Byrd Leavell's guest appearances

Byrd Leavell

Doin' It with Mike Sacks

Humber College Comedy

Sarah's Bookshelves Live

Bill Hader

Taylor Goldsmith

Alexis Coe

David Sedaris

Megan Abbott

George Saunders

Grace Atwood

Maeve Higgins

Rhea Seehorn

Mike Ward

Jon Ronson

Louis Theroux

Jo Piazza

Laura Lane

Angela Spera

OwlTail

In Episode 40, Byrd Leavell (Talent Agent at United Talent Agency) talks about the business of publishing, the truth behind publisher marketing dollars, and shares holiday book recommendations for husbands / dads / sons / boyfriends. This post contains affiliate links, through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!). Announcement Links   2020 Rock Your Reading Tracker Support the blog on Patreon to get year-end bonus podcast episodes.  Highlights  How Byrd got into the agency business. The differences in working for a bigger (where he is now) vs. smaller agency (where he started). Where in the process the marketing budget is decided on. The truth about publishers’ marketing budgets. How book deals for Internet personalities work. The “business” of publishing a book. What do you do as an agent when a book is not selling like you hoped? How Byrd’s personal reading taste is different from the types of books he’s looking to sign as clients. Sarah’s theory of experience living in NYC correlating with liking Fleishman is in Trouble. Byrd’s list of books to buy for Dads / husbands / boyfriends / brothers / sons. Our views on memoirists using ghostwriters. If authors / publishers / agents care what format a book sells in.  Byrd’s Book Recommendations Two OLD Books He Loves   Author Herman Wouk (The Winds of War and War and Remembrance) | Buy from Amazon [21:53] The Fire Next Time by James Baldwin | Buy from Amazon [23:46]  Two NEW Books He Loves  Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fineby Gail Honeyman (My Review) | Buy from Amazon [27:27] Cemetery Road by Greg Isles | Buy from Amazon [29:03]  One Book He DIDN’T Love  The Institute by Stephen King | Buy from Amazon [31:38]  One NEW RELEASE He’s Excited About  Nothing to See Hereby Kevin Wilson (Released October 29, 2019, My Review)| Buy from Amazon [33:16]  Other Books Mentioned  Sh*t My Dad Says by Justin Halpern | Buy from Amazon [13:12] The Lost Causes of Bleak Creek by Rhett McLaughlin &amp; Link Neal | Buy from Amazon [15:02] Stay Sexy &amp; Don’t Get Murdered by Karen Kilgariff &amp; Georgia Hardstark | Buy from Amazon [16:36] Girl, Wash Your Face by Rachel Hollis | Buy from Amazon [19:40] Who Thought This Was a Good Idea?by Alyssa Mastromonaco | Buy from Amazon [19:56] Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens (My Review) | Buy from Amazon [20:59] Fleishman is in Troubleby Taffy Brodesser-Akner (My Review) | Buy from Amazon [20:59] Let the Great World Spin by Colum McCann | Buy from Amazon [21:10] Majorie Morningstar by Herman Wouk | Buy from Amazon [23:17] Fleishman is in Troubleby Taffy Brodesser-Akner (My Review) | Buy from Amazon [25:21] Natchez Burning by Greg Isles (My Review) | Buy from Amazon [29:36] The Bone Tree by Greg Isles (My Review) | Buy from Amazon [29:36] Matterhorn by Karl Marlantes | Buy from Amazon [30:38] Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell | Buy from Amazon [31:00] The North Water by Ian McGuire | Buy from Amazon [31:08] The Son by Philipp Meyer | Buy from Amazon [31:29] American Rust by Philipp Meyer | Buy from Amazon [31:29] The Outsider by Stephen King | Buy from Amazon [32:03] American Dirt by Jeanine Cummins | Buy from Amazon [33:23]  Other Links  United Talent Agency Radcliffe Publishing Program (now “Columbia Publishing Course”) Waxman Leavell (Byrd’s former literary agency) How Stuff Works Podcast network Holly Root (fiction literary agent) My Favorite Murder podcast   Sarah’s Books for Guys List Authors Byrd likes: Jonathan Lethem, George Saunders  About Byrd Twitter A literary agent at UTA (United Talent Agency), Byrd Leavell started in book publishing 19 years ago and in that time has overseen major bestsellers across multiple categories. His clients include Andrew Yang, Guy Raz, Aubrey Marcus, Cat Marnell, Tiffany Haddish, Brian Kilmeade, Matt Taibbi, Drew Magary, Adam Savage, Mat Best, Rich Roll and Julie Piatt, Justin Halpern, Amirah Kassem, and Rob Elliott – whose LOL series has sold more than 2.5 million copies. Support the Podcast  Support on Patreon – When you support the podcast on Patreon for $5/month, get bonus podcast episodes and other goodies! ShareIf you like the podcast, I’d love for you to share it with your reader friends…in real life and on social media (there’s easy share buttons at the bottom of this post!). Subscribe …wherever you listen to podcasts, so new episodes will appear in your feed as soon as they’re released. Rate and ReviewSearch for “Sarah’s Book Shelves” in Apple Podcasts…or wherever you listen to podcasts! 

