2010 is off to a busy start. First, Alicia Condon, former Editorial Director at Dorchester is moving to Kensington to take the job left open by the death of Kate Duffy. Leah Hultenschmidt has been appointed the new ED at Dorchester.

From Publishers Marketplace 1/7 lunch email:

“Elizabeth Evans has joined the Jean V. Naggar Literary Agency. Evans began her career as an agent at Kimberley Cameron & Associates (formerly the Reece Halsey Agency), where she has worked for the past six years. She will represent a wide range of nonfiction, including memoir, travel/adventure writing, journalism, and science, as well as select titles in YA fiction, women’s fiction and mysteries.”

“Chelsea Gilmore has joined the Maria Carvainis Agency. Most recently, Gilmore was an editor at Avalon. She will focus on women’s fiction, literary fiction, mystery-suspense, pop culture, and YA books.”

Are you ready for more digital news? Here’s an article from the Guardian that has a bit of everything.

Scott Eagan from Greyhaus Literary Agency recently blogged about Romance vs. Women’s Fiction. He also talked about women’s fiction in a previous interview.

Jennifer Schober from Spencerhill Associates was spotlighted on Quick Brown Fox. One of her interests is women’s fiction.

Another agent interested in women’s fiction, Joanna Stampfel-Volpe of Nancy Coffey Literary & Media Representation, was spotlighted on Literary Rambles.

Selina McLemore, Grand Central editor, said in an interview on the American Chronicle:

“I also publish some romance and some general women´s fiction, but the bulk of my list is devoted books that are culturally relevant. That is how I describe them. I look for books that are by Latinos and give glimpses into Latino culture. In the past, I have done a little of everything. I have done some African American fiction in the past too as well.”

QueryTracker has Top 10 Lists of agents for the following:
1. Most Queried Agents
2. Most Accepting Agents (i.e. those who request most material)
3. Most Non-Responsive Agents
4. Most Rejecting Agents
5. Most Popular Fiction Genres (that are submitted to agents)
6. Most Requested Fiction Genres (requested by agents)
7. Most Popular Non-Fiction Genres
8. Most Requested Non-Fiction Genres

Similar to agents are scouts. You can read about Inside the Secret World of Literary Scouts, Part II and Part III. Part III tells how a Scout made The Kite Runner a success.

Read this to find out the Top Ten Questions Dutton Editors Ask Themselves When Looking At A Manuscript.

I love reading books about food and relationships. I’m not the only one. There’s even a name for it: Foodie Fiction. Barbara Samuel blogs about it on Writer Unbound.

I’ve heard about the Vook, which blends text and video. But seeing is always better. Here’s a great video about it.

It’s not news, but I’ve been noticing a new energy, a feeling that 2010 will rock. I hope that’s true for everyone reading this.