Andrew Lownie Literary Agency : Articles

Salutations

Sun, 15 Jan 2012 11:26:00 +0000

Andrew Lownie continues his series of how recent submissions have addressed him.

Hello dear Andrew,

Dear Andrew Lownie and/or Associates,

Hi Lonnie,

Agent-In-Chief;

Dear Mr Townie

Dear Mrs Lownie,

Dear Mr. Andrew;

Greetings,

The distinguished representative of The Andrew Lownie Literary Agency Ltd! Hello!

Hi <<&firstname>>,

Dear Ms Agent;

Good afternoon,

Hey Andrew!

To an ‘agent’ of the literary sort:

Dear Reviewing Agent,

Dear Agent,

Dear Andrew Lownie and Team,

Hi there

Dear Andrew Lownie & Andrew Lownie Literary Agency,

Honored Mr. Andrew, Greetings from India!

Hey Andy;

Hello Angel,

Do your current interests include ferociously paced, commercial Tartan Noir?

Dear Mr. Dolby,

Greetings,, Top of the day to you.

What Editors Want 2012

Tue, 10 Jan 2012 18:43:00 +0000

Twenty four editors have kindly explained what they are looking for this year giving a fascinating insight into the commissioning mind.

Hugh Andrew, Managing DIrector, Birlinn

What you want is usually to be surprised ie it’s what you didn’t think you wanted that ends up being the success. However what interests me, as always, are books which are focussed on alternative views of how we should live our lives and are also focussed on community and local identity. I am also always enthusiastic about top class non fiction – whether illustrated or not. Of course we tend to have a Scottish twist in what we do but I maintain we don’t publish Scottish books we publish good books that happen in the main to be set in or by Scots. Trying to predict what we want forward in publishing is always a nightmare. That sure fire banker we believed in sinks quietly while the left field contender that no one was terribly keen on surges through. So I would prefer in the main to do my prediction by hindsight and claim that it was all inevitable really at the end of the year.

Myles Archibald, Associate Publisher, Harper Collins

To say that 2012 is going to be interesting is an understatement – recession and Amazon Fire, plus the continuing ebook revolution is going to make the next 12 months a period of considerable change. It is also going to make it very exciting, with the new technology allowing us to deliver excellent ideas in a range of different ways. So what am I looking to acquire in the next 12 months? Ideas or stories with a strong, interesting narrative structure is essential for all media and is what non-fiction now needs. It is also interesting that non-fiction works well with broad subjects, or very specific, illuminating stories. Finally, it is striking how stories that seem to have waned from people’s memories can have a massive resurgence – so perhaps new takes on old stories might be a vein to mine.

Jennifer Barclay, Commissioning Editor, Summersdale

Given the challenges we’re facing in the trade this year, I am looking for extremely talented and committed non-fiction authors who already have a following for their work and know how to promote themselves without having unrealistic expectations. We’re especially good at selling entertaining, accessible and informative true stories, and based on what did well for us last spring, these are the areas I’m looking in… True crime - we did well with Cocaine Wars, mostly thanks to the support of WHSmiths and in spite of getting hardly any publicity for it, and Conspiracy Theories is a perennial seller for us. Travel - whether exotic adventure like Sarah Outen’s A Dip in the Ocean, much helped by her regular appearances on national radio, or European lifestyle such as Lunch in Paris (we always do well with France!), Tales from the Fast Trains or Two Wheels Over Catalonia; and especially British travel - Too Narrow to Swing a Cat, Steve Haywood’s latest about exploring the English waterways by narrowboat, is doing as nicely, as is Ben Hatch’s Are We Nearly There Yet? I’m also looking for quirky narrative books in the area of gardening, like Minding My Peas and Cucumbers: Quirky Tales of Allotment Life, and pets, like Dash: Bitch of the Year, as well as nature, activities and sport (but quirky, humorous narrative, not straight biography). Summersdale also does extremely well with gift and humour, but many of the ideas are generated in-house so we only buy in things that are really special, usually with illustration, e.g. Me Without You by established creative team Last Lemon, or the Older Wiser Sexier books developed from the Spring Chicken range of cards, which have done brilliantly for us. We’re tentatively developing our health line (50 Things You Can Do) with bigger titles such as Emma Woolf’s deeply moving An Apple a Day (from her weekly Times column about anorexia), which we’re really excited about, so we’re on the lookout for really compelling projects in this area, but nothing that feels too much like self-help.

Dan Bunyard, Editor, Michael Joseph

My focus is on commercial non-fiction, spanning a wide range of genres from true crime, sport and humour to biography and memoir. In terms of memoir, I’m always looking for original and compelling stories - whether the focus is inspirational, nostalgic, military or otherwise, and whether the subject is a celebrity or just an ordinary person with an extraordinary story to tell. I think as a rule, it helps if a narrative has that immediate ‘one line pitch’ quality to it, or at least the potential to be pitched in a simple, powerful way. In a tough market with people buying fewer books, I think that ideas and books that carry this with them stand out. Looking back at the last year, it doesn’t surprise me that books like Nothing to Envy: Real Lives in North Korea and The Man Who Broke into Auschwitz performed so well. You barely have to read the title before knowing that the book itself will be fascinating to read. And more recently, in last year’s Christmas market, I thought it was really encouraging to see Michael O’Mara’s Where’s the Meerkat? sell so strongly - a simple, clever, highly commercial idea. It shows that even in a challenging time for the industry people will be drawn to a well conceived and well published book. Looking forward to this year, I have an exceptionally well researched biography of the Queen by Sally Bedell Smith hitting the shelves in February. Later in Spring, I’m publishing an illustrated memoir by the young Olympic diver, Tom Daley, and then look forward to publishing the memoirs of footballer Joey Barton - a project that I’m hugely excited about.

Sam Carter, Editorial Director, Biteback Publishing & The Robson Press

Since Biteback started in 2009, we’ve grown rapidly on the back of our commitment to publish serious non-fiction, establishing our reputation as one of Britain’s premier political publishers. I joined Biteback in 2010 with a brief to expand beyond our initial niche. That intention has continued with the creation of The Robson Press imprint. I commission across both lists, so on the Biteback side I’m after political titles and biographies. What I need is narrative skill, expertise with the telling cameo and an eye that fixes on those details that have previously escaped even the best informed observer. I am looking forward to publishing Mark Peel’s study of Shirley Williams in 2012 and I’m very excited about Dan Conaghan’s The Bank, coming out in March; it’s a tour de force of investigative journalism that will make many at the Bank of England and the Treasury choke on their cornflakes. I’ve also been on the lookout for big think books and polemics, like Alom Shaha’s striking examination of what it means to be a Muslim atheist. I’m tempted to call it The Allah Delusion, but he’s holding out. In the final analysis it all comes back to the writing. My first call when I joined Biteback was to the agent of the peerless Jeremy Scott, now at home on the Robson list. His prose has a rare effortless quality, and his love of the Jazz Age and the demi-monde lightens our serious mien. Wise, truthful and rampantly politically incorrect – more of that please!

