Frances Kuffel

I am a native of Missoula, Montana, where I was raised and received my undergraduate degrees from the University of Montana. Sometime in the mists of the 1980's I earned an MFA in creative writing from Cornell University and moved to New York City in order to go to the ballet more often.

My parents suggested this habit would be better supported by getting a job and so, reluctantly, I cast around for something to do. My typing was just hunt-and-peck enough to become an assistant in a literary agency where I stayed for 13 years. To my parents' relief (albeit confusion: try explaining this job to their golf cronies in Polson, Montana), I became a literary agent, specializing in children's books, literary fiction and literary nonfiction.

As an agent, I sold well over a hundred books, notably among them Lee Charles Kelley's Jack Field mystery series (Avon, 2003), Cynthia Gralla's The Floating World (Ballantine, 2003), Peter Stark's Last Breath (Ballantine, 2002), and others.

And now I walk dogs -- mostly Labradors -- and write books.

My short fiction and poetry have been published in Tri-Quarterly, Prairie Schooner, The Massachusetts Review, The Georgia Review, Glimmertrain, The Greensboro Review and Columbia Review. I've also published articles in The San Diego Reader, Psychology Today and Self.

Resume

Very vanilla and dark chocolate Valentines. AuntieWicked.com

Frances M. Kuffel

franceskuffel@gmail.com

franceskuffel.net

Education:

Master of Fine Arts: Creative Writing, Cornell University, 1984

Bachelors of Arts: English, Religious Studies, University of Montana, 1982

Professional Affiliations:

Full member of The Authors Guild

Associate Member of Pen International

Publications:

Books:

2004: Passing for Thin: Losing Half My Weight and Finding My Self. Broadway Books. Trade paperback published in 2005.

2010: Angry Fat Girls: Five Women, 500 Pounds and a Year of Losing It…Again. Berkley Books. Trade paperback (retitled Eating Ice Cream with My Dog) published in 2011.

2114: Love Sick: Looking for Mr. Good-Enough, Berkley Books

Magazine Articles

May, 2014: main body of "Author Tests Online Dating Pools in Pursuit of Passion". New York Post

March, 2014: "My Menopause". Menopause Magazine.

February, 2005: "Size and Sensibility". Psychology Today

February, 2006: "A Joyful Scream". Self

June – August, 2006: "Down and Up and Up Again". Twelve weekly columns for The San Diego Reader

Regular Blog Contributor

San Diego Reader: "From the Trenches of Food Addiction

April, 2008 – 2010: "Confessions of a Lab Lady". Bi-weekly dog-walking blog for >brooklynheightsblog.com<

Current:

Psychology Today: "What Fat Women Want: Wanting to be thin is only part of the story"

Medium.com

Professional Experience:

10/12 -- present: Freelance social media, specializing in health and fitness, finance, military, PTSD for authors, companies and specialists in their field; Publicist for authors and specialists, finding podcasts and online radio guest spots.

Private writing coach, 2005 – present

Proofreader

Jenny Holzer & Co.

2015 – present

Publishing:

Literary Agent, 2003 – 2006

Fredrica S. Friedman & Co., Inc.

New York, NY.

Handled small list of literary authors in fiction and nonfiction.

Literary Agent and Executive Vice President, 2001 – 2003

Maria Carvainis Literary Agency, Inc.

New York, NY

Strong negotiation experience in areas of domestic publishing contracts, and television/film rights. Literary agent with list of 30 clients.

Senior Literary Agent, 1988 – 2001

Jean V. Naggar Literary Agency

New York, NY

List of 45 authors, specializing in fiction, narrative nonfiction (history, science, biography, memoirs, etc.), juvenile literature. Managed list of 200 authors in audio, first serial and magazine, and juvenile international rights.