Paragraph Member Rebecca Louie and her agent Marilyn Allen spoke at an agent roundtable focusing on author-agent relationships on Wednesday, April 8. Marilyn is also the coauthor of The Complete Idiot's Guide to Book Proposals & Query Letters.

Rebecca Louie (left) and Marilyn Allen

Talking about composting and publishing

Marilyn Allen is founder and partner in the Allen O'Shea Literary Agency which focuses on nonfiction works. Before starting the agency she held senior positions for several publishers including Penguin Books, Simon & Schuster and culminating as the Associate Publisher and Senior Vice President for Harper Collins. Marilyn is the coauthor of The Complete Idiot's Guide to Book Proposals and Query Letters (Penguin). She is a frequent speaker at writers' conferences and MFA programs.

Rebecca Louie, a certified NYC Master Composter, beekeeper and all-around green girl, is the author of the fun, forthcoming guide Compost City: Practical Composting Know-How for Small-Space Living. A former features writer at The New York Daily News and arts editor at Vibe magazine, Rebecca's work has appeared in outlets including The Associated Press, New York Daily News, USA Weekend, Cosmopolitan, Latina, Vibe, Complex, Missbehave, Essence, Interview, Paper, Uptown and The Village Voice.