Jessica Barry: the road to publication

The transition from publishing to author - which isn't all that uncommon - can sometimes feel like a dirty little secret. It can seem like cronyism, as if we're all members of an elite clubhouse passing around favours to each other.

And in some ways, that rings true. My agent was a close friend long before I roped her into representing me. I've gone on business trips with the woman who sells my translation rights.