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7 Insider Secrets to Get a Top Agent, Publisher, and Book Deal (65 minutes)
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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.

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	Matthew Valentinas Kneerim & Williams Literary Query method(s): Email * Work 90 Canal St. Boston MA 02114 USAwork Work Email: submissions@kwlit.comINTERNET
Show Notes \| Show Bio	http://www.kwlit.com/ \|
Notes This literary agent represents: FICTION: General Fiction * NONFICTION: Narrative * True Crime * Biography Matthew Valentinas is a literary agent with the Kneerim & Williams Literary Agency. He joined Kneerim & Williams as an affiliated agent in 2018 and is selectively representing new authors on a referral basis. Matthew received his BFA in film and television production from the Tisch School of the Arts at New York University and earned his JD from Suffolk University Law School. He is admitted to practice in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts. Matthew is the literary manager for numerous authors and screenwriters under his Mom’s Basement Management banner handling long term career strategy for clients. Managing tasks include providing submission services, screenplay and manuscript coverage, and advising on book proposal creation. Matthew also serves as an Executive Producer on numerous film and television and digital media productions through Mom’s Basement Media Inc. which packages and produces projects based on rights acquired or represented by Matthew. As a lawyer with Sennott Williams & Rogers, Matthew advises an array of clients covering all transactional entertainment matters including authors, screenwriters, directors, producers, production companies, publishers, life-story rights, estate rights, comedians, broadcasters, actors, podcasters, and radio and television personalities. He has held business affairs positions for a major studio, an international sales agency, and two independent film and television distributors.

	Ashley Valentine Pippin Properties This agent is no longer active

	Janis Vallely Janis Valley Literary Agency Query method(s): Email * Work 11 Raup Road Chatham NY 12037 USAwork Work Email: Janvall@aol.comINTERNET
Show Notes \| Show Bio	http://www.janisvallely.com/ \| Show Map \|
Notes This literary agent represents: FICTION: NONFICTION: Autobiography * Business * Computers * Cooking/Cookbook * Current Events/Affairs * Dating/Relationship/Sex * Diet/Nutrition * Government * Health/Wellness * Inspiration * Law * Lifestyle * Medical/Medicine * Memoir * Mind/Body/Spirit * Money/Finance * Narrative * Parenting/Child Guidance * Politics * Psychology * Religion * Science * Self-Help/Personal Development * Spirituality * Technology * Upmarket * Biography Janis Vallely is a literary agent with the Janis Vallely Literary Agency. Janis is an independent literary agent with offices in New York City and Chatham, New York. Her client list includes a select group of authors and writers whose pioneering work heals the body, informs the mind, and provokes dialogue. She is best known for her ability to package complex theories and abstract ideas into bestselling books that inspire a mainstream audience. Her focus and passion is for concepts with a “twist” that break new ground in a crowded marketplace. Janis’ authors include many internationally recognized experts in the fields of science, new medicine, healthy lifestyle, self-improvement and psychology. She has helped launch New York Times Bestsellers including the EAT RIGHT FOR YOUR TYPE series of 17 books by Dr. Peter J. D’Adamo (over 5 million copies sold worldwide and translated into over 50 foreign editions) THE NO GRAIN DIET by Dr. Joseph Mercola, and CURVES by Gary Heavin and Carol Colman. Working with a stable of proven career writers, including Rachel Kranz, Lynn Lauber, Toni Robino and others, she is able to develop strong book collaborations with expert authors from inception to focused concept; and from comprehensive written proposal to accepted manuscript. She is equally effective representing authors and ghostwriters, working alone or in concert with co-agents. Additionally, Janis is proud to represent inspirational narrative and literary memoir including the National Book Award Finalist PLACES LEFT UNFINISHED AT THE TIME OF CREATION by John Phillip Santos and his long awaited next book, THE FARTHEST HOME IS IN AN EMPIRE OF FIRE (Viking, 2010). She is highly responsive to new literary voices that offer a unique perspective or exploration of personal issues. Before becoming an agent, Janis held management positions at Simon & Schuster where she was responsible for selling the reprint and serial rights to bestselling fiction and nonfiction; G.P. Putnam where she was Vice President and Subsidiary Rights Director in charge of both foreign and domestic markets; and most recently Doubleday Publishers where she was Vice President and Associate Publisher. Her background in trade publishing for over 25 years, both as a skilled marketer and editorial advisor, gives her the industry contacts, creative vision and sales expertise to launch a distinctive agency list.

