Latinx in Pub (LxP): What do you do?
CeCe Lyra (CL): I’m an associate literary agent at P.S. Literary Agency representing adult fiction and nonfiction.
LxP: How did you get started?
CL: After realizing it was time for a career change, I went back to school as a mature student (I used to be a lawyer, but please don’t hold that against me) and did my internship at a literary agency. After working as a literary agent for over a year, I moved over to P.S. Literary Agency.
LxP: What do you wish you knew before getting into the industry?
CL: I wish I had access to statistics in publishing. I knew it was a competitive industry, and I’d done quite a bit of research, but consolidated and comprehensive hard data on this industry is difficult to come by, and I find that making it available would be immensely helpful to both creators and publishing professionals.
LxP: What book are you currently working on or reading?
CL: Gosh, so many! Do you mean books that I’ve already sold or books that I’m going out with in the new year? In terms of projects that I’ve sold, the fabulous Aparna Shewakramani’s memoir is coming out in February 2022, and I couldn’t be more excited about it (you may remember her from Netflix’s hit TV Show INDIAN MATCHMAKING)! There’s also another project that’s set to come out in 2022 that I can’t talk about yet, but let’s just say it involves witches and smashing the patriarchy, two of my absolute favorite things. And I have so many upcoming submissions I’m excited about! On the nonfiction side, there’s a psychology book that I’m going out with in the new year that has got me rethinking every aspect of my life (it’s amazing how books can do that!). On the fiction side, there’s a literary thriller that’s almost close to being ready—every time I read it I love it even more. I did a brainstorming session with my client the other day and left the call thinking, ‘How did I get so lucky that this is my job?’ I’m also always reading for pleasure—people keep telling me I’ll have to stop eventually, and I intend on proving them wrong because I’m a reader first and foremost! Right now, I’m enjoying L.A. Weather by María Amparo Escandón.
Cecilia (CeCe) Lyra is an associate literary agent at P.S. Literary Agency representing adult fiction and nonfiction. She is also the co-host of the popular podcast The Sh*t No One Tells You About Writing, which is aimed at emerging writers. Originally from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, CeCe is a passionate believer in the power of storytelling to offer both empathy and escape. When she isn’t working, you can find enjoying pão de queijo while snuggling with her English Bulldog, Babaganoush.
