Exciting news for The Prose Pros: literary agent Lauren Khan joins the show as a co-host!
In this episode, hosts Tali Shammas and Lauren Khan reflect on some key headlines that made publishing news in 2025. They discuss their accomplishments for the year and their goals for 2026. They also touch on the evolving role of authors and the trends shaping the industry as we move into 2026, sharing their predictions for the future of publishing.
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Lauren Khan joined FinePrint Literary in 2025 as an Associate Agent following an internship at Triada US Literary Agency. She first entered the publishing world as an author. Prior to transitioning to agenting, she worked for over seven years as a corporate lawyer in New York City. Lauren brings both editorial and transactional expertise to her clients. Lauren lives with her family in her small beach hometown in Florida. She wrote her first novel while pregnant with her son and began agenting while pregnant with her daughter. A graduate of Duke University and Fordham University School of Law, she loves podcasts, long walks with her dog, and all things Nora Ephron. As a former theatre kid, Lauren is a lifelong champion of storytelling, subjecting her loved ones to her songs, stories, and plays from the moment she could talk. An avid reader across genres, Lauren is particularly interested in adult and YA commercial fiction, especially women’s fiction, romance, mysteries, and thrillers, as well as select non-fiction titles. She is an editorial agent with a strong interest in developing fulfilling and long-lasting careers for her authors. Instagram: @laurenjpkhan X: @laurenjpkhan
Tali Shammas is a literary intern at CMA Literary. Her work is represented by Marilyn Biderman and Brenna English-Loeb at Transatlantic Literary Agency. Prior to writing, Tali practiced corporate law at a large multinational firm for a number of years, then shifted to academia with an eye to completing her PhD. While on maternity leave, she dabbled in fiction writing, and was immediately hooked.
Tali gives back by offering mentorship to up-and-coming writers and running workshops on legal issues writers should consider. Tali is the chair of a large writer's organization and her award-winning short fiction has been published in an anthology. She currently lives in Canada with her husband, two children, and a very spoiled (and handicapable) cockapoo with wheels.Instagram: @talishammasX: @talishammas
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