have?” 14 years ago I was traveling with my husband and then 8 month old daughter to Dublin.

About 400 miles off the coast of Ireland, the airplane caught fire!  A cooling fan in the cargo hold overheated, causing a fire somewhere below the first class cabin.  The pilot had to take the plane down to 10,000 feet so he could open the cockpit windows to let the smoke out.  He then made the announcement that he would ‘try’ to make a landing in Shannon!

When the coast of Ireland appeared, the danger had not passed.  There was no way of knowing if the fire had damaged the landing gear.  Eventually the airport runway came into view, lined with firetrucks and ambulances.  When we did land, all the passengers were told we’d be taken by a fleet of buses to Dublin.  Unbeknownst to me, this is where the business of becoming a literary agent would begin.

I met a very lovely woman on the journey from Shannon to Dublin.  She held our daughter the entire time.  She gave us her business card and told us if we needed anything while in Dublin, to let her know.  Her name was Terry Prone, then director of Carr Communications; now with The Communications Clinic in Dublin.  We had no idea that she was a radio and television personality and very famous Irish author.

To make a very long story short (and I don’t think I’ve done a very good job here), Terry and I remained in contact for a couple of years after that trip exchanging emails, letters and even Christmas presents.

So how did I become a literary agent?  Plain and simple, the credit goes to Terry Prone. She was my first client. I started working on her books trying to place them with US publishers. Terry then introduced me to several other Irish authors.  Over the years Trace Literary Agency has grown and I now represent authors from Ireland, Wales, England, Scotland and the US - may of whom are award-winning authors.

Do you often visit Ireland and the UK? Or do you feel it's possible now for agents to work with authors all over the world without the need for travel?

I usually make one, sometimes two trips a year to Ireland and the UK.  I do think it's much easier with the internet and publishers requesting e-files to do a lot of work via email, Skype, FaceTime, etc.  But it is still nice to meet face to face and talk with your clients and get to know them on a personal level.  I usually meet potential clients at book launches I attend or at Literary Festivals.  I only have a couple of clients that I’ve not met personally. 

One of your authors – Nicola Cassidy – has just signed a deal with Bombshell Books, which is a new imprint of Bloodhound Books. How do you stay abreast of publishing news/developments in Ireland and the UK? 

I do a lot of networking and research.  Sometimes I am referred to a particular publisher from editors I’ve worked with.  And I always ask my clients to give me a list of the publishers they would like me to contact, as there are quite a few that I am not familiar with.

What is it you are looking for when a manuscript lands on your desk? Are there any specific plots or themes you’d like to see?

My interest is quite diverse.  I enjoy women’s commercial fiction, historical fiction, YA and I am now working with a lot of crime/thriller novels.  I am dabbling a little in non-fiction as well.

Do you ever find authors outside the slush pile? If so, how?

I do.  If I am uncertain or don’t have a strong feeling one way or the other, but there is just something that catches my eye, I ask a reader/book reviewer for their input.

What advice would you give someone submitting to you?

Do your homework.  Make sure the agency represents the type of book you are writing. Write a clear, concise query letter of introduction. Don’t be afraid to sell yourself.  This is the time to brag about your accomplishments. Include a brief synopsis that tells the story without giving away the ending.  Make sure your manuscript is complete and has been edited.  There is nothing worse than reading a manuscript that an author is dying to have published, but is full of grammatical errors, spelling errors, and has poor pacing.

What’s your favourite romance novel of all time?

That’s such a hard question.  There are so many to choose from.  I’d probably have to say The Notebook, by Nicholas Sparks.

Apart from your own authors, which book have you enjoyed the most in the past twelve months, and why?

I’ve enjoyed re-reading some of the books I read as a student in Great Books Seminar:

The Catcher in the Rye, The Grapes of Wrath, The Old Man and the Sea, The Great Gatsby, To Kill a Mockingbird and there’s more on the list.  Just never enough time!

What do you like to do in your spare time?

I love traveling, boating, photography and spending time with my family.

If you could describe your working-day in just three words, what would they be?

Busy, exciting, challenging.

Thank you so much for taking the time to answer our questions, Tracy. That's certainly one of the most dramatic introductions to literary agency we've encountered! I'm so glad your plane journey ended happily.

If you've enjoyed Tracy's interview, or have any questions or comments at all, please let us know. We'd love to hear from you!

