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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: F
Biography
Susan Finesman is a literary agent with and the founder of Fine Literary Management. Susan Finesman began scouting books, plays and narrative non-fiction for Tri-Star Pictures in 1986. Five years later, she moved on to SAVOY Pictures followed by a long and award winning stint at HOME BOX OFFICE where highlights included an Emmy for Ernest Gaines’ A LESSON BEFORE DYING.
Scouting books for film is like sitting in the most fabulous catbird seat, not prisoner to any genre and not prey to any shelf space at the bookstore. Learning how to find new stories and adapt them for the screen gave me a slightly different perspective on how to sell books to publishers.
She says: “In 2010, I decided to build a seat of my own, introducing great writers first to publishers and then, not as an afterthought but as part of a coordinated plan, pursue film, television and internet opportunities.
I continue to be interested in all kinds of books but tend to be compelled by work that features characters that I cannot shake.
I challenge authors to make me laugh or cry and you will have certainly won me over by doing both. I love the twists and turns of a great page-turner, can be seduced by a truly honest memoir and am delighted when transported by historical fiction.
Regarding non-fiction: Cookbooks and lifestyle are a particular area of interest but I can be compelled to consider almost any subject that is honest and thoughtful.
We work with co-agents in every territory and join forces with Hollywood agencies to broker film and television rights. At this time, we are not representing children’s picture books or work composed for the stage or screen.”
Notes
This literary agent represents:
FICTION: Children’s Fiction * Crime/Detective/Police * General Fiction * Historical * Juvenile Fiction * Mystery * NoPB * NoYA * Romance * Sports Fiction * Women’s Fiction *
NONFICTION: Biography * Business * Cooking/Cookbook * Food/Drinks * General Nonfiction * Health/Wellness * History * Juvenile * Lifestyle * Memoir * Mind/Body/Spirit * Money/Finance * Sports * Travel *
117 N. Mansfield Venue Los Angeles CA 90036 USA
Biography
Amanda Fink is a literary agent with the Gold Dust Literary Agency. She says: “With over a decade of experience in the publishing industry, I have experience as a developmental editor, acquisitions editor, and advocate for authors. I attended Portland State University where I worked at Ooligan Press and graduated with a Master’s in Book Publishing. My passion lies with young adult and fantasy titles. In my free time, you can find me writing about new worlds with morally gray characters, reading and collecting beautiful books, baking, and dreaming of when I can travel again.”
Notes
This literary agent represents:
FICTION: Fantasy * Magical Realism * New Adult * Science Fiction * Young Adult Fiction *
NONFICTION:
Biography
Julia Fink is a literary agent with Sheldon Fogelman Agency. An Alabama native, Julia Fink graduated summa cum laude from Auburn University, where she studied marketing, journalism, and creative writing. There, she served as editor-in-chief of Auburn’s literary and arts magazine and a lead consultant at the university’s writing center. Starting with a focus in business, these experiences lead Julia to delve more into literary agency work. Working toward this, she completed an internship with Folio Literary Management as a publishing intern and worked as a freelance copyeditor for Rare Bird Books during her undergraduate program, and completed the Columbia Publishing Course in the summer of 2022. She enthusiastically joined Sheldon Fogelman Agency as a Literary and Foreign Rights Assistant in September 2022.
Notes
This literary agent represents:
FICTION: Chapter Book * Children’s Fiction * Juvenile Fiction * Middle Grade Fiction * Picture Book * Young Adult Fiction *
NONFICTION: Juvenile * Middle Grade * Young Adult *
Karyn Fischer
BookStop Literary AgencyDO NOT QUERY – THIS AGENT IS NOT CURRENTLY ACCEPTING UNSOLICITED SUBMISSIONSQuery method(s): Email * Postal Mail *Biography
Karyn Fischer is a literary agent with the BookStop Literary Agency. She joined BookStop Literary Agency in 2014 and is currently looking to build her client list. She is particularly drawn to young adult and middle grade novels. Her favorite genres include gothic novels with twisty narratives and dark secrets, historical fiction, literary thrillers, well-drawn fantasy, and heart-tugging contemporary stories. She’s looking for anything with memorable characters, an engaging voice, and a tightrope- taut plot. Karyn holds an MFA in Creative Writing, has completed three publishing internships, and previously worked as a bookseller and buyer in a small independent bookstore. Her background has given her a unique perspective on the book industry, as well as the skills to find and promote books she loves.
Notes
This literary agent represents:
FICTION: Middle Grade Fiction * Young Adult Fiction *
NONFICTION:
Biography
Ryan Fischer-Harbage is a literary agent with the Fischer-Harbage Agency. He founded The Fischer-Harbage Agency in January, 2007 and has placed books for five #1 New York Times bestselling authors. Ryan’s most lauded clients include Karim Dimechkie, Jen Doll, Miranda Esmonde-White, Thomas Healy, Alicia Menendez, Melissa Harris-Perry, Janet Mock, Taylor Plimpton, Rob Roberge, Robbie Robertson, Susan Shapiro, J. Ryan Stradal, and Jackson Taylor. He represented Gérard de Villiers until the author passed away–his S.A.S. series has sold more than 120 million copies worldwide; Ryan continues to work on behalf of the estate.