Phoebe Clapham , Editor, Politics, Economics and Current Affairs, Yale University Press

At Yale, we’re looking for really authoritative, engaging books in the broad fields of history, current affairs and economics. Big ideas are always welcome and a strong central argument is crucial, as demonstrated last year by the success of Frank Ledwidge’s iconoclastic Losing Small Wars: British Military Failure in Iraq and Afghanistan . In a world where we are continually being bombarded with information and diversion, we are focusing on how to add value and craft an unmissable pitch - such as with our super-accessible ‘little histories’, most recently represented by Nigel Warburton’s bestselling A Little History of Philosophy. Our transatlantic operation and strong export and rights departments mean that international appeal is key, and I’m currently thinking about the new economic world order and how to identify the wider trends from the unending plethora of global news stories.

Jo de Vries, Head of Publishing – General History, The History Press

In terms of military non-fiction, I’m passionate about First World War history and am getting very excited about the opportunities to commemorate and memorialise the conflict during the centenary years of 2014-2018. I am really keen to find new stories, personal histories and compelling combat analysis from up and coming historians in the field, to offer a fresh perspective to this important historiography. I also want to recruit more strong female military historians to bring to light some of the incredible female perspectives on war from WW1 to modern-day Afghanistan. We’ve recently had great success with female narratives, such as Heroines of SOE and our book on Ursula Graham Betts, The Naga Queen. I still feel this is an underwritten area with much potential for emotive stories. We’re also continuing to develop our successful Battle Story series and I think there will always be a place for well-crafted and accessibly written battle narratives.

Trevor Dolby, Publisher of Preface, Random House

At a fundamental level Preface is looking, as always and as everyone, for that great story well told… no matter fiction or non-fiction. Rosie is on the hunt for really smart historical stories following the tremendous success of Ben Kane, Fiona Mountain, and the young James Aitcheson and hopes for the just purchased Elizabeth Loupas’s book based around the reign of Mary Queen of Scots. In 2011 our non-fiction has achieved some strength in depth. History is working as is our humour and popular culture – our series by Tessa Hainsworth escaping the rat race to Cornwall will go into its third book this year. With the success of Hawksmoor at Home I’m back on the cookery trail… it’s been a long time since I worked with Marguerite Patten and on the Hamyln All Colour Cookbooks. I think we sometimes find it difficult to get past the cool ‘London books’ so it’s Middle England for me this year with Dolan prize shortlisted Hugh Thomson’s Green Road into the Trees and the official story of the Animals VC called Gallantry and Devotion… See you on the other side.

Ed Faulkner, Publishing Director, Virgin Books and WH Allen

At Virgin, I am always on the lookout for great business books that have a compelling story behind them as well as well-written, well-researched books about adventure and popular culture, especially music and technology. At the end of last year we revived one of the oldest publishers in Britain – WH Allen. Founded in the eighteenth century, WH Allen started out publishing pamphlets on many political and social issues of the time. The new digital era seems to be a perfect opportunity to bring back this accessible style of non-fiction publishing, so for this list I am looking for new politics, current affairs, science and popular history titles in particular. We have signed up a new book by Al Gore and a memoir by former Islamist and founder of the Quilliam Foundation Maajid Nawaz. Whether we publish as an ebook, an innovative trade paperback or as a beautiful hardback, it is our passion for ideas and for reaching new readers that we hope to demonstrate with all of our publishing.

Philip Gwyn Jones, Executive Publisher, Granta Books & Portobello Books

More so than ever in these changeable times, for me prospective books for our two imprints Granta and Portobello (the former more voice-driven, the latter more issue-driven) need to be utterly compelling to be worth publishing – although, of course, what compels me and what compels the next reader are not necessarily the same thing; which is partly why publishing remains so full of surprises – why else would our best-selling books of 2011 be so happily and unpredictably a report on life in North Korea, a cowboy story, interviews with ordinary Londoners, and a history of the Ordnance Survey? As an independent house, we are looking for independent-minded writers, who are inimitable, and who are looking for similar independent-mindedness in their publisher. There is so much change happening at such speed in the UK and in the wider world now – technological, demographic, geopolitical, social, financial, environmental, familial – that there are inexhaustible reserves for the curious writer to sieve. There’s no excuse for dullness or derivativeness, or rather we have no interest in them. This year, here in Britain, I’d be particularly keen to see more British writers explore and interpret the many changes rippling through our lives that have not yet been given illumination by our literature.

Louise Haines, Head of Non-fiction, 4th Estate

As ever, I am on the look-out for non-fiction that is a little bit different and provocative. It needs to be stand-out in a challenging market. 4th Estate is an eclectic list but I would particularly love to find a great new ideas book, something original for the women’s market (having been the underbidder for Caitlin Moran’s How to be a Woman) and some humorously written non-fiction as we don’t want to take ourselves too seriously in the current economic environment. In the food area, I am always on the look-out for new young talent, though it can be tough to get it off the ground. I am pleased with how books by two more established food authors, Dan Lepard and Giorgio Locatelli, Short and Sweet and Made in Sicily, sold last autumn and Giorgio’s new BBC 2 series, Sicily Unpacked, is joyous.

Bea Hemming, Commissioning Editor, Weidenfeld & Nicolson

In 2012 I’ll continue to look for brilliant, authoritative and beautifully written non-fiction. Whether it’s history, science, ideas, current affairs or memoir, the books I am most drawn to – and that are always the most rewarding to work on – are the ones born out of real passion. We had great success in 2011 with big history books such as Jerusalem by Simon Sebag Montefiore, and we have high hopes for Antony Beevor’s The Second World War this summer. I’m always on the look-out for talented historians to join the Weidenfeld list. Popular science is welcome, such as Tim Spector’s forthcoming Identically Different: Why You Can Change Your Genes. I love books that open windows to the rest of the world, such as Ben Chu’s Chinese Whispers, which will debunk many of the common myths about modern China, and Anne de Courcy’s The Fishing Fleet, about the young women who went out to India in search of husbands during the Raj. This year I’m especially keen to acquire provocative, talking-point ideas book, non-fiction that will appeal to women and memoirs, but I’m often most seduced by one-off, unique books that defy categorization. Above all, it’s about finding that magic combination of an original idea and a writer at the top of their field who understands how to engage, inspire and transport their readers.

