PinnedHello, Go AwayMy literary agency, a one-man shop, is currently open to submissions, meaning anyone can send me their work. And about 350 people do so every month. That’s neither bragging nor complaining. I have no idea how that lines up with other agents, it’s just part of my job. I’ve found…Publishing6 min read
Mar 12, 2020How to Work from Home5 Quick Tips to Prevent Being a Sloth in Pajamas Whether you’re starting your own business or surviving a pandemic, working from home is a logical option. Just remember that despite occupying the same space, “work” and “home” still need to be separated. …Work4 min read
Dec 20, 2019The King of Christmas MusicHow I went from mixtapes to CDs to Scrooge — Tl;dr: Christmas Music Videorama playlist Not to brag but I invented the mixtape. It happened in my bedroom in February 1980, the day I conquered “drop the needle on the vinyl” vs. “unpause the tape deck” so deftly that no space could be detected from Elvis Costello & the Attractions’…Christmas8 min read
Sep 30, 2019I Am a Character in LiteratureThis is not an online quiz (“I’m a Mr. Darcy!”) or a rumination on life imitating art. My husband is the memoirist Augusten Burroughs, and I appear in some of his books. I am literally literary. …Writing5 min read
Jun 7, 2019The Essential Harv: Two Dozen Facts About Harvey Mayes (1944–1993)My first boyfriend died before the Google Age, so there’s not a lot about him online. Today would have been his 75th birthday, so I’m celebrating with a list of things the world should know about him. Harvey Steven Mayes was born in Brooklyn on June 7, 1944, raised in…New York10 min read
Aug 23, 2018How to Get Ahead in Publishing (1985 Edition)During the summer after I barely graduated from college, I moved to New York and interviewed with a few publishers. I loved books and I knew a little about the industry, plus a school acquaintance was an assistant at a literary agency and helped me land the first interview. Of…Publishing7 min read
