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Introducing The August Agency

New Lit Agency Announces Official Launch
Announcing the debut of The August Agency, a dynamic alliance formed by two seasoned publishing colleagues from opposite ends of the industry spectrum: Cricket Pechstein, founder of The Christina Pechstein Agency, and Jeffery McGraw, who most recently served as Editor for the entertainment division of HarperCollinsPublishers. As a multimedia management firm with a global emphasis, The August Agency approaches the literary world with a fresh point of view, unbridled enthusiasm, and creative strategies characterized by a contemporary imperative to “think outside the book.”

“Our key objective is to present publishers with highly commercial, versatile, and durable projects as well as highly commercial, versatile, and enduring authors,” observes Ms. Pechstein. “We not only embrace our clients’ books but also the writers themselves and their careers.”

Her partner, Mr. McGraw, concurs. “The August Agency is founded on many of the same principles the great Roman Emperor Augustus set in place to facilitate a stimulating venue where distinguished writers could flourish,” he says, referring to an exceptional period in literature historically known as “the Augustan Age.” The name has been applied to subsequent eras of great prosperity in artistic writing as well, including the reign of Louis XIV, known as "the Augustan age of French literature," and that of Queen Anne, widely regarded as "the Augustan age of English literature."

The new agency actively pursues a diverse array of fiction and nonfiction writers to represent, with an emphasis in accessible literary fiction, women's fiction, high concept mysteries and thrillers, popular culture/entertainment, media, political science, diet/fitness & health, cookbooks, psychology, business, memoir, and highly creative narrative nonfiction.

Ms. Pechstein’s bent for the business is due in part to the fact that both writers and editors connect with her very easily. As an agent, writer, book editor, writing instructor, magazine editor, book designer, and publicist, she has savored many pieces of the publishing pie. In 1991, she intertwined her art education, business experience, and writing skills to establish Possibilities Press to support small book publishers with writing, editing, design, and production services. A decade later, she shifted her focus exclusively to literary representation and launched The Christina Pechstein Agency. Earlier this year, she saw another fine opportunity to expand her business and her horizons and joined forces with Mr. McGraw to launch The August Agency, where she operates from its headquarters in Vero Beach, Florida.

In the last ten years, Mr. McGraw has worked in numerous capacities in publishing – primarily editorial, but also public relations, publicity, advertising, promotion, and beyond – for magazine and book publishers large and small, most notably PRIMEDIA, HarperCollins, Harry N. Abrams, and Leisure Publishing. His search for a career role that would capitalize on all his diverse experience, interests, and strengths came to and end when he made the natural transition from editor to literary agent, working with Ms. Pechstein remotely via The August Agency’s New York office.

For more information about The August Agency visit the company's web site at http://www.augustagency.com.


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