Natalie Jerome, Publishing Director, Harper Non Fiction

In Harper Non Fiction we’re always looking for those books that really stand out and have a clear voice, whether cookery, sport, narrative non fiction, business, self help, or celebrity autobiography. It’s clear to me that the market is polarising and the challenge for our business is to find those books that people feel absolutely compelled to buy in to, that not only competes with the wealth of other product out there but could supercede it. I’m passionate about books and their ability to deliver an experience to an audience unlike anything else. Whether that’s getting really underneath the skin of a fantastic comic or expressing the passion and enthusiasm of a brilliant new chef with a beautifully designed and packaged book. We spend a lot of time looking for the best stories and then creating must have books, whether Alan Partridge, Downton Abbey or One Direction! I think there will always be interest in self made success stories and people who inspire, whether in their community or on the public stage. We’re looking for books that make us feel really excited, an excitement that we can then share with our readers.

Georgina Laycock, Editorial Director, Penguin Press/Particular Books

As the news from the world becomes darker and more apocalyptic, people need hobbies and enthusiasms, to play more games and make more music, to create things and to learn how to fix them. I want to publish the books that inspire them to do so. Publishing Keri Smith’s Wreck This Journal over the last year has been an eye-opening experience: it’s been fantastic seeing the thousands of wildly different and creative ways her readers have interpreted her suggestions (look it up on flickr) and how much they have enjoyed doing it. I’m looking for authors who want to write about their passion – however unconventional – whether it’s for weathervanes, bridge or graffitti. (And, incidentally, if there’s a literate literary gricer out there, do please get in touch.) I love non-fiction, and now that the internet has abolished the need to be encyclopedic, it’s getting more and more interesting. I’ve found the success of beautiful books like The Hare with Amber Eyes or our Atlas of Remote Islands incredibly heartening. It proves that people love books that fire their imagination.

Juliet Mabey, Publisher, Oneworld

At Oneworld, we are always on the look out for authoritative, accessible non-fiction across a broad range of genres, from science and psychology to current affairs and politics, but we get particularly excited, and would dig deep for, books that really engage with important issues, like The Bottom Billion by Paul Collier or The Spirit Level by Paul Wilkinson & Kate Pickett – challenging, brilliantly written and which say something important about the state of the world. We are also very keen to publish strong history titles, but are finding them rather thin on the ground. We don’t publish many memoirs, but we are very excited about No Worse Enemy by award-winning documentary filmmaker Ben Anderson, whose gripping account of the war on the ground in Afghanistan is based on 5 years embedded with both US marines and British troops. We also have a brilliant crop of popular science titles coming through this year, following our success with How to Teach Quantum Physics to your Dog, which hit the WHST bestseller chart once again this Christmas. In terms of literary fiction, we are on the look out for very distinctive voices and stories that open up other worlds or viewpoints in a very compelling way – stories that linger in the mind, that make you think, that can move you, like our Man Booker Longlisted A Cupboard Full of Coats by Yvvette Edwards. Basically very, very good fiction.

Kate Moore, Editorial Director, Virgin Books

At Virgin Books we specialize in commercial non-fiction, so I’m looking for books that will appeal to a wide audience. Virgin Books started life as a music publisher, and that’s still very much part of the list, be it memoirs and biographies of music stars, or books about an important genre or era. I’m looking for celebrity memoirs and books that tie in to popular culture, as well as humour titles – Virgin recently had a hit Christmas bestseller with the website-based Damn You Autocorrect! and we’re looking to build on this success in 2012. I’m also building a popular reference list, so I’m looking for quirky language books, and popular history and science titles, all written in a way that’s accessible and entertaining, as well as knowledgeable, with an eye to the gift market. With history, I’m looking for personal stories, a human insight into an era, whether multi-voiced or singular – following in the footsteps of our bestselling Dambusters by Max Arthur. And with our science title Massive by Ian Sample having just been nominated for the Royal Society Winton Prize in 2011, I’m looking to acquire commercial science and mathematics titles to build on our success in this field. Virgin Books is also known for its business publishing, from inspirational how-to books to business memoirs; and we also publish sport and ‘cool lifestyle’ books, with a practical book on crafting coming in the autumn. I think 2012 is going to be a really exciting year in publishing, with the additional commercial opportunities of the Olympics and the Diamond Jubilee, and with digital becoming ever more innovative.

Sarah Norman, Senior Editor, Atlantic Books

This year I’ll be looking to bring some debut talent and rising stars to the Atlantic fiction list. At the beginning of 2012 we’re publishing Courtney Sullivan’s Maine, the author’s second New York Times bestseller but her first novel to be published in the UK. This story of long-held family secrets is brilliantly written, witty but thoughtful, and has great emotional impact as well as commercial appeal: another novel that manages to combine all of this with a totally compulsive reading experience would be wonderful. We have had great success with The Slap by Christos Tsiolkas – a novel with a controversial talking point that led to fantastic publicity. Two recent acquisitions, This Beautiful Life by Helen Schulman and Triburbia by Karl Taro Greenfeld, likewise deal with dilemmas thrown-up by the modern world and I’d like to add to this group of Atlantic titles that confront questions of how we live now. I’ll also be continuing to open my inbox in the hope of finding a big literary novel with the strong voice, rare originality and linguistic flair of a true storyteller. In terms of non-fiction, I’ll be searching for writers who also have a talent for storytelling but in the realms of history, biography and memoir. Even in a challenging market, writers like Christopher Hitchens, Claire Tomalin and Siddhartha Mukherjee – whose books have the scope, style and ambition to be prize-winners – have the power to enthrall new readers. Non-fiction that inspires, provokes and challenges, as well as distinctive one-offs from the worlds of science, nature writing, culture, music and food (2012 sees Atlantic publish our first recipe book), are also on my wish list.

Kay Peddle, Editor, The Bodley Head

The Bodley Head is devoted to excellence in non-fiction in all fields. Its two principal strands are, on the one hand, books of immaculate scholarship in both the humanities and sciences and, on the other, books which contribute to the intellectual and cultural climate of our times. 2012 promises to be an exciting year for us and, of course, more widely, for the industry. Digital publishing will allow us to continue to experiment with different formats – short form non-fiction – and will allow us to respond more rapidly to events that envelop our world: something few book publishers have been able to do until now. We’re very excited to publish Hemingway’s Boat this year – a unique biography of the great man – and also Ian Mortimer’s The Time Traveller’s Guide to Elizabethan England. What we’re on the lookout for in 2012? Good writing, authoritative authors, a unique approach to a subject and, most importantly, engaging content that can be used in a number of ways beyond the book.

