Barbara Lowenstein is a literary agent with Lowenstein Associates. Barbara Lowenstein started her publishing career at the Sterling Lord Agency as an assistant to the dramatic agent. She then moved on to Lancer Books, one of the last independent paperback houses at the time, where she created the first line of trade paperbacks in the industry. There, she published self-help, psychology, how-to, crafts, and cooking titles. After a brief stint as Director of Subsidiary Rights for Walker Books, she started Lowenstein Associates, which allowed her to combine her editorial skills with her gift for selling.In addition to her work in publishing, Barbara is a longtime political activist and champion of voting rights, womenÕs rights, racial justice, and many other causes. She is currently on the Advisory Board of Mi Vecino, a grassroots organization dedicated to on-the-ground voter registration in Florida. Barbara is also Co-Chair of the West Palm Beach chapter of Tri-State Maxed Out WomenÕs PAC, which supports pro-choice Democratic women candidates running for national office.For over four decades, Barbara has represented the international bestselling author M. C. Beaton, known as the ÒQueen of Cozy Mysteries.Ó BeatonÕs two mystery series Agatha Raisin (St. MartinÕs) and Hamish Macbeth (Grand Central) have been translated into 17 languages. The Agatha Raisin novels have been adapted into a television series starring Ashley Jensen and has received rave reviews in the New York Times and The Guardian, among many other publications. Season 1 originally aired on SKY 1 HD. Season 2 is currently in production with Acorn TV. The series is streaming on Acorn TV as well as available on PBS stations across the U.S. and on many international broadcasting channels. The Hamish Macbeth and Poor Relation series by M. C. Beaton have also been optioned and are in development.In addition, Barbara represents Ishmael Reed, MacArthur Genius Award winner, novelist, essayist and poet. Ishmael is also a Pulitzer Prize nominee and two-time National Book Award finalist. Other clients include Cordelia Fine, winner of the prestigious Royal Society Science Prize (known as the ÒBooker Prize for Science writingÓ) for Testosterone Rex, which explores and deconstructs our cultural myths and assumptions in gender dynamics, and Carla Harris, Vice Chairman and Managing Director at Morgan Stanley and author of the extremely successful career and business books Strategize to Win: The New Way to Start Out, Step Up, or Start Over in Your Career and Expect to Win: 10 Proven Strategies for Thriving in the Workplace.