After toiling in the trenches of the publishing wars, Larry Kirschbaum crossed over to the other side and opened up a literary agency.
I never submitted to the group. The requirements were too complex and time consuming to make it worthwhile.
Like so many other agencies that are swamped with submissions, LJK Literary Management changed their submission policy and announced that they were taking a query hiatus and check back later.
Now that hiatus has taken on a new tone. It's rumor, but it seems likely that Mr. Kirschbaum will transition from literary agent back to publisher.
At Amazon.
The world's biggest book store is poised to become a publisher as well. They've had their self-publishing option for some time, and recently they started up a romance line. A sci/fi editor was listed in the help wanted section. The time has come to take the next, big step.
As a literary agent, Mr. Kirschbaum fielded submissions from authors and selected what he thought he could sell. As a publisher for Amazon, he'll be doing the same.
That query hiatus has a look of permanence. It would be a conflict of interest on his part to also act an agent if he's involved in publishing those same works. His employees may be brought along as editors in Amazon's publishing unit, or they may wander off to other agencies, bringing their strong links to Kirschbaum with them.
For writers, it doesn't seem to alter the publishing landscape. It's always been a case of trying to win the heart of some publisher after winning the love of a literary agent. Having one more publisher out there won't change things.
The industry will be taking note, however. E-books are outselling (perhaps) print books, and Amazon has a head-start on digital publishing. Can the traditional publishers compete in this new world, or will Amazon use its publishing muscle to squeeze margins on e-books even more?
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