	Joseph Brendan Vallely Swagger Literary Agency This agent is no longer active

	Emily van Beek Folio Literary Management Query method(s): Email * Work 630 Ninth Ave. Suite 1101 New York NY 10036 USAwork Work Email: emily@foliolitmanagement.comINTERNET
Show Notes \| Show Bio	http://www.foliojr.com/ \| Show Map \|
Notes This literary agent represents: FICTION: Children’s Fiction * Juvenile Fiction * Middle Grade Fiction * Picture Book * Young Adult Fiction * NONFICTION: Juvenile * Middle Grade * Young Adult * Biography Emily van Beek is a literary agent with Folio Literary Management. Emily moved to New York City from Toronto in 1999 armed with dual citizenship, a dream to work in children’s book publishing, and inspiration from my favorite (if clichéd) Zen magnet, “Leap and the net will appear”. Soon after my arrival in the city, I was hired as an editorial assistant at Hyperion Books for Children. During my three-and-a half year tenure at HBFC I became an editor working on projects by celebrated authors and artists, including Julie Andrews Edwards, Rosemary Wells, Susan Jeffers, and L.M. Elliott. In October of 2003, I decided to explore the view from the agent’s side of the desk, where I fell head over heels in love with my role as a literary agent. I spent the next six-and-a-half years as an agent and the rights director at Pippin Properties, Inc. Kathi Appelt’s Newbery Honor-winning THE UNDERNEATH (Atheneum/S&S, 2008), Jandy Nelson’s THE SKY IS EVERYWHERE (Dial, 2010), Jenny Han’s New York Times bestselling SUMMER series, and Erin Bow’s TD Canadian Children’s Literature Award-winning PLAIN KATE (Arthur A. Levine/Scholastic, 2010) are examples of some of the titles I represented before joining Folio in May of 2010. I hope never to retire. At Folio Jr., I am honored to represent a distinct selection of both established and debut authors and artists. I am passionate about children’s and young adult books. I am passionate about negotiating the best deal possible. I am passionate about working together with our experienced and esteemed subsidiary rights and contracts teams to squeeze as much juice out of a single property as it will yield. I find it incredibly rewarding to work with new voices (and I’m thrilled to say that I’ve discovered several irresistible projects by debut authors and artists in the submissions pile). I’m also committed to helping established authors and artists continue to grow their careers. I am an “editorial” agent, in that I’ll work through as many drafts over the course of as many years as it takes to polish a manuscript I believe in to a high shine prior to submission. My goal is to build long-term relationships with authors and to help them publish books that will stand the test of time. I am exclusively interested in acquiring projects for young and teen readers, from picture books by authors and author / artists, to authentic and fresh middle-grade fiction, to lyrical and daring YA. I’m looking for voices that won’t be ignored. I am open to considering all sorts of YA from mysteries to well-written chick lit, coming-of-age, the lyrical, the literary, and the laughable. I am looking for fiction that has an impact—whether it packs a punch or effects change with a more subtle hand, but something that can’t be put down, a manuscript that begs me to turn the page, work that changes me with the reading. I’m really, really looking for something that feels new, that I haven’t read before. I am not the best agent for fangs, claws, and wings. These topics have been very successfully published already. I’m looking for what comes after vampires and werewolves. I would love to be surprised! I believe it was Ursula Nordstrom who once wrote (of the process of considering a manuscript) something along the lines of: “If you can resist it, do.” A tough love sort of approach to the process, but it’s a litmus test I often use to help me decide if I am the right agent to represent a particular project and to help an author achieve his or her publishing goals. When it comes to picture books I am a big fan of Mo Willems’ work (who better to capture a two-year-old’s temper tantrum?! Thank you Pigeon and Trixie!) I am madly in love with anything and everything “Polly Dunbar” (so much so that I’d submit her grocery list to publishers if I could). I think Jon Muth’s work is extraordinarily beautiful and thought-provoking, Kadir Nelson’s regal and rich, and Komako Sakai’s touching and so child-friendly. In terms of middle-grade, when I was growing up I couldn’t get enough of Enid Blyton’s mystery series (Famous Five and Secret Seven omnibuses were my favorite Christmas gifts ever!) I’d love to find a contemporary MG mystery series. I’m also a fan of THE PENDERWICKS, WHEN YOU REACH ME, and THE MEANEST DOLL IN THE WORLD (gotta love Brian Selznick’s hilarious treatment of front matter). Classics that will always hold a special place in my heart include CHARLOTTE’S WEB, THE PHANTOM TOLLBOOTH, and A WRINKLE IN TIME. Young adult favorites include Lucy Christopher’s STOLEN (I can still taste the sand in my teeth and feel the burn of the Australian sun on my skin), Suzanne Collins’ HUNGER GAMES AND CATCHING FIRE, Gabrielle Zevin’s ELSEWHERE, and Shannon Hale’s works.

