Not So Secret Agent is an email newsletter all about the inside scoop on cookbook publishing from senior literary agent, Sally Ekus (that’s me!). Make sure we never miss the chance to connect.
Dear Not So Secret Agent readers,
Happy Tuesday! In book publishing, that means new books are out today!
A few months ago I said I wouldn’t always align my newsletter with new books publishing from my clients. I love my clients so much, but I don’t want you to think I’m overdoing it on my love for them without reason.
Seriously, this newsletter is first and foremost meant to be a resource. It is for YOU all after all.
Here’s the thing though. The past few weeks have been STACKED with news. New cookbooks are publishing every week, and it feels important that I call this out. Why is that important you ask? Well, it is MID-AUGUST people. The oft-labeled “slow August” (more generally stated as “slow summers in publishing”) season is busier than ever right now.
I wrote about summers in publishing two years ago, and it stands up well today. You should go read it if you have a moment. I’ll wait.
Summers are certainly a different pace, yes. We (the industry) often take advantage of this pace to take time off, catch up on reading (ha, yeah right), and deep dive into the long list of operational to-dos on our “I’ll do that over the summer” list.
But it’s not all suntans and out-of-offices messages. I have sold 4 projects this summer! And I still have more out on submission!
***Not So Secret Agent sidenote: I also signed two new clients I wasn’t expecting. Yay for unanticipated awesome people!***
Summer is a season in publishing. Sure, some publishers may consider June as part of their “spring” catalog, and August might technically be considered an “early fall release”, but it feels essential to point out is that what was once a far quieter time in publishing is now buzzing with book deals, best-seller releases, and all-around fantastic industry energy.
Rebecca Eisenberg’s fabulous new cookbook, Small-Batch Breads: 50 Recipes for Loaves, Buns, and Flatbreads made with 1-cup of Flour, is out today.
When I think about this book’s publishing journey, I’m struck by how much timing plays into the science and art of our industry. No matter how prepared or Type-A you are (shout out to my fellow Type-A peeps – I see you!!), timing is completely out of your control.
Even so, I am often asked when the best time to pitch a proposal is. My advice is to not try to time your book journey according to the perceived “busy seasons” of publishing. If you’re doing good work and your proposal is excellent, timing is likely to be on your side.
AKA: right, not rushed.
Rebecca is a lovely example of this, and I think there’s a lot to learn from how she landed an agent (she chose me!!!) and secured her book deal.
Hence this being the third newsletter in a row that includes an author interview. However, instead of me doing the heavy lifting this time, the behind-the-scenes comes in the form of a fantastic interview over at Jenna Helwig’s newsletter, The Cookbookery Collective. Check it out!
I’ll wait. 😊
Amazing, right?!?
Okay, now I’ll add my two cents to the discussion because hey, I’m me and I like adding some Not So Secret Agent perspective.
Author: Rebecca Eisenberg
Agent Sally Ekus at JVNLA
Photography Linda Campos
Photo assistant Karraline Streifel
Food Stylist Joy Howard
Food Styling Assistant Sasha Coleman
Prop Stylist Kaylei McGaw / Anchor Artists
Art Director Betsy Stromberg
Book Designer Francesca Truman
Publisher Ten Speed Press and editor Molly Birnbaum
I met Rebecca in Kristin Donnelly’s book proposal bootcamp. I was one of the guest agents during the live pitch session at the end of the bootcamp, and I was so taken with Rebecca’s idea that I emailed her immediately afterwards to explore representation.
You want to know something else though? Speaking of timing…
Only a few months prior to Rebecca’s pitch, I was chatting with an acquiring editor with whom I was working on another book. Like any agent, I always ask what they’re looking for right now and/or what’s been on their wish list forever.
“I have always wanted to do a small batch baking book,” she said.
Yup! I know!!! Were the stars aligning? Was it some celestial magic? I couldn’t have timed it better if I had tried!
