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the world. He "got" the book at first glance and took me from
writer to author. I cannot imagine a better partner or a cooler
cat, and I look forward to many more adventures together.
LevelFiveMedia, with you and Cathy Hemming at the helm, is
the new breed of agenting, where first-time authors are developed
into bestselling authors with the precision of a swiss watch."
--Tim Ferriss, New York Times, USA Today, Wall Street
Journal, Publishers Weekly bestselling author of
The 4-Hour Workweek: Escape 9-5, Live Anywhere, and
Join the New Rich (www.fourhourworkweek.com)
"Steve Hanselman has played a key role in each of my wellness
book series, first as publisher, and now as an agent and adviser.
His deep publishing experience and passion for helping me expand
the reach of my message is an indispensable part of my effort to
bring simple wellness solutions to a time-starved world.
LevelFiveMedia is an exciting new breed of literary agency and I
heartily recommend them."
--Jorge Cruise, mega-bestselling author of 8 Minutes in the
Morning, The 3-Hour Diet, and the forthcoming The 12
Second Sequence (www.jorgecruise.com)
"Cathy Hemming secured a publishing deal for me that was
beyond my wildest dreams, all the while patiently guiding me
through the process and giving me nothing but her most
enthusiastic support. She's a real powerhouse combo of savvy and
wisdom, and any author would be blessed to have her as an ally.
Cathy and her partner Steve Hanselman's decades of success as
publishers give them an invaluable advantage as literary agents."
--Nancy Tillman, Graphic Artist, Publisher, and
Bestselling Children's Book Author
"I couldn't have done it without Steve Hanselman. I've been
writing and being published for 20 years, and absolutely no one in
the publishing industry has matched Steve's brilliance, insight,
passion, intelligence and care. Most of all care. What more could
an author want? Take it from one who knows--what Steve and
Cathy have created for authors at LevelFiveMedia is very special
indeed!"
--Michael E. Gerber, author of the mega-bestselling
The E-Myth Revisited and Founder & Chairman of
E-Myth Worldwide
"My deepest thanks to my agent and friend, Stephen Hanselman,
of LevelFiveMedia. This book was made possible by his confidence
in me as a person, his ability to recognize the value in this book's
message, and his broad and deep contacts in the publishing
world. He is a class act all the way. LevelFiveMedia delivered far
beyond my expectations and is fast on its way to becoming the
premier literary representation firm in the business. They have
my highest recommendation."
--David Traversi, Corporate Chief and Leadership Coach, author
of The Source of Leadership: Eight Drivers of the High-
Impact Leader (www.thesourceofleadership.com)
"I can't say enough about Steve Hanselman and LevelFiveMedia.
I was an was unpublished author with a good story to tell and
they took me in and treated me like a best seller. Steve goes way
over the top in terms of participating in the projects he takes on--
in a way it's like hiring an agent and an editor."
--John Jantsch, Small Business Marketing Expert & Award-
Winning Blogger and author of Duct Tape Marketing: The
World's Most Practical Small Business Marketing Guide
(www.ducttapemarketing.com)
"If enthusiasm for books, knowledge of the industry, and skill in
selling counts for anything in the crazy, mixed-up world of
contemporary publishing, then Cathy Hemming and Steve
Hanselman are invaluable resources—and their creation of
LevelFiveMedia is a major event, for writers, readers, and
publishers alike. Maybe for the writers, most of all. No, probably
for the readers. Or perhaps the publishers. Anyway, for everyone
whose lives touch on books, LevelFiveMedia is the hottest and
most exciting new shop around."
--Joseph Bottum, Editor, First Things
"Working with Steve has been a pleasure. While I respected his
candor and professional insight in our early meetings, it was only
after developing a proposal, pitching the idea and selling the book
to a respected publisher that I truly appreciated his range of
talents. Steve clearly understands all elements of the publishing
process and his connections with editors and publishers
throughout the industry were a tremendous asset. Having worked
in media for years now, I consider myself especially fortunate to
have such a sound partnership with my agent."
--Lucas Conley, Staff Writer, Fast Company Magazine
"I consider myself remarkably fortunate to be represented by
Steve and Cathy. I have been hugely impressed with their
knowledge of the publishing industry, their literary network,
their marketing wisdom and, above all, their strategic skill in
thinking beyond convention. Steve and Cathy invested into my
book project with a generosity of both spirit and time. Without
them, there would be no Great Seduction."
--Andrew Keen, Digital Media Critic, Entrepreneur, and author
of The Cult of the Amateur: How Today's Internet is Killing
Our Culture (www.thegreatseduction.com)
"When the time came for me to get represented, I had some
excellent connections which helped get my project in front of
several marquis agents. On paper, Steve Hanselman and
LevelFiveMedia were my first choice--he and the agency have an
incredible amount of experience turning good ideas into huge
books. After meeting with Steve and other agencies, my choice
became more apparent. Steve is personable, creative, and hard-
working. He has been nothing less than a tireless supporter of my
project and my career as an author. Everyone at LevelFiveMedia
is a joy to work with. Plus, it's tons of fun to soak up their
industry knowledge and watch them maneuver big deals with the
major houses. I consider myself truly fortunate to work with
Steve Hanselman and LevelFiveMedia."
