Interview with Victoria Lowes, The Bent Agency

TheBent Agency. Reading their impressive “About” section is enough to put these folks on top of a short list of agencies. Their goal? Building bestsellers, focus on rights and marketing, decades of experience, reputation. My impression? Super professional and dedicated to their authors. With “30 New York Times bestselling titles, with many more on USA Today, Publishers Weekly, and other regional lists”, I am thrilled to have one of their agents on board as a judge.

Victoria Lowes. “I was born and raised in Queens, New York and graduated from the City University of New York, Queens College. Before joining the Bent Agency, I completed internships at Serendipity Literary and the Carol Mann Agency. In my spare time I can be found teaching dance classes for young students or watching re-runs of The Office.

I love books that teach me something, whether it be about a culture I don’t know, event in history or about the dynamics of a tumultuous young romance. I want to root for your characters -- connect with them and the problems they face. I'm looking for characters as complex and interesting as those I meet in real life.”

What do you represent?

I currently only represent YA & Adult digital-first titles.

What you are looking for right now?

I am always looking to represent contemporary and historical romance titles, mysteries, thrillers as well as women's fiction and humor. Right now, I'm more specifically looking for a suspenseful female-driven mystery, an historical fiction set in the early 20th century that has strong romantic elements and a YA or adult contemporary romance that has a strong, authentic voice.

How did you decide to get into editing/publishing?
Well like most agents/editors, I’ve always loved getting lost in a novel. And while I don’t remember exactly where or how I found out that a literary agent was a possible career, I remember how everything clicked and the feeling of, “Oh, so that’s what I’m going to do for the rest of my life.”

Why did you choose the agency you are working with now?
I started working at the Bent Agency first as a query consultant, then as Jenny Bent’s assistant. I knew I wanted to work at a boutique agency and loved the Bent Agency’s list as well as their approach to client care.

What's your favorite part of the job?
Being able to say that I read for a living.

What book could you read over and over?
A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hossieni.

Also, Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke.