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The Directory of Literary Agents
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Literary Agent Directory
Important: Visit each agent’s website (links in their listings below) to see if they’re open to submissions before querying.
- The results are being filtered by the character: D
Biography
Kristine Dahl is a literary agent with CAA/ICM. Kristine says: “I’ve been a literary agent in the New York office since 1989. A childhood spent on military bases and attending college in the Pacific Northwest may seem an odd road to publishing, but it’s given me a broad range of interests to explore.
I’m particularly interested in literary fiction, strong narrative nonfiction (memoir, history, science, political and cultural affairs), culinary arts, and stories and projects that can be developed into TV series and feature films. Over the years, I’ve been fortunate to represent so many successful fiction and nonfiction authors and national bestsellers and award-winning books, but it’s also an important part of my job to discover and develop new talent.”
Notes
This literary agent represents:
FICTION: Commercial * General Fiction * Historical * Literary * Suspense * Thriller *
NONFICTION: Biography * Business * Celebrity * Cooking/Cookbook * Cultural/Social Issues * Current Events/Affairs * Dating/Relationship/Sex * Film/Entertainment * Fitness * Food/Drinks * General Nonfiction * Health/Wellness * History * How-To * Humor * Medical/Medicine * Memoir * Military/War * Money/Finance * Music * Narrative * Politics * Pop Culture * Reference * Science * Sports * Technology *
65 East 55th Street 14th Floor New York NY 10022 USA
Biography
Christina Daigneault is a literary agent with Orchard Literary. She is an award-winning publicist, attorney, and public advocate with over a decade of experience leading teams in fast-paced campaigns.
Her career started in the political arena where she worked on U.S. Presidential races, a U.S. Senate and New York Attorney General campaign, and public advocacy for corporations. In these roles, she managed media strategies and expertly handled crisis communications.
Christina then secured her Juris Doctorate degree and practiced law at Schindler, Cohen & Hochman LLP, a top Wall Street firm, where she represented financial institutions and international corporations in complex commercial litigation matters. Christina also served as Chair of the New York City Bar Association’s State Affairs Committee.
Armed with a unique blend of advocacy and media experience, Christina founded Orchard Strategies in 2006 to bring exceptional communications services to lifestyle businesses and top executives. As President and Founder of Orchard Strategies, Christina now manages a thriving international communications practice with a diverse range of clients. Orchard represents iconic cultural institutions, leading technology companies, fashion brands, health and wellness practitioners, law firms, non-profits, as well as the public profiles of CEOs and Executive Directors. Orchard has won accolades and industry awards, including a recent distinction from PRDaily.
In 2013, Christina opened a literary agency—Orchard Literary—to complement Orchard Strategies’ public relations practice and further strengthen the visibility of clients with a marketable expertise.
Christina is regularly called upon to speak about the leadership of women in business, law, and communications. She has been featured in The New York Law Journal, The New York Times, CBS Radio, NY1 News, and NBC News.
Christina lives in Williamsburg, Brooklyn with her husband and daughter.
Notes
This literary agent represents:
FICTION:
NONFICTION: Art * Biography * Business * Cooking/Cookbook * Design * Diet/Nutrition * Environment * Fitness * Health/Wellness * History * Lifestyle * Memoir * Mind/Body/Spirit * Nature * Politics * Travel *
817 Broadway Floor 4 New York NY 10003 USA
Laura Dail
Laura Dail Literary AgencyDO NOT QUERY – THIS AGENT IS NOT CURRENTLY ACCEPTING UNSOLICITED SUBMISSIONSQuery method(s): Online Form *Biography
Laura Dail is a literary agent with the Laura Dail Literary Agency. Lauara graduated from Duke University and received her Master’s degree in Spanish from Middlebury College. She has served on the board of the Association of Authors Representatives (AAR) and currently chairs the AAR Royalties Committee.
Over the years, the agency has represented just about every kind of book. We’ve sold hundreds of books and represented dozens of bestsellers. Laura’s now especially interested in historical and high-concept fiction, funny YA, humor, and serious non-fiction. She’s interested in totally escapist entertainment or important books about the things from which we’re trying to escape.
Laura also edited a gift book about adoption called TRULY YOURS.
Notes
This literary agent represents:
FICTION: Children’s Fiction * Ethnic Fiction * Fantasy * General Fiction * Juvenile Fiction * Middle Grade Fiction * Multicultural Fiction * Mystery * Romance * Science Fiction * Suspense * Thriller * Young Adult Fiction *
NONFICTION: Biography * Business * Cooking/Cookbook * Current Events/Affairs * Ethnic * History * Lifestyle * Mind/Body/Spirit * Money/Finance * Multicultural * Politics * Science *
Biography
Jess Dallow is a literary agent with Brower Literary & Management. Having grown up with the same name as her favorite Sweet Valley High twin, Jess has always had a love for books, especially those that feature well developed, strong female characters. She is fascinated with complex characters and a world that she can fall in love with, stories that make her want to sob and laugh within minutes of each other, and a book that she can’t put down no matter what time it is or what rerun of SVU is on. She has a BFA in Writing for Film and Television from the University of the Arts and worked in entertainment for eight years before returning to her home state of NY where she worked at a literary agency for two years before joining Brower Literary & Management.
Notes
This literary agent represents:
FICTION: Commercial * Crime/Detective/Police * Ethnic Fiction * Gay/Lesbian Fiction * General Fiction * Multicultural Fiction * Mystery * Romance * Suspense * Thriller * Upmarket Fiction * Women’s Fiction * Young Adult Fiction *
NONFICTION: Cooking/Cookbook * Pop Culture * Young Adult *
13720 Old St. Augustine Rd. Ste 8-512 Jacksonville FL 32258 USA
Melissa Danaczko
Stuart Krichevsky Literary AgencyDO NOT QUERY – THIS AGENT IS NOT CURRENTLY ACCEPTING UNSOLICITED SUBMISSIONSQuery method(s): Email *Biography
Melissa Danaczko is a literary agent with the Stuart Krichevsky Literary Agency. She became a literary agent after more than a decade of publishing experience, most recently as Senior Editor with the Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group.