	Patricia van der Leun Patricia van der Leun Literary Agency This agent is no longer active

	David Van Diest Van Diest Literary Agency Query method(s): Postal Mail * Online Form * Work 34947 SE Brooks Road Boring OR 97009 USAwork
Show Notes \| Show Bio	http://christianliteraryagency.com/ \| Show Map \|
Notes This literary agent represents: FICTION: Children’s Fiction * Christian Fiction * Juvenile Fiction * Middle Grade Fiction * Religious * Young Adult Fiction * NONFICTION: Christian * Religion * Spirituality * Biography David Van Diest is a literary agent with the Van Diest Literary Agency. He started in publishing in 1988 as a telephone sales representative and quickly became manager of the Special Markets division. He accepted a position with a small Christian publisher as vice president of sales and marketing overseeing everything from marketing/sales to acquisitions and editorial. Later he focused his attention on the marketing side with one of the largest Christian publishers, where he wrote the marketing plan for The Prayer of Jabez. Though his years in the industry he has made contacts in nearly every facet of the Christian publishing process.

	Sarah Van Diest Van Diest Literary Agency Query method(s): Postal Mail * Online Form * Work 34947 SE Brooks Road Boring OR 97009 USAwork
Show Notes \| Show Bio	http://christianliteraryagency.com/ \| Show Map \|
Notes This literary agent represents: FICTION: Christian Fiction * Religious * NONFICTION: Christian * Religion * Spirituality * Biography Sarah Van Diest is a literary agent with the Van Diest Literary Agency. She has been an educator for 14 years and understands what good literature looks like. Sarah’s brother, Jeff Gerke, is in the publishing industry as an author, editor, and now owner of Marcher Lord Press. She has personally been involved in Christian publishing for over 4 years.

	Sally Van Haitsma Van Haitsma Literary DO NOT QUERY – THIS AGENT IS NOT CURRENTLY ACCEPTING UNSOLICITED SUBMISSIONSQuery method(s): Email * Postal Mail *
Show Notes \| Show Bio
Notes This literary agent represents: FICTION: Commercial * Crime/Detective/Police * General Fiction * Literary * Mainstream * Mystery * Thriller * NONFICTION: Biography * Business * Celebrity * Current Events/Affairs * Education * Film/Entertainment * General Nonfiction * History * How-To * Journalism * Lifestyle * Memoir * Money/Finance * Music * Narrative * Parenting/Child Guidance * Politics * Pop Culture * Religion * Science * Spirituality * Technology * Biography Sally van Haitsma is a literary agent with Van Haitsma Literary. Sally earned her B.A. and Masters of Communication from the University of California, San Diego, and was inducted into the prestigious Phi Beta Kappa Society. While in graduate school she supported herself as a civil litigation paralegal, and thereafter was co-owner of Altitude, an upscale retail store for tall women. Transitioning to publishing, she worked at an alternative weekly newspaper, the San Diego Reader, before agenting at the Castiglia Literary Agency. Sally lives with her husband Dirk Sutro and an eclectic library of books, in Encinitas, Calif.

	Kristin van Ogtrop InkWell Management Query method(s): Email * Work 521 Fifth Avenue Suite 2600 New York NY 10175 USAwork Work Email: submissions@inkwellmanagement.comINTERNET
Show Notes \| Show Bio	http://www.inkwellmanagement.com \| Show Map \|
Notes This literary agent represents: FICTION: Commercial * Humor Fiction * Women’s Fiction * NONFICTION: Biography * Cooking/Cookbook * How-To * Humor * Lifestyle * Memoir * Upmarket * Biography Kristin van Ogtrop is a literary agent with InkWell Management. Kristin, the former editor-in-chief of Real Simple, has joined InkWell Management as a literary agent. Under her stewardship, Real Simple became the #1 American women’s lifestyle magazine brand with a print and digital reach of 25 million and was nominated for 15 National Magazine Awards. Kristin’s blog, “Adventures in Chaos,” was nominated for a Media Industry Newsletter “Best of the Web” award, and in 2014, she was named by Fortune magazine as one of the “55 Most Influential Women on Twitter.” She is a contributor to the New York Times bestseller, The Bitch in the House and the author of Just Let Me Lie Down, published by Little, Brown. As an agent, she will represent memoir, commercial women’s fiction, humor, lifestyle and big idea books driven by counterintuitive thinking.