In Episode 40, Byrd Leavell (Talent Agent at <a href="https://www.unitedtalent.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">United Talent Agency</a>) talks about the business of publishing, the truth behind publisher marketing dollars, and shares holiday book recommendations for husbands / dads / sons / boyfriends. This post contains affiliate links, through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!). Announcement Links <ul> <li><a href="https://www.sarahsbookshelves.com/2020-rock-your-reading-tracking-spreadsheet/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> 2020 Rock Your Reading Tracker</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.patreon.com/sarahsbookshelves" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Support the blog on Patreon</a> to get year-end bonus podcast episodes.</li> </ul> Highlights <ul> <li>How Byrd got into the agency business.</li> <li>The differences in working for a bigger (where he is now) vs. smaller agency (where he started).</li> <li>Where in the process the marketing budget is decided on.</li> <li>The truth about publishers’ marketing budgets.</li> <li>How book deals for Internet personalities work.</li> <li>The “business” of publishing a book.</li> <li>What do you do as an agent when a book is not selling like you hoped?</li> <li>How Byrd’s personal reading taste is different from the types of books he’s looking to sign as clients.</li> <li>Sarah’s theory of experience living in NYC correlating with liking Fleishman is in Trouble.</li> <li>Byrd’s list of books to buy for Dads / husbands / boyfriends / brothers / sons.</li> <li>Our views on memoirists using ghostwriters.</li> <li>If authors / publishers / agents care what format a book sells in.</li> </ul> Byrd’s Book Recommendations Two OLD Books He Loves  <ul> <li>Author Herman Wouk (<a href="https://amzn.to/33jFdfs" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The Winds of War</a> and <a href="https://amzn.to/37J0sLg" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">War and Remembrance</a>) | <a href="https://amzn.to/37J0sLg" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Buy from Amazon</a> <a>[21:53]</a></li> <li><a href="https://amzn.to/2OhpFVi" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The Fire Next Time</a> by James Baldwin | <a href="https://amzn.to/2OhpFVi" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Buy from Amazon</a> <a>[23:46]</a></li> </ul> Two NEW Books He Loves <ul> <li><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01KGZVTOE/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;creativeASIN=B01KGZVTOE&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;tag=sarsbooshe04-20&amp;linkId=e775846996f8adb4e730edb0311a4601" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine</a>by Gail Honeyman (<a href="https://www.sarahsbookshelves.com/am-i-the-only-one-who-didnt-love-eleanor-oliphant-is-completely-fine/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">My Review</a>) | <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01KGZVTOE/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;creativeASIN=B01KGZVTOE&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;tag=sarsbooshe04-20&amp;linkId=e775846996f8adb4e730edb0311a4601" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Buy from Amazon</a> <a>[27:27]</a></li> <li><a href="https://amzn.to/2D9CJ8Z" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Cemetery Road</a> by Greg Isles | <a href="https://amzn.to/2D9CJ8Z" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Buy from Amazon</a> <a>[29:03]</a></li> </ul> One Book He DIDN’T Love <ul> <li><a href="https://amzn.to/2KRaUX9" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The Institute</a> by Stephen King | <a href="https://amzn.to/2KRaUX9" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Buy from Amazon</a> <a>[31:38]</a></li> </ul> One NEW RELEASE He’s Excited About <ul> <li><a href="https://amzn.to/2pnCBPh" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Nothing to See Here</a>by Kevin Wilson (Released October 29, 2019, <a href="https://www.sarahsbookshelves.com/october-2019-books-to-read-and-skip/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">My Review</a>)| <a href="https://amzn.to/2pnCBPh" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Buy from Amazon</a> <a>[33:16]</a></li> </ul> Other Books Mentioned <ul> <li><a href="https://amzn.to/2KQNKjI" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Sh*t My Dad Says</a> by Justin Halpern | <a href="https://amzn.to/2KQNKjI" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Buy from Amazon</a> <a>[13:12]</a></li> <li><a