Laura Perehinec, Publishing and Digital Director, The History Press

The THP list is wide-ranging, covering military, transport and local history alongside biography, archaeology, genealogy and sport. We are looking for non-fiction that is popular, not populist, in tone and are keen to find books that bring lesser-known figures or an unusual standpoint to light in a compelling way, such as The Other Mitford and The Dracula Secrets. Our titles emphasise personal stories and experiences rather than providing sweeping narratives of major events, as with Ordinary Heroes: Untold Stories from the Falklands Campaign, and we remain on the lookout for tales of British heroes and heroines across all lists. We’ve seen an enormous amount of affection for nostalgia titles in recent times, especially conveying the post-war period and childhoods past, and this has shown no sign of slowing; given our great strength in local history publishing we are also particularly interested in memoirs that include a powerful evocation of place. On the crime side we’ve got an eye on historical true crime titles which display a hint of the macabre. From a personal point of view I am looking forward to exploring the possibilities for non-fiction as digital publishing evolves and would like to investigate digital-first projects and innovative approaches to established series and topics.

Roland Philipps, Managing Director, John Murray

I am, as ever, looking for good storytelling in fiction - books that engage the reader from the start, and take them to a different world (even if a familiar one) and away from what I expect to be a gloomy news year. This applies to contemporary fiction, top-of-the-range thrillers and detective novels, historical fiction, and the unclassifiable. Perhaps particularly the unclassifiable. In non-fiction, storytelling is also key. As is authority for more serious subjects - experts not just commentators. Again, the unlikely is always an advantage, and the fresh look at old subjects. This year more than ever an international dimension is a bonus as there are parts of the world which have stronger markets than some of our traditional territories, so wide-ranging business, political and historical subjects are of especial interest.

David Shelley, Publisher, Little, Brown

I acquire sparingly these days (although it is worth saying that if I feel something is not right for me personally, I will always share it with the most suitable publisher or editor here). I publish mainly crime novels and thrillers – Patricia Cornwell, Mark Billingham, Val McDermid, Dennis Lehane, Carl Hiaasen – as well as some authors who are sui generis (Mitch Albom, Christopher Moore). Although I usually tend to only know what I am looking for at the moment it hits my desk, I guess my buys can be characterised by the combination of a very strong central hook, a gripping narrative, and good writing. I’m excited by new subjects that have not been tackled before in fiction and am always on the lookout for something a bit different and out of the ordinary.

Jane Sturrock, Commissioning Editor, Orion Non-fiction

My tastes are fairly broad but one eye is firmly fixed on popular culture encompassing the very best in memoir – celebrities autobiographies and anyone who has a fascinating story to tell, comedy and humour, modern cultural comment and popular reference and ideas books. On the narrative side, I look for well-written compelling stories that have the ability to immerse the reader in the writer’s world whether that be an uplifting or nostalgic memoir that brings a particular time and place to life or a particularly well-timed and original book on modern culture. Comedy and humour books simply have to make me laugh. But, on top of that, the success of Keith Lemon’s The Rules has shown me that it is the right combination of author, subject and timeliness that dictates whether a book will work commercially. And I am always on the hunt for a big ideas book written by someone who knows their subject inside out and is keen to share it in an accessible with general readers. I like surprising conclusions whether in the field of science, economics, business or psychology. If it is engaging, well-told and has an intriguing central premise then I would be keen to read it. All that said, I can always get excited by a particularly quirky one off!

Jonathan Taylor, Publishing Director, Headline Non-Fiction

The Headline non-fiction team (which I run) operates at the commercial end of the popular culture/entertainment spectrum, anything with a strong media platform. So we’re interested in a broad range of areas including autobiography, sport, music, food & drink, diet & fitness, business, TV tie-in and inspirational real-life stories. My personal areas of interest are sport, business, TV/radio, music and comedy. Examples of what I’m looking for would be a ground-breaking, hard-hitting memoir from a well-known sporting hero (I’ve published Marcus Trescothick and Jonny Wilkinson, and acquired Mike Tyson’s memoirs); a riotously funny romp from a cult sportsman or woman (I’ve published Micky Quinn, Alan Brazil, Jeff Stelling, Bumble and Paul Merson); an inspirational book on leadership from a highly respected business figure (I’ve published Richard Branson); an off-the-wall, quirky narrative from a cult comedian; an unexpected memoir from an underground TV star (I’ve published The Stig’s autobiography, The Man in the White Suit); a knock-‘em-dead, leviathan of a memoir from a rock god; the “next big thing” dietary regime (I’ve published Carol Vorderman’s detox diet books and The Gi Diet).

Susanna Wadeson, Publishing Director Eden Project Books and commissioning Editor Bantam Press and Doubleday.

Transworld publishes so many big ‘brand name’ authors, that every new author’s book that we take on has to work very hard to ensure it doesn’t get overshadowed by the established stars. So whether our expectations will be huge, or more modest, I look for books with an immediately definable audience and a succinct pitch. Mark Henderson’s brilliant Geek Manifesto: Why Science Matters which we’ll publish in May is a good example. Andy Hamilton’s Booze for Free: the definitive guide to making hedgerow & garden wines, sherries and liqueurs, beers, ales etc has a Ronseal title and over a hundred recipes that deliver just that. It also makes me smile which always helps. Wit, charm, and also a ready audience of Radio 4 listeners and dog-walking Daily Telegraph readers, drew me to Edward Stourton’s Diary of a Dog-walker; the sublime quality of his writing made it, and indeed his next book, irresistible. Truly elegant, poignant writing, and perhaps an indefinable Britishness, also drew me to Rachel Joyce’s wonderful and exciting debut novel The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry which we publish in March. Whether fiction or non-fiction, I look for a very strong story or narrative thread, lovely writing, a sense of humour however wry, and identifiable (and targetable) fellow readers. Beyond that my list is pretty eclectic. I’d love more memoir and history, I’m interested by food , human behaviour and family relationships, our landscape, politics …

What the Dickens...

Sun, 25 Dec 2011 15:13:00 +0000

Ah, coincidence… from Dickens to Didion it’s the meat and drink of the writer’s art. Even readers know that. But what they don’t know - and we do - is just how big a role it plays before we begin to write the story.

It matters not at all whether our specialty is fiction, memoir, non-fiction or even fantasy, the moment we start researching a new book the coincidences arrive thick and fast. A newspaper article on your subject opens an unexpected door the very day you begin; a randomly selected television program supplies a vital link; friends have relatives at the heart of the matter; even Aunt Maud produces a letter from her glory box that adds a totally new dimension.

