In an exciting move, former commissioning editor John Wordsworth is to join Zeno Agency Ltd as a literary agent. John previously headed up Headline’s SF,  Fantasy and Horror list. Zeno specialises in genre fiction, representing major brand names such as Sunday Times bestseller Ben Aaronovitch, plus numerous award winners and literary estates. Sub-agented clients include international bestsellers Brandon Sanderson, Charlaine Harris, Peter V. Brett and William Gibson, among others.

John Berlyne, Director of the Zeno Agency, said: ‘Zeno is going through a vital period of growth. John Wordsworth is the perfect choice to further our ambitions to develop the careers of our fantastic authors, and to continue to discover wonderful new talent. I’ve been extremely impressed with John’s list-building at Headline, and am really looking forward to adding his particular flair for genre fiction to Zeno.’

John Wordsworth said: ‘Working with authors and discovering new talent has always been a passion of mine. Joining Zeno is fantastic opportunity to do this at a grassroots level. It’s exhilarating to be making the move from commissioning editor to agent. Zeno has an amazing client list and I can’t wait to start adding to it.’

Wordsworth’s arrival will double Zeno’s agenting resources, as director John Berlyne has been managing the prestigious list as a sole practitioner. Zeno sees bright times ahead, as this development opens up opportunities for further expansion.