Cathryn Summerhayes

About

Cathryn Summerhayes is a literary agent at Curtis Brown, representing a wide-ranging and high-profile list of authors across fiction and non-fiction.

She previously spent several years at WME, where she built an acclaimed and eclectic client list that includes bestselling authors such as Chris Whitaker, Lucy Foley, and Dr Adam Kay, as well as public figures and creatives including Anita Rani, Shappi Khorsandi, Grace Dent, Sir Ranulph Fiennes, and Johanna Basford. Cathryn also represents a number of United States-based authors through partnerships with UTA and CAA, including Lisa Taddeo, Jennifer Coolidge, and Ashley Flowers. She was named Literary Agent of the Year at The British Book Awards in 2019 and remains actively involved in the wider literary community, serving on the Committee of The Book Society and working with organisations such as Literature Wales and The Hay Festival. Earlier in her career, she worked in PR and events, including on campaigns for the Booker Prize and with high-profile clients such as Nigella Lawson and JK Rowling.

Genres

Looking for

• commercial and literary fiction
• memoir
• thought leadership
• popular science
• humour
• lifestyle
• cultural commentary
• authors who bring originality, boldness and emotional truth to their work
• unforgettable thrillers
• voice-led memoir
• perspective-shifting non-fiction proposals
• writers with fresh, culturally relevant ideas

Agency submission guidelines

Submissions go by email to each agent's own dedicated submissions address, shown on that agent's page. There is no central submissions form, and there is no /submissions page.

Links

Clients include

• Chris Whitaker
• Lucy Foley
• Dr Adam Kay
• Anita Rani
• Lisa Howells
• Nicci Cloke
• Shappi Khorsandi
• Ella Mills
• Mark Watson
• Naomi Wood
• Lucy Rose
• Kirsty Logan
• Susan Fletcher
• Viv Groskop
• Tiffany Murray

Other agents at Curtis Brown Ltd

• Alice Lutyens

  Curtis Brown Ltd

  Alice represents an eclectic list, from commercial women's fiction to lyrical literary fiction, and works across a wide range of genres including love stories, books about magic and witches, crime and thrillers, and historical fiction. She is motivated by nurturing and growing each of her authors, whether debut or established, and values a hands-on editorial relationship alongside the reach of a large agency in the United States and internationally. She has taken several authors from debut through to the Sunday Times bestseller list, Richard & Judy book club picks and prize lists, and represents a number of Curtis Brown Creative alumni. She was the first to discover Jane Harper through Curtis Brown Creative, representing her first four books in the United Kingdom.

  Genres:Commercial Fiction · Contemporary Fiction · Horror · Literary Fiction · Psychological Suspense +2 more

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  Last checked 16 days ago

• Ciara Finan

  Curtis Brown Ltd

  Ciara Finan has broad and ever-evolving reading tastes, but is consistently drawn to bold voices, unforgettable characters, unexpected narratives, and fresh takes on themes like love, friendship, family, loss and coming-of-age. She’s passionate about championing stories from underrepresented voices and is particularly interested in commercial fiction across a range of genres, as well as select non-fiction with wide appeal.

  Genres:Contemporary Fiction · Crime · Fantasy · Health & Wellness · Historical Fiction +6 more

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  Last checked 16 days ago

• Elliot Prior

  Curtis Brown Ltd

  Elliot joined Curtis Brown in 2022 and is now an associate agent working alongside Gordon Wise. Before Curtis Brown he worked for the Albatross Agency in Stockholm and as a scout at Eccles Fisher Associates.

  Genres:Biography · Historical (Non-Fiction) · Historical Fiction · Literary Fiction · Other Non-Fiction +2 more

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  Last checked 16 days ago

• Felicity Blunt

  Curtis Brown Ltd

  Felicity Blunt joined Curtis Brown in 2005, following a career change from law and internships at both the Wylie Agency and Curtis Brown. She has worked from both the London and New York offices and represents authors across the literary and commercial spectrum. Her list includes Booker Prize-shortlisted Claire Keegan, Women’s Prize-shortlisted Meg Mason, Gillian McAllister, Rosamund Lupton, and Renée Knight, as well as bestselling debut authors Abi Daré and Bonnie Garmus. She also represents the Estates of Daphne du Maurier and Jilly Cooper, and co-agents major international authors in collaboration with UTA and CAA, including Pulitzer Prize winner Jennifer Egan and Women’s Prize winner Ann Patchett. In 2024, she served as Executive Producer on the Disney+ adaptation of Jilly Cooper’s Rivals.