Here’s what you gotta know about Rebecca’s book journey: She had one of the single best proposals I have ever seen.
Sure, it was likely in part because she took a whole bootcamp on how to write a great proposal. But she was also so clear in her concept – I absolutely fell in love with the specificity. Baking with one cup of flour?! I love me a niche concept and I love me a book that knows exactly who it is!
***Not So Secret Agent sidenote: All too often I see authors try to be all things to all people in their book proposal. “Everyone will want this book!” is almost always an automatic pass for me. I don’t want to sign a book that aims to reach everyone. Oftentimes it ends up reaching no one. Don’t be all things to all people. Find your lane and drive fast and confidently down that road!***
Once Rebecca accepted my offer of representation, we got to work fine-tuning tiny edits and tweaks to the proposal. As I said, almost no changes were needed. Just a bit of polish. My goal is to ensure that anyone considering the proposal has all their anticipated questions answered. And yes, that goes beyond the editors I pitch and includes their marketing and publicity colleagues, sales, etc.
As you read in the interview, when the book went to auction, we received 7 offers. Remember that editor who was asking for a small batch book? Well, she was ultimately not the editor Rebecca chose to work with. But yes, she participated in the auction and made one of the higher offers.
Rebecca knew what she wanted in her publisher. She had taken the time to learn about the industry and to write a proposal that outlined exactly what she wanted to do with her book.
I always say that the better the book proposal, the better the book deal. Or in Rebecca’s case, the better the options for your book deal. Rebecca’s publishing story is indisputable evidence of this!
Whatever stage you’re at in your book proposal journey, I have some exciting news for you. My Non-Fiction Proposal Guidelines has hundreds of comments and reshares, and I’ve heard from countless people who tell me they’ve used the post to land agents and secure book deals. YOWZA!
Well, it’s been a few years, and there are a handful of sections in my guidelines that are ready for refining and/or additional insight.
So, in true Not So Secret Agent Sally fashion, I’m going to discuss these updates and why they are so important in a real-time two-hour Book Proposal Guidelines Workshop.
My session will be different than the bootcamps that Rebecca took, or the incredible intensive enrolling right now from Hannah Howard and Kelsey Erin Shipman. Those are much more in-depth/writing/accountability-oriented experiences. If you’re ready for a bigger investment in time and money, you should absolutely explore those.
My session will be a bite-sized (2-hour) Zoom session during which we’ll talk shop about tiny and specific nuances that can transform a good book proposal into a great book proposal.
The limited spots are going much faster than I expected, with only a few remaining as of today! 😊
Wednesday, September 2nd
12:00pm - 2:00pm ET
Hosted on Zoom
$39 ticket
Recording available for all ticket holders
***Not So Secret Agent Side Note: This workshop is best for people who are interested in non-fiction publishing, and though there will be a heavy emphasis on my expertise as a cookbook agent, the proposal guidelines are applicable to all of non-fiction. There will also be Q&A time at the end.***
Hope to see you on September 2nd!
~Sally~
P.S. Special shoutout to the subjects of the last two weeks’ behind the book deal interviews, Martin Sorge and his publisher Doug Seibold. Great Bakes hit the Independent Press Top 40 Bestseller list at number 24! Yay for indie presses and books getting love and sales!!
P.P.S. Did you see the Caper article about restaurant cookbooks? I was stoked that Emma Orlow’s mic drop at the end was a quote from yours truly. I wonder, am I about to get a bunch of new pitches?
P.P.S. (Last one, I promise!) Finally, if you are a female-identifying Bay Area food writer, there is a new grant available to “support a first-time or published cookbook author who demonstrates promise, enthusiasm, and progress toward the goal of writing a cookbook for publication.” It was created to honor the late Lisa Weiss through the San Francisco chapter of Les Dames d’Escoffier. It’s a $5,000 unrestricted grant, and applications will be accepted from September 8 through October 23, 2026, with the recipient being announced by November 30. More info can be found on the website here.
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