Nick Harris, Veteran Literary Agent, Dies at 49

Nick Harris, a veteran literary agent and co-founder of The Story Foundation, died Friday of cancer at his home in Los Angeles. He was 49.

A native of London, Harris joined RWS Literary Agency in 2006 and became a partner, then moved from the Rabineau Wachter Sanford Harris agency in 2009 to Mosaic, where he became a manager with Jimmy Miller and represented writers and literary properties.

In 2010, Harris accepted an invitation from ICM Partners to head its media-rights department, where he worked with Josie Freedman to package literary properties for film and television.

He launched The Story Foundation, which focused on the young-adult audience, with his wife Melissa and brother-in-law Jason Traub in 2012. In the brief period since the firm’s creation, Harris sold and had published six novels, including The Fire Seekers, Such Sweet Sorrow and The Dolls.

The Story Foundation, which will continue under Melissa Harris and Traub, has 15 other books in development, including Snow Queen by Danielle Paige.

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A trained lawyer with a degree from London University, Harris joined the august literary agency AP Watt in London and quickly rose to become a director. There he represented the sale of books to film, including Philip Pullman’s Golden Compass, Giles Foden’s The Last King of Scotland and Benjamin Mee’s We Bought a Zoo.

In addition to his wife, survivors include their children Noa, 8, and Dashiell, 5; his parents Brian and Susan; siblings Charlotte, Caroline and Jackie; and stepmother Liz.

A funeral at Hillside Memorial Park and Mortuary took place Tuesday. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that a donation be made to Noa and Dashiell’s WISH Charter School or The Rape Foundation.

Twitter: @mikebarnes4