BIO
Danielle A. Durkin is a Southern California native who grew up next to Venice Beach and more than once walked there with her nose in a book. She taught herself to read when she was four years old; she had her first poem “published” in a literary magazine when she was in first grade, and remembers distinctly how that made her feel: like she had a super power. There’s nothing so mystical as transforming a thought onto the written page, and having others also see it. She was hooked.
Her first job, aside from babysitting, was at the age of fifteen, in a bookstore in Santa Monica. There, she lovingly shelved, caressed, sold and purchased books to her heart’s content on and off for years, even working there on summer breaks from college. She went to college back east at the inimitable all women’s haven Smith College where she received a double major in both French Studies and Philosophy, taking, in addition many courses in literature, writing, and religion. Her Junior Year Abroad in Paris, France turned her into an instant Francophile so, upon graduating, Danielle moved to Paris having won an A.K. Watson Grant to do translation work with French Philosopher Marc Sautet.
After three years in Paris, Danielle moved to New York City where she landed at the French-influenced literary press Arcade Publishing. Naturally, her passion for books fell beautifully into place career-wise, and a Book Editor was born. After cutting her teeth for six years at Arcade with the talented staff and its eclectic mix of exceptional titles as an Editorial Assistant, learning everything from contract negotiation, to jacket copy creation, editorial excavating, book scouting, translation, marketing, and copyediting, she landed a position at The Random House Publishing Group. Having the opportunity to work with an esteemed list of writers and editors and production staff at one of New York’s largest publishing houses transformed her into the expert she is today. Every type of book crossed her path at Random House: cookbooks; exercise books; African-American history; chick lit; literary fiction; art history; pop culture; business; and commercial fiction. Danielle was at Random House for six years as an Associate Editor, acquiring titles and assisting Senior Editors in a variety of imprints. That experience and broad network of contacts with illustrious agents and editors has proven invaluable to this day.
In addition, she has an MFA in Creative Writing from The New School, and writes fiction and poetry. Today, Danielle resides in Los Angeles, California with her young son, husband, and two very hungry, very literary cats (GoGo Twain Malloy and Jazz Fluffy Kerouac).