A quick update, all: literary agent Elizabeth Kaplan, founder of the prestigious Elizabeth Kaplan Literary Agency, has agreed to read the submissions of the five winners for our contest and give them feedback!  This means that each of our five winners will be read and advised by two sought-after literary agents and three editors at top publishing houses.

Elizabeth Kaplan has represented numerous critically acclaimed and best-selling authors throughout her 20-year career as a literary agent. She is known for the sharp insights and editing skills she brings to the development of successful projects and authors’ careers.  She works tirelessly to connect individuals, and to find the right home for each project.

After graduating from the University of Michigan, Elizabeth moved to New York City and began her publishing career as the assistant to Jim Silberman, the founder of Summit Books. Elizabeth worked as an editor at Summit for three years before moving on to assist another publishing legend, the literary agent Sterling Lord. Before beginning her own agency in 2002, she worked as an agent at Sterling Lord Literistic, and the Ellen Levine Agency.

Elizabeth's main areas of focus include: literary fiction, young adult fiction, narrative nonfiction (especially issue-based books), history, biography, food writing and cookbooks and memoir.

For more on the contest, and how to enter, click here!  Deadline is December 15th, 2011.