About Helena

Helena Fairfax is a romance author and editor. Her latest release is a feel good summer romance called Felicity at the Cross Hotel. You can find out more about Helena's books and her editing services on her website www.helenafairfax.com

If you would like to write for the RNA blog please contact us on elaineeverest@aol.com

Ask the Industry Expert: Literary Agent Diana Beaumont

It's a great pleasure to welcome literary agent Diana Beaumont to the RNA blog today. Diana joined Marjacq Scripts in 2017.  She started agenting with Rupert Heath Literary Agency in 2011 before moving to UTA. Before that she was senior commissioning editor at Transworld. Diana was chosen as one of The Bookseller’s Rising Stars of 2012.

Diana is chatting with Helena Fairfax. Welcome, both!

Hello, Diana! Please tell us a little about the Marjacq Scripts, how long it’s been established, and how you came to join?

Marjacq Scripts was founded in 1974 and is a full service boutique literary agency. There are five agents plus our MD and we all specialise in different areas, although there is some overlap which is incredibly helpful. We work in a very collaborative way and it’s an exciting time to be part of the team as we have expanded significantly in recent years. I joined this year. I have known Phil Patterson – who heads up the book department as far as there is a formal hierarchy – since I was a commissioning editor at Transworld. I like and respect him very much and the same applies to my colleagues, so it seemed like a good fit.

What genres do you represent?

Women’s commercial fiction (although it does annoy me that we have to specify this!), reading group fiction, crime, thrillers and cover memoir, cookery and lifestyle when it comes to non-fiction. As an agency we also cover literary fiction and non-fiction, genre and speculative fiction, true crime, children’s and YA.

What is it you are looking for when a manuscript lands on your desk? Are there any specific plots or themes you’d like to see?

I think the voice always has to resonate with you but the combination of a strong hook and plot is a winner for me. I get incredibly excited when it all comes together in that way. I am interested in motherhood, looking to take on more diverse voices and am drawn towards strong female/feminist central characters, but also like to keep an open mind.

Have you noticed any particular trends in romance in the past year or so, and if so, what do you think publishers are looking for at the moment?

There have been a number of novels coming out that would appeal to fans of Jojo Moyes – they cover dark subjects with a light touch so that humour sits alongside the sadness. They play on the emotions so that you laugh and cry. I am looking forward to seeing How to be Happy, by Eva Woods, launch in February 2018 from Little,Brown which is perfect for that audience. I can’t wait, either, for the paperback publication of Hot Mess, by Lucy Vine, from Orion which subverts the traditional rom com and reassesses attitudes to being single amongst millennials in a hilarious way and is, I hope, ahead of the curve, as well as providing a much needed laugh. Look Magazine said it was even better than Bridget Jones!  There seems to be an interest in what could have been: from Kate Atkinson to Kate Eberlen’s Miss You and Laura Barnett’s The Versions of Us. Publishers are also keen on upmarket sagas with family secrets or an element of mystery at the moment and the line between romantic fiction and psychological suspense is sometimes blurred, as the latter has been so successful of late. I wonder also whether there will also be a desire for pure escapist fun in such uncertain times.

Do you ever find authors outside the slush pile? If so, how?

Yes. Sometimes clients are kind enough to recommend others but I have also taken on a crime writer, Roz Watkins, who I met at The Festival of Writing in York. When it comes to non-fiction I have approached people direct.

What advice would you give someone submitting to you?

Take a look at my list and see if it fits, broadly, with the other books I represent. Follow the submission guidelines. Put lots of effort into your cover letter and make sure that the title, elevator pitch, further information about the book and author biography are as strong as possible – we get hundreds of submissions, so a good letter really makes a difference. It is also important to have a sense of where your book fits into the market. We don’t expect you to be experts but to show professionalism and savvy – it is both a business and creative relationship after all. It’s always worth looking round bookshops and reading as much as you can. Spell my name correctly. And, finally, make sure you’ve finished the book and that it is as polished as it can be.

What’s your favourite romance novel of all time?

I have an abiding love for The Pursuit of Love, by Nancy Mitford, but must also throw in Jane Eyre and Rebecca for good measure.

What do you like to do in your spare time?

I wish I indulged in wildly imaginative pastimes like flamenco, potholing or skydiving but I most enjoy eating, reading, bathing, films, theatre and the company of good friends.

