“I am always drawn to a creative and fresh hook for a story, something we haven’t seen before or a trope turned on its head.”
-Jessica Errera
Every year, the Writers’ League of Texas brings a faculty of close to thirty agents, editors, and other industry professionals to Austin for its Agents & Editors Conference. As we look ahead to the 26th Annual A&E Conference, taking place June 28–June 30, 2019, we’re happy to share Q&As with some of our faculty here.
An Interview with Jessica Errera
Jessica Errera has been with JRA since 2014. She is looking for commercial women’s fiction with a fresh and fun hook, all genres of YA (especially diverse stories), contemporary romance, mysteries and suspense, the occasional historical fiction, and anything that might be read in a day on the beach. Jessica is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill where she spent four years cheering on the Tar Heels and a few fantastic months interning with Algonquin Books.
Scribe: What is your approach to the author/agent relationship?
Jessica Errera: It’s my job to be your partner and your advocate–not just for one book but for what will become, I hope, a long and successful career. For that reason, I look for authors interested in building a long-term partnership and whose goals align with my skills and interests.
Scribe: Are there specific elements that draw you to a project?
JE: I am always drawn to a creative and fresh hook for a story, something we haven’t seen before or a trope turned on its head. I am also particularly fond of sister/family stories or anything told in a unique format (letters, texts, mixed media, etc.) However, great writing is the most important element and that trumps all the rest!
Scribe: Tell us about a recent project you’re excited about!
JE: I am very excited about S.C. Perkins’ debut mystery novel Murder Once Removed, which will be published by SMP/Minotaur in March. It’s a cozy mystery featuring a genealogist-turned-sleuth, plus TexMex/tacos! It’s fabulous.
Scribe: And also, what is a recent women’s fiction novel that had an interesting hook that caught your attention?
JE: I loved Yara Zgheib’s The Girls at 17 Swann Street, about a young woman reclaiming her life in the face of an eating disorder. It’s just beautifully and poetically written. I’ve also been seeing a lot of great titles in the romantic comedy space lately—most recently I loved The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang, which features a neuro-diverse heroine and a love interest who’s an escort, and which I read in one sitting.
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Thanks, Jessica!
Click here to read our 2019 A&E Conference agent bios.
Click here for more information on the 2019 Agents & Editors Conference, a weekend long event in Austin, TX (June 28-June 30) that focuses on the craft of writing, the business of publishing, and building a literary community.
