International literary agents to attend October hui for Kiwi writers and illustrators

Two international literary agents, from Australia and USA, are to attend the Storylines National Children’s Writers and Illustrators’ Hui, to be held in Auckland
6-8 October.

They are Pippa Masson from Curtis Brown in Sydney and Kendra Marcus from Bookstop Literacy Agency in California.

Storylines Trust chair, Dr Libby Limbrick, says that the two literary agents’ five-day visit to New Zealand is being supported by Creative New Zealand's Te Manu Ka Tau: Flying Friends international delegates programme.  They will attend the 2 ½ day Storylines hui in Auckland, later meeting others from publishing and bookselling agencies.

‘Both agents are highly regarded internationally,’ says Dr Limbrick, ‘notably as specialists supporting the careers of writers and illustrators of children’s and YA books.

‘Storylines is delighted to be able to offer the Hui participants, who include many leading and promising New Zealand authors, the chance to meet two experienced agents, and learn more about the role of literary agents in the international literary scene, and how agents help to create and maintain a literary career.’

October Hui registrations are still open, but only a limited number of places remain, bookable through www.storylines.org.nz.  

Pippa Masson, Sydney              

Pippa Masson is one of five agents working in Sydney with the leading international literary agency Curtis Brown, the oldest and largest literary agency in Australia. Their clients include Nick Earls, Libby Gleeson, Markus Zusak, Tom Kennelly, Andy Griffiths and several Kiwi authors. Pippa has worked in publishing, principally at Curtis Brown, for more than ten years. She has appeared at many writers’ festivals in Australia, talking about the role and benefits of agents in publishing.

Kendra Marcus, California                                

Kendra Marcus’s Bookstop Literacy Agency includes the very popular Megan McDonald’s ‘Judy Moody’ stories among many other successful books by prominent authors. Founded by Kendra in 1984, the agency represents authors of picture books through to young adult fiction.