  Genres:Commercial Fiction · Contemporary Fiction · Crime · Food & Drink · Historical Fiction +9 more

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  Last checked 16 days ago

• Flo Sandelson

  Curtis Brown Ltd

  Flo joined Curtis Brown in spring 2022, after working in contemporary art galleries and then in bookselling. She works with Felicity Blunt as an associate agent in her office, and is actively building her own list of clients.

  Genres:Fantasy · Horror · Literary Fiction · Romantic Fantasy · Science Fiction +1 more

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  Last checked 16 days ago

• Gordon Wise

  Curtis Brown Ltd

  Gordon Wise joined Curtis Brown in 2005, bringing with him over a decade of experience as an editor and publishing director at Pan Macmillan and John Murray/Hachette. He began his career in the book world as a student bookseller in 1989 and has since become a prominent figure in the industry. He has served as President of the Association of Authors' Agents, co-Managing Director of the Curtis Brown Books Department, and was named Agent of the Year at the British Book Awards. He has also featured in The Bookseller's list of the 100 most influential people in publishing. Known for his collaborative, strategic approach, Gordon has a strong reputation for brand development, editorial matchmaking, and guiding writers through reinvention. He works closely with Elliot Prior and takes on a highly selective list of clients across both fiction and non-fiction.

  Genres:Biography · Commercial Fiction · Contemporary Fiction · Crime · Historical (Non-Fiction) +5 more

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  Last checked 16 days ago

• Helena Maybery

  Curtis Brown Ltd

  Helena originally trained and worked as an actor before moving into publishing in 2021. She assisted the managing director of a boutique literary agency for two years before joining Curtis Brown to assist Sheila Crowley in April 2024, reading Sheila's submissions daily and looking out for new talent.

  Genres:Commercial Fiction · Crime · Food & Drink · Memoir · Psychological Suspense +3 more

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  Last checked 15 days ago

• Jess Molloy

  Curtis Brown Ltd

  Jess Molloy joined the Curtis Brown literary department in 2019 after working for over eight years in talent management and the agency’s talent and comedy department. She began by assisting Cathryn Summerhayes before becoming a literary agent in 2022 and starting to build her own list. Jess is open to submissions and enjoys working closely with writers from a variety of backgrounds, particularly those who have come to writing via unconventional routes or have experience in entertainment or media and are looking to connect with new audiences through their work.

  Genres:Commercial Fiction · Contemporary Fiction · Crime · Fantasy · Literary Fiction +4 more

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  Last checked 16 days ago

• Jonathan Lloyd

  Curtis Brown Ltd

  Jonathan is president of Curtis Brown. He joined the agency in 1994 from HarperCollins, where he was managing director of adult trade publishing, and represents a number of bestselling fiction authors alongside a wide range of non-fiction clients, including well-known autobiographers, politicians and public figures. He was president of the Association of Authors' Agents from 1999 to 2002 and was named Agent of the Year at the British Book Industry Awards in 2009.

  Genres:Biography · Commercial Fiction · Other Non-Fiction · Politics

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  Last checked 16 days ago

• Jonny Geller

  Curtis Brown Ltd

  Jonny Geller joined Curtis Brown in 1993 after a brief career as an actor. He became a literary agent in 1995 after discovering a debut novel in the unsolicited pile, which went on to sell rights internationally. He played a key role in the Management Buyout of Curtis Brown in 2001 and became CEO in 2012. He now serves as CEO of The Curtis Brown Group, which includes Curtis Brown, C&W, Ed Victor Ltd, Curtis Brown Creative (CBC), Tavistock Wood, Markham Froggatt and Irwin, and Cuba Productions. He is also Chair of Curtis Brown Creative. Widely recognised for his influence in the publishing industry, Jonny has been named Literary Agent of the Year, listed annually on The Bookseller’s 150, and included in the Evening Standard’s 1000 Most Influential People in London. He has spoken at numerous industry events, hosted a TEDx Talk on ‘What Makes a Bestseller’, appeared on the Always Take Notes podcast, and was recently interviewed by The Bookseller to mark Curtis Brown’s 125th anniversary. He is also the creator of The Literary Agent, an online course for Curtis Brown Creative, and the author of Yes, But is it Good for the Jews (Penguin, 2006).

  Genres:Commercial Fiction · Contemporary Fiction · Literary Fiction · Other Non-Fiction · Thriller +1 more

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  Last checked 16 days ago

• Lily Kovacs

  Curtis Brown Ltd

  Lily works across Curtis Brown Heritage and the science fiction and fantasy department.