	Lisa Erbach Vance The Aaron M. Priest Literary Agency AAR MemberQuery method(s): Email * Work 200 W. 41st St. 21st Floor New York NY 10036 USAwork Work Email: queryvance@aaronpriest.comINTERNET
Show Notes \| Show Bio	http://www.aaronpriest.com/ \| Show Map \|
Notes This literary agent represents: FICTION: Commercial * Contemporary * Crime/Detective/Police * Family Saga * General Fiction * Historical * Literary * Multicultural Fiction * Mystery * Romance * Suspense * Thriller * Upmarket Fiction * Women’s Fiction * NONFICTION: Current Events/Affairs * History * Multicultural * Narrative * Biography Lisa Erbach Vance is a literary agent with The Aaron M. Priest Literary Agency. Lisa joined the Aaron Priest Literary Agency in 1993 as Director of Foreign Rights for Aaron Priest and began representing her own clients shortly thereafter. Her clients include Harlan Coben, Gregg Hurwitz, Glen Erik Hamilton, B.J. Daniels, Ann Howard Creel, Kathleen Sharp, Gayle Lynds, Matt Beynon Rees, Aaron and Charlotte Elkins, Amanda Stevens, Watt Key, Anthony Franze, G.M. Ford, the estate of Madeleine L’Engle, and more. Prior to joining the agency, Lisa’s publishing career began at Random House, Inc. where she was selected as one of the first participants in their new Management Trainee program, after which she became an associate in the foreign rights department at Crown Publishers. Lisa was born and raised outside of Chicago, and she has a degree in English Literature from Northwestern University. Lisa is currently most interested in and actively seeking out the following types of works: Contemporary and historical fiction, literary or commercial, especially works featuring female characters. Observant, thoughtful fiction about families and friends, with fresh perspectives on modern relationships and unique narrative voices. Propulsive, emotionally engaging thrillers—contemporary or historical, domestic or international. Moody psychological suspense. Contemporary gothic fiction. Romantic suspense. Narrative non-fiction, current or historical topics. In every category, Lisa looks for a powerful premise and characters she’ll be passionate about, in addition to great writing. Her goal is not only to sell books, but to also build long and ever-growing careers for her clients, giving each of them close and thorough attention as well as being an advocate in all aspects of the publishing process, including licensing foreign rights, audio rights, dramatic rights and more.

	Jamie Vankirk Rainbow Nerds Literary Query method(s): Email * Work Jersey City NJ USAwork Work Email: submissions@rnliterary.comINTERNET
Show Notes \| Show Bio	https://www.rnliterary.com/ \| Show Map \|
Notes This literary agent represents: FICTION: Young Adult Fiction * NONFICTION: Biography Jamie Vankirk is a literary agent with and the owner of Rainbow Nerds Literary. She was previously with Liza Dawson Associates. She is looking for young adult novels in the below genres. She is particularly interested in LGBT, POC, and other marginalized groups. Own Voices are encouraged. Contemporary Fiction—in the vein of Nicola Yoon (The Sun Is Also a Star), Becky Albertalli (Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda), and Kim Zarins (Sometimes We Tell the Truth) Fantasy—think Audrey Coulthurst (Of Fire and Stars), Kate Elliot (Court of Fives), Erika Johansen (Queen of the Tearling), and Kristin Cashore (Graceling) Science Fiction—similar to Corinne Duyvis (On the Edge of Gone) and Marissa Meyer (The Lunar Chronicles) Historical Fiction/Fantasy—particularly written within the Tudor (bonus if centered around Anne Boleyn) or Victorian period Magical Realism—along the lines of Libba Bray (The Gemma Doyle Trilogy and The Diviners) Thriller—either with an unreliable narrator or in the vein of Kendare Blake (Anna Dressed in Blood)