Melissa focuses on literary and commercial fiction, and gravitates towards plot-driven novels with a fresh perspective, energetic writing and deep sense of place. This includes historical fiction, psychological thrillers, coming-of- age and contemporary women’s fiction. She has a soft spot for novels with international settings, unreliable narrators, elements of magic, dysfunctional families, intense friendships, love triangles and unique subcultures. It’s a big plus if a novel can introduce her to a new world, make her think differently about one she already knows or tap into the cultural climate.
She is also representing history and idea-driven non-fiction. As someone who hates driving on a highway but will happily wade into the Amazon or climb Everest through literature, she’s especially fond of narratives with an emphasis on adventure or exploration.
Melissa has developed and edited books that became New York Times bestsellers (including a #1 Bestselling title), appeared on the cover of the New York Times Book Review, and received or were nominated for honors including The National Book Critics Circle Award, The Man Booker Prize, The PEN/Bingham Prize, The Baily’s Women’s Prize, The Giller Prize, The Governor-General’s Literary Award, the National Book Foundation 5 Under 35, The Journey Prize, and The Rona Jaffe Foundation Writers’ Award.
Notes
This literary agent represents:
FICTION: Commercial * Contemporary * Family Saga * Historical * Literary * Magical Realism * Multicultural Fiction * Suspense * Thriller * Upmarket Fiction * Young Adult Fiction *
NONFICTION: Cultural/Social Issues * History * Memoir * Multicultural * Science * Upmarket *
Biography
Blythe Daniel is a literary agent with and the founder of The Blythe Daniel Agency. She is a literary agent and marketer who secures books with publishers, conducts publicity campaigns and online marketing. She helps writers build the right book proposal, secures contracts, promotes books, and has placed authors in the national media. She has worked in publishing for more than 20 years and represents bestselling non-fiction authors and new voices.
As an agent, she has represented authors associated with Focus on the Family, Cru, Proverbs 31 Ministries, Women of Faith, North Point Community Church, International House of Prayer, Dollar General, JPMorgan Chase, Houston Chronicle, The Huffington Post, Today Show Parenting, American Management Association, and others.
As a publicist, she has booked authors on hundreds of media outlets, including Today Show, Good Morning America, Fox News, CNN.com, Inc., The Washington Post, Focus on the Family, Business News Daily, and others.
Blythe started in media as the Public Relations/News Director for WNAZ-FM in Nashville, Tennessee as a news reporter and host of two weekly radio programs. She became a publicist for Christian and country music artists and a writer for trade and consumer publications such as CBA, Christian Retailing, Focus on the Family publications, CCM Magazine, and others.
She spent seven years working as Publicity Director and then Marketing Director at Thomas Nelson Publishers (now Harper Collins Christian Publishing) where she directed hundreds of publicity and marketing campaigns. In 2004 Blythe moved to Colorado and worked as the Product Development Manager for Ransomed Heart Ministries founded by New York Times bestselling authors John and Stasi Eldredge. She opened her agency in 2005, and is a member of CBA and AWSA.
Blythe has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Mass Communication from Auburn University with a minor in Journalism. She lives in Colorado Springs with her husband, daughter, and boy/girl twins. Blythe actively works with the next generation ministry at their church and loves talking about God, exploring places and conversations with her family, and watching Auburn football games and Hallmark movies with Starbucks in hand.
Blythe and her mother Helen McIntosh are the co-authors of Mended: Restoring the Hearts of Mothers and Daughters (Harvest House Publishers, 2019).
Notes
This literary agent represents:
FICTION: Children’s Fiction * Christian Fiction * Family Saga * General Fiction * Inspirational Fiction * Juvenile Fiction * Picture Book * Religious * Women’s Fiction *
NONFICTION: Christian * Cooking/Cookbook * Cultural/Social Issues * Education * Family * General Nonfiction * Gift/Novelty * Inspiration * Juvenile * Lifestyle * Memoir * Religion * Spirituality * Women’s Issues *
P.O. Box 64197 Colorado Springs CO 80962-4197 USA
Greg Daniel
Daniel Literary GroupDO NOT QUERY – THIS AGENT IS NOT CURRENTLY ACCEPTING UNSOLICITED SUBMISSIONSQuery method(s): Email *Biography
Greg Daniel is a literary agent with the Daniel Literary Group. Greg Daniel founded Daniel Literary Group in early 2007 after more than ten years in publishing, six of which were at the executive level at Thomas Nelson Publishers where he was Vice President and Associate Publisher for W Publishing Group, a trade book division of Thomas Nelson.
Greg has had the honor of working with such critically acclaimed authors as Sara Miles, Jon Sweeney, Scot McKnight, River Jordan, Matthew Paul Turner, David Dark, and Debbie Blue. Greg has also been involved with publishing books by a number of celebrity personalities, including Bono, George Foreman, and “Black Hawk Down” hero Cpt Jeff Struecker.
With his publishing background, Greg brings a keen editorial eye to the projects he represents. He teaches writing workshops at a handful of conferences each year. Greg also provides consulting services to authors who need help determining their best entryway into publishing in an ever-evolving market.
Notes
This literary agent represents:
FICTION:
NONFICTION: Biography * Business * Christian * Cultural/Social Issues * General Nonfiction * History * Lifestyle * Memoir * Money/Finance * Narrative * Pop Culture * Practical * Reference * Religion * Science * Spirituality * Sports *
Margaret Danko
High Line Literary Collective/Paper Over BoardDO NOT QUERY – THIS AGENT IS NOT CURRENTLY ACCEPTING UNSOLICITED SUBMISSIONSQuery method(s): Email *Biography
Margaret Danko is a literary agent with Paper Over Board and part of the High Line Literary Collective. She holds an MFA in Creative Writing from Temple University, where she studied under best-selling authors of fiction and nonfiction, and received her Bachelor’s in Creative Writing, Archaeology and Anthropology from Oberlin College. She began her career as the Editor & Managing Editor of Temple University’s literary publication, TINGE Magazine, and worked as an author coach, developmental editor, and agency administrator before joining the Paper Over Board team full-time.
Margaret is passionate about empowering authors to find the voice and the story that will engage and inspire each and every person who picks up their book and seeks projects in both fiction and nonfiction that encourage readers to view themselves and the world around them in a new light. She lives in New Jersey with her husband and two cats, working fastidiously in her free time to keep her plants alive and her cupboards full of tea.
