about us

Alan Nevins started his book career working for the famed super agent Irving "Swifty" Lazar. In 1993, Nevins founded Renaissance Literary & Talent with two Hollywood based literary agents and the agency thrived.

In 1995, Renaissance acquired the Irving Paul Lazar Agency and its extensive backlist after a year of negotiations, beating several eager bidders, including one of the majors. This acquisition, and that of the previously acquired H.N. Swanson Agency, gave the infant Renaissance the enviable legacy of two of Hollywood's most colorful literary agents and solidified its place as a powerhouse boutique literary firm supplying material to the New York publishers as well as the film/television community.

After Renaissance completed a three year stint associated with Michael Ovitz’s Artists Management Group, Renaissance was quietly placed in the background and Nevins cut a deal with music and film management company, The Firm, to create a literary division that would come with longstanding and impressive relationships in Hollywood, London and New York.

After six years with The Firm, Nevins departed in late 2008 and re-established Renaissance Literary & Talent. 

Berta Treitl is an attorney and literary agent. Before joining Renaissance Literary & Talent, she worked at Grosvenor Literary Agency in DC and previously in private legal practice. She is a member of the New York Bar, the District of Columbia Bar, and the Author’s Guild. She’s selectively building her list in nonfiction in the areas of science and technology; current events; law and politics; memoir; business and marketing; and art, design, food, and lifestyle. 

Jacklyn Saferstein-Hansen hails from Omaha, Nebraska and came to Los Angeles by way of Boston University. She is looking for novels with a distinct voice, strong message and diverse, unforgettable characters in the genres of women's fiction, historical fiction, thriller/mystery, and fantasy, though she is open to other genres as well. For nonfiction, she is interested in history, politics, culture, Jewish issues, current events, nutrition/health, and cookbooks.