Get to Know Jessica Faust
- By: Jessica Faust | Date: Feb 10 2020
Hi! Welcome to the BookEnds “Get to Know” series. You’ve read our bios, follow us on social media, and you know which genres we represent. But behind the business persona, we are real people with real lives, hobbies, pet peeves, and passions. These are the people we want to share with you.
As the founder and president of BookEnds, I get to go first. Besides being a literary agent and author advocate, I am a dog person, a coffee person, an optimist, and, mostly, a professional pain in the ass. I use she/her pronouns.
Hobbies
Nearly 10 years ago I was introduced to the sport of kettlebells and I haven’t put them down since. I even lifted competitively for a few years and, frankly, I was quite good at it. I’ve given up competing (for now) to just lift for the love of lifting. At least five days a week you can find me in my garage with a kettlebell in hand.
Pet Peeves
I’m not kidding when I say I’m an optimist. Negativity and pessimism are two pet peeves of mine. I believe that what we think impacts how we behave and the outcomes we desire. Maybe you won’t lose a game simply because you thought you would, but you certainly aren’t likely to play your best. I truly believe attitude is everything.
Deciding something will be terrible, or only seeing the worst in it, can cause us to miss the small things, the opportunities, and beauty that is life. I don’t live with rose-colored glasses. I know there are terrible things in life that can make it hard to see the positive, but I will always be the person who tries.
Passions
A Minnesota native I have a passion for all things from my home state and also all things Nordic and wintery–Sweden, hockey, hygge, and Alaska to name a few. All of these passions help inform my list. I’d love to see the Minnesota version of BEARTOWN, a new book on hygge.
I also have a passion for advocacy. Whether it’s rescuing dogs instead of buying them, #metoo, marriage equality, or generally creating a more diverse and inclusive world, I am passionate about speaking out and doing whatever it is I can to make a difference. And I work hard to do this through the books I represent.
This is a nice getting to know you idea. I’m sure your friend are blessed by your positive attitude. The only kettle I lift is the tea kettle to make hot water for my jello.
How cool you lifted kettlebells competitively! Nice to meet you
I think your pet peeves and much of your passions actually shine through your actions and thoughts depicted on this blog over the last years. But kettlebell lifting? I had no idea that was a sport (but I have just googled and watched a beginner guide). Impressive!
Nice idea for a series about BookEnds 🙂
So often we only know the professional side of a person. Nice to meet you, Jessica Faust! I’m a dog lover too. This year is about spending more time with Ozzie, the Westie-ish boy and Louie the tuxedo cat, while exploring ways to be more creative. I think all those things will ooze back into my writing as well.
Nice to meet you in a more personal way. I feel like I sent my query to you quite a while ago. Maybe I will try again….
Jessica, I enjoy and appreciate all the snippets you continually share about the publishing world and now the ones about you! You are, for sure, a person I’d” love to have a beer with” and I don’t even drink!
This is a great way to personalize yourself to us! And, as a Minnesota girl myself, I’m beginning book #4 and every story, so far, has taken place in Minnesota. There is so much to write about here. I LOVE to curl, maybe I need to write a Beartown version about curling in Minnesota! 🙂 (btw I really enjoyed Beartown. Excellent writing. Excellent story.)
I have written 29 books of which 24 are based on a Brooklyn, New York detective named Michael Conti, who leads a team of detectives to solve the toughest cases in the New York Metropolitan Area. In addition I have written my autobiography, a baseball book on the Atlanta Braves, a science fiction book regarding Superman and Batman.