Agent Provocateur

Agent Provocateur S2 Ep 06: Literary Agents Respond to Your Elevator Pitches

In this episode TRF agents Jennifer Chevais, Tasneem Motala, Natalie Kimber, Kathryn Willms, and moderator Sam Hiyate respond to your audio pitches, focusing on what we like and what could be improved. The pitches we review are: GOOD GIRL GONE by Larissa Benfey, UNTITLED by S.A. Baker, OUR NEVERLAND by Zenobia Crow, Fletcher's Bird by Danielle Zell, NOM DE PLUME by Lisa Marie Potter and Amanda Nelson and OF RUST AND STARDUST by Catherine Kraus.  

Agent Provocateur S2 Ep 05: On the Length of Manuscripts, Logline Tips, and On How Much of Author/Agent Submissions Get Read

This week is all about the submission and review process. First, a panel on manuscript lengths with author/TRF editorial associate  Amanda Sun and columnist, author and Dundurn Press editor, Russell Smith, moderated by TRF's own Kathryn Willms. Newly-minted agent Jennifer Chevais gives her tips on crafting a logline for your project, and in our final panel convo for the season, agent Stacey Kondla, author Kalena Miller, and former Wise Wolf Publisher Rachel Del Grosso discuss how far into a ...

Agent Provocateur S2 Ep 04: On Pandemic Book Promo and the Inevitable Question of Author Platform

This week is all about sales and promotion. First, a panel on pandemic book promotion with author Lee Matthew Goldberg and Senior Digital Marketing Manager for Harlequin, Lindsey Reeder, moderated by TRF's own Brand Manager, Anne Sampson. Author Michelle Kim calls in to read a letter, and in our continuing in-house panels, agents Tasneem Motala, Kathryn Willms and Sam Hiyate discuss author platforms, moderated by Anne Sampson. Subscribe to Tasneem's YouTube channel here: https://bit.ly/3B8U...

Agent Provocateur S2 Ep 03: On Jamie Lynn Spears and the Potentially Disturbing Topic of Trigger Warnings

This week we have two panels. First, Jamie Lynn Spears sparks a discussion about celebrity sibling memoirs moderated by our brand manager Anne Sampson, with agent Kathryn Willms and editorial assistant Claire Cavanagh, Second, editor Diane Terrana shares her opinion piece, "Trigger Happy," followed by a more in-depth panel on Trigger Warnings where Sam Hiyate moderates, featuring agent Natalie Kimber, and author Andrew Kaufman in discussion with Diane.     

Agent Provocateur S2 Ep 02: Frankfurt Book Fair Redux, On Receiving Passes from Editors, and Bad Art Friend

This week we fondly look back at Frankfurt 2021 with special guest, literary agent, and host of the Make Books Travel podcast, Marleen Seegers; an opinion piece by TRF agent Kathryn Willms on receiving passes; and our first in-house panel discussion on the Bad Art Friend drama, made famous by Robert Kolker in the NYT magazine, featuring editor Diane Terrana, agent Natalie Kimber, brand manager Anne Sampson, and moderated by Kathryn Willms.     

Agent Provocateur S2 Ep 01: On the American DOJ Vs. The Proposed PRH and S&S Merger

We launch Season 2 with a panel discussion of the US Department of Justice bid to block the proposed merger of Penguin Random House and Simon & Schuster.  Elaine Dewar (author of The Handover: How Bigwigs and Bureaucrats Transferred Canada’s Best Publisher and the Best Part of Our Literary Heritage to a Foreign Multinational), and Jonathan Tepper (author of The Myth of Capitalism: Monopolies and the Death of Competition, with Denise Hearn), discussing the DOJ's bid to stop a merger that woul...

Agent Provocateur S2 Ep 01: On the American DOJ Vs. The Proposed PRH and S&S Merger

We launch Season 2 with a panel discussion of the US Department of Justice bid to block the proposed merger of Penguin Random House and Simon & Schuster.  Elaine Dewar (author of The Handover: How Bigwigs and Bureaucrats Transferred Canada’s Best Publisher and the Best Part of Our Literary Heritage to a Foreign Multinational), and Jonathan Tepper (author of The Myth of Capitalism: Monopolies and the Death of Competition, with Denise Hearn), discussing the DOJ's bid to stop a merger that woul...