Notes
This literary agent represents:
FICTION: Family Saga * Historical * Horror * Humor Fiction * Literary * Magical Realism * Romance * Suspense * Upmarket Fiction * Women’s Fiction *
NONFICTION: Cooking/Cookbook * Environment * General Nonfiction * Health/Wellness * Humor * Lifestyle * Mind/Body/Spirit * Multicultural * New Age * Politics * Psychology * Science * Spirituality * True Crime *
Biography
Jon Michael Darga is a literary agent with Aevitas Creative Management. He represents titles across a diverse range of genres, including, most recently, the biography Vivian Maier Developed by Ann Marks, the cookbook Cookies: The New Classics by Jesse Szewczyk (named a Best Cookbook of 2021 by the New York Times), the photography book Portrait of an Artist by Hugo Huerta Marin, and the New York Times bestselling oral history of “Grey’s Anatomy” How to Save a Life by Lynette Rice.
Darga graduated from the University of Michigan with Honors with a BA in English and Creative Writing, and later attended the Columbia University publishing program. Before coming to Aevitas, he was an editor at Crown, a division within Penguin Random House, where he worked on several bestsellers and award winners.
Darga represents both non-fiction and fiction as an Aevitas agent based in Michigan. He is most interested in voice-driven pop culture writing, non-fiction histories that re-cast the narrative by emphasizing unexpected or unheard voices, and both adult and young adult commercial fiction that features diverse casts and new stories. He is not looking for genre fiction like political/crime thrillers, fantasy/sci-fi, or non-fiction in the self-help/how-to/business categories.
Notes
This literary agent represents:
FICTION: Action/Adventure * Commercial * Contemporary * Family Saga * Fantasy * Gay/Lesbian Fiction * Horror * Literary * Mystery * Romance * Upmarket Fiction * Women’s Fiction * Young Adult Fiction *
NONFICTION: Art * Biography * Celebrity * Cooking/Cookbook * Cultural/Social Issues * Film/Entertainment * Food/Drinks * Gay/Lesbian * History * Humor * Journalism * Memoir * Music * Narrative * Photography * Pop Culture * True Adventure * True Crime *
19 W. 21st Street Suite 501 New York NY 10010 USA
Biography
Liz Darhansoff is a literary agent with Darhansoff & Verrill Literary Agents. She founded her eponymous agency in 1975 after spells at Atheneum, Random House, and ICM. She has been partners with Chuck Verrill since 1989, and together they have solidified a reputation among publishers for representing quality writers and lasting work. Currently, she takes on select projects with an emphasis on fiction and narrative nonfiction.
Notes
This literary agent represents:
FICTION: Children’s Fiction * Commercial * Ethnic Fiction * Fantasy * Gay/Lesbian Fiction * General Fiction * Literary * Mainstream * Multicultural Fiction * Picture Book * Science Fiction * Suspense * Thriller * Women’s Fiction * Young Adult Fiction *
NONFICTION: Art * Autobiography * Biography * Business * Current Events/Affairs * Ethnic * Gay/Lesbian * General Nonfiction * History * Humor * Juvenile * Memoir * Money/Finance * Multicultural * Narrative * Politics * Sports *
275 Fair Street Suite 17D Kingston NY 12401 USA
Arielle Datz
Dunow, Carlson & Lerner Literary AgencyAAR/AALA MemberQuery method(s): Email * Postal Mail *Biography
Arielle Datz is a literary agent with Dunow, Carlson, & Lerner. She started as an intern at Dunow, Carlson, & Lerner in 2011. She then worked in the foreign rights department at WME, followed by 2 years at the Elizabeth Kaplan Literary Agency. She returned to DCLA in 2015. She is looking for fiction (adult, YA, or middle-grade), especially speculative fantasy or literary sci-fi. In nonfiction, she is looking for essays, unconventional memoir, pop culture, and sociology.
Notes
This literary agent represents:
FICTION: Commercial * Literary * Young Adult Fiction *
NONFICTION: Cultural/Social Issues * Memoir * Pop Culture *
27 West 20th Street Suite 1107 New York NY 10011 USA
Biography
Beth Davey is a literary agent with Davey Literary & Media Management. Beth has spent over 25 years as a vice president and director of publicity and corporate communications at major houses such as Ballantine Books (six years), Little, Brown (13 years), and Rodale (two years). During the course of her career she worked with many distinguished authors such as David Sedaris, James Patterson, Rick Moody, Michael Connelly, Anita Shreve, Malcolm Gladwell, George Pelecanos, Seymour Hersh, George Stephanopoulos, Joy Bauer, Gary Vaynerchuk, Peter Greenberg, Renee Loux, L.L. Cool J, David Kidder, and Noah Oppenheim. Beth has excellent relationships with all the major media and works regularly with the top print, broadcast, and online media including 60 Minutes, Oprah, Today, NPR, USA Today, Huffington Post.com, Slate.com, to name a few. Beth works closely with her authors and publishers to provide the best media and marketing exposure to maximize a book’s potential. For two years she worked as a publicity consultant at Inkwell Management, a literary agency. Beth has been active in the Publishers Publicity Association where she served as president for two terms and treasurer for three terms, and has spoken at writers’ seminars and conferences about the publishing industry.
Notes
This literary agent represents:
FICTION: Children’s Fiction * Commercial * Crime/Detective/Police * General Fiction * Literary * Mystery * Picture Book * Romance * Thriller * Young Adult Fiction *
NONFICTION: Biography * Celebrity * Cooking/Cookbook * Current Events/Affairs * Dating/Relationship/Sex * General Nonfiction * History * Journalism * Memoir * Politics * Religion * Spirituality *
106 W. 13th Street Suite 17 New York NY 10011 USA
Jiton Sharmayne Davidson
Serendipity Literary AgencyDO NOT QUERY – THIS AGENT IS NOT CURRENTLY ACCEPTING UNSOLICITED SUBMISSIONSQuery method(s): Online Form *Biography
Jiton Sharmayne Davidson is a literary agent with the Serendipity Literary Agency. Born in the final year of the Baby Boom, Jiton sees herself as a bridge between the Black Power/Black Arts movements of the late 1960s and the Hip Hop generation. As a literary historian and activist, Jiton has sat at the knee of black literary legends, such as Sam Greenlee, Gwendolyn Brooks, Amiri Baraka, Ntozake Shange, Toni Morrison, Sonia Sanchez, Nikki Giovanni, Haki Madhubuti, and so many others. Today, Jiton nurtures her revolutionary spirit by seeking and promoting the stories of those who are not a part of the mainstream literary canon, but whose contributions to society helped to transform the consciousness of a generation with poetry, plays, and literary works of revolution.
