Quickfire Questions with... Nathan Bransford



Nathan Bransford is a literary agent at the San Francisco office of Curtis Brown Ltd. He is also a blogger extraordinaire - see for yourselves here!




You really must read…
Any book by my clients and GENTLEMEN OF SPACE by Ira Sher

Favourite desktop snack…
Reese’s Pieces.

Which 3 writers, living or dead, would you invite to dinner?
Ernest Hemingway, Paul (from the Bible), and Walker Percy. We’d either get really drunk or all get in a fight. Or maybe both.

Left on a cliffhanger or told all?
Depends on whether the next book is under contract.

The best thing about my job is…
Seeing my clients’ books in the wild.

When rejecting I…
Get back to people quickly.

If I wasn’t an agent I would be…
Reading far more books for pleasure.

Email or phone?
E-mail.

The best advice I can give an author is…
Keep writing.

The worst submission I ever received…
Those records are permanently sealed.

The incredible success of my blog is due to…
My amazing readers/commenters.




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11 comments:

  1. Julie P3 June 2009 at 09:22

    Thank you Nathan. Great post but I'm intrigued about Reeses Pieces - what are they?!

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  2. Gillian McDade3 June 2009 at 09:35

    Oh wow - Reece's Pieces! I first tried these in Florida and fell in love with them. I packed five multi-packs into my suitcase and by the time I got home, they had melted into a huge mess! They sell them here now!
    Great answers Nathan. I think getting back to people quickly is a great quality for an agent to have. The longest I have waited for a response to the first three chapters is 15 months! I know the query process is slightly different in the US though.

    (PS - can I come and work for you as a slushpile reader?)

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  3. Sarah Hilary3 June 2009 at 09:44

    Reece's Pieces! Excellent choice, Nathan. Julie, they are like Smarties but instead of chocolate they have salted peanut butter in the centre. They are delicious. You can get them from Cyber Candy, online or in Covent Garden.

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  4. Caroline Green3 June 2009 at 10:00

    Thanks Nathan. I'll come with Gillian to work on your slush pile. You can pay us in Reece's Pieces..

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  5. Fionnuala3 June 2009 at 10:24

    Thanks Nathan. Great answers (although I have to confess the thought of those Reese's thingys reminded me I have a gag reflex - Peanut and chocolate together, Ugh!)
    Rather than come and read your slush pile, can I be another guest at that dinner party? I fancy having a chat with Paul about that road in Damascus.

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  6. Julie P3 June 2009 at 13:22

    Thanks Sarah! I'd never heard of them before - they do sound rather delicious - I am going to have to buy some now just to try them! Another foodie thing to become addicted to!

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  7. Gillian McDade3 June 2009 at 13:51

    Beware Julie! They're like Pringles - once you pop, you can't stop :)

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  8. Julie P3 June 2009 at 17:47

    Mmmm on second thoughts maybe I should admire them from a far but keep well away from them, Gillian!

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  9. Caroline R3 June 2009 at 19:13

    Great interview! I love the sound of the dinner party. I didn't know what Reese's Pieces were either - we Brits are way behind on that sort of thing.

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  10. Administrator3 June 2009 at 21:08

    Any agent who rejects quickly is great in my book.

    Love the blog, Nathan.

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  11. Katy3 June 2009 at 22:42

    Love Reece's Pieces. The American dream in a little brown paper case.

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