If you could describe your working-day in just three words, what would they be?

Never the same.

Thank you so much for taking the time to answer our questions, Diana. We love your list of spare time activities!

If you've enjoyed Diana's interview, or have any questions or comments at all, please let us know. We'd love to hear from you!

About Helena

Helena Fairfax is a romance author and editor. Her latest release is a feel good summer romance called Felicity at the Cross Hotel. You can find out more about Helena's books and her editing services on her website www.helenafairfax.com

If you would like to write for the RNA blog please contact us on elaineeverest@aol.com

Ask the Industry Expert: Literary Agent Saba Sulaiman

It's a great pleasure to welcome literary agent Saba Sulaiman to the RNA blog today. Saba works for the US agency Talcott Notch. She was born in Sri Lanka to Pakistani parents, has also lived in Pakistan, and studied Economics, Middle Eastern Studies, and Modern Persian Literature in the US before beginning her career in publishing.

Thank you so much for taking time out of your busy schedule to visit us, Saba, and welcome to the RNA!

Please tell us a little about the Talcott Notch Literary Agency, how long it’s been established,

and how it was initially set up.

Absolutely! Talcott Notch Literary was founded in 2003 by my boss and mentor, Gina Panettieri – of course, I was still in high school then so I wasn’t involved in setting it up at all, but I’m incredibly honored and grateful to be a part of her team. We’re based in Milford, CT, we represent a wide range of fiction and non-fiction, and our focus is to cater to the individual needs of our clients, which is why we choose to remain a small business. We’ve sold books to every major publishing house and are always on the lookout for ideal homes for our clients’ projects.

What genres do you represent?

In children’s fiction, I’m looking primarily to build my Middle Grade and Young Adult lists. I’m particularly interested in contemporary realistic stories, although I’m open to a wider range. In adult, I represent literary, upmarket, and commercial fiction, category romance (all sub-genres except paranormal), tightly plotted, character-driven psychological thrillers, cozy mysteries à la Agatha Christie, and some memoir.

What is it you are looking for when a manuscript lands on your desk? Are there any specific plots or themes you’d like to see?

I’m looking for a fresh premise, a dynamic voice, and very strong writing. I enjoy all kinds of stories, but I’m most drawn towards character-driven narratives that familiarize me with the inner workings of characters in unique (and preferably high stakes) conditions, and stories that explore complicated relationships and morally gray situations. In terms of themes, my taste runs the gamut, but here are some that come to mind: I enjoy stories that involve, explore, or meaningfully engage with feminism and the way we think about gender; the increasing pervasiveness of technology on society; the quest for individual power and control and how it affects one’s personal relationships; how methods and styles of communication and popular culture have evolved over generations, and its effect on the widening generation gap; and the process and consequences of migration, particularly with respect to how one reinvents and renegotiates one’s identity after being displaced from a familiar environment, whether by choice or by necessity.

What advice would you give someone submitting to you?

Do your research and make sure I represent your genre, and try to ensure that those first ten pages are as accurate a representation of the true range of your writing abilities as possible. I often read hundreds of queries in a given week, so your writing really should be in its very best shape!

The publishing industry in the UK is still perceived in many quarters as white and middle-class. Is this the same in the US? What do you think can be done to encourage diversity?

Yes, I’m afraid it’s the same in the US, although it’s improving. A lot can be done, at every level: we need more diverse job candidates for entry-level publishing jobs, and for that we need to target and advertise to communities and educational institutions that cater more to a wider range of marginalized communities; we need to take into consideration the very real barriers to success and productivity that members of these communities have, compared to their white, middle class counterparts at the workplace, and be more flexible and understanding of the challenges that intersectional marginalization can pose; we need to be willing to offer members of marginalized communities the support they need to be able to succeed in environments where they are the overwhelming minority; and we need to be having these kinds of conversations more openly, so that a non-white, non-middle class person can even dare to dream to be a part of a world that can often feel quite exclusionary.

In terms of encouraging publishers to take on projects by more marginalized authors, everything helps – writing residencies, grants, fellowships, and mentorships targeted at people belonging to marginalized communities, prominently placed shelves at bookstores devoted to promoting new and exciting voices in fiction by writers from these communities from all genres, and even just individual commitments to read more diversely. All of these initiatives collectively go a long way towards encouraging more diversity in publishing.