Jiton has been a writer/scholar for most of her life. She received her MA in African American literature from Howard University and pursued further graduate studies in African American literature at Penn State University. Jiton then earned her MFA in Writing for Children & Young Adults from Vermont College of Fine Arts. She was reborn. Her love of children led her to teach creative writing to students from second grade through high school, and to become a certified children’s yoga instructor. As a literacy advocate, Jiton’s mission is to ensure that children of color see themselves reflected in both “Own Voices” and mainstream books, with a diversity of characters. Jiton believes that all children’s books have the potential to spark young minds and inspire organic change.
Notes
This literary agent represents:
FICTION: Chapter Book * Children’s Fiction * Commercial * Ethnic Fiction * Fantasy * Juvenile Fiction * Literary * Middle Grade Fiction * Multicultural Fiction * Picture Book * Science Fiction * Young Adult Fiction *
NONFICTION: Ethnic * Juvenile * Memoir * Middle Grade * Multicultural * Narrative * Young Adult *
Biography
Kaylee Davis is a literary agent with Dee Mura Literary. Growing up in The Middle of Nowhere, Ohio, Kaylee’s lifeline to sanity was the local library where she nurtured her love of all things literary. Kaylee received a B.A. in English Literature and a B.A. in Sociology from Miami University, and she is certified in Copyediting from Emerson College. Recognized for her obsessive-compulsive attention to detail and crazy-fast reading ability, Kaylee joined the team as a professional copyeditor, proofreader, and administrative assistant. She has recently been promoted to Associate Literary Agent.
Notes
This literary agent represents:
FICTION: Contemporary * Fantasy * Gay/Lesbian Fiction * General Fiction * Literary * Middle Grade Fiction * Science Fiction * Thriller * Young Adult Fiction *
NONFICTION: Gay/Lesbian * General Nonfiction * Middle Grade * Young Adult *
P.O. Box 131 Massapequa Park NY 11762 USA
Naomi Davis
BookEnds Literary AgencyDO NOT QUERY – THIS AGENT IS NOT CURRENTLY ACCEPTING UNSOLICITED SUBMISSIONSQuery method(s): Online Form *Biography
Naomi Davis is a literary agent with the BookEnds Literary Agency. Authors have always been Naomi Davis’s superheroes. Growing up in Minnesota, they spent their elementary years pretending they were every character in every book they read. A life-long writer and author-fanatic, they have a mild to moderate obsession with slippers, and sing in two philharmonic choirs.
Working with authors and incredible colleagues at BookEnds Literary Agency has been a dream come true for Naomi.
Naomi has a passion for helping authors develop stakes, voice immersion, and tension to a story’s highest possible potential, and often tweets about strategies for accomplishing those goals on their Twitter.
They seek dynamic, character-driven adult and young adult titles in fantasy, sci-fi, and romance, and represent select middle grade and picture book authors. Naomi also has an interest in stories that blend the fantastic with the realistic, and is eager for books that cross between women’s fiction and fantasy, or contemporary fiction and sci fi or fantasy.
Naomi is particularly passionate about finding new fantasy and sci-fi settings with unique magical structures that surprise the reader and change the rules readers associate with those worlds. They write powerful, intricate characters in explosive SFF settings.
Notes
This literary agent represents:
FICTION: Fantasy * Middle Grade Fiction * Romance * Science Fiction *
NONFICTION: Beauty/Fashion/Style * Cooking/Cookbook * Food/Drinks * Parenting/Child Guidance *
Biography
Reiko Davis is a literary agent with DeFiore and Company. Before joining DeFiore in early 2016, Reiko Davis was an associate agent at Miriam Altshuler Literary Agency. She grew up in Kansas City, received her BA in Comparative Literature and Art History from Brown University, and is a graduate of the Columbia Publishing Course.
Reiko’s interests are varied, but she is particularly drawn to narrative journalism on the topics of pop culture, science/psychology, and current events as well as memoir that focuses on social justice, issues of race and gender, and the history and experiences of women and people of color. For fiction, she’s primarily looking for upmarket and literary novels, specifically set in contemporary times. She loves young, underrepresented voices, magical realism, and voice driven coming-of-age stories. On the children’s side, she’s actively looking for YA and middle grade projects that aren’t afraid to tackle big questions or important emotional truths, and do so through remarkable storytelling, humor, and heart.
Right now she’s especially on the lookout for middle grade nonfiction projects (STEM focused, DIY, inspirational, activist driven, historical) and for adult rom com. She’d also love to connect with promising writers of short fiction with a strong initial publication record with magazines/literary journals who are now at work on a story collection and/or a debut novel.
She’s not looking for adult genre fiction (fantasy, sci-fi, thriller) or nonfiction with a highly prescriptive bent.
Notes
This literary agent represents:
FICTION: Contemporary * Ethnic Fiction * Family Saga * General Fiction * Historical * Humor Fiction * Literary * Middle Grade Fiction * Multicultural Fiction * Romance * Short Story Collection * Upmarket Fiction *
NONFICTION: Cultural/Social Issues * Ethnic * General Nonfiction * History * Journalism * Middle Grade * Multicultural * Narrative * Women’s Issues *
47 E. 19th St. 3rd Floor New York NY 10003 USA
Liza Dawson
Liza Dawson AssociatesDO NOT QUERY – THIS AGENT IS NOT CURRENTLY ACCEPTING UNSOLICITED SUBMISSIONSQuery method(s): Email *Biography
Liza Dawson is a literary agent with Liza Dawson Associates. Liza established Liza Dawson Associates following a successful 20-year career in book publishing, including posts as executive editor of Putnam Publishing and executive editor at William Morrow. She received her B.A. in history from Duke University and is a graduate of the Radcliffe Publishing Procedures course.
