The Bent Agency's Gemma Cooper launches Gemma Cooper Literary

Gemma Cooper, director and literary agent at The Bent Agency UK (TBA), is launching her own agency, Gemma Cooper Literary.

She takes her full list of authors, including Waterstones Children’s Book Prize for Younger Readers winners Robin Stevens and Jessica Townsend, as well as B B Alston and Sibéal Pounder, Carnegie Medal shortlisted author Sophie Anderson, and Waterstones Crime Thriller of the Month author Katy Watson.

Cooper will continue to represent authors from across the world, and sell their work directly into the UK, US and Australia. She will be working with Rich Lit Rights for foreign rights.

Cooper joined TBA in 2012 and was made a director in 2020. "I’ve learned so much over the years working with Molly, Jenny, and my colleagues at TBA," she said. "I’m both excited to take this next step in my career, and very sad to leave. I’m grateful to my clients for trusting me to continue to manage their writing careers—I always say I’m their biggest fan, and that passion for my clients’ books will be at the heart of everything I do at Gemma Cooper Literary. As I build the agency, I’ll be on the lookout for compelling and unique new voices in children’s and YA fiction, graphic novels and non-fiction, and commercial adult fiction."

Molly Ker Hawn, managing director of the Bent Agency UK, added: "Gemma’s been such a valued member of our team—she’s a dedicated, determined agent and a great friend. We’ll miss her greatly, but we’ll be cheering her on and we wish her every success with this new chapter."

Cooper can be contacted at gemma@gemmacooperliterary.com after 1st October 2024.