--Travis Bradberry, PhD, President & Co-Founder of
TalentSmart®, and co-author of the bestselling
The Emotional Intelligence Quickbook and
The Personality Code: Unlock the Secret to Understanding
Your Boss, Your Colleagues, Your Friends, and Yourself
(www.personalitycode.com)
"Brilliance, talent, experience, connections and knowledge are at
the core of LevelFiveMedia. Cathy Hemming and Steve
Hanselman have a half a century of collective experience in the
book industry and their wisdom and understanding of the market
are their great strengths. As a client, I am blessed by having
them as my literary agency. Most importantly, they deeply and
genuinely care about their clients, and with their heart and soul
invested in my book proposal we gratefully received a healthy offer
from a mainstream publisher with our very first submission. I
knew they were good, but I didn't know they were THAT good!
Any author who is privileged to work with them will know the
magic of LevelFiveMedia with their first encounter."
--Peggy McColl, Author of Your Destiny Switch, Online Book
Marketing Expert and Life Coach
(www.destinies.com)
"There are so many nice things I could say about Cathy and
Steve, but I will be short here. Undeniably so, they are deep
thinking, far seeing, efficient and kind. It is lovely to watch this
happen. And certainly they are most well connected at the lofty
heights of the agent/publisher world. So what is it that I like best
about them? Oh, that's easy to tell. They're funny and fun to be
with and I'm fond of them for that."
--Martin Gray, Author of Sacred Earth, Photographer &
Expert on the World's Sacred Sites (www.sacredsites.com)
"When I met Cathy leading a Vatican tour and she told me I
should write a book, I was flattered but never thought she could
be serious. When she arrived a couple years later with some
possible topics, I was floored. I told her about an idea for a
biography I had tucked away in the back of mind, and the next
thing I knew I was propelled full steam ahead with her
encouragement.
Now, writing the story I had only dreamed of telling, with a book
contract to boot, I have Cathy and her colleague Julia Serebrinsky
to thank for spotting the hidden writer in me and for nudging and
nurturing it into the open. Their clear instructions and
explanation of the proposal process made undertaking such a
daunting project attainable while their helpful ideas and critiques
taught me more than I ever learned in school about writing.
I know I risk sounding like a high school kid with a crush on her
English teacher, but Cathy was just as excited as I was about my
project and worked very hard to bring it to the attention of many
publishers, keeping me completely informed every step of the
way. None of this would have happened without her."
--Elizabeth Lev, Art Historian & Rome Tour Guide
"I don’t have enough good things to say about LevelFiveMedia. In
an industry in which published authors are often expected to treat
writing as a semi-glamorous hobby, Cathy Hemming was the first
person to tell me that I shouldn’t have to be a receptionist-by-day
for the rest of my life. Big talk—but Cathy encouraged me to do
work that I really believed in, and then she went out and sold my
dream project in under two weeks. And, yes, I’m now taking an
extremely extended break from recepting.
Cathy and Steve aren’t playing around. They have so much
experience, know everyone, and are just so all-around savvy when
it comes to the business and craft of making books. But what’s
really impressed me the most, through all of this, is the fact that
they’ve constantly forced me to ask for more—from myself, from
my writing, and from the book industry. They’re not going to
settle, and they don’t expect anyone else to either. L5M rules."
--Bennett Madison, Novelist
agent, n., A person who produces an effect. (Oxford
English Dictionary)
agent, n., A force that causes a change. (American
Heritage Dictionary)
agent, n., The means by which a result is produced.
(Microsoft Encarta)
agent, n., An efficient cause. (Random House Dictionary)
agent, n., One who exerts power. (Merriam Webster
Dictionary)
agent, n., Cathy Hemming. (Tim Hurson, with unalloyed
gratitude)
"Steve Hanselman has an expert’s grasp of the subject I’m writing
on, and publishers respect that. He has great contacts and, when
it comes to making the deal, he sweats the details. He knows the
business end inside and out. And even with all his authority and
expertise, he knows how to listen to a writer. Steve is the
ultimate pro."
--Paul Moses, Professor of Journalism, Brooklyn College,
author of the forthcoming The Saint & the Sultan
"I can't begin to tell you how fortunate I am to have found
Steve Hanselman. As an author of three previous books, I never
had the kind of attention, respect, and professionalism offered to
me by Steve and his partner Cathy.
Steve "got it" during our first meeting, and I came to greatly
respect his talent and vision and felt proud to have him as my
agent. In fact, I told him that after we secured our first deal.
LevelFiveMedia is indeed a special agency and I encourage any
serious journalist/writer/author to work with Steve and Cathy.
--Matt Birkbeck, Investigative Journalist and author of
A Beautiful Child
"Steve Hanselman knows the publishing world inside and out. He
knows how to get the best deal for an author and how to cut
through red tape that can appear in the publishing process. For
Steve, the relationship doesn't end when the book deal is signed, it
begins in earnest. He has been there for me every step of the way
as an ally, cheerleader, mentor and friend. Steve makes me feel
like I'm his only client.
An author represented by Steve Hanselman and LevelFiveMedia
is truly fortunate and could have no better representation."
--Will Bowen, Senior Minister, Christ Church Unity,
Kansas City, and founder of A Complaint Free World
