Please note: This episode contains mentions of alcoholism, recovery, and sobriety.

We are so happy to welcome author Jessica Guerrieri and agent Ismita Hussain (Great Dog Literary) to the podcast.

They're a great example of what to look for in an author-agent relationship--they're creative, collaborative, supportive, and successful (Jessica's debut book club fiction, Between The Devil And The Deep Blue Sea, comes out 2025 with HarperCollins).

We also discuss re-querying, facing rejection, and the healing power of storytelling and personal narrative.

Meet with Ismita here: https://manuscriptacademy.com/faculty-members/ismita-hussain

Find the transcript and show notes here: https://manuscriptacademy.com/podcast-ismita-hussain-jessica-guerrieri

00:44 Introducing Jessica Guerrieri

00:54 Ismita Hussain's Journey from Healthcare to Literary Agent

01:55 Jessica Guerrieri's Writing Journey and Sobriety

03:04 The Power of Perseverance: Jessica Guerrieri's Path to Publication

04:18 The Editorial Process: From Query to Preempt

06:58 Understanding the Preempt and the Publishing Process

10:50 Revising with Resilience: Jessica Guerrieri's Approach to Feedback

17:13 Building Trust and Thickening Skin in the Publishing World

21:31 Looking Ahead: Plans After the Book Deal

22:02 Embarking on a Unique Memoir Journey

22:13 Exploring Motherhood and Recovery

22:48 The Power of Sharing Personal Stories

27:02 The Role of Fiction and Nonfiction in Recovery

29:42 The Importance of Representation in Literature

39:57 The Value of Specificity in Storytelling

43:15 The Memoir Market and Connecting with Agents