  Genres:Fantasy · Historical Fiction · Memoir · Mystery · Psychological Suspense +1 more

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  Last checked 16 days ago

• Lucy Morris

  Curtis Brown Ltd

  Lucy Morris represents a list of acclaimed fiction and non-fiction authors, known for her editorial insight and strong author relationships. She joined Curtis Brown after starting her career in publishing and works closely with debut and established writers alike. She is passionate about helping shape projects from the earliest stages and is especially proud to represent several Curtis Brown Creative graduates, including Hazel Barkworth, Benji Waterhouse, Elizabeth Lee and Tina Orr Munro. Lucy is the founder of the Curtis Brown First Novel Prize and represents both the winner, Chịkọdịlị Emelụmadụ, and runner-up, Lucy Barker, whose debut novels were published in 2023. She is also part of the team behind Discoveries, a talent development programme for unpublished women writers in partnership with the Women’s Prize Trust, Audible, and Curtis Brown Creative.

  Genres:Commercial Fiction · Contemporary Fiction · Crime · Literary Fiction · Memoir +4 more

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  Last checked 16 days ago

• Rachel Goldblatt

  Curtis Brown Ltd

  Rachel Goldblatt joined Curtis Brown in 2022 and is now an Associate Agent. She assists Jonathan Lloyd while also actively building her own list of clients. She particularly enjoys working editorially with authors and is keen to hear from debut writers. Rachel is open to submissions in both fiction and non-fiction, though she does not represent young adult, fantasy or science fiction.

  Genres:Biography · Contemporary Fiction · Historical (Non-Fiction) · Literary Fiction · Memoir +2 more

  Open

  Last checked 16 days ago

• Rosie Pierce

  Curtis Brown Ltd

  Rosie Pierce joined Curtis Brown in 2018 after beginning her publishing career in editorial at an independent publisher in Edinburgh. She now works alongside Felicity Blunt while also building her own list of authors. Rosie particularly enjoys the editorial process and is passionate about working closely with writers to develop their manuscripts. She is currently open to submissions and welcomes both fiction and non-fiction.

  Genres:Commercial Fiction · Contemporary Fiction · Horror · Literary Fiction · Memoir +4 more

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  Last checked 16 days ago

• Sabhbh Curran

  Curtis Brown Ltd

  Sabhbh Curran represents a wide range of non-fiction and select fiction, working closely and editorially with authors to help shape long-term careers. She’s particularly interested in working with experts, academics and journalists who can combine deep knowledge with broad appeal. Her list includes cookbooks, memoir, narrative non-fiction, and distinctive, genre-blurring fiction. Sabhbh is not the right agent for children’s, young adult, or fantasy fiction.

  Genres:Contemporary Fiction · Crime · Food & Drink · Health & Wellness · Historical (Non-Fiction) +10 more

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  Last checked 16 days ago

• Sheila Crowley

  Curtis Brown Ltd

  Sheila Crowley represents a wide range of authors, from award-winning novelists to million-copy-selling non-fiction writers. Authors are at the heart of her work, and she is deeply involved at every stage of the publishing process. Originally from Dublin, Sheila began her career at Poolbeg Press before moving to London in 1991. She went on to hold senior sales and marketing roles at major publishers including HarperCollins and Hodder, gaining extensive experience across United Kingdom, Irish, and international markets. She transitioned into agenting in 2003 and brings a strong commercial sensibility, industry insight, and a passion for helping authors build long-term careers. Sheila is keen to work with both debut authors and published writers looking to reinvigorate or redirect their careers.

  Genres:Biography · Business · Commercial Fiction · Crime · Historical Fiction +11 more

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  Last checked 16 days ago

• Steph Thwaites

  Curtis Brown Ltd

  Steph Thwaites is Head of the Book Department at Curtis Brown, where she has worked for over 20 years after starting as an intern in 2003. She studied English Literature at Leeds and McGill Universities, and knew from her first day that agenting was the perfect fit. She has remained with Curtis Brown ever since, helping writers and creative talent shape their stories from the earliest ideas to publication. Steph represents a wide range of authors, from debuts to bestselling names, and works closely with storytellers from across the entertainment industry. Her collaborative, strategic approach focuses on long-term career building and developing projects with broad appeal.

  Genres:Commercial Fiction · Contemporary Fiction · Horror · Literary Fiction · Politics +3 more

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  Last checked 16 days ago

• Viola Hayden

  Curtis Brown Ltd

  Viola Hayden began her career in publishing before moving into agenting at Curtis Brown. She now represents a wide range of fiction and non-fiction, with a particular focus on commercial work, and also co-agents alongside Jonny Geller on his high-profile list. Her background as a publisher gives her a deep understanding of the editorial and market potential of a book, and she’s passionate about championing writers whose stories are both compelling and commercially resonant.

  Genres:Commercial Fiction · Contemporary Fiction · Crime · Health & Wellness · Historical Fiction +6 more

  Closed* (conditions apply)

  Last checked 16 days ago