Cathryn Summerhayes is a literary agent with Curtis Brown. She previously worked at WME, where she established an eclectic list of high-profile clients including multi-million copy crime thriller writers Chris Whitaker and Lucy Foley, record-breaking Dr Adam Kay (of This is Going to Hurt (Picador, 2018) fame), Anita Rani, Lisa Howells, Nicci Cloke, Shappi Khorsandi, (Deliciously) Ella Mills, Mark Watson, Naomi Wood, Lucy Rose, Kirsty Logan, Susan Fletcher, Viv Groskop, Tiffany Murray, the world’s bestselling colouring in artist, Johanna Basford, Grace Dent, Sir Ranulph Fiennes, and many more. Cathryn also works with major US authors, such as Lisa Taddeo, Jennifer Coolidge and Ashley Flowers through partner agencies UTA and CAA. Cathryn was named The British Book Awards’ Literary Agent of the Year in 2019. She is on the Committee of The Book Society, works with Literature Wales and The Hay Festival and in her previous life in events and PR, worked on high profile awards such as The Booker Prize.
Tips from a Literary Agent: Draft, edit, submit
This course is now fully booked. If you’d like to be added to the waiting list for any cancellations, please contact us on 01766 522 811 / tynewydd@literaturewales.org
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This week is carefully designed for writers who are looking for a boost of creative inspiration and professional motivation. Whether you might be seeking representation for the first time, on a tight deadline, or in need of editorial support, this retreat will help you get to where you need to be.
Joined by experienced and acclaimed literary agent, Cathryn Summerhayes (Curtis Brown), you’ll have the opportunity to attend lively and instructive group workshops, one-to-one tutorials, and build your community of writer friends. Sessions will focus on self-editing your work, professional development, tips on hooking an agent, demystifying the publishing process and more. Your resident agent, experienced in supporting writers across a variety of genres, will also invite you to send in your submission package in advance and will offer tailored feedback on your work.
Our fully catered retreats also provide you with the time and space to write, read and relax. Set in a peaceful location in the stunning surroundings of northwest Wales, you can take inspiration from the spectacular sea views over Cardigan Bay, share ideas over dinner or simply sit back and relax in Tŷ Newydd’s cosy library.
Tutor
Cathryn Summerhayes
Guest Reader
Anthony Shapland (Digital)
Anthony Shapland grew up in the Rhymney Valley. He is the co‐founder of g39, Cardiff, where he works. He was part of Literature Wales’ Representing Wales 2022/23 Cohort with mentoring support from Cynan Jones. He was shortlisted for the Rhys Davies Short Story Competition for Foolscap, part of the anthology Cree, published by Parthian (2022). His creative non-fiction essay, Meantime, was commissioned by Inclusive Journalism for the Seren anthology Cymru & I (2023) and he recently contributed to (un)common, an anthology published by Lucent Dreaming (2024). He was selected for the Hay Writers at Work programme in 2023. His fiction, Feathertongue, will be broadcast as part of Radio Four’s Short Works series in autumn 2024. He is represented by Cathryn Summerhayes, Curtis Brown, and his debut novel A Room Above a Shop was published by Granta in 2025.