Liza is on the board of the AAR (the Association of Author’s Representatives). She belongs to the Author’s Guild, the Mystery Writers of America, International Thriller Writers Inc and The Women’s Media Group.
Notes
This literary agent represents:
FICTION: Children’s Fiction * Commercial * Crime/Detective/Police * Ethnic Fiction * Espionage/Military * Fantasy * General Fiction * Historical * Humor Fiction * Juvenile Fiction * Literary * Middle Grade Fiction * Multicultural Fiction * Mystery * Romance * Science Fiction * Sports Fiction * Suspense * Thriller * Upmarket Fiction * Women’s Fiction * Young Adult Fiction * Contemporary *
NONFICTION: Biography * Business * Cultural/Social Issues * Environment * Ethnic * General Nonfiction * Health/Wellness * History * Humor * Journalism * Juvenile * Lifestyle * Memoir * Middle Grade * Mind/Body/Spirit * Money/Finance * Multicultural * Narrative * Science * Sports * Women’s Issues * Young Adult *
Biography
Jacques de Spoelberch is a literary agent with J de S Associates. Jacques founded his literary agency in 1975 after being an editor at Houghton Mifflin both in Boston and New York, and having been the first Editorial Director of International Literary Management in New York.
Mr. de Spoelberch’s interests, as editor and agent, have been broad-based…generalist fiction and non-fiction, both literary and commercial, but with the occasional penchant towards the mischievous, the comedic, the idiosyncratic, and even the noir.
Recently published books Mr. de Spoelberch represents are Laurie Wilson’s biography Louise Nevelson: Architect of Shadows, Joshilyn Jackson’s novel The Almost Sisters, and Margaret George’s new historical The Confessions of Young Nero. And to be published in 2018 are Jon Michael Varese’s novel The Spirit Photographer, Haroon Ullah’s House of Heroin: Inside the Secret Billion Dollar Narco-Terror Empire, Peter Shinkle’s biography of Robert Cutler Ike’s Mystery Man, Michael Witwer, Kyle Peterson, Kyle Newman, and Sam Witwer’s Dungeons and Dragons: A Visual History, Heather Clark’s biography Sylvia Plath: Her Life in Art, and John Heminway’s book on Dr. Anne Spoerry In Full Flight: A Story of Africa and Atonement.
Notes
This literary agent represents:
FICTION: Commercial * Crime/Detective/Police * General Fiction * Humor Fiction * Literary * Mystery * Satire *
NONFICTION: General Nonfiction * Humor * True Crime * Upmarket *
9 Shagbark Rd. South Norwalk CT 06854 USA
Biography
Jennifer DeChiara is a literary agent with Jennifer DeChiarra Literary Agency. Jennifer is also President and Owner of the agency, which she founded in 2001. Before forming the agency, Jennifer was a literary agent with two established New York agencies, worked in the editorial departments of Simon & Schuster and Random House, and was a writing consultant for several major corporations. A New York City-based writer, she is a frequent guest judge for the WRITER’S DIGEST, WOW! WOMEN ON WRITING, and THAT FIRST LINE writing contests, among others, and is a frequent guest lecturer on publishing and the art of writing at universities and writers conferences throughout the country, which have included New York University’s Summer Publishing Institute, the Penticton, Canada Writers Conference, the San Diego State University Writers Conference, Backspace, the International Women’s Writing Guild, and the Learning Annex.
Notes
This literary agent represents:
FICTION: Chick Lit * Children’s Fiction * Commercial * Crime/Detective/Police * General Fiction * Juvenile Fiction * Literary * Middle Grade Fiction * Mystery * Picture Book * Suspense * Thriller * Women’s Fiction * Young Adult Fiction *
NONFICTION: Art * Autobiography * Biography * Celebrity * Film/Entertainment * Fitness * Gay/Lesbian * General Nonfiction * Health/Wellness * Memoir * Pop Culture * Self-Help/Personal Development * Spirituality *
245 Park Avenue 39th Floor New York NY 10167 USA
Stacia Decker
Dunow, Carlson & Lerner Literary AgencyDO NOT QUERY – THIS AGENT IS NOT CURRENTLY ACCEPTING UNSOLICITED SUBMISSIONSQuery method(s): Postal Mail *Biography
Stacia Decker is a literary agent with Dunow, Carlson & Lerner. Stacia Decker has been agenting since 2009. Previously, she worked at the Donald Maass Literary Agency and, as an editor, at Harcourt and Otto Penzler Books. She began her career as an intern and then editorial assistant at Farrar, Straus & Giroux after earning an MFA in nonfiction writing from Columbia University and an AB in Government and English from Georgetown University. She represents high-concept literary and speculative fiction, commercial thrillers, crime/mystery fiction, and sci-fi fantasy. She is partial to strong voices, fast-paced plotting, and near-future or cross-genre elements.
Notes
This literary agent represents:
FICTION: Fantasy * General Fiction * Literary * Science Fiction * Suspense * Thriller * Upmarket Fiction *
NONFICTION:
Biography
Brian DeFiore is a literary agent with DeFiore and Company. Brian began his career in 1981 as an editor at St. Martin’s Press. In 1988 he moved to Dell Publishing as senior editor, quickly moving up to the position of Vice President and Editorial Director of Delacorte Press. In 1992 he joined The Walt Disney Company’s start-up publishing operation, Hyperion, where he served for five years as Associate Publisher and Editor-in-Chief. In 1997, he took over the Villard Books division of Random House as Senior Vice President and Publisher.
Some of the authors Brian worked with as an editor and publisher include Ridley Pearson, T. Jefferson Parker, James Lee Burke, Ken Follett, Daniel Silva, Eve Ensler, Jon Krakauer, Jack Olsen, Leonard Nimoy, Jesse Green, Roger Kahn, M. Scott Peck, Linda Barnes and Bill Carter. Brian started the agency in 1999. He currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Association of Authors Representatives, is the Chair of the AAR Electronic Rights Committee, and is on the faculty of The Center for Publishing at New York University.