In fact, so common is the phenomenon that I no longer call them coincidences. In my book (as it were) they’re just incidences. But I was unprepared for this one for it’s been 40 years in the making - totally unexpected yet it could hardly be closer to home. A little background if I may: I was born and raised in Queensland’s bible belt, became a fierce young Methodist, signed the pledge and ran the local Order of Knights until suddenly at adolescence reason kicked in and I was bereft. I realised it wasn’t true. The Trinity thing was absurd; and if God ran everything, how come I’d been born in a war where millions died; and what about those poor Jews? Not even the arrival of the Billy Graham caravan could quell the growing certainty that the whole religious bucket was full of holes. But if so, what about Jesus? As an only child Our Lord was like a big brother to me. He became the core of my struggle to escape the childhood propaganda and the conflict tore me apart. And though I searched the local libraries for some guide to the reality of his place and person, the shelves were bare. Fast forward 20 years and I was determined that when my own sons reached adolescence they would have a book that told the ‘real’ story of Jesus, stripped of its supernatural absurdities, so they wouldn’t have to endure the agonies I’d suffered. I set to and researched what became, seven years later, The Secret Life of Jesus published in 1990 by Pan Macmillan. Long excerpts were run by the Murdoch press throughout Australia that Easter and it caused quite a stir. But because of the conservative (or apathetic) nature of Australians towards religion it was ahead of its time and didn’t run to a second printing. However, in 2006 came Richard Dawkins’ The God Delusion, quickly followed by Chris Hutchins’ God Is Not Great, and suddenly the whole subject was open for discussion. So I returned to Jesus and rewrote the book to incorporate my more finely honed views, the revelations of priestly predation and the new rigor able to be applied to the subject. And I called the new work, quite appropriately, The Jesus Delusion. But there was a problem. Its appeal was international and the eighteen books I’d published in the meantime had been directed almost exclusively to an Australian (and Chinese) readership on very different subjects. My Australian publisher, Hachette was reprinting my latest work, SAS Sniper for the sixth time and its marketing people would be totally opposed to something so different. Despair raised its gloomy head. Then came the (co)incidence. My son Ben for whom I’d written the book (though unlike his father he’d taken the whole religious thing with a grain of salt) had been gaining masters degrees in the law of the internet and other associated subjects, then working in New York, Paris and London as a senior internet analyst. Now he’d returned to Australia and had quietly embarked on an exciting new venture. He had just completed all necessary research and was ready to launch an e-book publishing operation - BWM Books - that offered authors a terrific deal on resurrecting their backlists. He had secured scanners in the UK, the US and Australia for those works without an electronic version; gathered a team of image makers to produce exciting internet-friendly covers; and most importantly, had navigated all the sites (Amazon being only one of very many) to get the best exposure for each new publication. His contracts with authors involved a combination of up-front payment and/or a share of the returns…but here’s the best bit. He’d decided to work out all the bugs in the system using his father’s books! The Jesus Delusion was posted several weeks ago and I’ve been delighted with the result. Good reviews followed and sales began what Ben calls ‘a typical slow burn’. The Sniper book is just published in the U.S. but Jesus is more than holding his own. There are three steps, he tells me, that the author should take in preparing a book for e-book publication. First, format the electronic MS so it fits neatly into the e-book reading devices such as Amazon’s Kindle, Apple’s iPad/iPhone, PC’s, tablets and other such contrivances. For example, if you’re using WORD, don’t use the tab to indent paras or the space bar to centre text. They don’t translate into an e-book format. Second, you should create an interactive Table of Contents so readers can move back and forth between chapters and from text to references. Third, you’ll need an electronic cover image. Bear in mind the print book cover might have copyright protection. The costs of resurrecting a print book to a new life in this cyberworld are relatively modest but must be taken into account. To scan a print book into a WORD file costs 20p a page (if the book can be destroyed in the process), almost double if you want the book back. The preparation for e-book devices can take up to four hours for an expert. BWM charges about AUD$200 for the process which includes publication on Amazon and Smashwords. Then of course there’s the promotion and marketing of the book on the Internet, a very different exercise from the usual book tour or radio blitz. This is an area, thank goodness, where Ben has the expertise and it can be part of the package. But the financial returns - with the author typically taking up to 70 percent of the sale price - can be substantial. All I can offer is a confident prediction: more than one author reading this will mutter in astonishment, ‘Blow me down; I was just about to go looking for info on e-books for my backlist. What an extraordinary coincidence…almost Dickensian…Didionesque…’ If you are interested, his address is ben@bwmbooks.com

Robert Macklin is the author of 20 books, mostly non-fiction. He is the biographer of former Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and winner, with co-author Peter Thompson, of the $30,000 Blake Dawson Prize of 2009 for THE BIG FELLA - The Rise and Rise of BHP Billiton.

Addressing Me

Sat, 15 Oct 2011 12:33:00 +0000

Andrew Lownie continues his series of terms of address from recent submissions.

Dear submission reader,

To the literary agents at Andrew Lownie

Dear Sir Andrew Lownie

Dear sie Publisher

Dear Editor,

Dear Andrew and team,

Dear HR Department,

Hi Mr. Poma

Good morning,

Dear

Good afternoon,

Hi dear,

Dear Andrew Literary Agency Master Lownie:

Greetings,

Dear Ladies and Gentlemen!

Hello, sir or mam

To The Concerned Person

Hi guys

Dear friends,

Dear Andrew and Colleagues,

To Whom It May Concern

Hello

Dear Art Director

Dear Colleagues, Associates and Beautiful People

Dear Literary agency directors

Mr. Andrew,

Dear Respected One,

To the members of the Andre Lownie Literary Agency

Good Morning, Good Afternoon and Good Evening

How I found the Andrew Lownie Literary Agency (part 7)

Fri, 14 Oct 2011 16:41:00 +0000

A further selection of entries from author pages on how they came to the agency which may provide useful tips on how to find an agent.

DEBORAH McDONALD I am afraid there is nothing clever or witty to say about how I found the Andrew Lownie Literary Agency. It was simply a case of opening the ‘Writers’ and Artists’ Yearbook’ and looking for an agency that dealt with historical biography. This one fit the bill admirably so I began to subscribe to the Newsletter, which confirmed my hunch. I contacted Andrew who liked what I was doing.

SEAN McMEEKIN I was contacted by an agent following the success of The Berlin-Baghdad Express, but we did not hit it off. I found the Lownie agency through Googling literary agents/history and was immediately impressed with the design of the webpage and the emphasis on non-fiction. I also noticed that the agency represented Roger Crowley, whose works I admire. Crowley, too, found the agency online, and said that he e-mailed his proposal to Andrew Lownie and heard back the next day. I did the same, and heard back the same afternoon.

NICK MEO Contacts in the publishing world recommended Andrew Lownie as one of the best agents to go to for a non-fiction book.

PAUL MERRILL I’d Googled several non-fiction agents and among them was Andrew. It soon became clear that he believed in what I was doing, was always encouraging and, unlike others, promptly returned emails and gave insightful advice. I was also impressed that he acted for both Gloria Hunniford and David Hasselhoff, both of whom I intend contacting in order to form a new Bloomsbury Set.

