Westwood Creative Artists
The Chelsea Shop
386 Huron Street
Toronto, Ontario
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Westwood is Canada’s largest literary
agency. It’s also one of the oldest and most respected. Clients include Mark Sakamoto, Justin
Trudeau, Thomas King, Alan Doyle, Rosemary Sullivan, Kyo Maclear, Karma Brown, and
Hannah Mary McKinnon (who many Quick Brown Fox readers will know from classes
and workshops over the years). There are six
agents on the team, all immensely experienced: Carolyn Forde, Jackie Kaiser, Michael A.
Levine, Hilary McMahon, John Pearce, and Bruce Westwood.
Carolyn Forde, Literary Agent and
International Rights Director
Carolyn Forde has been
at Westwood since 2005 and has been a shareholder since 2010. Carolyn has a B.A. Hons in English Literature and
History from Trent University (year abroad at Liverpool Hope University),
earned a Postgraduate Certificate in Publishing Sciences from Robert Gordon
University in Aberdeen, Scotland, and completed the Simon Fraser University
Publishing Intensive course in Vancouver. She has lived and worked in Japan,
Mexico and the Czech Republic and is a dual citizen of Canada and the UK.
When she’s not reading submissions
referred to her by her authors or digging in the slush pile for a gem, she’s usually
cuddled up with her cat or exploring Toronto and beyond with her husband.
Carolyn says, “I am looking for books
that I can’t put down. In fiction I’m either so absorbed with the world
and the story or so affected by the language and characters that I’ll stay up
past my bedtime. I like books that feel like treats, not work. I know I’m onto
something when I want to press a book into the hands of my friends saying, ‘You
must read this,’ because I know
beyond a shadow of a doubt that they will love it.”
Carolyn loves literary
fiction and fiction with a commercial bent, psychological thrillers, women’s
fiction, literary horror, crime, and whimsical almost-fantasy books. “I’d love
to find some indigenous authors too, as I don’t think we hear their voices
enough,” she says. She is not looking for military or CIA inspired fiction,
climate thrillers, high fantasy, cozy mysteries, romance, erotica, poetry or
humour.
In nonfiction, says Carolyn, “I like an
unusual tale in memoir, a book that I can learn from, also something from an
expert in a field on a current issue, and narrative nonfiction that expands the
reader’s world. I’m not looking for memoirs about illness (not because they
aren’t valid but because I don’t like to read them). The writing and the story
are both paramount.”
Carolyn is particularly
interested in books with an international appeal.
Include the word “query” in the subject line. See Westwood’s
full submission guidelines here.
Jackie Kaiser, President and COO
Jackie says that while
she’s not taking on many new clients these days, she’s always open to being
wowed. She’s also more likely to be interested in nonfiction. But Jackie also represents
“a small carefully curated roster of children’s authors and illustrators and
would love to make room for another exceptional author-illustrator.”
Include the word “query” in the subject line. See Westwood’s
full submission guidelines here.
Michael Levine, Chairman
At Westwood, Michael’s
talents are focussed not only on book deals, but also on the sale of rights for
TV, film, and other media.
“My
passions, taste and expertise are largely focused on nonfiction,” says Michael, “including
history, politics, ideas books, memoirs. I have also been privileged to do work
in the fiction area with such authors as the late Mordecai Richler.”
Include the word “query” in the subject line. See Westwood’s
full submission guidelines here.
Hilary McMahon, Executive Vice
President
“Now
that I have a robust client list I’m very selective about taking on authors, “says
Hilary, “but
I still love the thrill of discovering a new voice. I’m particularly proud of
the authors I’ve nurtured since the beginning of their careers, such as Susan
Juby, Susin Nielsen and Carrie Snyder. I love narrative nonfiction that makes
me look at the past and the present in a new way; that engages my curiosity and
provokes contemplation and discussion. Drink by
Ann Dowsett Johnston, The Massey Murder by
Charlotte Gray and Empire of Deception by
Dean Jobb are recent highlights.”
In fiction, Hilary is drawn
to compelling and unique voices and fresh stories that provoke a strong
emotional reaction, whether it’s laughter or tears. She’s always hunting for
those crossover literary/upmarket fiction titles that are perfect for word of
mouth success, such as The Translation of Love by
Lynne Kutsukake.
