About Us
We’ve worked across all facets of the global consumer publishing industry and championed hundreds of award-winning authors.
We met in 2000 across the board table at Random House Australia where Lou was heading up the marketing team and Jeanne was a rookie book publisher. An encouraging smile from Lou to Jeanne during her first baptism-of-fire book acquisitions meeting, sparked a long-term professional friendship.
After talking about how much we’d like to work together over the years, in 2023 everything aligned to make it a reality.
Check out this article at www.booksandpublishing.com.au to find out more!
We’re creative, curious, collaborative and commercially savvy. At our core we are connectors and love nothing better than putting the right people together.
About Jeanne Ryckmans
I have had a varied career as an on-air television presenter and reporter fronting Masterpiece, TV World, and Imagine arts programs on SBS Television (this will carbon date me), director of two documentaries, features magazine editor, book publisher for two multinationals (Random House/HarperCollins) and one independent (Black Inc), Artistic Director of the Canberra Writers' Festival (2019-2022) - the latter whilst working simultaneously as a literary agent - essentially it's been a long vocation of story-telling from both sides of the publishing fence with plenty of author wrangling.
I’ve been fortunate to work with authors including dual Miles Franklin award-winner Christopher Koch, feminist icon Gloria Steinem, Socceroos legend Johnny Warren, Margaret Whitlam, 2019 Stella Prize winner Vicki Laveau-Harvie and many others. In August 2023 my third book, Trust: A Fractured Fable, released with Upswell Publishing.
“Jeanne Ryckmans is the quintessential twist that makes a literary Martini perfect” - Allan Behm, Director, International & Security Affairs Program - The Australia Institute
About Lou Johnson
Over a career spanning more than 30 years, I have worked globally with hundreds of authors, brands, and businesses to shape and share their stories.
I have been a Managing Director of multinational Simon and Schuster, Publishing Director of preeminent global lifestyle publisher Murdoch Books, International Publishing Director & Chief Strategy Officer for one of the fastest growing publishers in the US, Mango Publishing Group, Sales Director of ANZ's largest independent publisher, Allen & Unwin, Head of Marketing/Head of Sales at Random House, managed the ABC’s retail concessions and founded and sold my own disruptive publishing startup, The Author People.
Along the way I was Vice President of the Australian Publishers Association, a key participant in the Book Industry Collaborative Council, chaired and participated in numerous industry working groups, panels at writers’ festivals and retailer conferences, was a founding committee member of the Indigenous Literacy Foundation and a board member of The Stella Prize.
From navigating digital transformation, managing the sales in Australia of the biggest publishing events in history (the last two Harry Potter books), working with a who’s who of incredible names including Lynda La Plante, Jackie Collins, Michael Crawford, Philipa Gregory, Pamela Stephenson, Ian Thorpe, Posie Grahame Evans, Bill Granger, Ronni Kahn, Neil Perry, Gloria Steinem and championing books that became bestsellers like The Blue Day Book, Wild Swans, The Alchemist, Still Alice, The Kite Runner, and briefly joining Salman Rushdie's security detail on a top secret tour to Australia, it’s been an exhilarating ride.
“Lou is the ultimate wingwoman with a skillset that delivers creativity, strategy and impact.” - Tory Archbold Founder and Director Powerful Steps + Torstar
“After having had the pleasure of doing wonderful business with Lou and Jeanne separately, I am all the more excited to see what this dynamic duo can do when they join forces!”
- Chiara Priorelli, Wavesound - one of Australia’s leading audiobook and large-print publishers
Associate Agents
Anjanette Fennell
A Literary Agent, writing coach and podcaster, I’ve been helping writers find their way to the page and publication for more than a decade. With almost two decades of professional writing experience including copywriting, technical writing, non-fiction and freelance work with magazines, websites and small businesses, I found my true passion as a beta reader, editor and, eventually, a Literary Agent, assisting both debut and experienced authors in attaining book (or multi-book) deals for their manuscripts. I’ve successfully partnered authors with publishers in Australia and overseas including Simon & Schuster, HarperCollins, Penguin Random House, Wild Dingo Press, Ben Bella Books, Allen & Unwin and Zibby Books.
These days I happily read more than I write, but I do let the muse take over now and again, recently co-editing and contributing to an anthology, The Heart Will Find a Way, with all proceeds being donated to the Indigenous Literacy Foundation. Check out my writerly convos with authors at the Writers Talking podcast.
“Anjanette has been my literary agent for over a decade. She has championed me every step of the way from being unpublished through to becoming an international bestselling author. More than just an agent, Anjanette's advice and professional support has been invaluable through all the peaks and troughs. She understands what a white-knuckle ride this is for authors, and she’s right beside you for every new challenge.” - Emma Grey, author
Belinda Bolliger
I began working in the children’s publishing industry over thirty years ago, starting on the scratch heap as a sub-editor for The Law Book Company. With editorial tools tucked in my belt, I moved on to Scholastic (Ashton Scholastic, as it was known then) as a magazine editor. It was here that I fell in love with children’s books, enthralled by picture books such as My Dearest Dinosaur by Margaret Wild and Donna Rawlins, and Jeanette Rowe’s Scallywag. Two years later, working with Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, I attended the inaugural Children’s Book Council conference and my fate was sealed.
Since then, I have worked as an editor and publisher for Hodder Headline (now Hachette) and ABC Books/HarperCollins. Most recently, I was Editorial Manager for Australian Standing Orders (Scholastic), where I reviewed and selected the most suitable new releases from Australian publishers to send to schools around the country.
I have been privileged to work with some of the best of Australia’s children’s creators – Alison Lester, Garry Disher, Libby Hathorn, Frances Watts, Judith Rossell, Matt Ottley, Glenda Millard and many others. I have a thorough knowledge of the children’s publishing industry, from editorial to the final product, with many years of experience working with authors, illustrators and local and international publishers.
“Belinda Bolliger is a tour de force on the Australian children’s and Y/A lit scene . . . Belinda’s name garners respect and admiration in the publishing world . . . It has always, and will continue to be, an honour to both work with and know Belinda Bolliger.” - John Larkin, author
