Erin Cartwright Niumata has been in publishing for over fifteen years. She started as an editorial assistant at Simon and Schuster in the Touchstone/Fireside paperback division for several years; then moved over to Harper Collins as an editor, and then she went to Avalon Books as the Editorial Director, working on Romance, Mysteries and Westerns. Erin has edited many authors including Leon Uris, Stuart Woods, Phyllis Richman, Senator Fred Harris, Dean Ornish, Michael Lee West, Debbie Fields, Erica Jong, Brenda Maddox, Lawrence Otis Graham, and Joan Rivers.
What I'm looking for
Fiction: commercial women's fiction, historical fiction, psychological thrillers, suspense, humor. I love sassy Southern and/or British heroines.
Nonfiction: cookbooks, biographies, pet care/pets, parenting, self help, women's issues, fashion
What I'm not looking for
Absolutely no romance, westerns, cozy mysteries, poetry, short story collections, business, travel memoirs, or picture books.
How to contact me
I won't be taking on any new submissions until early 2008.Some of my favorite (non-client) books
Anything by Marian Keys, Phillippa Gregory, Erica James, Mary Kay Andrews, Sophie Kinsella, Dan Brown, Maeve Binchy, Jennifer Weiner, Patricia Cornwell, Janet Evanovich, Michael Lee West, Phyllis Richman, Scott Turow, James Patterson, Neale Godfrey, Sally Samson, to name a few.
What kind of writing inspires me
I look for books that excel in storytelling; I'm not interested in abstract symbolism, but in well-developed characters, a compelling plot, and good pacing. I do like books that explore larger themes and ideas, like Sheri S. Tepper's novels, but I always want the story to be first and foremost. If a book grabs my attention, I'll devour it, and I'm always on the lookout for authors that are particularly skilled at world-building. I'm also very conscious of the author's writing, and although I won't think any less of you for having the occasional typo or grammatical mistake, I will get annoyed if there are a large number of misspellings and grammar errors.
What I love about my job
As an avid reader of many genres I love finding something new, exciting and well written. It's especially thrilling to know that I can help the author with their career, helping edit the work; sending it out to potential editors, and eventually get the book into print. Finding new authors is always a joy. Helping them build a solid writing career is truly the best part of the job.