Sandra Proudman hosted our Instagram, on July 15, 2023 for our weekly #SalaSundays series. Below are a few questions that we asked Sandra.
Latinx In Publishing (LxP): What do you do?
Sandra Proudman (SP): I am a literary associate at Gallt & Zacker Literary Agency, assisting the incomparable, Marietta Zacker. I also have a small list of wonderful author and illustrator clients. In my writing life, I am debuting in 2024 with young adult projects.
LxP: How did you get started?
(SP): I started writing at a young age and minored in creative writing in college. I didn’t write my first full manuscript until I was in my twenties, though. After that, I couldn’t stop writing and doing everything I could to become a published author. Getting started in agenting was an entire leap of faith. I was already in a career path that paid well and offered the stability I wanted to give my family. But with my husband’s full support and some enormous luck at landing an internship at my dream agency, I was able to transition into working in publishing full-time.
LxP: What do you wish you knew before getting into the industry?
(SP): I wish I knew how much you have to learn to let things go because rejection truly comes at all levels. And a way to steel yourself and your heart from disappointment, is learning every single thing in publishing is subjective. Accepting that is invaluable and once you do, it lessens (though, of course, doesn’t eliminate) imposters syndrome tremendously.
LxP: What book are you currently working on or reading?
(SP): I just wrapped up reading Certain Dark Things by Silvia-Moreno Garcia and absolutely loved her take on vampires. In my writing life, I am working on everything from a co-written YA thriller project to a post-apocalyptic retelling of Romeo & Juliet to an MG fantasy to a new anthology proposal and trying to figure out the best next steps. In my agenting life, I’m working on getting client projects ready for submission, from an adorable all-animal picture book to a badass YA fantasy with Black girl magic.
Sandra Proudman (she/her/ella) is a Mexican American author of unabashed Latinx stories and a literary associate at Gallt & Zacker Literary Agency. She is the author of the YA fantasy, Salvación, out fall 2024 from Wednesday Books and the editor of the anthology Relit: 16 Latinx Remixes of Classic Stories, which is being published by Inkyard Press on February 6, 2024. When not busily immersed in all things publishing, you can find her spending time with her amazing husband and adorable preschooler, catching up on all her shows, and taking care of her garden. Connect with her on Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok @SandraProudman and on her website sandraproudman.com.
