My Account
My Wishlist
My Basket (
The Role of Literary Agents: Felicity Blunt, Jessica Papin, Luigi Bonomi & Yasmina Jraissati
Date/Time: Friday 3 February 2023 16:00-16:50
Venue: 6th Floor Emirates Library, Mohammed Bin Rashid Library, Al Jaddaf - Dubai
Language: English
Session No: 39
Literary agents play a vital role in the English-language publishing industry, working with authors to sell their work and develop their careers. In the Arabic publishing world, however, there are fewer agents and a much less formalised system of rights sales.
Our panel of leading agents will discuss what they can offer in a globalised, multi-lingual, and multi-platform industry that seems to be in a state of permanent instability. Both for publishers keen to expand their lists and for authors wanting to understand more about contracts, markets and foreign sales, this session will explore where agents can make a difference.
Felicity Blunt is a top-tier agent at a top-tier agency, representing authors such as Bonnie Garmus, Abi Dare and Claire Keegan at Curtis Brown alongside a growing list of debut authors.
Jessica Papin is a literary agent and vice president at the Dystel, Goderich & Bourret literary agency. She began her career in publishing as an acquisitions editor in New York, and later worked in Egypt as the foreign rights director for the American University in Cairo Press. Her clients include Mychal Denzel Smith, Zahra Hankir, Chanda Prescod-Weinstein, and Qais Akbar Omar.
Luigi Bonomi is the founder of Luigi Bonomi Associates, awarded in 2010 the prestigious title of Literary Agent of the Year. He loves discovering new writers and regularly runs competitions to find them, including since 2016 the Daily Mail First Novel Competition.
Yasmina Jraissati is the founder of RAYA, the agency for Arabic literature, the first and only agency of its kind. RAYA promotes, sells and manages adaptation rights of high-quality Arabic literature throughout the world.
This session is moderated by Annabel Kantaria
As you plan your day at the Festival, please take into consideration that it takes between 30-60 mins to commute between the Intercontinental, Festival City and Mohammed Bin Rashid Library.