	Leslie Varney Prentis Literary Query method(s): Online Form * Work PMB 496 6830 NE Bothell Way, Suite C Kenmore WA 98028 USAwork
Show Notes \| Show Bio	http://www.prentisliterary.com/ \| Show Map \|
Notes This literary agent represents: FICTION: Chapter Book * Children’s Fiction * Crime/Detective/Police * Ethnic Fiction * Fantasy * Gay/Lesbian Fiction * Horror * Juvenile Fiction * Literary * Middle Grade Fiction * Multicultural Fiction * Mystery * Picture Book * Romance * Science Fiction * Suspense * Thriller * Women’s Fiction * Young Adult Fiction * NONFICTION: Biography * Economics * Ethnic * General Nonfiction * History * Memoir * Multicultural * Politics * Science * Biography Leslie Varney is a literary agent with Prentis Literary. She says: “It was never my plan to learn to read. In fact, I resisted it with all my five-year-old might, which was fairly significant. My favorite times were when my dad would read to me and I was afraid that when I learned to read myself, those lovely times would end. But my dad’s plan was different and his will was equal to mine. After many knock-down battles, and lots of Dick and Jane, I reluctantly learned. I grew up during the mid-70’s on my family’s hippie farm, situated in a small middle-class town in the Hudson Valley. This would have made me unique in any case, but the fact that we had no television was downright bizarre. While all my friends were watching re-runs of the “Brady Bunch” (again), I was re-reading “A Wizard of Earthsea” (again). Or “Watership Down,” “A Wrinkle in Time,” “The Crystal Cave,” whatever was around. Luckily for me, there were always books around. And, since my dad’s favorite books tended to the fantasy and science fiction genres, my house was a fantastic playground of interesting ideas and wonderful stories. I was known as the weird kid who always had a book with her. If you couldn’t find me, I was probably hiding in Oz. Instead of doing my boring chores, I was Laura Ingalls Wilder, and her chores were exciting frontier adventures! There were no limits when it came to stories and there was always somewhere wonderful to visit. I am pleased as punch that now I get to help authors bring new worlds, new ideas, and new magic to the literary world. I will always love the oral story-telling tradition, but my appreciation for the written work knows no bounds and I love being a part of bringing that passion to new readers. It turns out that my dad’s plan was better than mine after all.”

	Ethan Vaughan Kimberley Cameron & Associates This agent is no longer active

	Joe Veltre The Gersh Agency This agent is no longer active

	Monika Verma Levine Greenberg Rostan Literary Agency AAR MemberQuery method(s): Email * Online Form * Work 307 Seventh Ave. Suite 2407 New York NY 10001 USAwork Work Email: submit@lgrliterary.comINTERNET
Show Notes \| Show Bio	http://lgrliterary.com/ \| Show Map \|
Notes This literary agent represents: FICTION: Graphic Novel * NONFICTION: Art * Autobiography * Beauty/Fashion/Style * Biography * Cooking/Cookbook * Cultural/Social Issues * Film/Entertainment * Food/Drinks * General Nonfiction * Gift/Novelty * History * Humor * Lifestyle * Memoir * Mind/Body/Spirit * Music * Narrative * Photography * Pop Culture * Travel * Biography Monika Verma is a literary agent with the Levine Greenberg Rostan Literary Agency. Monika joined LGR in 2006, and represents a wide range of nonfiction book projects. She specializes in humor, pop culture, memoir, narrative nonfiction and style and fashion titles. She loves to work with authors to develop their writing careers, whether that means helping them make the jump from blogger to published author, brainstorming the perfect funny gift book topic, or working with a debut author to showcase a strong narrative voice. Her clients include humorist and actor Nick Offerman; costume designer Janie Bryant (AMC’s “Mad Men”); style and celebrity bloggers Tom & Lorenzo; and writer, illustrator, and blogger Allie Brosh (Hyperbole and a Half). Though her list is primarily nonfiction, she also enjoys working on Young Adult fiction, whether it’s paranormal, historical or contemporary. Prior to joining the agency, Monika served as the administrative director for L.A. Youth Newspaper, a nonprofit teen-written publication distributed to schools throughout Los Angeles County. Monika attended Wellesley College, where she received a B.A. in English, and studied abroad at Oxford University; she spent an inordinate amount of time at both places reading Victorian novels, one of her favorite genres. Though she is now happily a New Yorker, Monika grew up in Los Angeles. When she isn’t reading submissions, she loves dipping into a good literary mystery (usually with a strong cup of tea by her side). Some of her favorite authors include Denise Mina, A.S. Byatt, Josephine Tey, Jasper Fforde and P.G. Wodehouse.