Notes
This literary agent represents:
FICTION: Crime/Detective/Police * General Fiction * Humor Fiction * Juvenile Fiction * Literary * Mystery * Thriller * Young Adult Fiction *
NONFICTION: Art * Biography * Business * Cooking/Cookbook * Food/Drinks * General Nonfiction * Health/Wellness * Humor * Inspiration * Lifestyle * Memoir * Mind/Body/Spirit * Money/Finance * Narrative * Photography * Pop Culture * Reference * Science * Self-Help/Personal Development * Sports * Young Adult *
47 E. 19th St. 3rd Floor New York NY 10003 USA
Biography
Callie Deitrick is a literary agent with Wendy Sherman Associates. She graduated from Hamilton College in 2016 with a major in creative writing and a minor in art and completed the Columbia Publishing Course in 2017. Professionally, she has worked as a publicity and editorial intern at Europa Editions, as an editorial intern at Henry Holt, where she illustrated the cover of Number One Chinese Restaurant, and as a bookseller at Little Joe’s. She has been working as an assistant at Wendy Sherman Associates since the fall of 2018 and is currently looking to take on clients.
Callie is interested in books that change the way we look at the world, whether that is through magical realism, investigative research, or unique perspectives. In whatever she reads, Callie is drawn to strong and unusual voices and thought-provoking and moving stories. She is primarily interested in adult literary or upmarket-commercial fiction and narrative nonfiction. A few books Callie loved reading recently were The Friend by Sigrid Nunez, Pretend I’m Dead by Jen Beagin, Convenience Store Woman by Sayaka Murata, and Made for Love by Alissa Nutting.
Notes
This literary agent represents:
FICTION: Commercial * Contemporary * General Fiction * Literary * Magical Realism * Upmarket Fiction *
NONFICTION: General Nonfiction * Investigative * Journalism * Narrative *
138 W. 25th St. Suite 1018 New York NY 10001 USA
Biography
Joelle Delbourgo is a literary agent with Joelle Delbourgo Associates. Joëlle Delbourgo is President and Founder of Joëlle Delbourgo Associates. She represents a broad range of adult nonfiction and fiction, as well as a select and growing list of young adult and middle grade fiction and nonfiction.
Joelle’s authors include New York Times bestselling fiction writer Ben H. Winters, author of the acclaimed novel, Underground Airlines and winner of both the Edgar Award and the Philip K. Dick Award (The Last Policeman, Countdown City, World of Trouble) and New York Times bestselling author, Dale Russakoff (The Prize: Who’s in Charge of America’s Schools), Jim Obergefell, named plaintiff in the Supreme Court marriage equality case (Obergefell v. Hodges), Dr. Michele Borba, award-winning educator and parenting contributor to The Today Show (author of UNSELFIE), New York Times bestselling authors Dr. Susan Forward, Ashley Rhodes-Courter (Three Little Words) Missy Chase Lapine (The Sneaky Chef), Congresswoman and DNC Chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz (For the Next Generation), Israel Meir Lau (former Chief Rabbi of Israel), breast cancer awareness crusader Geralyn Lucas (Why I Wore Lipstick, Then Came Life), Pulitzer Prize-winning Wall Street Journal writers Ellen E. Schultz and Geeta Anand, classicist Philip Freeman (Julius Caesar, Alexander the Great), American Public Media host of Marketplace and Sound Money, Chris Farrell (Un-Retirement), Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Debbie Cenziper (Washington Post), religious scholar and award-winning documentarian, Simcha Jacobovici (co-author of The Lost Gospel), among many others.
Prior to founding Joëlle Delbourgo Associates, Delbourgo was a senior editorial executive at HarperCollins and Random House for more than two decades. The authors she published included Ken Davis, Abraham Verghese, Lee Smith, Barbara Tuchman, Carl Sagan, Robert Massie, James P. McPherson, Jim Davis, Sophy Burnham, Delia Ephron and Margaret George. She began her career at Bantam Books, where she discovered and launched the Choose Your Own Adventure series for kids, which sold millions of copies worldwide.
Joëlle is a member of AAR (Association of Authors’ Representatives).
She holds a Master of the Arts in English and Comparative Literature with Honors from Columbia University, and a Bachelor of the Arts from Williams College, where she graduated Magna Cum Laude, Phi Beta Kappa with a double concentration in History and English Literature. She also attended Vassar College. Joëlle is as sought-after speaker, panelist, workshop leader and instructor at writing conferences, such as the Madison Writers Institute, the Pacific Northwest Writers Conference, Jackson Hole Writers Conference, and also teaches each year at Rancho La Puerta (“Rancho Reads and Writes”). Born in Alexandria, Egypt, she has lived on three continents, is fluent in French, and considers herself to be a citizen of the world. The mother of two gainfully employed millennials, she is an ardent student of Latin and ballroom dance and makes a mean chocolate mousse.
Notes
This literary agent represents:
FICTION: Children’s Fiction * Ethnic Fiction * Fantasy * General Fiction * Historical * Juvenile Fiction * Literary * Middle Grade Fiction * Multicultural Fiction * Mystery * New Adult * Romance * Science Fiction * Suspense * Thriller * Women’s Fiction * Young Adult Fiction *
NONFICTION: Biography * Business * Computers * Cooking/Cookbook * Crafts * Cultural/Social Issues * Current Events/Affairs * Dating/Relationship/Sex * Diet/Nutrition * Environment * Ethnic * Family * Film/Entertainment * Food/Drinks * Gardening * Health/Wellness * History * Juvenile * Lifestyle * Memoir * Middle Grade * Mind/Body/Spirit * Money/Finance * Multicultural * Narrative * Nature * Parenting/Child Guidance * Politics * Pop Culture * Psychology * Reference * Science * Self-Help/Personal Development * Sports * Technology * Travel * True Crime * Young Adult *
101 Park St. Montclair NJ 07042 USA
Biography
Stephanie Delman is a literary agent with and a founding partner of Trellis Literary Management. She spent 10 years building her list at Sanford J. Greenburger Associates before co-founding Trellis Literary Management in the fall of 2021. Stephanie is focused on adult fiction: literary/upmarket, maximalist storytelling, near-historical and non-Eurocentric historical fiction, psychologically propulsive suspense, and literary novels that play with genre and dip a toe into the speculative, magical, and/or fantastical. Stephanie also represents a limited selection of memoir/narrative nonfiction projects by authors with established platforms and diverse perspectives. Her clients include New York Times and international bestsellers, National Endowment for the Arts, Tin House, and Kundiman fellows, Rona Jaffe and Harper Lee award winners, Barnes & Noble Discover authors, and more.
