Christopher Little Literary Agency
 | This article contains wording that promotes the subject in a subjective manner without imparting real information. (December 2024) |
The Christopher Little Literary Agency was a literary agency based in London. It closed in 2021 following the death of its founder, Christopher Little. Its clients included Darren Shan, A. J. Quinnell, Cathy Hopkins, and Wladyslaw Szpilman.[1] The agency also managed J. K. Rowling, author of the Harry Potter series, from 1995 until 2011.[2]
History
[edit]Christopher Little
[edit]In 1941, Christopher John Little was born in York, England.[3] His father worked in the Royal Air Force during World War II, later becoming a coroner. His mother was a secretary.
After returning to the United Kingdom following negotiation work abroad, Little opened a recruiting firm.[1] In 1979, he sold his first novel, Man on Fire, written by his childhood friend Phillip Nicholson under the pseudonym A. J. Quinnell. The same year, he established the Christopher Little Literary Agency. By 1992, the literary agency represented 20 authors, and he shut down his recruiting business.
Little died from cancer on 7 January 2021.[3][4] The Christopher Little Literary Agency permanently closed after his death.[5]
J. K. Rowling
[edit]In 1995, Little received the first three chapters of the manuscript for Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone[6] from author J. K. Rowling. Rowling is said to have chosen Christopher Little's agency because she thought his name sounded like something out of a children's book.[5] Though he initially dismissed the submission, his office manager read it and insisted he try it.[3] He soon persuaded Bloomsbury Publishing, which had recently opened a children's department, to publish it.
In 1996, Bloomsbury Publishing bought UK Commonwealth publication rights for one book for £2,500. The U.S. rights were sold at auction for a six-figure sum. Foreign language publication rights were subsequently sold in over 80 languages.[1] By July 2007, Little was estimated to have received at least £50m from the franchise.
In 2011, J. K. Rowling parted ways with Little and signed with his former business partner, Neil Blair. Little considered legal action against Rowling, but the dispute was settled out of court. The details remained confidential until 2021 in legal proceedings initiated by Blair against his former accountant, who advised him in the deal with Little.[7]
Other authors
[edit]The Christopher Little Literary Agency represented authors in commercial fiction, including Anne Zouroudi, Erin Kinsley, and Janet Gleeson.[8] It also represented General Sir Mike Jackson, who wrote the autobiography Soldier, and Kate McCann, who wrote Madeleine: Our Daughter's Disappearance and the Continuing Search for Her about the disappearance of Madeleine McCann.[9] Little also secured film deals for his clients, including Man on Fire (A. J. Quinnell), The Lazarus Child (Robert Mawson), The Pianist (Wladyslaw Szpilman), The Vampire’s Assistant (Darren Shan), and the Harry Potter films (J. K. Rowling).[1]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d "About The agency - Christopher Little". Christopher Little. Retrieved 24 September 2020.
- ^ Risen, Clay (27 January 2021). "Christopher Little, Who Built an Empire Around a Boy Wizard, Dies at 79". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 28 January 2021. Retrieved 17 December 2024.
- ^ a b c Christopher Little, Who Built an Empire Around a Boy Wizard, Dies at 79. New York Times, 27 January 2021. Retrieved 6 February 2021.
- ^ Chandler, Mark. "Agent Christopher Little dies, aged 79". The Bookseller. Retrieved 11 January 2021.
- ^ a b "About the Agency". Christopher Little Literary Agency LLP. Retrieved 22 December 2024.
- ^ Hastings, Chris; Bisset, Susan (15 June 2003). "Literary agent made £15m because JK Rowling liked his name". The Telegraph. Retrieved 24 March 2018.
- ^ "Revealed: £10m payout for Harry Potter agent after Rowling fallout". The Standard.
- ^ "Christopher Little obituary". www.thetimes.com. 12 January 2021. Retrieved 17 December 2024.
- ^ "Christopher Little". Agent Hunter. Retrieved 24 March 2018. [dead link]