	Chuck Verrill Darhansoff & Verrill Literary Agents Query method(s): Email * Work 133 West 72nd Street Room 304 New York NY 10023 USAwork Work Email: submissions@dvagency.comINTERNET
Show Notes \| Show Bio	http://www.dvagency.com/ \| Show Map \|
Notes This literary agent represents: FICTION: Commercial * Crime/Detective/Police * Family Saga * General Fiction * Literary * Mainstream * Mystery * Suspense * Thriller * Women’s Fiction * NONFICTION: Autobiography * Biography * Current Events/Affairs * General Nonfiction * History * Medical/Medicine * Memoir * Military/War * Narrative * Politics * Pop Culture * Science * True Crime * Biography Chuck Verrill is a literary agent with Darhansoff & Verrill Literary Agents. Chuck joined the agency in 1989 after ten years as an editor at Viking Penguin. With his experience in general interest nonfiction and suspense, he expanded the agency’s profile.

	Beth Vesel Beth Vesel Literary Agency Query method(s): Email * Work 202 Riverside Drive Suite 9B New York NY 10025 USAwork Work Email: callie.deitrick@bvlit.comINTERNET
Show Notes \| Show Bio	Show Map \|
Notes This literary agent represents: FICTION: General Fiction * Literary * Romance * Thriller * Upmarket Fiction * Women’s Fiction * Young Adult Fiction * NONFICTION: Biography * Cultural/Social Issues * Current Events/Affairs * General Nonfiction * Health/Wellness * History * Medical/Medicine * Memoir * Narrative * Parenting/Child Guidance * Politics * Psychology * Reference * Science * Young Adult * Biography Beth Vesel is a literary agent with the Beth Vesel Literary Agency. Beth Vesel began her publishing career at the Watkins Loomis Agency in New York in 1985, working under principal agent Gloria Loomis, after which she joined Sanford J. Greenburger Associates as a senior agent for fourteen years. She then founded The Beth Vesel Literary Agency in 2003. Beth is known for her work with academics, psychiatrists, psychologists and other professionals in helping them transition to authors of landmark books. Her areas of specialty include narrative nonfiction, literary fiction, cultural criticism, psychology, psychiatry, science, health and memoir. Best sellers include Your Money or Your Life by Vicki Robin and Joe Dominguez, I Don’t Want to Talk About It by Terrence Real, Finding Your Own North Star by Martha Beck, Inside the Mind of Scott Peterson by Keith Ablow, Against Love by Laura Kipnis, Orphan Train by Christina Baker Kline, and NeuroTribes by Steve Silberman. Beth has a B.A. from UC Berkeley in English and Political Science where she also completed graduate work in comparative literature.