HELIA PHOENIX I came to the agency through a recommendation from Orion Publishing. I had been doing a lot of work for Orion, but wanted to spread her wings to work with other publishers. Orion’s non-fiction department recommended the Andrew Lownie agency as offering an efficient and personalised service, and being easy to work with.

KATHARINE QUARMBY I approached Andrew a few years ago when I was at the Economist to discuss a number of book ideas, and he was extremely helpful and informative, then, and has been ever since. I’m very pleased to be represented by him.

VICKY RADTKE I was introduced by Gilly Smith, a food writer and published author of books including The Mediterranean Health Diet, biographer of Nigella Lawson and Jamie Oliver and now lecturer at Sussex University.

HANNAH RENNIER I was diffident in approaching agents. I was pretty sure that any connection between ghostwriting and writing history, which is what I wanted to do, wouldn’t immediately spring to mind. Andrew Lownie’s directory entries and website were promising, but how on earth was I going to persuade him I could write about London or produce a scholarly biography? Apart from Lambeth Past, a steady seller of merely local interest, my name was on nothing but a few articles and the membership roll of some learned societies. As to the modest shelf full of well reviewed, published history that I had written and researched, I was bound by confidentiality agreements. I faced a credibility gap.

I then noticed the address. A. Lownie’s office is just five stops on the bus from my house. I would beard the lion in his den. …Well, actually, no. I wrote a letter and he agreed to see me. It seems to have worked. He is an exacting agent but tirelessly helpful. If we could all just stick to the directions on his website – sorry, Andrew – his life would be a lot easier and our success rates even higher.

CHERYL RICKMAN All of the best service providers tend to come via direct recommendation. That’s certainly how I found Andrew Lownie. I had e-mailed fellow author/ghostwriter, Andrew Crofts, known in the industry as “the king of modern ghostwriters” to ask if he could recommend a suitable literary agent. He suggested I try Andrew. So I called Andrew that day and he immediately invited me to send him some information.

We met shortly afterwards and I was impressed by his advice, his pedigree within the industry and his genuine love for books. Later that day, when I opened the Writers & Artists Yearbook to read what it said about Andrew’s agency, I opened the 822 page book on the exact page that listed The Andrew Lownie Literary Agency. That was enough for me. The fact that he specialises in non-fiction and is well-respected within the industry is, of course, an added bonus.

Within a week of our meeting I had signed up to the agency, by which time Andrew had already lined up meetings for me with top publishers and provided invaluable guidance on a book proposal I’d been working on. I am bursting with enthusiasm and confident that I have found the perfect person to represent me in my career, both as a ghostwriter and an author.

CELIA SANDYS I was introduced to Andrew Lownie by Andrew Roberts.

LEILA SCHNEPS A friend and I were emailing about our respective book manuscripts and how to look for agents, and he told me about Andrew Lownie’s site, particularly mentioning that fact that Andrew had quizzed 34 commissioning editors on what they were looking out for in the year ahead.

Together with my daughter and co-author Coralie, we had a look at the site, and then couldn’t get away from it because it was so lively and humorous. After reading through all the pages and laughing out loud, we decided to break the rule we had set ourselves to send our manuscript only to agents who had represented similar books, and make Andrew Lownie our best hope. We crossed our fingers, and our optimism was rewarded!

DOMINIC SELWOOD I found the Andrew Lownie Literary Agency’s website on the internet, and was quickly struck by two compelling features: the treasury of free advice, and the statement that the agency is always looking for new authors. Andrew’s swift response to my first e-mail immediately demonstrated how proactive and engaged Andrew is in helping authors. I have been delighted with the whole process.

SHERIDAN SIMOVE Blame Mark Zuckerberg. After bucking the pull of ‘Facebook’ for years, I finally gave in, signed up, and what a pivotal decision that proved to be. As well as making it easy to spread the word about my books, products and performances, it also allows me to post questions on my profile, like the life-changing one that said “Help! Do you know a brilliant LITERARY AGENT?”. Lo and behold – within minutes, someone I’d recently connected with recommended Andrew. We quickly met, and I was immediately struck by his huge warmth, mammoth intelligence, phenomenal expertise and enormous passion for the medium. Plus, he never looked down on me for writing a blank book! And the rest, as they say - is a meeting of minds, a stimulating adventure and massive success… How wonderfully exciting…

NEIL SIMPSON I was quite mercenary in my search for an agent – I wanted to find the one who was doing the most business for his or her clients. Andrew Lownie’s name seemed to come up whenever I saw good deals signed for authors I admired – for serialisations as well as book rights. I also liked the fact that his back list of books and authors gives him a huge amount of credibility in the industry, as does his connection with The Biographers’ Club. When we met I was hugely inspired by Andrew’s enthusiasm for all types of books and I hope we produce plenty of great ones over the years ahead.

ADAM SLUTSKY Andrew Lownie’s reputation as a top notch agent is well known throughout the literary community, especially by authors on the American side of the pond. His many successes in the nonfiction arena is just one of the reasons I sought him out. I feel very fortunate to have him at the helm of my work.

GARY SMAILES I always knew that I would need an agent if I was going to take my writing to the next level. Before contacting Andrew I had a number of books already in print with independent publishers but I was never able to get ‘near’ the bigger publishers. I had approached a couple of agents before submitting to Andrew Lownie but had never found the right match. It was Andrew’s passion for history that attracted me to the agency. I asked around a few writer friends and contacts before submitting to Andrew and, after hearing only good things, I knew (hoped) he would be ideal for my work.” “I polished up my submission and sent off my book with fingers crossed. There are no words that can describe the feeling when you get ‘that’ phone call. Andrew rang me to say he loved my book and wanted to offer me representation. We clicked immediately and I knew it was the right choice for my work and my career as a writer.

TONY SPAWFORTH I found the Andrew Lownie Literary Agency in about 1990 on the strong recommendation of a friend of a friend. Oxford University Press had asked Simon Hornblower and myself to undertake a third edition of The Oxford Classical Dictionary. We realised that we needed a good literary agent not only to negotiate our own contracts but also the terms for contributors, which as a result turned out to be generous by the standards of UK reference works at the time. I have stayed with Andrew Lownie ever since.

DAVID STAFORD Andrew was recommended to me by Robin Denniston, whose father Alastair had run Bletchley Park at the beginning of the Second World War and who was then (Robin) living in Edinburgh. He and Andrew had briefly joined forces to run an agency but Andrew, living in London but with strong Edinburgh links of his own, was taking it over full time. He was also an author in the field of espionage and intelligence, and as I was writing a book about Churchill and espionage (later to appear with John Murray as Churchill and Secret Service) he seemed the logical choice. Since then we have flourished together through several books and often complicated contracts that I could never have dreamed of winning or negotiating myself. So it’s paid off financially. But what I value above all is the close personal attention he gives me- and he’s always there, at the end of the phone or an email, with a prompt and helpful response, so that I can genuinely think of him as a friend, as well. What more could you ask of an agent?

