The Toolbox Strikes Again

Shen Tao (Taos Toolbox ’23) has sold her first novel in a number of markets, mostly at auction. After workshopping The Poet Empress at Toolbox, she finished the book, went straight out and got an agent, and then started collecting advances. A seven-figure advance in the States, a six-figure advance in Britain, another six figures from Germany, some pre-empts in Italy and Spain, and no doubt more to come.

This sort of thing happens once in a career, if you’re very, very lucky. Though it ...