	David Vigliano AGI Vigliano Literary, LLC Query method(s): Email * Online Form * Work 57 East 73rd Street 2nd Floor New York NY 10021 USAwork Work Email: info@agivigliano.comINTERNET
Show Notes \| Show Bio	http://www.agivigliano.com/ \| Show Map \|
Notes This literary agent represents: FICTION: Children’s Fiction * Commercial * General Fiction * Horror * Picture Book * Romance * Thriller * Women’s Fiction * NONFICTION: Art * Biography * Business * Celebrity * Christian * Cooking/Cookbook * Current Events/Affairs * Dating/Relationship/Sex * Diet/Nutrition * Film/Entertainment * Food/Drinks * General Nonfiction * Health/Wellness * History * Humor * Lifestyle * Memoir * Money/Finance * Music * Narrative * Politics * Pop Culture * Religion * Science * Spirituality * Sports * True Crime * Biography David Vigliano is a literary agent with AGI Vigliano Literary, LLS. He is a native New Yorker who first developed a passion for reading at the 23rd Street branch of the New York Public Library, where books provided a welcome haven from the gloom of the near-bankrupt New York of the 1970’s. A talented baseball player, the young Vigliano was hooked after reading Bernard Malamud’s The Natural in 10th grade. A brief addiction to speed-reading carried Vigliano through the collected works of Malamud, Saul Bellow, and J. D. Salinger and enabled him to get an A in his individualized reading class but also exacerbated his nearsightedness. Graduating from Hunter College with high honors in Communications and then from Harvard Business School, Vigliano put his love for books into practice as the Director of Packaging at Warner Books. This was a new role that presented him with the unique responsibility for generating book ideas and pursuing new authors. Vigliano was on the forefront of a new trend in which publishers sought out interesting and newsworthy books rather than passively acquiring them. That change opened up a broad and exciting new literary market, as books and subjects previously ignored by the publishing industry have since been published with remarkable success. It’s hard to imagine a book like Kurt Cobain’s Journals making the New York Times bestseller list twenty years ago, never mind reaching the #1 position. More than any other agency, Vigliano Associates has a reputation for negotiating record-setting advances. Among other high-profile deals, the agency placed Kurt Cobain’s Journals with Riverhead Books for a reported $4,000,000 advance, and in 2006, Vigliano negotiated the largest non-fiction advance in publishing history. Vigliano is perhaps the only literary agent to build his agency entirely from scratch, without apprenticing at another agency or working as a lawyer for writers. He accomplished this partly through strategic business approaches he learned at Harvard Business School and partly through sheer passion for developing and pitching ideas (with a little New York moxie sprinkled in). The Vigliano Associates business model is as a result highly personal, author-focused, and nurturing; Vigliano’s agency is extraordinarily creative, as much a crucible for projects as a seller of them. The agency represents books across a broad spectrum of genres. Bestselling commercial fiction clients include Robert James Waller, author of The Bridges of Madison County; Jerry B. Jenkins, co-author of the Left Behind series; comic genius Kinky Friedman; and Jackie Collins. Major clients in the self-help category include #1 bestselling authors Dr. Nicholas Perricone, author of The Perricone Prescription, The Perricone Promise, and The Perricone Weight-Loss Diet; Bob Greene, author of the Get with the Program! series and Total Body Makeover; and Suzanne Somers, author of Bombshell, Sexy Forever, Knockout, Breakthrough, and Ageless. The foremost agency in the industry at representing celebrity books, Vigliano Associates has scored major New York Times bestsellers for a vast array of marquee names, including magician David Blaine; Academy Award-winning actress Ellen Burstyn; Grammy winner Alicia Keys; rock icon Anthony Kiedis; legendary musician Prince; NBA superstar Shaquille O’Neal; pop princess Britney Spears; Grammy-winning rapper and actor T.I.; NFL Hall of Famer Walter Payton; country great Willie Nelson; the iconic grunge rock band Pearl Jam; the estate of Elvis Presley; legendary rock band Aerosmith and guitarist Joe Perry; actress Jenny McCarthy; and the one and only Yogi Berra. In the culinary realm, Vigliano Associates has represented Rao’s Cookbook, the #2 bestselling cookbook in Random House history; celebrity chef Rocco DiSpirito’s cookbooks including the number one bestselling Now Eat This!; country musician Trisha Yearwood’s cookbooks; and musician/restaurateur Moby’s Teany Book. More literary projects include artist James Rosenquist’s autobiography; Eddie Little’s gritty debut novel, Another Day in Paradise; and Douglas Coupland’s cultural touchstone, Generation X, with over one million copies sold. The scope of Vigliano Associates’ services is not limited to the book world, however. Representing so many authors whose interests and businesses extend beyond the publishing industry entails working with them to ensure that their publishing plans coincide with and support their other endeavors. Recently, Vigliano client and famed dermatologist Dr. Nicholas Perricone opened his first freestanding store on Madison Avenue in New York City after years of carefully maximizing support of his cosmeceuticals line with his bestselling books and PBS-funded television specials. Vigliano has worked diligently to support brand Suzanne Somers, and the development of Rao’s line of restaurants, food products, and cookbooks. Vigliano Associates has also been tremendously successful at selling its literary properties to Hollywood, some of which include MGM’s adaptation of Ben Mezrich’s Bringing Down the House, starring Academy Award® winner Kevin Spacey, and The Oldest Rookie by Jim Morris and Joel Engel, which was adapted into the hit Disney movie The Rookie starring Dennis Quaid. Mike Sager’s GQ article was also adapted into the Touchstone Pictures release Veronica Guerin, starring Academy Award® winner Cate Blanchett. Other Vigliano books to get the big screen treatment include Eddie Little’s Another Day in Paradise, directed by Larry Clark and starring James Woods and Melanie Griffith, and Chris Radant’s short story collection Home for the Holidays, directed by Jodie Foster and starring Holly Hunter, Anne Bancroft and Robert Downey, Jr. Books made into critically acclaimed independent films include Blake Nelson’s Girl, Joshua Miller’s The Mao Game, and Bruce Craven’s Fast Sofa. Many clients have been with Vigliano Associates their entire careers. Mark Kriegel, author of the widely praised New York Times bestseller Namath, Pistol, and The Good Son; Stephen Davis, author of the rock classic Hammer of the Gods; and Bill Reynolds, author of the #1 New York Times business bestseller Success Is a Choice, have all been clients since the 1980′s. The agency cultivates such long, fruitful relationships not only through a vigorous approach to deal-making, but also by providing its clients with creative input and editorial expertise. Vigliano has practiced many forms of yoga for over fifteen years and has worked professionally as a stand-up comedian at major clubs in New York and Los Angeles and on the Las Vegas strip. While at Hunter College, he performed stand-up comedy at major clubs in New York (including The Comic Strip, The Improv, Chile’s, Catch A Rising Star) and in the Catskills. He also starred in the movie Out to Lunch as a member of a comic ensemble.