href="https://amzn.to/2pIIkQi" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The Lost Causes of Bleak Creek</a> by Rhett McLaughlin &amp; Link Neal | <a href="https://amzn.to/2pIIkQi" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Buy from Amazon</a> <a>[15:02]</a></li> <li><a href="https://amzn.to/2XK1t0W" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Stay Sexy &amp; Don’t Get Murdered</a> by Karen Kilgariff &amp; Georgia Hardstark | <a href="https://amzn.to/2XK1t0W" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Buy from Amazon</a> <a>[16:36]</a></li> <li><a href="https://amzn.to/2qL4QZt" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Girl, Wash Your Face</a> by Rachel Hollis | <a href="https://amzn.to/2qL4QZt" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Buy from Amazon</a> <a>[19:40]</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01LL8C3LI/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;creativeASIN=B01LL8C3LI&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;tag=sarsbooshe04-20&amp;linkId=35f154ad7b1ad4c7a606161c0a5c61d3" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Who Thought This Was a Good Idea?</a>by Alyssa Mastromonaco | <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01LL8C3LI/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;creativeASIN=B01LL8C3LI&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;tag=sarsbooshe04-20&amp;linkId=35f154ad7b1ad4c7a606161c0a5c61d3" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Buy from Amazon</a> <a>[19:56]</a></li> <li><a href="https://amzn.to/2nFuZnm" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Where the Crawdads Sing</a> by Delia Owens (<a href="https://www.sarahsbookshelves.com/where-crawdads-sing-delia-owens/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">My Review</a>) | <a href="https://amzn.to/2nFuZnm" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Buy from Amazon</a> <a>[20:59]</a></li> <li><a href="https://amzn.to/2LfqXgY" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Fleishman is in Trouble</a>by Taffy Brodesser-Akner (<a href="https://www.sarahsbookshelves.com/fleishman-is-in-trouble-taffy-brodesser-akner/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">My Review</a>) | <a href="https://amzn.to/2LCVF4I" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Buy from Amazon</a> <a>[20:59]</a></li> <li><a href="https://amzn.to/2D9JkA6" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Let the Great World Spin</a> by Colum McCann | <a href="https://amzn.to/2D9JkA6" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Buy from Amazon</a> <a>[21:10]</a></li> <li><a href="https://amzn.to/33ijR2a" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Majorie Morningstar</a> by Herman Wouk | <a href="https://amzn.to/33ijR2a" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Buy from Amazon</a> <a>[23:17]</a></li> <li><a href="https://amzn.to/2LfqXgY" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Fleishman is in Trouble</a>by Taffy Brodesser-Akner (<a href="https://www.sarahsbookshelves.com/fleishman-is-in-trouble-taffy-brodesser-akner/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">My Review</a>) | <a href="https://amzn.to/2LCVF4I" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Buy from Amazon</a> <a>[25:21]</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00FJ3AC10/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;creativeASIN=B00FJ3AC10&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;tag=sarsbooshe04-20&amp;linkId=UBRTICLSGDLKBMZA" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Natchez Burning</a> by Greg Isles (<a href="https://www.sarahsbookshelves.com/natchez-burning-greg-iles-book-review/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">My Review</a>) | <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00FJ3AC10/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;creativeASIN=B00FJ3AC10&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;tag=sarsbooshe04-20&amp;linkId=UBRTICLSGDLKBMZA" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Buy from Amazon</a> <a>[29:36]</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00M70YWKK/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;creativeASIN=B00M70YWKK&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;tag=sarsbooshe04-20&amp;linkId=Y4G63QB4RQDX3ZT7" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The Bone Tree</a> by Greg Isles (<a href="https://www.sarahsbookshelves.com/sarahs-snippets-book-review-the-bone-tree-by-greg-iles-penn-cage/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">My