The former Scottish editor of Penguin books is to open her own literary agency in Scotland.
In January Penguin closed its office in Scotland, ending four years of fruitful work for Judy Moir, who found and nurtured many writers north of the border for the London-based publisher.
In her time with Penguin, Ms Moir helped publish James Robertson's The Testament of Gideon Mack, which was shortlisted for the Commonwealth Prize, two Scottish awards and was longlisted for the Booker Prize, as well as being selected for the Richard and Judy Bookclub in 2006.
She also worked on the critically successful Scotland: The Autobiography by Rosemary Goring, the literary editor of The Herald.
Now Ms Moir has formed her own literary agency based in Edinburgh, and will focus on finding and developing Scottish writing talent.
She said: "I'm very excited about this new chapter in my publishing career - it has always been an immense honour to work closely with authors and to champion their writing, and being an agent allows me the greatest freedom to do so."
Ms Moir has worked in publishing since 1981.
For many years she was at Canongate, the leading publishers, initially as editorial and rights manager and latterly as editorial director.
She is known for discovering and nurturing the careers of many Scottish authors, including Michel Faber, Kevin MacNeil, Louise Welsh and James Robertson.
She was director of the Scottish Publishers' Association in the 1980s and lectured in publishing at Napier University in the early 1990s.
Television and film rights for writers will be handled by the London Agency, Capel & Land, and all other rights will be organised from Edinburgh.
Writer James Robertson said: "As someone with a vast experience of the book trade, in Scotland and further afield, she will make a superb agent, and her many skills and qualities will be indispensable to the authors she represents."
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