Dillsworth enters association with Caskie Mushens

Literary agent Elise Dillsworth is entering into an association with Caskie Mushens Ltd.

Dillsworth will be working independently with back-room and rights support from the Caskie Mushens team, a literary agency founded by Robert Caskie and Juliet Mushens in January. Dillsworth was previously a commissioning editor at Virago Press and set up her literary agency in 2012, the Elise Dillsworth Agency.

She represents an international list of authors including Anthony Joseph, Saima Mir, Yewande Omotoso and Irenosen Okojie, llmar Taska and Stephanie Victoire. Omotoso's second novel, The Woman Next Door (Chatto & Windus), was longlisted for the Bailey's Women's Prize and is shortlisted for the Sunday Times Barry Ronge Fiction Prize. Okojie's debut novel, Butterfly Fish, won a Betty Trask Award and her short story collection, Speak Gigantular (both published by (Jacaranda Books), was shortlisted for the Jhalak Prize, nominated for a Shirley Jackson Award and is now in the shortlist for the Edge Hill Short Story Prize.

Dillsworth said: “I was delighted when Juliet and Robert set up CaskieMushens so I am absolutely thrilled to be joining as an associate agency. They are ideal partners and I look forward to an exciting and long collaboration.”

Mushens said: “Elise has an amazing eye and an exciting list - we're looking forward to working with her.”

Caskie Mushens’ client list spans New York Times bestsellers, Sunday Times bestsellers, columnists, actors and brands. Mushens previously worked at the United Talent Agency and was a Bookseller Rising Star in 2012 while Caskie was previously a senior agent and chief operating officer at PFD. 

The Lido by 24-year-old Libby Page was one of the stand-out titles of London Book Fair with the triumphant UK and US editors, from Orion and S&S US respectively, doubling their original six-figure offers to Caskie to clinch the Brockwell Lido-inspired book. It has now sold in 24 territories.

Caskie Mushens is actively seeking new writers.