She’s also open to
realistic, accomplished, middle-grade and YA.
In nonfiction, Hilary
wants the singular project that only that author has the authority, skill and
perspective to deliver, whether it’s a memoir like Juliet’s
Answer, an expose like Jacques Poitras’ Irving
vs Irving, or a cookbook like Lucy Waverman’s Flavour Principles.
Include the word “query” in the subject line. See Westwood’s
full submission guidelines here.
John Pearce, Literary Agent
John is taking on only a
handful of new clients, but he’s always on the lookout for that special new
discovery.
In both fiction and nonfiction,
John looks for a distinctive voice, vivid story-telling, insightful
characterization and scintillating prose. If the book has the potential to win awards
or attract film deals, all the better.
“I love working with
journalists; historians; biographers; I also love memoir, popular science, humour,
travel and Big Ideas,” says John. “What I respond to is the combination of the
author’s passion for the subject and their ability to write about it
engagingly.”
In fiction he leans
towards novels that are literary but narrative-driven; also to high-quality
mysteries, thrillers/suspense, historical fiction and young-adult novels. No
romance, SF or fantasy. No short-story collections. No children’s books. And in
nonfiction, no books of practical advice.
Include the word “query” in the subject line. See Westwood’s
full submission guidelines here.
Bruce Westwood, Founder, Managing
Director, and CEO
Bruce Westwood has been
in the business for 22 years. He’s still always on the lookout for literary
fiction, commercial fiction, narrative nonfiction, “and,” he says, what one
might call current events (business, politics, industry, government, etc.
Really any sociological nonfiction. My tastes are extremely broad (except when
it comes to rosé, garlic, and roasted
lamb).
“While
I represent a very limited number of children’s authors, the rest of my clients
are pretty evenly split between writers of fiction and nonfiction – and some
that cross that divide with aplomb.”
Include the word “query” in the subject line. See Westwood’s
full submission guidelines here.
 |
| Literary agent Paige Sisley |
If you’re
interested in getting published, soon or somewhere down the road, don’t miss
the How to
Get Published workshop with literary agent Paige Sisley, Saturday,
August, 18, in Collingwood (see here).
And if you’re interested in Writing for Children or for Young Adults, you’ll want to sign up for the mini-workshop on
Saturday, April 21, 2018, in Waterloo with Simon & Schuster children’s
editor Patricia Ocampo, literary agent Barabara Berson (who
specializes in YA) and Young Adult author Tanaz Bhathena (see here).
On
Sept 22, Brian Henry will lead another mini-conference in Oakville with Yasemin Uçar, Senior
Editor at Kids Can Press, and also a Kid Lit workshop in Sudbury sometime in
the fall – details of these events still to come.
For updated listings of Writing for Children & for Young
adult workshops and for weekly Kid lit classes, see here (and
scroll down).
 |
Yasemin Uçar, senior editor,
Kids Can Press |
And don't miss: Writing With Style, Sunday, April 29, in Brampton (see here). Writing Your Life on Saturday, May 5,
in Burlington (see here),
and Saturday, June 23, in Mississauga (see here) and Writing and Revising, Saturday, May 26, in
Oakville (see here).
For the
spring, there are still spaces available in the Welcome to Creative Writing course Wednesday,
afternoons, April 18 – June 13, in Burlington (see here).
Other weekly spring
classes are all underway, but watch for postings about summer courses soon.
Read reviews of Brian’s courses and
workshops here.
See Brian’s complete current schedule here, including writing
workshops, weekly writing classes, and weekend retreats in Algonquin Park,
Bolton, Barrie, Brampton, Burlington, Caledon, Collingwood, Cambridge,
Georgetown, Guelph, Hamilton, Kingston, Kitchener-Waterloo, London, Midland,
Mississauga, Oakville, Ottawa, Peterborough, St. Catharines, Saint John, NB,
Sudbury, Toronto, Windsor, Woodstock, Halton, Muskoka, Peel, Simcoe, York
Region, the GTA, Ontario and beyond.
Navigation tips: Always check out the
labels underneath a post; they’ll lead you to various distinct collections of
postings. Also, if you're searching for a literary agent who represents a
particular type of book, check out this post.
