Leadership Shift at Long‑Running Literary Agency as Aaron Priest Retires
firstwriter.com – Tuesday February 3, 2026
A major transition has taken place at one of New York’s longstanding boutique literary agencies. After more than fifty years at the helm of the company he created in 1974, veteran agent Aaron Priest has stepped away from day‑to‑day leadership. His departure marks the end of an era, and the beginning of a new one under Mitch Hoffman, who has now assumed ownership of the Aaron Priest Literary Agency and will serve as its president.
Priest’s career has been defined by his work with a wide range of bestselling and influential writers. Over the decades, he guided the publishing paths of authors including Erma Bombeck, David Baldacci, Philip Caputo, Robert Crais, Heather Graham, Brenda Joyce, Johanna Lindsey, and Robert James Waller. Beyond his client list, Priest helped shape the agenting profession itself as a founding member of the Independent Literary Agents Association, the group that later evolved into today’s Association of American Literary Agents. His interests also extended to the stage: in 2014 he was among the producers of the Broadway adaptation of The Bridges of Madison County, drawn from Waller’s hit novel.
Book publishers were afraid of building shared universes until they saw how successful the Marvel Cinematic Universe was, according to Brandon Sanderson
thepopverse.com – Tuesday February 3, 2026
The Marvel Cinematic Universe is so influential that it has even changed the way books are published. Publishers and readers are embracing shared universes, such as Leigh Bardugo’s Grishaverse and Jeremy Robinson’s Nemesis Saga. While book series are nothing new, a shared literary universe is different because it can focus on different characters and different time periods in a shared continuity, whereas a series will tell a linear story with the same characters.
Brandson Sanderson, who created the Cosmere literary universe, recalls how the shift began after the MCU took off. “I thought I want to do all these magic systems, all these different planets, and I want to connect them all,” Brandon Sanderson says during New York Comic Con 2022’s Titans of Fantasy panel. “People were really scared of continuity back then. When I was doing this, this was a few years before the MCU came out. Publishers were scared. They wanted one series but they didn’t want this big interconnected thing because the conventional wisdom was this would scare off readers.”
New Literary Agent Listing: Sarah Brooks
firstwriter.com – Tuesday February 3, 2026
Handles bold, voice‑driven fiction for the book club market and women’s fiction, with a strong interest in contemporary and historical narratives that balance commercial appeal with emotional depth and distinctive writing. Seeks high‑concept hooks, character‑led stories, modern romance with wit and warmth, smart concept‑driven novels, uplifting or emotionally resonant fiction, and commercially focused historical fiction that highlights underrepresented cultures or overlooked histories. Also welcomes holiday‑set fiction, sagas, speculative elements with broad appeal, and regency romance with slow‑burn tension and sharp humour.
Brought to book: Alison Healy on some unwise rejections of authors’ manuscripts by publishers
irishtimes.com – Monday February 2, 2026
If you’ve recently heard a collective intake of breath, it’s probably coming from a posse of publishers near you, bracing themselves for the deluge that’s coming. They know that those new year resolutions to get that novel published have been set in motion. Manuscripts have been retrieved from the dusty bowels of laptops and are being dispatched.
And in tandem with the arrival of the swallows, the rejection emails will start to wing their way into the inboxes of many of those hopeful writers. But if your life’s work is rejected, fear not. You are in the best of company, judging by a book I recently read. Rotten Rejections, by editor André Bernard, documents the in-house memos, letters and anecdotes involving the rejection of work by some very familiar names, including many Irish authors.
Back in 1895, poor WB Yeats was castigated for his offering, Poems. “I am relieved to find the critics shrink from saying that Mr Yeats will ever be a popular author,” huffed the person who received the submission – the book doesn’t cite the names of those who were so bold as to reject these titans of literature. “The work does not please the ear, nor kindle the imagination,” the publisher continued. “That he has any real paying audience I find hard to believe.”
New Book Publisher Listing: Two Windmills
firstwriter.com – Monday February 2, 2026
Publishes bold, colourful activity books, picture storybooks, sticker books, novelty titles and creative kits with a focus on imaginative play, artistic exploration and hands‑on creativity. Handles magic water colouring, scratch art and drawing‑instruction series, including book‑only and book‑plus formats.
Why most books sell less than 200 copies
authorlink.com – Sunday February 1, 2026
Ah…the reason so few books sell more than 200 copies “might” be partly due to the quality of the writing, but the greatest challenge looms in the marketplace. The problem boils down to sheer numbers. Excuse me if my math contains rough estimates.
The top five traditional publishers (Penguin Random House, Harper Collins, Simon & Shuster, Hachette and McMillan) collectively turn out about 100,000 titles a year. Amazon posts about 1.4 million self published books annually. There are roughly 50 million Amazon titles floating around for sale at any given time.
The typical American reads about four or five books a year. If you include avid readers, the number increases to 12 to 14 books per year according to Gallup News.
About 21% of U.S. adults, or roughly 43-45 million people are functionally illiterate, according to National University, nu.edu. An estimated 130 million adults are unable to read a simple story to their children. Consider this: 59 million U.S. adults read below Level 1 on the PIAAC (Program for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies) scale. This level indicates very poor literacy skills, where individuals can, at best, read short texts to locate a single piece of information, or in many cases, are functionally illiterate. (Perhaps that’s why emojis have become so popular).
New Magazine Listing: By the Glass
firstwriter.com – Thursday January 29, 2026
Literary magazine from Western Kentucky celebrating regional writers. Publishes work showcasing local artistry and creativity.
New Literary Agent Listing: Michael Taeckens
firstwriter.com – Wednesday January 28, 2026
Handles literary fiction and a broad range of narrative nonfiction, including biography, cultural studies, history and current events, hybrid work, memoir, popular culture, and science. Open to queries sent by email with a synopsis, publication history, brief bio, and an excerpt of up to ten pages pasted into the message. Queries not answered within four to six weeks are not a good fit.
New Magazine Listing: National Geographic Kids
firstwriter.com – Monday January 26, 2026
Publishes an illustrated magazine for readers aged seven to twelve featuring factual articles, quizzes, activities and photo‑led features covering animals, science, geography, history, the environment and contemporary culture. Produces educational material with an emphasis on accessible nonfiction, wildlife coverage and global awareness. Offers regular themed features, news items, puzzles and competitions. Focuses on engaging young readers with clear explanations, vivid imagery and concise informational writing.
New Literary Agent Listing: Izzy Hall
firstwriter.com – Friday January 23, 2026
Currently training as a junior agent. Interested in strong, unique speculative women’s fiction that explores genre-forward themes such as romance, mystery and gender.
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