Joanna Kaliszewska

About

Joanna is the Rights Director at The bks Agency, as well as developing her own list as an agent.

She began her career in rights at Aitken, Stone and Wylie, then spent 20 years at Hachette, latterly as Head of Rights for John Murray Press. There she worked with authors including Fiona Mozley and Mick Herron. Her literary taste is broad, spanning literary fiction, reading group fiction and crime procedurals.

Genres

Agency submission guidelines

Fiction: a synopsis, the first three chapters or 50 pages, and a brief bio. Non-fiction: the pitch, a bio, an overview of structure, and a sample chapter. Submissions should be sent to the individual agent, and material should not be sent for genres an agent does not list. Only one agent at the agency should be submitted to at a time. Covering letters, proposals or writing samples must not be written by AI (though AI use for grammar support or research is acceptable). Joanna: submit to joanna, for crime and thriller fiction, and expert-led non-fiction on health and wellness; she does not represent experimental literary fiction, speculative fiction, science fiction, fantasy, young adult or children's.

Agency AI policy

They do not accept any material, whether it’s a covering letter, proposal or writing sample, written by AI.

Links

Clients include

• Fiona Mozley
• Mick Herron

Other agents at The BKS Agency

• James Spackman

  The BKS Agency

  James is a literary agent at The bks Agency. He began his career on the Bloomsbury Publishing Graduate Scheme before moving into sales and marketing roles at Bloomsbury, John Murray and Hodder & Stoughton, where he helped create bestsellers with authors including JK Rowling, Stephen King and Freddie Flintoff. He later became MD of Watkins, a division of Osprey Group, and is now Publisher of Pursuit, Profile Books' cycling imprint. He also coaches book trade professionals in presentation skills and is the author of How to Pitch a Book.

  Genres:Commercial Fiction · Fantasy · Mystery · Narrative Non-Fiction · Science Fiction +1 more

  Closed

  Last checked 2 days ago

• Jason Bartholomew

  The BKS Agency

  Jason co-founded The bks Agency after two decades working in publishing rights in New York and London. He was Rights Director at Hachette UK across Hodder & Stoughton, Headline Publishing Group, Quercus Books, and John Murray Press, and later became Publishing Director of Quercus US. He is also CEO of the cultural communications agency Midas, which provides PR, social and marketing services for arts and publishing clients.

  Genres:Biography · Business · Commercial Fiction · Current Affairs · Fantasy +8 more

  Closed

  Last checked 2 days ago

• Jessica Killingley

  The BKS Agency

  Jessica is the Managing Director of The bks Agency. She spent 20 years in marketing roles at Hachette UK and Penguin Random House, running high-profile campaigns for authors including John Grisham, Stephen King and Stephen Fry. She also ran a coaching and consultancy business, and is a Master-certified Coach who works with high-achieving women in senior roles. She began running the agency full-time in October 2023.

  Genres:Business · Fantasy · Literary Fiction · Narrative Non-Fiction · Other Non-Fiction +2 more

  Closed

  Last checked 2 days ago