Rebecca Gradinger
Born and raised in Montreal, Rebecca began her career as an intellectual property attorney, but quickly realized that her heart wasn’t in it when she found herself photocopying novels to covertly read “documents” at her desk. Her first job in publishing was as an international book scout at Mary Anne Thompson Associates, helping foreign publishers identify North American fiction for translation. She began her agenting career at Janklow & Nesbit and moved to Fletcher & Company in 2008.
Rebecca’s clients have been finalists and winners of various grants and prizes including the National Book Critics Circle, The Man Booker Prize, The Dylan Thomas Prize, The Whiting Award, The Los Angeles Times First Book Award, The Women’s Prize, The Sunday Times Short Story Award, as well as fellowships with the National Endowment of the Arts and Art for Justice. Many of Rebecca’s clients have appeared on national and international bestseller lists.
More About Rebecca
What are you currently reading?
Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsglover, Your Table is Ready by Michael Cecchi-Azzolina, and Bittersweet by Susan Cain
What’s important/interesting for potential clients to know about you and what you’re looking for?
My areas of interest include literary and commercial fiction for adults, and works of narrative history, biography, memoir, psychology, health, and lifestyle. I am drawn to distinct voices that move me deeply and/or offer a new perspective. I find it exhilarating to support authors who are passionate about their work on and off the page. Having been personally transformed by many books in my life, I look for projects that have that potential power for myself and others. I am particularly interested in representing a diversity of voices from a wide range of backgrounds. I love creative collaboration more than anything in the world and thrive on working with people who love it too.
Before law school, I briefly (but memorably) worked as a bartender and a production assistant at MTV and I am the mother of two extroverted teenagers.
What are you NOT looking for?
Children’s books, genre science fiction, cookbooks.