Desmond Seward Biography

Desmond Seward

Desmond Seward was born in Paris and educated at Ampleforth and St Catharine's College, Cambridge. He is the author of many books including The Monks of War: The Military Religious Orders, The Hundred Years War, The Wars of the Roses, Eleanor of Aquitaine and Henry V as Warlord, Josephus, Masada and the Fall of Judaea (da Capo, US, April 2009), Wings over the Desert: in action with an RFC pilot in Palestine 1916-18 (Haynes Military, July 2009) and Old Puglia: A Portrait of South Eastern Italy (Haus August 2009). Forthcoming is The Last White Rose: the Spectre at the Tudor Court 1485-1547 (Constable, summer 2010).'

How I Found the Agency

Andrew Lownie was recommended to me by my translations agent (who did not handle English langauage rights). What I liked at our first meeting was his stating precisely what he could do and what he couldn't, when offering to help replan my writing career. How the author-agent relationship works between us in practise is a carefully considered approval or rejection of subjects I may suggest, then help with shaping my proposal to the publisher - and a firm refusal to submit them if he feels it doesn't do justice to what I have in mind, while explaining why. During a long career, I have never known an agent take such trouble.

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