Brown, Andrea 1954–

PERSONAL:

Born March 27, 1954, in New York, NY; daughter of Jack (a retired salesman) Brown; mother deceased; married David Spiselman (a writer), 1990. Ethnicity: "Caucasian." Education: Syracuse University, B.A.

ADDRESSES:

Office— Andrea Brown Literary Agency, 1076 Eagle Dr., Salanis, CA 93905. E-mail— [email protected].

CAREER:

Literary Agent. Random House, Inc., New York, NY, editorial assistant, 1979-81; Dell Publishing Company, New York, NY, editorial assistant, 1979-81; Alfred A. Knopf, Inc., New York, NY, editor, 1979-81; Andrea Brown Literary Agency, Inc., New York, NY/Salinas, CA, president, 1981—; Women's National Bank Association, San Francisco, CA, president, 1994-1998; Big Sur Writing Workshops, executive director, 1997—.

Also had her own cable television show in New York called An Afternoon with Children's Books.

MEMBER:

Association of Author's Representatives, Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators.

WRITINGS:

Writers' and Artists' Hideouts: Great Getaways for Seducing the Muse, Quill Driver Books/Word Dancer Press (Sanger, CA), 2005.

Also the author of chapters in Portable Writer's Conference: Your Guide to Getting and Staying Published, edited by Stephen Blake Mettee, Quill Driver Books (Fresno, CA), 1997; and Making the Perfect Pitch: How to Catch a Literary Agent's Eye, edited by Katherine Sands, Writer's Books (Waukesha, WI), 2004.

SIDELIGHTS:

Andrea Brown began her career in the publishing industry as an editorial assistant for Random House and later, Dell Publishing. After working as an editor for publishing house Alfred A. Knopf, Brown started her own literary agency, the Andrea Brown Literary Agency, Inc., in 1981. According to the agency's Web site, it was the first agency to represent both children's book authors and illustrators. Established in New York City, the literary agency moved to California in 1990. In an interview with Anna Olswanger for The Purple Crayon Web site, Brown said, "I found a huge publishing community in the Bay Area, second only to New York, with about thirty agents who meet regularly." Since starting the company, Brown has sold over 1,500 books. These books encompass a wide variety of age ranges as well as genres. A member of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators, Brown has been quoted in a wide variety of magazines from Forbes to Good Housekeeping. She has also contributed to books about the publishing industry.

In 2005, Brown's debut book was published. Writers' and Artists' Hideouts: Great Getaways for Seducing the Muse is a guidebook for writers, actors, and artists looking for the perfect place to get their creative juices flowing. During two years of research, Brown scouted some 600 hideaways across the country. From bed-and-breakfasts in the Midwest to secluded lighthouses off the coast, Brown profiles some of the most unique places for people to escape from their daily lives and meet their goals. The guidebook not only directs artists to these hideaways, but also includes valuable advice from agents, authors, and others about the best ways to focus creative energies.

Stephanie Dickison, a contributor to The Writer, noted that Brown "knows the importance of getting out" and that the author "thoughtfully provides a ‘What to Pack’ so you don't forget a thing on your journey." In an article on the Absolute Write Web site, reviewer Jenna Glatzer remarked that Brown's book is just right "for the writer who loves to travel." A contributor to the Internet Bookwatch pointed out that Brown includes "an informative introduction" with tips on how readers can use the book to their advantage. The contributor also explained that the book is not only divided up by region, but also has an index by venue to better assist the reader in finding the perfect getaway.

Brown told CA: "[Writers' and Artists' Hideouts] is the only book of its kind—half travel guide, half writer's and artist's guide on publishing. I knew many writers who had to discover motels, libraries, or other places to hole up in to finish projects or meet deadlines. And traveling often, I found great places—especially for women traveling alone—that got the creative juices flowing. The first publisher I mentioned the book idea to said, ‘Yes, I want it. When can I have it?’ It took two years of research and revising. But it combines my two passions: travel and publishing business."

BIOGRAPHICAL AND CRITICAL SOURCES:

PERIODICALS

Internet Bookwatch, February, 2005, review of Writers' and Artists' Hideouts: Great Getaways for Seducing the Muse.

Roundup Magazine, April, 2005, review of Writers' and Artists' Hideouts.

Writer, July, 2005, Stephanie Dickison, review of Writers' and Artists' Hideouts, p. 49.

ONLINE

Absolute Write,http://www.absolutewrite.com/ (October 2, 2007), Jenna Glatzer, "Inside the Cover Book Reviews," review of Writers' and Artists' Hideouts.

Andrea Brown Literary Agency Web site,http://www.andreabrownlit.com (October 2, 2007).

Purple Crayon,http://www.underdown.org/ (1998), Anna Olswanger, "The World Doesn't Need Another Rhyming Tooth Fairy Story: A Conversation with Agent Andrea Brown."

Quill Driver Books Web site,http://www.quilldriverbooks.com/ (October 2, 2007), description of Writers' and Artists' Hideouts.

Writers League of Texas,http://www.writersleague.org/events/ (October 2, 2007), "2007 Agents and Editors: Andrea Brown."