BARBARA STCHERBATCHEF I saw your agency on the internet, and that you had a great reputation. Simple as that.

JULES STENSON Andrew was recommended to me by an author and a contact in publishing. I was immediately bowled over by his enthusiam, brilliant contacts and ‘can do’ attitude.

PEGGY TRENTINI I was fortunate enough to find Andrew through researching top agents specializing in my genre on the internet. Thank goodness for the internet. I can’t even imagine how hard it used to be without it. I feel it was fated that we formed the perfect partnership and look forward to a successful future.

SIMON VIGAR I’ve met some sharks in the broadcasting game but nothing prepared me for the world of publishing. However, Andrew’s website seemed a bullshit-free zone and I’m very happy to report it reflects the man. He says what he means, means what he says and he gets things done.

SHAUN WALKER I was browsing the internet for agents and came across Andrew Lownie’s useful and informative site. I signed up to his newsletters, which I found interesting and helpful, and a year later when I was ready to send out my proposal, he was the first agent I sent it to. He responded promptly and within a couple of weeks I was signed up.

ALEX WARREN A friend who was already working on a book with Andrew suggested that I get in touch. Andrew has provided some extremely useful guidance in shaping my proposal, resulting in a much-improved end product, and is refreshingly prompt at giving feedback and answering questions.

CASEY WATSON I came across Andrew’s agency by typing into my computer’s tool bar ‘Top 10 UK literary agents’, Fortunately for me, the first name I saw was Andrew Lownie. After viewing his web site, and realising that his agency was right for my project, he was the only agent I submitted to. I am so pleased I did this. Andrew’s patience and support has been second to none, and he has given me the confidence to continue to write.

RACHEL WOODS After searching the internet looking for a potential literary agent, I found Andrew Lownie’s website professional, clear and concise. Since he also accepted submissions via email, he immediately became top of my list, and he was the only UK agent I ended up contacting. Andrew had an instant understanding of the concept of my book, he showed a genuine enthusiasm for the topic, as well as being extremely helpful and prompt with replies, and it is a pleasure to be working with him.

KAREN WOODS I was introduced to the Andrew Lownie Literary Agency through freelance journalist and publicist, Judy Broadbent, of Custom PR

How I found the Andrew Lownie Literary Agency (part 6)

Sat, 10 Sep 2011 15:02:00 +0000

A further selection of entries from author pages on how they came to the agency which may provide useful tips on how to find an agent.

GEOFF ANDREWS I was first recommended to Andrew Lownie by my friend and fellow QPR supporter Christian Wolmar, who has benefited a lot from Andrew’s help on many of his transport books. Since then Andrew has impressed me with his prompt attention and real enthusiasm for my work. He also has a particular interest in the Cambridge spy generation.

JANE ANSON I pitched a book about wine tourism in France , and although that book didn’t happen, Andrew’s feedback was so thoughtful and helpful that he was the first person I came to with my new book.

TONY BLEETMAN After writing my first book, I trawled through the long list of literary agents to identify one with an interest in medical tales. Andrew Lownie’s agency is almost unique in accepting submissions by email. Within hours of submission, Andrew telephoned me and expressed his interest in taking me on. Within a week, we had signed a contract and planned a series of books.

JOHN BRADLEY I was looking for an agent in the UK and within an hour of contacting Andrew Lownie through his excellent website he replied. After reading all my previously published books the following weekend, from cover to cover, he agreed to take me on to sell the foreign rights globally. His advice was remarkably frank, relevant and supportive.

DAVID BULLOCK I’d been working on my book for a good number of years and, after the Sunday Telegraph printed a story about my research, and after two television production companies got in touch, I decided to approach publishers. The responses I received were either negative or tentative and it wasn’t long before I realised that my best course of action was to find an agent.

Andrew Lownie responded almost immediately and by the time we’d spoken the following day I was utterly convinced that he was the man for me. Andrew has an invaluable wealth of experience and expertise and has always shown great faith in my book. He’s truly one of the best in the business.

RORY CALLAN My search for a publisher started with the Writers’ and Artists’ Yearbook. I selected the agents I thought would be interested in my work. I proceeded to read through the websites of over 30 agents. Only one impressed me, www.andrewlownie.co.uk . The content on the website is vastly superior to any comparable site. I submitted my work taking care to follow strictly the guidelines set out by Andrew. To my surprise, I received a response early the next day. Everything I had read and heard about the publishing world told me that I would be waiting for months before receiving contact from a prospective agent or publisher. Andrew’s approach is the polar opposite of this. My emails and phone calls are responded to post haste and from the beginning Andrew has being encouraging and positive about my work and ideas. In the current market and as a hitherto unpublished author, I realise that I have been very lucky to find a publisher for my books. I think Andrew’s dedication and hard work had a major part to play in my good fortune.

MALCOLM CASTLE After doing a Google search for ‘Literary Agents’, I came across Andrew and was intrigued by the amount he wanted me to include in my submissions e-mail. By comparison, it was the most involved of all the other agents I looked at. I was struck with the feeling that my submission would at least be read and, with all the information I’d included, be given proper consideration. Happily, I received an encouraging reply within a few days. Andrew put me in contact with an author, Neil Simpson, who he felt would enjoy collaborating on the book, and a meeting was organised. Upon arrival I was impressed by the way Andrew combined a friendly and welcoming, “Tea or coffee?”, when he answered the door, with a professional and enthusiastic manner once we started discussing the book. He had clearly thought through the direction he imagined the book taking and has been supportive and encouraging with his advice so far.

HELEN CROYDON I went to a talk given by Andrew for The London Writers Club and was very impressed by his knowledgeable and entertaining insights into the mysterious publishing world. At that point I had just got my first book deal without an agent. However, I was finding that I was walking around blind in an industry that I knew nothing about. Not wanting to bombard my publisher with ridiculous ‘first-time author’ questions, I felt I had so many queries but no one whom I could seek advise from. I mentioned my book deal to Andrew at the end of his talk that evening and he seemed genuinely interested and enthusiastic about that and potential follow-on ideas. We met up several weeks later to talk in more detail. In one hour he answered everything I had been worrying about over the last four months. If only I had found an agent earlier to guide me through the daunting editing process, contract negotiations and publicity planning!

PETER DAUGHTREY I searched agency web sites and was impressed with Andrew’s. His expertise and experience in handling non-fiction history seemed ideally suited to exploit my book. Contradicting all I had been cautioned about agents he replied immediately to my first approach with suggestions for the way forward.

