Why James Never Left #BookEnds20
- By: admin | Date: Jun 17 2019
I’m sure everyone has heard the joke by now that I interned at BookEnds and never left. I think it’s even in my bio on the website.
I interned. I begrudgingly left. I emailed and asked to intern again. I begrudgingly left. Then after graduating six months later I emailed Jessica Faust and asked if there was a place for me. There wasn’t, but Jessica agreed to “think on it,” and urged me to “stay on her.”
I did not even have a chance to do that. Something like 10 days later, Jessica emailed me “Let’s Talk.” She offered me to come on as her personal assistant. I did, and never looked back. Though… there was one instance where she offered to pass my resume along to a job opening at on of the major publishers and I very nervously begged her to stay. “I’m not firing you,” she said.
As the agency turns 20 this year, I realize that joke is more of a testament to BookEnds as a whole than anything. From internship application to today, it has been a place/team that has welcomed me with open arms, encouraged me throughout all of my personal, educational and career-objectives, and helped develop me into the (dare I say it) adult *cringe* I am today. (I did not even know how to address an envelope when I started).
I’m grateful to the team for harvesting my love for books, and for shaping me into what I can only hope is a successful Literary Agent. Here’s to BookEnds on it’s 20th Anniversary year, and here’s to starting my 4th year on board.
Awe love that!❤️ What a wonderful testament.
❤️
I, for one, am very glad you stayed, James.
Thank you, Mary Ellen. So happy to be working together!
What’s the FINAL WORD on semicolons?
Are they really dead in the publishing world?
A Gentlewoman’s Guide to Murder would not be the book I am proud of today if not for James and his invaluable suggestions!!
Thanks so much Victoria! I’m so happy to have worked on that book.
Congratulations on your 4th year!
Well, this explains EVERYTHING! Especially why Jessica dumped you in my lap when you were most definitely the new kid on the block. I have a visual of her thinking, “Well, if James can survive an hour of Kate without running screaming out of the room, he might just have what it takes to work at BookEnds…”
Congratulations on your fourth year–I wanna hear your thoughts on YOUR twentieth anniversary!
Ha! Kate Douglas, the test of time. Thanks so much, Kate!
Any time, darlin’!
Congrats on another year with Bookends! I’m honored to be on your team!