Katherine Cowles
Katherine Cowles understands that her authors need her to find not just the right deal, but the right editor for each book -- it’s essential to the process, and a successful book. Every author has different needs and interests: some want lots of say in the design, some need lots of conversation during editing, and some want to be left alone.
But, of course, it all starts with a great book proposal that makes editors sit up and take notice. “Its this indescribable thing that just gets you, that zings you. And I know how to get the proposal to the point where it will really excite an editor.” Katherine believes that a great proposal must connect the author passionately and meaningfully with the editor reading it. Crafting the proposal is one of the most important parts of her work; finding the way in for the author and honing the message until the editor reading it just gives up and says, “OK, I gotta buy this book.”
Katherine has been involved in publishing her entire career. Her industry connections and relationships are extensive. For more than a decade she was at Simon and Schuster and Doubleday. Her experience began with contracts and moved through fiction and non-fiction acquisitions, the marketing and advertising departments eventually leading her to a position as Associate Publisher and Vice President at Simon and Schuster where she was involved with numerous major titles and brands.
It’s really all about helping the author throughout the entire publishing process. Her thoroughness extends through concept, proposal, contract, writing, editing, finding collaborators, brainstorming marketing ideas, and exploring future projects. “We are basically the author’s business partners on their book project. We really sign on to an author’s career. We get as involved as they want us to get. And it seems to work, we don’t really lose clients.”
Her primary areas of interest are in nonfiction narrative, science, memoir, food and wine, history, current events and culture. Among the best-selling and distinguished authors she has represented are Paul Johnson, Christina Sunley, Liz Prueitt and Chad Robertson, David Tanis, The Emily Post Institute, The David Brower Center, Bryant Austin, Steve Sando, Adair Lara, Charles Phan, Shelburne Farms, Dan Zanes, Sharon Robinson and many others.
Katherine is a member of the Association of Author’s Representatives (AAR) and The Author’s Guild.