On Wednesday, November 11, Kerry D'Agostino and Noah Ballard -- literary agents from Curtis Brown, Ltd. -- came to speak with Paragraph members about publishing.
Noah Ballard is an agent at Curtis Brown, Ltd. He received his BA in English from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, and began his career in publishing at Emma Sweeney Agency where he sold foreign rights for the agency in addition to building his own client list. Noah specializes in literary debuts, upmarket thrillers and narrative nonfiction, and he is always on the look-out for honest and provocative new writers. Noah has appeared across the country at graduate programs and writing conferences speaking about query letters, building nonfiction platforms and submission etiquette. He lives in Brooklyn.
Kerry D’Agostino started working at Curtis Brown, Ltd. in 2011 as assistant to Tim Knowlton and Holly Frederick in the Film and Television Department. Before Curtis Brown, she received her certificate in publishing from the Columbia Publishing Course, her masters in Art in Education from Harvard Graduate School of Education, and her bachelors from Bowdoin College. In addition to her continued work with the Film Department, Kerry currently assists Peter Ginsberg, handles audio rights for Peter and Katherine Fausset, and is building her own list. Kerry is interested in a wide range of literary and commercial fiction, as well as narrative nonfiction and memoir. Above all when evaluating manuscripts, she looks for a strong narrative voice and a protagonist with whom she (and others) can connect. She also has a soft spot for anything to do with Maine, Vermont, skiing, and sisters. Please email query letters to kd@cbltd.com, along with a synopsis and three sample chapters.