If you were an agent, who would you want to represent?

I met with my agent on my recent trip to the US. We had a great chat about authors and books. It got me thinking about what it might be like to represent a stable of great writers. So, imagine that you’re a literary agent, but you can fill your stable with only ten working wordsmiths. You’ll have the privilege of interacting with them, reading their initial drafts hot off the presses, and selling their work to the world. Your selection doesn’t necessarily have to be your favourite writers, or the ones that might net you the most income, but perhaps the one’s you think might be most interesting or enjoyable to work with. Which ten writers would you want to represent?

Here is my fantasy stable of ten, in no particular order: Joe Lansdale, Duane Swierczynski, Charlie Huston, Dave Zeltserman, Megan Abbott, Adrian McKinty, Arnaldur Indridason, Adrian Hyland, Donna Moore, Carlo Lucarelli

Five Americans, an Australian, an Irish man, a Scot, an Icelander, and an Italian. I reckon there’s a reasonable mix of up-and-coming/experience, geography, crime/humour here, and strong agency identity with a focus around noir, hardboiled and comic crime capers. Blummin’ difficult to pick only ten mind. My reserve ten, left stranded in the wings, are Peter Temple, Philip Kerr, Alan Furst, Jasper Fforde, Daniel Woodrell, Ann Cleeves, Katy Munger, John Connolly, Ian Rankin and Michael Connelly. Heck, this ‘reserve’ team is just as strong as the list above! Maybe I’d have to run two agencies.