Kimberly Richardson is the intern for Linda Epstein at the Jennifer de Chiara Literary Agency, and is currently a graduate student in the MS Publishing program at Pace University. You can follow Kimberly on Twitter @kimberly_ann688 and expect to see her monthly blog posts on the Blabbermouth Blog “Dish from the Literary Agent Intern.”  Read her post on the Blabbermouth Blog!

Kimberly Richardson

Hi all! I’m Kimberly and currently a graduate student in the MS Publishing program at Pace University. I got my BA in English from Queens College and live on Long Island. Having been born and raised in upstate New York, I was inexplicably drawn to the City and at 18 made the move down. Since moving here I have experienced the beauty of the beaches and the enthralling, gritty factor of the City.

I worked at a funeral home while getting my BA and really enjoyed being able to help people. While there, I decided I needed to figure out what I wanted to do with my life. Having an English degree and failing to grab a job as an editorial assistant (or any publishing industry assistant for that matter) I knew I had to take a plunge; one that would help me in making connections and be a more appealing employee in the career I was seeking. So I applied to Pace and now I’m pursuing a dream I didn’t even know I had. I love the program and am even more excited about the people I am meeting and the opportunities that are unfolding. I didn’t realize this program would open so many doors and give me confidence in deciding where I want my degree to take me.

Deciding on this path shouldn’t have been as hard as I made it for the simple fact that I have always loved books. I began really reading with the American Girl series in third grade and I remember being captivated by how the story unfolded on the pages. Before that I hadn’t really grasped the power words could have on a person or their imagination. Throughout middle school and high school I read anything I could get my hands on and read a lot of fantasy, sci-fi and crime thriller (think Michael Crichton, Thomas Harris, J.K. Rowling). The books during those years, especially Harry Potter, defined the kind of reader I was becoming. Books helped shape the way I thought and felt and my imagination. Today, I still find nothing more satisfying than finishing a book I’ve been able to connect with and continuing to read books that influence who I am.

As any good student, I love reading, writing, and learning. I always say that if I could go to school for the rest of my life without becoming broke I would. For me, education and reading go hand in hand. I am looking forward to this internship with Linda, this next semester of school, and all the wonderful people I’m going to meet while continuing on this path!