Jennifer KimJennifer Kim joined the Dijkstra Agency in 2015. In addition to building her own list, she is the Royalties Manager for the Sandra Dijkstra Literary Agency.
Jennifer is a first generation Korean-American. She graduated from the University of California Irvine, where she received degrees in both English Literature and Spanish Literature, and spent a year studying Spanish literature at the University of Barcelona. She has also worked as a long time bookseller.
Jennifer is most interested in literary fiction, speculative fiction, and translated fiction for the adult market, unusual history, journalism, politics, and pop-culture and music history. Some of her recent favorite reads were: Some People Need Killing: A Memoir of Murder in my Country by Patricia Evangelista,The Prisoner: A Memoir By Hwang Sok Yong, translated by Sora Kim-Russell and Anton Hur, The End of August by Yu Miri, translated by Morgan Giles, Cursed Bunny by Bora Chung, translated by Anton Hur, Walking Practice by Dolki Min, translated by Victoria Caudle, and Tender is the Flesh by Agustina Bazterrica, translated by Sarah Moses. She’s fond of oral histories in any genre (think Please Kill Me: The Uncensored Oral History of Punk By Legs McNeil and Gillian McCain.)
She is particularly drawn to eccentric and unusual stories and values a distinct narrative voice and a strong sense of place. She loves literary fiction with genre elements (horror, sci-fi, or fantasy), but isn't a great fit for high fantasy or straightforward science fiction. She's a fit for anything described as gothic, alternative, or weird, ghost stories that explore culture and trauma, family sagas (both blood and chosen), and anything that dismantles oppressive systems (think Decolonising the Mind by Ngugi wa Thiong'o). As a third culture kid, she’s interested in stories that reflect that experience.
In general, Jennifer loves literary writing, with challenging themes, experimental plots and eccentric characters. She is excited to add writers of diversity (including, but not limited to, all ethnicity, sexual orientation, mental and physical health, and socioeconomic status) to her client list.
Please note that Jennifer is currently not taking on YA or Childrens books. She is not a great fit for romance, business books, religious or spiritual books, screenplays, high fantasy or science fiction, or self-help.