7 Questions For: Literary Agent Pam van Hylckama Vlieg

Pam van Hylckama Vlieg (now Pamela Howell as of 2016) started her literary career as assistant to Laurie McLean in early 2012. By April Pam was promoted to Associate Agent at Larsen Pomada. In January of 2013 after selling twenty-one books in her first year of agenting Pam was promoted to agent. When Laurie McLean mentioned creating Foreword, Pam jumped at the chance to follow her mentor and create a new agency together.

Pam blogs at Bookalicio.us, Bookalicious.org, and Brazen Reads. She partners her blogs with her local bookseller Hicklebee’s where magic happens daily.

Pam grew up on a sleepy little Podunk town in Virginia. She’s lived in the UK, several US states, and now resides in the Bay Area of California. She has two kids, two dogs, two guinea pigs, but only one husband. You can find her mostly on Twitter where she wastes copious amounts of time.

For more information, check out my friends Natalie Aguirre and Casey McCormick's wonderful blog, Literary Rambles.

And now Pam van Hylckama Vlieg faces the 7 Questions:

Question Seven: What are your top three favorite books?

This is a trick question surely. It is so hard to pick three favorite books. It is like asking me my three favorite senses when I love all five!

Wuthering Heights - because I read it when I was twelve and found it terribly romantic. Now, I understand it is more of a horror ;).

Neverwhere - Probably the first ever genre book I read. I read a lot of classics at home and through school. Gaiman opened my eyes to this whole other world of literature. 

Inkheart - My first children's title that I read. Inkheart is the reason I started my blog and rekindled my love of books.

Question Six: What are your top three favorite movies and television shows?

Game of Thrones

Supernatural

Lord of the Rings

Question Five: What are the qualities of your ideal client? 

Someone who wants to build a longstanding career and is willing to put the work into it. 

Question Four: What sort of project(s) would you most like to receive a query for?

I would love to see some more contemporary adult romance!

Question Three: What is your favorite thing about being an agent? What is your least favorite thing?

My favorite thing is the call(s). Calling to offer rep and calling to say we have a good deal. My least favorite thing is the time intensive stuff like writing millions of emails.

Question Two: What one bit of wisdom would you impart to an aspiring writer? (feel free to include as many other bits of wisdom as you like)

Write for love. Do not write on trend. And make sure you're really ready with that MS before you query.

Question One: If you could have lunch with any writer, living or dead, who would it be? Why?

I'd love to have lunch with Maurice Sendak. I love his illustration style and the fact that he didn't hold anything back from children.

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