25 years ago, in the Fall of 1999, after an exciting corporate publishing career in editorial, I launched Joelle Delbourgo Associates, a boutique agency. In truth, I had no idea what I was doing. Yes, I had a lot of experience as a former editor and executive at HarperCollins and Ballantine Books, but starting a lit agency from the ground up was a new experience. I didn’t fully realize the risks or how long it takes to establish an agency in an increasingly competitive publishing landscape. And switching from one side of the desk to the other was much more challenging than I realized. No longer did I have a big publisher, with all of its resources, behind me. Not to mention a steady paycheck and benefits. Thank God for my ignorance.
How far we have come! I think of books and authors as the building blocks of a fluid structure with a strong foundation. Every time I sell a book, I can help to
transform a writer’s dreams into a concrete reality. Each book is a messenger of sorts, winging its way through the world, changing lives in some cases, entertaining or instructing. In today’s world, a book can take so many forms: physical, electronic, digital audio, adaptation into other mediums such as theater, television, film, and also reach audiences in languages throughout the world. As each book takes shape, I never cease to be amazed by my excitement. Best of all, I get to partner with teams of brilliant professionals. Yes, it literally takes a village to publish a book–and today, the village is global.
With thanks to all of the authors who put their trust in me and my colleagues. May your highest aspirations continue to take flight! And thanks, too, to the editors who have fought for JDA books by believing, taking risks, and literally putting their jobs on the line.
I have loved every moment of this publishing journey, even with all its difficulties and shortcomings. And I look forward to continuing around the next curve–and the next one after that.
–Joelle Delbourgo, September 5, 2024