Maine Lit Fest Event - Day 2
What do English majors do for work after college? How have Colby alumni built careers in the publishing world? This panel will consist of former Colby College students who have become agents or editors for New York City’s top publishing houses and literary agencies. Bring your questions and listen to these distinguished alumni sharing their insights, experiences, and professional journeys.
This panel will feature Kat Brzozowski (senior editor at Feiwel & Friends/Macmillan Childrens Publishing Group), Eleanor Jackson (literary agent at Dunow, Carlson, & Lerner), Jenny Stephens (literary agent at Sterling Lord Literistic), and Julianna Wilson (director at Penguin Random House audio).
This event is free.
Kat Brzozowski is a senior editor at Feiwel & Friends/Macmillan Childrens Publishing Group. She has edited a wide range of young adult fiction, including Anna-Marie McLemore’s When the Moon was Ours, which received a Stonewall Honor and was longlisted for a National Book Award, and new Fear Street books in R.L. Stine’s best-selling series, which has sold over eighty million copies worldwide. She’s also the editor for Tony Award-winning Leslie Odom Jr’s Failing Up. Kat is looking to acquire young adult fiction across a wide range of genres, especially contemporary, realistic YA with a strong hook; dark, contemporary fiction, mysteries, suspense and thrillers; and sci-fi and fantasy that’s mostly rooted in this world. She is especially interested in YA with crossover appeal, characters from marginalized backgrounds, and strong voices.
Eleanor Jackson has been agenting since 2002 and is currently with Dunow, Carlson & Lerner. Previously, she was an agent at Markson Thoma and at InkWell Management. She is a graduate of Colby College and the Columbia Publishing course. Her list includes authors of fiction and non-fiction in a wide range of categories, including literary, commercial, memoir, art, food, science and history. She looks for books with deeply imagined worlds, and for writers who take risks with their work. She lives in Brooklyn, NY.
Jenny Stephens represents nonfiction in a variety of categories including cookbooks, practical lifestyle projects, narrative writing on environmental, social, and economic justice, natural sciences, history, food, and cultural criticism. Her clients and their recent or forthcoming books include Andrea Bemis’ Local Dirt (HarperCollins); Paco de Leon's Finance for the People (Penguin Books); astronaut Nicole Stott’s Back to Earth (Seal Press); Lucy Bernholz’ How We Give Now (MIT Press); Ariel Aberg-Riger's America Redux (Balzer + Bray); Professor Desmond Patton's Facing Gakirah (University of California Press); Alicia Kennedy's Meatless (Beacon Press); and Chelsey Luger and Thosh Collins’ The Seven Circles: Indigenous Teachings for Living Well (HarperOne). In addition, Jenny represents select literary estates on behalf of the agency, including the estate of National Book Award winning author Gloria Naylor. Jenny grew up on an island in Maine and studied English and film at Colby College. She joined Sterling Lord Literistic, Inc. in 2012.
Julianna Wilson is an industry leader in audio storytelling and an award-winning Executive Producer with 15 years of experience. Collaborative team manager with track record working with worldwide celebrities and bestselling authors on 1000+ audiobooks across genres. She created and developed a global casting platform for voiceover, Ahab Talent, which increases diversity and creative casting options for voiceover content creators. Passionate about recruiting talent and empowering teams to help creatives actualize their visions. As the Director of Digital Production Platforms & Strategic Partnerships at Penguin Random House Audio, she produces 100 audiobooks per year while spearheading new creative and strategic partnerships. Recent production credits include working with Lin-Manuel Miranda, Alicia Keys, Brandi Carlile, Priyanka Chopra, Seth Rogen, Willie Nelson, and The Tiny Chef. She is a native New Yorker, writer, urban gardener, and rock climber and graduated from Colby College with a Bachelor of Arts in English and Creative Writing.