Agent Provocateur Ep 06: On Harry & Meghan's Book Deal and Dangerous Ideas in Non-Fiction

This week we discuss Harry and Meghan's book deal and the trials and tribulations in writing narrative non-fiction. TRF's royal watchers, Brand Manager Anne Sampson and agent Kathryn Willms discuss Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, while our panel discussion features non-fiction writers Timothy Christian (author of the forthcoming Hemingway's Widow), Elaine Dewar (author of the just-released On the Origin of Deadliest Pandemic in 100 Years: An Investigation), and Jonathan Tepper (author of The...

Agent Provocateur Ep 05: On Men in Publishing, Books for Boys, and Pitching via Comps

This week we discuss the gender imbalance in publishing (good thing? bad thing?) and pitching via comps (where audacity is not just allowed, but encouraged). Our panel discussion features actor, writer, and screenwriter, Barbara Radecki, our executive editor Diane Terrana, and  the publisher of Cormorant Books, Marc Côté. After the panel, new agent Kathryn Willms shares her thoughts on pitching editors via comps.  

Agent Provocateur Ep 04: On the Rise and Rise of Graphic Novels, Risque YA, and Awesome Wine/Book Pairings

This week we discuss the rise of graphic novels in North America, Risque YA and we pair books and wines. Our panel discussion features writer, filmmaker and graphic novel creator, Ho Che Anderson and  Senior News Editor of Publishers Weekly, Editor of PW Comics World, Cohost of the More to Come Podcast and editor of The Fanatic, Calvin Reid. Diane Terrana weighs in on how far is too far with YA, and Sam Hiyate and Natalie MacLean, the author of two bestselling books and the host of the podca...

Agent Provocateur Ep 04: On the Rise and Rise of Graphic Novels, Risque YA, and Awesome Wine/Book Pairings

This week we discuss the rise of graphic novels in North America, Risque YA and we pair books and wines. Our panel discussion features writer, filmmaker and graphic novel creator, Ho Che Anderson and  Senior News Editor of Publishers Weekly, Editor of PW Comics World, Cohost of the More to Come Podcast and editor of The Fanatic, Calvin Reid. Diane Terrana weighs in on how far is too far with YA, and Sam Hiyate and Natalie MacLean, the author of two bestselling books and the host of the podca...

Agent Provocateur Ep 03: On Transparency in Publishing, Fiction vs Memoir, and Britney and Books

This week we discuss transparency in publishing, fiction vs memoir and Britney Spears' publishing history. Our panel discussion features author, founder and publisher of Sutherland House, Ken Whyte; Co-Publisher and editor of ECW Press, Jack David; and The Rights Factory’s own Executive Editor Diane Terrana. Diane also weighs in on the line between fiction and memoir and TRF agent Kathryn Willms gives us an oral history of Britney and books.

Agent Provocateur Ep 02: On Book Clubs, Reading Lists, and Obama

This week we discuss the phenomenon of celebrity book clubs and break down Obama’s new summer reading list. Featuring panel discussions with author and book publicist Nathaniel Moore; VP of Operations for Dundurn Press, Chris Houston; and The Rights Factory’s own Executive Editor Diane Terrana, and agents Stacey Kondla and Kathryn Willms.

Agent Provocateur Ep 02: On Book Clubs, Reading Lists, and Obama's Summer List in Particular

Agent Provocateur Ep 01: On BookTok, COVID and Virtual Book Fairs

In this episode we take a look at BookTok, we have an editorial on plagues and content, and we have an update on the rights situation in the recent Bologna and London Book Fairs, which were virtual this year. 

Agent Provocateur Ep 01: On BookTok, COVID and Virtual Book Fairs

In this episode we take a look at BookTok, we have an editorial on plagues and content, and we have an update on the rights situation in the recent Bologna and London Book Fairs, which were virtual this year. 

Agent Provocateur Ep 01: BookTok, COVID and Virtual Book Fairs

In this episode we take a look at BookTok, we have an editorial on plagues and content, and we have an update on the rights situation in the recent Bologna and London Book Fairs, which were virtual this year.