Secret Dead Blog rarely gets to break news. We were late on Watergate, completely missed the Iran-Contra thing, and unfortunately, Secret Dead Blog was dating Monica Lewinsky during the late 1990s, so that would have been a serious conflict of interest.However: Secret Dead Blog is able to bring you this fresh bit of literary news, and amazingly, I think we're even scooping Sarah Weinman. The news?
Meet Al Guthrie, literary agent (shown at left standing in front of the historic David Goodis house).
Yep, that's the same Al Guthrie who's already been lauded as one of the shining stars of noir, both here and in the UK. The same Al Guthrie who's an editor for cult fiction imprint PointBlank Press. The same Al Guthrie who portrayed Arthur Dent in the most recent adaptation of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. (At least, we think it looked like him.)
But it's true: Al has joined the prestigious Jenny Brown Associates. Secret Dead Blog asked Al to explain the newest peg on his hat rack.
Secret Dead Blog: Why did you want to become a literary agent?
Allan Guthrie: Cause I'm no good at plumbing.
SDB: No, really. why?
AG: Writers of dark material tend to get short shrift from agents, on a content basis alone. Happened to me enough times, and I know many other authors who've had the same experience. I think those agents are missing a trick. Crime fiction is expanding, and nowhere faster than the darker, harder-hitting variety. Dark crime fiction is, as you know, a particular area of interest (some might say, obsession) of mine. What with my editorial and writing experience, and my inability to shut up about books I love, along with my view that hard-edged crime fiction is about to blossom (it already is, it's just cleverly disguised), becoming an agent seems to make a lot of sense. Whether I'll be any good at it is another matter entirely, of course, but I'm delighted Jenny Brown Associates have given me the opportunity. It's very, very exciting.
SDB: What kind of clients are you looking for?
AG: Stunningly gifted writers of intelligent dark/comic crime/literary/thrillers (and if they can write great flap copy, even better).
SDB: Who's a better lover: you, David Hale Smith or Mark Stanton?
AG: That's not for me to say. You'd need to ask Paul Guyot.
[end]
If there's one thing you need to know about Al Guthrie: he conquers whatever he sets his mind to. If I weren't so googly-eyed in love with my own agent, I'd be tempted to jump on the Good Ship Guthrie. Of course, that would be another huge conflict of interest...
But I'm extremely jealous of the people he's going to be signing up. They have no idea how hard he's going to work for them.
9 comments:
I'm legally obliged to say that Al's the supreme lover of all time. (Now leggo my arm, Al...)
Mrs Sunshine
Sunshine is gonna be great at this. My only fear is that he won't be writing anymore.
Best of luck, my man.
DHS does this thing with his toes when you're "with him." It's pretty cool, makes one feel like Princess Di. You know, before the wreck.
Sunshine actually got the name Sunshine due to the sheer joy and happiness he expresses during lovemaking. He's always smiling, always humming a Donna Summer tune in your ear.
But for pure quality of performance I'd have to give it to Stanton. And that cape he wears... mmm.
just don't mention horsies around Stanton. oy.
Sunshine, this is so cool. I agree with JD though - this won't take away from your brilliant writing, will it?
your fans will weep if that's the case.
I hope he's good at it.
He should try dressing up a bit for the meetings, though.
N
There's a double meaning to "jumping on the Good Ship Guthrie," isn't there?
Congrats!
Congrats Al.
I have already applied to be Al's batman.
JD, Christin: I'll be representing a few very special clients, that's all, so I'll still have plenty of time to inflict my own brand of nonsense on the reading public. But thank you for caring!
Guyot: Give Stanton's cape to Otis, please, so he can be my Batman.
N: It was hard to get heels in my size, but I found a pair eventually.
CP, Mary: Thank you!
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