Apart from your own authors, which book have you enjoyed the most in the past twelve months, and why?

Hmm, in terms of romance, I have to say that I absolutely loved The Hating Game by Sally Thorne. It’s an enemies-to-lovers contemporary that I devoured in one sitting with my baby sleeping in my arms and I will never forget how wonderful the writing and the couple’s chemistry was. It had humor, tension, witty banter, and most importantly, some really fantastic and well-rounded characters who I rooted for the entire time.

If you could describe your working-day in just three words, what would they be?

Unpredictable, hectic, and fulfilling. 

Thanks so much for your considered and thought-provoking answers, Saba. You've given us food for thought - and I for one have just bought a copy of The Hating Game!

If you enjoyed Saba's interview - or have any questions or comments at all - please let us know. We'd love to hear from you!

Helena Fairfax is a romance author and editor. Her novels have been shortlisted for The ExeterNovel Prize,the Global Ebook Awards and the I Heart Indie Awards. You can find out more about Helena's books and editing services on her website www.helenafairfax.com

If you would like to write for the RNA blog please contact us on elaineeverest@aol.com

Ask the Industry Expert: Literary Agent, Eric Ruben

It's time for another of Helena Fairfax's agent interviews, and this month we're heading across the pond to interview New York literary agent Eric Ruben.

Thanks for dropping in, Eric!

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Please tell us a little about the Eric Ruben Agency, how long it’s been established, and how you came to set it up.

It started by accident. I went to high school with and became best friends with Suzanne Brockmann.

She, her husband, and I, worked on creating her writing career. When I was a young lawyer I came up with the idea for writing about Navy SEALs and she wrote her way to the New York Times bestseller list numerous times. I travelled with her across the country numerous times in a van, doing signings and hand selling books from Boston to Sacramento, in almost every one of the now defunct Borders and Walden Books stores in the USA. I went to many conventions and met a lot of editors and writers. Along the way several wanted me to become their agent. I took my legal background and mixed it with my “in the trenches” publishing experience. I did my first deal in 2010 and I’ve done numerous deals with all the major publishers since then.

What genres do you represent?

I’m currently interested in all fiction including but not limited to Romance, YA, Erotica, LGBT, Mystery and more. If in doubt, send it.

What is it you are looking for when a manuscript lands on your desk? Are there any specific plots or themes you’d like to see?

First I’m looking for someone who can tell a story without making me notice the writing. Too often people write at me rather than just tell me a good story. I want characters I care about, with whom I want to take the ride.

Do you ever find authors outside the slush pile? If so, how?

Often. The best sources are conferences I attend. Also referrals from clients, editors, and other friends.

What advice would you give someone submitting to you?

Make sure your manuscript is ready to be reviewed by a professional, and that it’s in the best possible shape. I’m not going to give feedback to make your book better unless I take you on as a client and I want people whose work is already as close as possible to being sent to an editor.

You have a very active Twitter presence. How important is Twitter to you as an agent? Do you advise aspiring authors to use this platform, and if so, how can they use it to best advantage?

I think it helps me communicate to authors. I can give them my thoughts on the business. Does it help me? I have no idea.

As for authors and platform, I represented a NY Times bestselling author who had only a few hundred twitter followers. Bottom line, the most important thing an author can do is write a great book. Platform matters to editors more in nonfiction projects. I agree. If you have such a project, it matters a great deal if you are new to the subject or a seasoned veteran.

What’s your favourite romance novel of all time?

Sense and Sensibility.

Apart from your own authors, which book have you enjoyed the most in the past twelve months, and why?

I’m enjoying a book about the behind the scenes world of The Daily Show.  

What do you like to do in your spare time?

I like to travel, cook, and entertain with my wife.

If you could describe your working-day in just three words, what would they be?

Let’s do it!

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Thanks so much for taking the time to talk to us today, Eric. I love your description of the working day!

If you've enjoyed Eric's interview, or have any questions or comments, please let us know. We'd love to hear from you!

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Helena Fairfax's engaging contemporary romances have been shortlisted for The Exeter Novel Prize,the Global Ebook Awards and the I Heart Indie Awards. Her latest release is a romantic suspense called A Year of Light and Shadows, available on Amazon in ebook and print, and from e-book retailers.

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Thank you, Helena and Laura for a most interesting interview.

If you would like to write for the blog please contact us on elaineeverest@aol.com