Stephanie is interested in the concept of hauntology—the ways in which we are physically, intergenerationally, and psychologically haunted. She is also seeking projects that use elements of horror and surrealism to illuminate contemporary fears and societal injustice. For projects that reach beyond the darkness, Stephanie is drawn to tenderness, vulnerability, humor, and whimsy, and to writers with literary dexterity, who can write across genres.
Stephanie studied Writing Seminars at Johns Hopkins University and considers herself a “hands-on” agent, both editorially and as an advocate. She was raised in Northern California and has lived in Brooklyn, NY for the past ten years. Before building her own list, Stephanie worked in foreign rights at Sanford J. Greenburger Associates and as an assistant to the president, where she helped broker international deals across 50+ foreign languages.
Stephanie’s favorite non-client authors (if your work is similar, please get in touch!): Alexander Chee, Carmen Maria Machado, Jesmyn Ward, Rebecca Makkai, Lauren Groff, Brit Bennett, R.O. Kwon, Nicole Krauss, Emily St. John Mandel.
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This literary agent represents:
FICTION: Contemporary * Fantasy * Historical * Horror * Literary * Magical Realism * Suspense * Upmarket Fiction * Women’s Fiction *
NONFICTION: Cultural/Social Issues * Film/Entertainment * Memoir * Narrative * Pop Culture * True Crime *
USA
Biography
Andrianna deLone is a literary agent with CAA/ICM.
Notes
This literary agent represents:
FICTION: Children’s Fiction * General Fiction * Picture Book *
NONFICTION: Cooking/Cookbook * Food/Drinks * General Nonfiction * Memoir *
65 East 55th Street 14th Floor New York NY 10022 USA
Biography
Mary DeMuth is a literary agent with the Books & Such Literary Agency. She can’t remember when she didn’t write. From journals to letters to poems, Mary wrote her way through life.
The most important thing you need to know about Mary is she loves Jesus. She writes, speaks, and podcasts about how he’s transformed and re-storied her life.
Before she was published, Mary set pretend deadlines for herself and met them early. She wrote millions of unpublished words, honing her craft and perfecting her voice. After a meeting with a published author who guarded publishing information like a state secret, Mary vowed that if she ever figured out how to get published, she would share it with any aspiring author. Since then, she’s been pouring into new and established authors through intensives, conference speaking, one on one coaching, and mastermind groups.
Mary has made every single mistake an author can make, but she’s also learned resiliency. She is unafraid to try new things. This is her superpower in helping you navigate the intricacies of the publishing and platform journey. She’s been there. She’s walked through rejection, success, deadlines, platform creation, web presence, content creation, and social media building. Since she’s been in the author trenches, she’s better equipped to understand your pathway toward publication and success.
To date, Mary has written more than 40 books—both nonfiction and fiction. She has spoken all over the world, helping writers hone their message, write powerfully, and get noticed. Her podcast, Pray Every Day, has surpassed a million downloads and has been listened to in more than 150 countries. In her spare time, she creates small scale art projects for her Etsy shop.
A former church planter in Southern France, Mary has a heart for the world. She is a mom to three adult children and the wife of Patrick for thirty years. They make their home in beautiful Rockwall, Texas.
Mary is looking for adult nonfiction Christian living titles, particularly those with a bent toward spiritual growth, devotionals, discipleship, and the global church. She’s also interested in well-crafted upmarket fiction.
Notes
This literary agent represents:
FICTION:
NONFICTION: Business * Christian * Design * General Nonfiction * Health/Wellness * Lifestyle * Psychology * Religion * Spirituality *
Rockwall TX USA
Biography
Vincent dePaul Lupiano is a literary agent with the Rudy Agency. She is a published author and a talent hunter. While significantly historical, his non-fiction WWII book, Operation Tidal: The Bloodiest Air Battle in the History of War, focuses on five main characters in the story that make the narrative compelling beyond cold facts. Vince’s recent political thriller, One Minute to Midnight, has a tough but flawed female character seeking the truth about the woman in the mirror.
Notes
This literary agent represents:
FICTION: Action/Adventure * Historical * Thriller * Women’s Fiction *
NONFICTION: History * Military/War *
USA
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About Mark Malatesta
MARK MALATESTA is a former literary agent turned author coach. Mark now helps authors of all genres (fiction, nonfiction, and children’s books) get top literary agents, publishers, and book deals through his company Literary Agent Undercover and The Bestselling Author. Mark’s authors have gotten six-figure book deals, been on the NYT bestseller list, and published with houses such as Random House, Scholastic, and Thomas Nelson. Click here to learn more about Mark Malatesta and click here for Reviews of Mark Malatesta.
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Author Coaching Testimonials
“Mark, finding you has been both a treat and a treasure—I just signed a contract with my new literary agent!
My career has spanned publishing, TV, and feature film. I’ve served as Creative Dir. for the Magazine Group, TIME Inc.; Dir. of Time World News Service, a Founding Dir. of TIME-Life Films; Exec. Prod. for both the CBS and NBC TV Networks; Prod./Dir.: Movies of the Week: CBS Cinema Center Films and Universal MCA.
In today’s publishing marketplace, agents come and go. They also very often seem to just want an easy pathway to make a buck. Many authors are let go by their agents because their last book didn’t do well enough and the agent doesn’t want to devote the time to help the author. That’s not what you’re about Mark. Even established authors need this type of support in today’s marketplace.”
Author of ten fiction and nonfiction books
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“I’m psyched to have this be official. After getting five different offers for representation from top literary agents, I signed with Stephanie Tade who got me a 6-figure book deal with Penguin!
Getting multiple agents interested in my work was really important to me. I’ve dealt with agents before and gotten screwed on things contractually so I wanted to do it differently this time. I wanted choices.
Having you help me create that, and navigate my options, was really helpful. I heard other authors talk about their great relationships with their agents and it made me want the same thing. Now I have that.”