	Kristin Miller Vincent D4EO Literary Agency This agent is no longer active

	James Vines The Vines Agency This agent is no longer active

	Becky Vinter FinePrint Literary Management This agent is no longer active

	Charlene Visco Standing Stones Literary Agency Query method(s): Email * Work 7603 W 300 S Westpoint IN 47992 USAwork Work Email: standingstoneslit@outlook.comINTERNET
Show Notes \| Show Bio	Show Map \|
Notes This literary agent represents: FICTION: Fantasy * Science Fiction * NONFICTION: Biography Charlene Visco is a literary agent with and the founder of the Standing Stones Literary Agency. Charlene has a degree in literature and Classics from Purdue University. She has worked under Donna Eastman at Parkeast Literary Agency for the last year as an intern and then fully fledged agent.

	Jesse Vogel Scribe Agency This agent is no longer active
Show Notes
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	Rachel Vogel Dunow, Carlson & Lerner Literary Agency Query method(s): Email * Postal Mail * Work 27 West 20th Street Suite 1107 New York NY 10011 USAwork Work Email: mail@dclagency.comINTERNET
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Notes This literary agent represents: FICTION: Commercial * Ethnic Fiction * General Fiction * Literary * Magical Realism * Mainstream * Multicultural Fiction * Suspense * Thriller * Upmarket Fiction * Women’s Fiction * NONFICTION: Autobiography * Biography * Business * Cooking/Cookbook * Current Events/Affairs * Dating/Relationship/Sex * Ethnic * Gift/Novelty * Health/Wellness * History * Humor * Investigative * Journalism * Lifestyle * Memoir * Money/Finance * Multicultural * Narrative * Parenting/Child Guidance * Photography * Politics * Pop Culture * Reference * Science * Travel * Biography Rachel Vogel is a literary agent with the Dunow, Carlson & Lerner Literary Agency. She began her career in publishing in 2004, with stints as a production editor at Henry Holt and as a book scout at Maria B. Campbell Associates. She went on to agent at Lippincott Massie McQuilkin, Mary Evans, Inc. (where she was also the director of foreign rights), and Waxman Leavell Literary Agency. She represents nonfiction of all kinds, including photography, humor, pop culture, history, memoir, investigative journalism/current events, science, and more. On the fiction side, she seeks out novels that pay equal attention to voice and plot. A graduate of UMass Amherst’s Commonwealth College, she lives in Brooklyn.

	Nathan Vogt Nordlyset Literary Agency Query method(s): Email * Work USAwork Work Email: nathan@nordlysetagency.comINTERNET
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Notes This literary agent represents: FICTION: Literary * Women’s Fiction * NONFICTION: Business * Current Events/Affairs * Economics * History * Memoir * Parenting/Child Guidance * Psychology * Science * Self-Help/Personal Development * Biography Nathan Vogt is a literary agent and a partner with the Nordlyset Literary Agency. For the past 12 years, Nathan has been the Director of Client Services for MMC 20/20, a boutique consulting and software company focused on the Medicare Managed Care marketplace. Prior to that, he worked as a Project Director for the Class Action Claims Center at Stowell and Friedman, LTD, a Chicago civil rights law firm. Also in Chicago, he was the Director of Graduate Programs for the Princeton Review. His agency experience includes work as a speakers’ agent for the American Program Bureau in Boston and as the Director of Project Dialogue (a lecture series featuring writers and intellectuals) at Vanderbilt University. He was also a theatre artist in Chicago for many years. He holds a B.A. from Vanderbilt University (summa cum laude, with honors in Philosophy) and a Master of Theological Studies from Harvard University, where he was a Williams Fellow and the recipient of the George Chase Scholarship.

	Alice Volpe Northwest Literary Agency This agent is no longer active

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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.”

Nathaniel Lande

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.”

Amy Jo Goddard

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.”

Daniel Cohen

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!”

Miri Leshem-Pelley

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!!!”

Dave Hamme

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!”

Erika Armstrong

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.”

Michael Thompson

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.”

Professor Ruth Finnegan FBA

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.”

Lakshmi Subramani

Author of Lights Out (Random House)
Bangalore, India

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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.”

Mardell Hill

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.”

Scott LeRette

Author of The Unbreakable Boy
(Harper Collins/Thomas Nelson)

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