My name is Bernadette Baker-Baughman, and I am a Literary Agent at Victoria Sanders & Associates. Before joining VSA in 2010, I ran an agency in Portland called Baker’s Mark, and this was our website. Now this website serves as a place to share ideas, communicate with the writing community, and promote the awe inspiring talent that I am so fortunate to represent.
The name Baker’s Mark hails from a 15th century tradition of bakers marking their breads with a unique seal that was “a means of identifying him for punishment if his bread were unwholesome or short of weight. If, however, a baker consistently made good bread, this same seal would naturally come to be associated with his high standard and would stand for the goodwill of his trade. To sell bread unsealed, therefore, exposed one at once to the suspicion of trying to pass off poor stuff.”*
In this same spirit, I want to be known for finding and representing great books. I look for edgy, fresh, exciting, amazing, luxurious, enticing, passionate, experimental, meaningful, substantial and freakin’ awesome literary entertainment. And I work to align myself with publishers that share my sensibilities. VSA represents an impressive list of clients from up-and-coming to well established artists and writers. Fiction, nonfiction, books for kids, and graphic novels are what we do and you can view our website, to learn more. Think you and I might make a good match? Interested in submitting? Be sure to follow our submission guidelines for consideration. I DO read every single query sent to me, and try to respond quickly. If you query but don't hear back from me, please try again.
*Thrupp, Sylvia. The Worshipful Company of Baker’s. Croydon: Galleon Press 1933
The name Baker’s Mark hails from a 15th century tradition of bakers marking their breads with a unique seal that was “a means of identifying him for punishment if his bread were unwholesome or short of weight. If, however, a baker consistently made good bread, this same seal would naturally come to be associated with his high standard and would stand for the goodwill of his trade. To sell bread unsealed, therefore, exposed one at once to the suspicion of trying to pass off poor stuff.”*
In this same spirit, I want to be known for finding and representing great books. I look for edgy, fresh, exciting, amazing, luxurious, enticing, passionate, experimental, meaningful, substantial and freakin’ awesome literary entertainment. And I work to align myself with publishers that share my sensibilities. VSA represents an impressive list of clients from up-and-coming to well established artists and writers. Fiction, nonfiction, books for kids, and graphic novels are what we do and you can view our website, to learn more. Think you and I might make a good match? Interested in submitting? Be sure to follow our submission guidelines for consideration. I DO read every single query sent to me, and try to respond quickly. If you query but don't hear back from me, please try again.
*Thrupp, Sylvia. The Worshipful Company of Baker’s. Croydon: Galleon Press 1933