Author of Woman on Fire
(Penguin Books)
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“After sending out the query Mark revised for me, I had the opportunity to speak with literary agents from top agencies such as Janklow & Nesbit, Trident Media, Anderson Lit, and Folio. I signed with Don Fehr at Trident and, a short time later I had a publishing contract with Berkley Books, which recently published my book in hardcover.
Before that, I sent my query letter out on my own to 30 or 40 agents and got a lot of rejections. I then found Mark online while I was researching agents. I was surprised that he offered so much during his initial consultation—for a very modest amount of money.
I don’t know what would have happened if I hadn’t worked with Mark. I can’t even imagine that now though, because of the grief and detours I experienced before we worked together. It was a time-consuming pain in the neck. If you want to get the attention of top literary agents and publishers, there is no substitute for working with an insider. You can’t beat experience. And having Mark on your side is incredibly valuable.”
Author of Single Handed
(Berkley Books, a Division of Penguin Random House)
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“AHHH! OMG, it happened! I got three offers of representation for my children’s picture book in the United States, even though I live abroad! When I woke up and found the first offer for representation in my email in box, I wanted to scream. But my family was still asleep so I couldn’t. 🙂
Just 8 minutes after I sent a query letter to one of my favorite agents, she replied and asked to see my manuscript. A short time later we had a lovely conversation. She was interested in representing me and sounded very positive and enthusiastic about my book. Since I also got offers from two other agents, I had to turn two of them down. One of them was upset and it felt like I was breaking her heart, but you just have to do it. I kept reminding myself that this is a good problem to have!”
Author/Illustrator of Lon-Lon’s Big Night
and many other children’s books
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“Mark, after you helped me land a top literary agent, I got publishing offers from THREE well-known publishers: Amacom, Palgrave Macmillan, and McGraw-Hill (they’re publishing my book in hardcover)!
I was at Disneyworld with my family, in the Haunted Mansion, when I got the call. I went outside and listened to the voicemail message from my agent. A huge smile came over my face. It was a fantastic feeling. For a moment I felt like life was perfect and the angels were singing.
You’re filling an important need so I’ll say this to every other author reading this testimonial. Mark showed me that getting a top literary agent is a science. If you’ve written a book, or you’re in the process, you’ve already invested a lot—a lot more than money. Don’t stop yourself from getting out there to fulfill your purpose and dreams. Thank you so, so much, Mark!!!”
Author of Customer Focused Process Innovation (McGraw Hill)
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“I got a book deal! After I started sending out my new query letter I had 6 literary agents request my manuscript in a short amount of time, which is awesome. Then, within 2 weeks of my agent starting to pitch my story to publishers, we had an offer. I signed a book contract yesterday. A little while later my agent told me that a TV co-producer asked for more info about my book.
By the way, the acquiring editor that fell in love with the manuscript jumped in with both feet and we just worked out our timeline for publication. She’s as passionate about getting my book out as I am, and that means everything. She read the manuscript in two days and said she couldn’t put it down. And the book is going to be published as a hardcover!”
Author of A Chick in the Cockpit
(Behler Publications)
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“Thank you Mark! After you helped me get a well-known agent with Hartline Literary Agency (for my previously self-published murder mystery), he got me a deal with an American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) approved publisher. I’m hard-pressed to find anything that I had an expectation for that you didn’t deliver on.
Before I worked with you I sent out queries, but no one ever requested my complete manuscript. Comparing your new version of my query to the one I wrote before, I can see a vast difference.
I’ve been in business for 35 years so I’m not just saying this… what you’re doing is phenomenal. There are other people offering similar services, but the difference is your success. Others might say they do similar things but, if you research them, they don’t have your background or track record.”
Author of The Rector
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“Mark, you’re a miracle worker. Thanks to your help with my book, query letter, and synopsis… I now have a legitimate publisher who described my book as ‘Powerful Magic’ and it’s now available in bookstores and online!
I’m a lifelong academic writer who one day found myself writing inspired short stories that came to me in dreams and I began thinking of them as novels. That’s when I had a momentous conversation, an introductory coaching call with Mark Malatesta, the American creative writing coach, or rather, to be precise, a how-to-sell-yourself-and-your-work adviser. It was the best-spent money of my life apart (possibly) for my wedding ring.”
Author of The Black Inked Pearl
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“Within 4 minutes of sending out my query letter, a top literary called me on the phone (the #1 agent on my wish list). Less than 30 days later I had three major publishers making offers. A few days after that, I signed a deal with Random House. Mark, your query letter did that.
My agent talked about the query letter you helped me create for a long, long time. When he first called me on the phone, he hadn’t seen any of my sample chapters. It was just the query letter that did it. Communicating the right thing is so important. You are a wonderful medium helping authors find their voice and elevate their writing from just a hobby to a real business… a source from which they can both learn and earn.”
Author of Lights Out
(Random House)
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“MARK, MARK, MARK!!!!!!! Holy smokes… I just signed my book deal. First, two well-known literary agents asked to represent me. One of them responded to my query letter in less than 4 minutes!!
Then THREE different publishers wanted my book and started talking about making offers. The publisher I chose is perfect for me because they produce titles for the trade, educational, and scientific markets. And they agreed to publish my book as a hardcover!!!
When I met you, Mark, it was a pivotal time. I was under the belief that I could self-publish my book with a vanity press and then seek a publisher. I didn’t know what a literary agent was, why I needed one, or how to get one. I was wandering in the dark. You guided me in the right direction and gave me a solid plan.”
Author of Intestinal Health
(Rowman & Littlefield)
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“Boom!!! I just signed a contract with Thomas Nelson/Harper Collins for (what I’ve been told by several people) is a very large advance for a first-time author.
Before working with Mark I submitted my book to agents but didn’t get any interest. This time around I got a top NY literary agency (Fine Print Lit). What cloud is higher than 9?
I had several agencies interested before deciding to go with Fine Print. And, to be honest, all of the attention didn’t surprise me. The query letter and proposal that Mark helped me develop were incredible. Agents actually said things to me like: ‘Scott, I read your proposal and I’m just blown away by it!’ Mark is extremely talented at what he does. If you have the opportunity to work with him, take advantage of it.”
Author of The Unbreakable Boy
(Harper Collins/Thomas Nelson)