Three Questions with editor Liz Velez

The Harper & Harper Perennial editor on imagination as a tool for radical change, the writing itself, and educator’s relationship to books, & more!

When Cassie volleyed the first Three Questions my way, my first text back was, you know who might be interesting to talk to? Liz Velez. (More accurately, I used Cassie’s ask for feedback as an excuse to spew about “like, the warmest” introductory call I’d just had with Liz, after the deal announcement for Emma Cleary’s forthcoming ALL THOSE STRANGERS, and Cassie just said, “Zoe, email them?”)

What like, the warmest should tell you is that Liz Velez is, at first meeting, the kind of person you know immediately is as much force as delight. During our first call, Liz was attentive in listening to me describe both my list at Howland Literary, and the authors I was then working with at Pine State. And when I tried to hand-sell them Sean Enfield’s (incredible) debut essay collection, Holy American Burnout!, we got to talking about Liz’s past life as an educator, and their years as a principal before jumping into publishing. 

And look how they’re landing: since completing the Columbia Publishing Course and an internship at Transatlantic Literary Agency, Liz has kickstarted a list of fiction and nonfiction that brings stories “by and for historically excluded groups” front of mind, and doesn’t write off the weird–my kind of editor. 

Knowing you’re looking for both/and books–the weird and experimental, “informed memoir”  à la Heretic or Sex With a Brain Injury, horror with social commentary (where we get a Tender is the Flesh)–what’s the next genre+ trend you’d love to see or create?

Perhaps I lack imagination on this one—or maybe I just don’t have enough ego to believe that anything I think of hasn’t already been done, and in a better, smarter way--, but I’m not really as concerned with creating a new genre+ as much as expanding the ones that are already present and trying to create spaces in traditional publishing where narratives that haven’t historically been amplified and valued by trad. publishing are. My current guiding philosophy here (subject to change upon learning and growing) is that stories, especially those repeated over time, shape our view of the world, and so I take my job seriously and want to be intentional about the stories I publish. I also think that speculative spaces, in particular, are both highlighting the horrors of the world we live in and allowing for us to imagine the world as it could be—I think that imagining is a powerful and necessary start to radical, positive change. So, to get back to the question, the genre+ I want to see is actually any genre+ that opens hearts and expands what we believe could be possible (and if it’s horror, all the better).

Based on deal language alone, I’m your first reader when Geist EIC Emma Cleary’s ALL THOSE STRANGERS hits shelves–from your lens as Emma’s editor, how has her role in the literary landscape (and especially editing for a magazine of the weird and wonderful) informed her work, and your relationship to it? (Cheating and chucking a second question in here–in your experience, does having a foothold in the lit world increase the odds of internal support for a “weirder” debut?)

I won’t speak on behalf of Emma here, but I live for the “weird and wonderful” and All Those Strangers is exactly that. Emma’s book is a wild ride, and she does a superb job of not forgetting her audience. She understands the need for balance between tension and relief and uses that to manipulate the audience on this uncanny and haunting journey. As I said in the previous question, I think speculative spaces are often rife with commentary on the horrors present in our world, and Emma’s debut does just that, exploring the cultural (and in the case of All Those Strangers, literal) monsterfication of women who don’t have children. For me, as her American editor, it seems as though her job in the literary world may have allowed her to have a firmer grasp on what readers are looking for and how to craft the perfect balance between pacing and stunning prose—not an easy feat. But this is a guess--it could be a “chicken or egg” situation in which these skills helped make her a great editor. 

As for the second part of that question, it definitely doesn’t hurt to have a foot in the literary world, but ultimately, excitement for debuts, uncanny or otherwise, usually comes from the merit of the writing and the storytelling—both of which Emma has done beautifully.

Prior to publishing, that you worked across a wide landscape in education (both in roles, and geographically–from Pennsylvania to Madagascar). How has your past life as an educator informed the way you think about editing?

This is a great question because the answer is in literally every way. The two professions are more similar than you’d probably think. Teachers must pitch books, give gentle feedback, make sure people are valued and heard, and build trusting, professional relationships. I think the way it most influenced me, however, is by seeing how much reading impacted my students—especially when they saw themselves represented in the narrative. I wanted to be able to help bring more stories into the world that made people light up like my students did. I also always told my kids to chase their dreams, and I meant it. But I felt like a hypocrite because I had always wanted to be in publishing and never pursued it. I figured it was time I walked the walked. So, in short, it gave me the professional skills I needed, but it also informed my philosophy around and enthusiasm for the importance of narrative which I use as my North Star when editing.

(Also, if any of my previous students happen to stumble upon this—I love you, miss you, and am cheering for you always.)

Bonus, getting so real: My fav note from our wishlist call was that you’re over bodily functions in horrific/weird books–what would you actually like to see more of?

Friends! I love reading about loyal friend groups. 

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Liz Velez joined Harper in 2021 after interning at Transatlantic Literary Agency and completing the Columbia Publishing Course. They acquire literary and upmarket fiction, with a focus on horror, mystery, and thriller as well as narrative nonfiction and memoir. They particularly want to bring to the forefront stories by and for historically excluded groups.