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Let me take this opportunity to introduce myself. 

I'm Katie Shea, the newest agent here at Johnson Literary Agency. I am thrilled to be starting my career as a Literary Agent. I graduated with Honors from Marist College in 2008 with a BA in Journalism. I have always been one of those over-achiever types. By my senior year of high school, I was a proofreader with the local newspaper in my hometown of Princeton, New Jersey. Once I moved to the beautiful Hudson Valley for college, I immediately was hired as a freelance writer with another local newspaper in Poughkeepsie, New York. I mainly focused my attention on lifestyle articles and the arts. During college, I was able to take the opportunity to travel and study in Melbourne, Australia. There, I hit up the East Coast of Aussie, making stops at the Great Barrier Reef, Cairns, the Sunshine Coast, the Gold Coast, Sydney, Brisbane, and the Great Ocean Road. I also flew to down to New Zealand, rented a car and drove along the entire South Island, hiking a glacier, skydiving in Queenstown and bungy jumping at the world’s first bungy site. I do not regret one minute of those six months. What an adrenaline rush!

Once returning back to New York from my amazing, unforgettable trip, I had a year and a half left of school. I met an extremely smart and fun Woodstock author while waiting tables at a small diner. She ended up hiring me as her Research Assistant to work on her 7th edition of HUDSON VALLEY & CATSKILL MOUNTAINS: AN EXPLORER'S GUIDE. She was what truly made me realize my niche and love for working with books. 

Post college, I began working in Manhattan as a reader for FinePrint Literary Management. Not knowing anything prior about literary agencies, I was completely amazed by this profession. I learned the trade by reading as much as I could and understanding what agents were looking for in today's market. Moving along, I then assisted agents with Folio Literary Management and Langtons International Agency. By then, I knew there was nothing else I wanted to do other than be an agent. 

As of now, I am looking to build my long-desired client list. I am focusing on beautifully written literary fiction, commercial fiction, with a strong and sassy voice, heartfelt memoirs, narrative nonfiction, diet, and health & wellness. I look forward to working closely with my clients and guiding them to a published product. 

Some of my favorite authors may explain my taste further: Jeannette Walls, Elizabeth Gilbert, Joan Didion, Augusten Burroughs, and David Sedaris.

Until next time! Happy reading, happy writing!