BOBBY FRIEDMAN Andrew was recommended to me by a colleague at the BBC who has himself written a number of very successful biographies.

JOSEPH FUHRMANN A friend recommended Andrew Lownie as one of the very best literary agents. Andrew immediately answered my e-mail inquiry and in a day he had read the entire manuscript via electronic submission. I gladly confess that owe my new career to Andrew.

MARCUS GEORGIO The Lownie Agency came highly recommended from publishers.

JASPER GERARD I was recommended to the agency by Richard Atkinson, a publisher, and various authors such as Christopher Lloyd, with whom I first worked as a graduate trainee at the Sunday Times two decades ago. Everyone seemed in agreement: Andrew is charming, encouraging and committed to thoughtful writing – but is also business-like about securing the right deals for his authors.

NADENE GHOURI I am incredibly excited to be working with an agent who has such a solid reputation and background in the industry. Having just ghost written my first book where I dealt directly with a publisher I realised I really needed an agent to help me manage any future literary work. Having researched various agencies online I found Andrew Lownie.

I was attracted to Andrew’s agency because of the genres he specialises in, but also because I found his approach both welcoming and no nonsense at the same time. Andrew agreed to meet with me and my initial impressions were confirmed. He was enthusiastic, honest and someone I really felt I could deal with. The fact that he already has many journalists on his author list and clearly has an affinity with us hacks was also a bonus.

JAMES HANNAM It was really very easy. Andrew has a prominent web site which I quickly found as soon as I started looking for an agent. The website made clear that he specialised in non-fiction and had several authors on his books whose work I greatly respect. Because he was happy to receive an initial approach by email, I had heard back from him before I had even managed to send anything out by post to other agents. I was also very impressed by how quickly he was able to reach a decision on my proposed book.

CHRIS HEIFNER I’m a huge fan of James Bond and Aston Martin. Unfortunately, I’ll never have the chance to join Her Majesty’s Secret Service and I don’t have enough money to purchase an Aston quite yet, so having a literary agent in the UK is the next best thing. I am truly excited to be represented by Andrew Lownie.

MARY HOLLINGSWORTH I asked a friend in publishing for advice about an agent and he suggested Andrew Lownie. I was astonished when Andrew replied instantly. As my friend rightly said, ‘he strikes me as your kind of agent’: efficient, prompt, thoughtful and demanding.

KEVIN IVISON I wrote Red One during a period of leave toward the end of my army career in order to keep myself out of mischief and record my own experiences for my family and friends with a view to possible publication. An exhaustive search of the Writer’s and Artist’s Yearbook had highlighted about twenty agents that seemed to take military nonfiction. I saw that Andrew had acted as agent for Doug Beattie, Adrian Weale and Duncan Falconer and placed him at the top of my list of potential agents. A short phone call, email exchange, meeting and one week later I knew I was dealing with the right man for me and had signed with Andrew.

PAUL JONES I first came across Andrew Lownie’s agency in The Writer’s Handbook, and immediately picked it out as one of the best potential agencies for my work. I signed up to his online newsletter, read all of the relevant submission information and advice that his excellent website has to offer and, following its thorough guidelines, sent off my submission proposal. Within twenty-four hours I had received a telephone call requesting the full manuscript, and the day after that received an email asking to take me on.

CATHERINE KERR-PHILLIPS I started Dying for Approval a few years ago, and wasn’t sure as to how to get a book published. I approached several agents, and Andrew Lownie was immediately open to my book proposal. He is always there to answer my many questions as a first time author, and seems to have a great relationship with his clients. We have discussed future projects, and his encouragement has given me the boost I need to push my book to the next level.

IAN KNIGHT It was at the suggestion of Ingrid Connell at Macmillans that I first came to the Andrew Lownie Agency in 2005.

ANGUS KONSTAM For years I was represented by another literary agent, who, while very good, wasn’t really a specialist in historical non-fiction. I became a bit discouraged when I realised that almost all my book deals were ones I’d arranged myself! I began to ask publishers or editors who they’d use if they were looking for an agent. I also asked several respected historians who they’d recommend. Both groups came up with the same name – Andrew Lownie. I contacted Andrew, and not only did he agree to see me that weekend, he also took me on board. Now I have an agent who not only has a firm grasp of the market, but who can offer sage advice when I need it, delivered with Andrew’s great personable aplomb.

ANNMARIE KOSTYK After a frustrating two years of working with an agent in the United States and getting no feedback or book deals, I thought I should seek out representation in the United Kingdom since my second largest readership for my blog Annmarie Kostyk, Chocolate Goddess comes from there, not to mention my love of all thing English. I found the Andrew Lownie Agency by researching a website called Book Crossroads.

How did I decide what agent to contact among the many in the United Kingdom? Quite simply. The Andrew Lownie Agency represented the only authors I have read or heard about. To me, that means success. It is all about getting your name and work out there. Andrew and I emailed for a short time. Once I finalized my first proposal for him, he followed through with a contract offer, suggestions for further projects, and an invitation to meet with publishers in London. He continues to send me articles, books, happening and tidbits of interest almost daily. I really feel like I am in capable, secure and guiding hands with a great writing future ahead of me with Andrew at the helm. Watch out London! Here I come!

FRANK LEDWIDGE I came to Andrew Lownie through a military friend. He had gone to Andrew with an idea for a novel. He was very impressed, as I have been, with the approach Andrew took and the care and courtesy with which he was treated.

SUZANNAH LIPSCOMB In 2009, I was drawing up a shortlist of literary agents, when two other historians recommended Andrew highly to me. Then, rather serendipitously, just as I was thinking of approaching him, Andrew saw me on TV and got in touch. One meeting and I knew I had my man. Commercial, without lacking the integrity of an academic historian, Andrew’s energy and calm professionalism won the day.

BRETT LODGE I was extremely lucky to meet Andrew through a friend who happened to be one of his authors, the late Tom Pocock - a wise, humorous and intelligent man who certainly knew an excellent agent and a good bloke when he saw one. I am very grateful to him indeed.

TEENA LYONS My approach to finding an agent was very journalistic. After trawling through the Writer’s Market 2010, and highlighting all the agents that I thought might be relevant, I spent some time visiting the websites of all the agents on my shortlist. Andrew Lownie seemed particularly relevant to my areas of expertise, but my break-through came when I noticed that my former colleague Neil Simpson was a client. We had worked together for many years at the Mail On Sunday. Neil and I met, rather appropriately, at the British Library for a coffee and he very kindly let me bend his ear for sometime on his experiences and the value of working with this agency. When I met Andrew I immediately understood Neil’s enthusiasm and am now very excited to see what great projects will come out of this collaboration.