An Introduction to the Would-Be Agent

See that dashing young man in the photo above? You may look at him and immediately assume that he is a television star, a European pop sensation, or perhaps a male model, but in fact he is a 23-year-old George Mason University student by the name of Ethan Vaughan.

Yes, I did say 23! Don't be fooled by my comically babyish appearance; I more than make up for it with a brand of stoic professionalism that, I dare say, is all my own.

I'm new to publishing (by which I mean I have no connection to the publishing industry) but an old hat when it comes to books. I was the kid who was reading a novel under his desk while everyone else was passing notes and I was even dorky enough to have my first poem published in The Baltimore Sun when I was 13. The audacity.

After I got to college I spent a few years working as a reporter for various publications before landing a summer internship with a New York literary agency in May 2011. I can't actually remember why I applied for the position or how I even thought of contacting a literary agency in the first place, but it's probably a good thing that I did because it sort of turned out to be a life-changing experience.

Now I'm back in school but still chasing after my dream career. Luckily for you writers out there, my dream career involves showcasing and promoting your work as much as I can. Every week I'll pick a featured author who will be the subject of a blog post and whose work will be linked to on my Facebook and Twitter accounts. My goal is to facilitate an exchange between writers and hopefully draw attention to some awesome voices.

In addition to that I'll be discussing literature, the state of the publishing industry, whatever other random things I care to talk about, and anything that my soon-to-be-huge audience brings up. Be warned: I take myself pretty seriously.