About Us

Trodayne was an English teacher, freelance writer, and editor before entering the publishing world, interning with The Literary Group.  It was not long before he found a more permanent home at Linn Prentis Literary. As if mirroring Campbell’s notions of the monomyth, soon Trodayne was taking part in a true apprenticeship, not unlike something ripped from the very fantasy novels he’d so long loved. While with Linn Prentis Literary, he developed his own client list, working with award winning authors, NYT bestsellers and top editors. He played Luke to Linn’s Yoda, Bilbo to Linn’s Gandalf, staying on with the agency through Linn’s retirement. Then with Linn initially playing an advisory role, he co-founded Prentis Literary alongside Leslie and Terry.

As a youth, Trodayne cooked his pillow nightly in an effort to conceal the 120 watt blade of disobedience that would leak defiantly into the hallway after his parents expressly had ordered him to bed. His passion is good storytelling. While his desire to refine his own storytelling in music, writing and visual media was strong, his thirst to cultivate and nurture others’ talents has always been equally strong. Science Fiction and Fantasy will always be his first love, but his genre interests have always been wide ranging. You would be just as likely to see him on the subway re-reading Native Son as the newest Mass Effect book.

It’s not just the story in each book that fascinates and invigorates but the story of each book as well. It is the process itself that he finds gratifying – the helping to polish a novel, the matchmaking of author to publisher, assuring that each author is happy with the end product, ultimately the very success of the book, all of it, is the book’s story. Playing a role in that story, in how an author is able to tell his or her stories gives him great satisfaction.

It was never my plan to learn to read. In fact, I resisted it with all my five-year-old might, which was fairly significant. My favorite times were when my dad would read to me and I was afraid that when I learned to read myself, those lovely times would end. But my dad’s plan was different and his will was equal to mine. After many knock-down battles, and lots of Dick and Jane, I reluctantly learned.

I grew up during the mid-70’s on my family’s hippie farm, situated in a small middle-class town in the Hudson Valley. This would have made me unique in any case, but the fact that we had no television was downright bizarre. While all my friends were watching re-runs of the “Brady Bunch” (again), I was re-reading “A Wizard of Earthsea” (again). Or “Watership Down”, “A Wrinkle in Time”, “The Crystal Cave”, whatever was around. Luckily for me, there were always books around. And, since my dad’s favorite books tended to the fantasy and science fiction genres, my house was a fantastic playground of interesting ideas and wonderful stories. I was known as the weird kid who always had a book with her. If you couldn’t find me, I was probably hiding in Oz. Instead of doing my boring chores, I was Laura Ingalls Wilder, and her chores were exciting frontier adventures! There were no limits when it came to stories and there was always somewhere wonderful to visit.

I am pleased as punch that now I get to help authors bring new worlds, new ideas, and new magic to the literary world. I will always love the oral story-telling tradition, but my appreciation for the written work knows no bounds and I love being a part of bringing that passion to new readers. It turns out that my dad’s plan was better than mine after all.

I retired in 2011 after 25 years managing and directing information technology groups for small startup companies to large corporation.  It was while wondering what to do with myself that I met Linn Prentis.  She was looking for someone to help mange her literary agency and help with her personal affairs.  It turned out to be a perfect fit and I became known as the “Righthand”.

Personally, reading has been my outlet and escape since I first learned to read.  In 6th grade I tried to read every book the school library, but could only do 90%.  The librarian thought I should strive to be one, but that would take to fun out of it.  During Vietnam, I would average a book-a-day while at sea.  I use an e-reader but much prefer paper book, something about the smell, feel, and being the first to crack the binding. The good thing about all the reading was increasing my speed so I could blow through the tech manuals but had to remind myself to slow down and enjoy “normal” books.

I found a creative energy late in life. I embraced these new ideas and in 2005 started expressing this new found creativity in abstract painting, writing poetry, short stories and plays.  I became a founding member of Floating Mountain Poets and the Little Red Studio Poetry Posse.  I have been involved with Seattle’s non-profit SEAF organization for 10 years as an art guide, installer, poet and director.  I serve on the board of Vita Arts, a non-profit organization dedicated to transforming lives through the power of artistic expression. 

“Writing is a socially acceptable form of schizophrenia”  ~E.L. Doctorow

“Teenage Mutant Teenage Turtles”! Yup, I’m counting this as my first introduction to the world of SciFi/Fantasy! What a wonderful concept, not just crime fighting teenagers, but also turtles who happen to be mutated, mentored by a mutant rat and fighting other mutant animals. Not to mention Shredder, the biggest and baddest! And I have to add “The Power Rangers”, too. New crazy bad guys to fight all the time, gymnastics and kicking butt, and that weird advisor guy in the Lucite tube? What’s not to love there?

I had other, more traditional, faves in the genre, too. I loved being read the Narnia series when I was young. When I was about nine, I read “The Chronicles of Prydain”, and Lloyd Alexander not only thrilled me with a wonderful story filled with adventure and fabulous characters, but introduced me to the world of Welsh mythology. And don’t get me started on anything that has to do with King Arthur and his cohorts, since I can’t stop once we’re on that subject.

As the gatekeeper for Prentis Literary, I will always give your work a thorough look-through. Whether your work is right for us or not, it will be treated with respect and care. It is a most successful day when I can pass on something you’ve written for consideration!