"A series of fortunate coincidences" - how two writers made it from creative writing students to publishing professionals | Part I

Interview with Zoe-Aline Howard (literary agent at Howland Literary, and book publicist at Pine State Publicity) and Cassie Mannes Murray (director of Pine State Publicity)

Cassie Mannes Murray is the director of Pine State Publicity, an inaugural board member at Lookout Books, an award-winning essayist, and a mom to two young boys. She holds an MFA from University of North Carolina Wilmington in creative nonfiction.
Twitter: @cassmannes Instagram: @pinestatepublicity
Substack: pinestatepublicity.substack.com

Zoe-Aline Howard is a literary agent at Howland Literary, and a book publicist at Pine State Publicity. She holds a BFA and Publishing Certificate from the University of North Carolina Wilmington, and has had the privilege to work across publishing with several entities, including independent press Lookout Books.
Twitter: @zoealinehoward

What have your journeys as writers been like and what was behind the decisions that you made to get to where you are today?

ZH: Essayist behavior, but my writing and entrance into dual-careers as a literary-agent-cum-publicist have been more like a series of fortunate coincidences than an easily labeled journey.