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LITERARY AGENT OF THE YEAR
OVERVIEW Literary agents faced more upheaval in 2021, including stresses for their authors and disruption to publishing schedules. They dealt with all the challenges thrown at them, and these eight were notable in particular for their long-term support of authors that goes far beyond the next contract. As with many shortlists this year, none have been nominated before—an indication of the wealth of agenting talent and, perhaps, of how quickly fortunes can change.
DIANA BEAUMONT Marjacq Scripts’ Diana Beaumont propelled Daisy Buchanan’s début novel Insatiable into the Sunday Times lists, and moved clients including Andrea Marr, Carmen Reid and Lucy Vine to new publishers in order to revitalise their sales. Beaumont’s work on Lily’s Promise by Auschwitz survivor Lily Ebert demon- strated her sensitive care of authors, too.
CAMILLA BOLTON Senior agent at the Darley Anderson Literary Agency, Camilla Bolton’s top authors in 2021 included T M Logan, Tim Weaver and K L Slater. Many of her clients struggled to get attention at first, but her perseverance has taken them from the slushpile to the bestseller lists. “She’s without equal as a talent-spotter, editor and deal-maker,” said one glowing testimonial.
CRYSTAL MAHEY-MORGAN Founder of OWN IT! publisher and agency, Crystal Mahey- Morgan is leading a new kind of business. A big deal for Idris Elba was the standout, but there were many more moves to bring previously underrep- resented to the mainstream— all while running her own pub- lishing operation. “A visionary agent and a powerful force for positive change in the indus- try,” said one publisher.
BECKY THOMAS After 10 years at Johnson & Alcock, Becky Thomas took the plunge with her own Lewinsohn Literary Agency in 2021. Within weeks she had bestsellers from Hollie McNish and Carl Anka, co-author of Marcus Rashford’s You Are a Champion. She had more success in book-to-screen deals, and helps to supplement her authors’ income, notably through performance poetry.
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LUDO CINELLI Ludo Cinelli has gone from agency assistant to managing director at the Eve White Literary Agency in less than four years. It reflects his success with books including James Norbury’s Big Panda and Tiny Dragon, previously self-published and now a six-figure seller with deals in 25 territories. He has been a supporter of underrepresented voices in literature too.
ISOBEL DIXON Managing director and head of books at the Blake Friedmann Literary Agency, Isobel Dixon’s tenacity and loyalty to authors was exemplified by her work with Costa Book of the Year winner Monique Roffey. As president of the Association of Authors’ Agents, she has championed agenting beyond her own work as well, and she helped to lead the Save Our Books campaign.
KATE NASH Kate Nash had a personal-best year at her eponymous agency. She has launched mentoring programmes to nurture creative writing talent, brought film and TV agenting in-house and kept her authors connected and motivated during lockdowns. “She is a brilliant agent because she cares about the whole person, not just what will sell,” said one of her authors.
CAROLINE WOOD Caroline Wood has helped Felicity Bryan Associates continue its late founder’s work. Having built a fiction list from scratch, Wood agented the 2021 Booker Prize-winner, Damon Galgut’s The Promise, and struck deals for long-term clients including Anna Hope and Liza Klaussmann. Europe was a particularly rich seam of sales for her cosmopolitan list of writers.
BOOKER WINNER
DAMON GALGUT IS AGENTED BY CAROLINE WOOD
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