Review</a>) | <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00M70YWKK/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;creativeASIN=B00M70YWKK&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;tag=sarsbooshe04-20&amp;linkId=Y4G63QB4RQDX3ZT7" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Buy from Amazon</a> <a>[29:36]</a></li> <li><a href="https://amzn.to/35yqj6q" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Matterhorn</a> by Karl Marlantes | <a href="https://amzn.to/35yqj6q" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Buy from Amazon</a> <a>[30:38]</a></li> <li><a href="https://amzn.to/2OEGVCN" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Cloud Atlas</a> by David Mitchell | <a href="https://amzn.to/2OEGVCN" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Buy from Amazon</a> <a>[31:00]</a></li> <li><a href="https://amzn.to/2OEcnRG" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The North Water</a> by Ian McGuire | <a href="https://amzn.to/2OEcnRG" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Buy from Amazon</a> <a>[31:08]</a></li> <li><a href="https://amzn.to/2KRLCIi" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The Son</a> by Philipp Meyer | <a href="https://amzn.to/2KRLCIi" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Buy from Amazon</a> <a>[31:29]</a></li> <li><a href="https://amzn.to/2Dei3fS" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">American Rust</a> by Philipp Meyer | <a href="https://amzn.to/2Dei3fS" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Buy from Amazon</a> <a>[31:29]</a></li> <li><a href="https://amzn.to/2se6kMc" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The Outsider</a> by Stephen King | <a href="https://amzn.to/2se6kMc" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Buy from Amazon</a> <a>[32:03]</a></li> <li><a href="https://amzn.to/2pROGx2" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">American Dirt</a> by Jeanine Cummins | <a href="https://amzn.to/2pROGx2" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Buy from Amazon</a> <a>[33:23]</a></li> </ul> Other Links <ul> <li><a href="https://www.unitedtalent.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">United Talent Agency</a></li> <li>Radcliffe Publishing Program (now <a href="https://journalism.columbia.edu/professional-development/cpc" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">“Columbia Publishing Course”</a>)</li> <li><a href="https://www.waxmanliteraryagency.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Waxman Leavell</a> (Byrd’s former literary agency)</li> <li><a href="https://www.howstuffworks.com/about-hsw.htm" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">How Stuff Works</a> Podcast network</li> <li><a href="https://www.rootliterary.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Holly Root</a> (fiction literary agent)</li> <li><a href="https://myfavoritemurder.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">My Favorite Murder podcast</a> </li> <li><a href="https://www.sarahsbookshelves.com/book-recommendation-lists/books-for-boys-new/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Sarah’s Books for Guys List</a></li> <li>Authors Byrd likes: <a href="https://jonathanlethem.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Jonathan Lethem</a>, <a href="http://www.georgesaundersbooks.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">George Saunders</a></li> </ul> About Byrd <a href="https://twitter.com/byrdleavell3" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Twitter</a> A literary agent at UTA (United Talent Agency), Byrd Leavell started in book publishing 19 years ago and in that time has overseen major bestsellers across multiple categories. His clients include Andrew Yang, Guy Raz, Aubrey Marcus, Cat Marnell, Tiffany Haddish, Brian Kilmeade, Matt Taibbi, Drew Magary, Adam Savage, Mat Best, Rich Roll and Julie Piatt, Justin Halpern, Amirah Kassem, and Rob Elliott – whose LOL series has sold more than 2.5 million copies. Support the Podcast <ul> <li>Support on Patreon – When you <a href="https://www.patreon.com/sarahsbookshelves" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">support the podcast on Patreo</a>n for $5/month, get bonus podcast episodes and other goodies!</li> <li>ShareIf you like the podcast, I’d love for you to share it with your reader friends…in real life and on social media (there’s easy share buttons at the bottom of this post!).</li> <li>Subscribe …wherever you listen to podcasts, so new episodes will appear in your feed as soon as they’re released.</li> <li>Rate and ReviewSearch for “Sarah’s Book Shelves” in Apple Podcasts…or wherever you listen to podcasts!</li> </ul>

Ep. 40: Byrd Leavell (Literary Agent at United Talent Agency)