Previously, Ryan was an editor at Simon & Schuster where he helped create and launch a new imprint, Simon Spotlight Entertainment (now Gallery Books). He also worked as an editor for Little, Brown & Company as well as Penguin Random House (where he edited books for Plume, Dutton and Viking). He acquired and edited the Pulitzer Prize winning Boston Globe Spotlight Team’s Betrayal: The Crisis in the Catholic Church, which informed the movie Spotlight, winner of the Academy Award for Best Picture as well as Peter Singer’s New York Times bestseller The President of Good & Evil: Questioning the Ethics of George W. Bush. He has also worked with numerous other bestselling authors, including Michael Connelly, Matthew Diffee, John Feinstein, Malcolm Gladwell, Brad Listi, Alice Sebold and Danny Wallace.
For many years, Ryan taught courses on writing book proposals and fiction at The New School University’s MFA Program, Pratt, and Mediabistro. He addresses students and writers regularly at New York University’s MFA program, Sarah Lawrence College’s MFA program and conferences including The Colgate Writers’ Conference, Miami Writers Institute, The New Orleans Writers Conference, and The Writers’ League of Texas, among others. He has been quoted on writing and publishing in The New York Times, The Chicago Tribune, The Los Angeles Times, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Poets & Writers, Publishers Weekly and on “Good Morning America,” among other outlets. Ryan is a graduate of Kalamazoo College, The Radcliffe Publishing Course and the Master of Fine Arts program in writing and literature at Bennington College. He lives with his children in Park Slope, Brooklyn.
Notes
This literary agent represents:
FICTION: General Fiction *
NONFICTION: Current Events/Affairs * General Nonfiction * Memoir * Narrative *
237 36th Street Brooklyn NY 11232 USA
Cherise Fisher
Wendy Sherman AssociatesDO NOT QUERY – THIS AGENT IS NOT CURRENTLY ACCEPTING UNSOLICITED SUBMISSIONSQuery method(s): Email *Biography
Cherise Fisher is a literary agent with Wendy Sherman Associates. She began her career in publishing as the assistant to the Editor-in-Chief of Dell Publishing a month after graduating from Yale University. Over the course of her twenty-five year career, she worked as an acquiring editor at Simon & Schuster and the Editor-in-Chief of Plume.
As an agent, she is interested in working with novelists who have several compulsively readable yarns in their head and are committed to perfecting their craft as storytellers. She will advocate for memoirs that uncover the diversity of human experience, and take on non-fiction writers who are experts on a variety of topics such as personal development, health and sexuality, racial identity, Christianity and spirituality, diet and fitness, African American history, and pop culture. Her intention is that all the books she helps bring into the world are relevant, enduring, and help readers maximize joy and productivity in their lives.
Notes
This literary agent represents:
FICTION: Christian Fiction * Ethnic Fiction * General Fiction * Multicultural Fiction * Romance * Women’s Fiction *
NONFICTION: Business * Christian * Cooking/Cookbook * Dating/Relationship/Sex * Diet/Nutrition * Ethnic * Fitness * General Nonfiction * Health/Wellness * History * How-To * Money/Finance * Multicultural * Narrative * Pop Culture * Self-Help/Personal Development * Spirituality * Religion *
Biography
Steve began his career in television journalism in New York, working for ABC News and CNN. At ABC he worked for World News Tonight as Head of the Research department and an Off Air Reporter and worked closely with then host Peter Jennings. At CNN he wrote anchor copy and field produced.
Turning to Hollywood, Steve trained at ICM, then began his agenting career at the venerable H.N. Swanson Agency, the oldest literary firm on the West Coast.
Notes
This literary agent represents:
FICTION: General Fiction * Young Adult Fiction *
NONFICTION: Biography * Memoir * Pop Culture * Humor *
405 S. Beverly Dr. Los Angeles CA 90212 USA
Biography
Tracy Fisher is a literary agent with William Morris Endeavor Entertainment. She is a WME partner and Head of the International Division of the book department, overseeing business in the UK and foreign markets. She has represented several New York Times bestselling authors, including Amy Sedaris and Joy Fielding. She also manages the estates of Tom Clancy, Betty Smith (A Tree Grows in Brooklyn), Ken Grimwood (Replay), and William Melvin Kelley (A Different Drummer).
Tracy is interested in representing thrillers with a smart twist, as well as the estates of beloved writers. She is actively working to sign international authors and build a curated list of diverse voices. Tracy works with Dutch bestsellers JUDAS by Astrid Holleeder and THE HIGH NEST by Roxane van Iperen, as well as the German bestseller HUNDERT by Heike Faller and Valerio Vidali.
Notes
This literary agent represents:
FICTION: General Fiction * Mystery * Suspense * Thriller *
NONFICTION: Film/Entertainment * History * Pop Culture *
11 Madison Avenue 18th Floor New York NY 10010 USA
Biography
Seth Fishman is a literary agent with The Gernert Company. Seth joined The Gernert Company in 2010. Head of the Los Angeles office, Seth is a Vice President and agent at The Gernert Company, which he joined in 2010 after beginning his career as an agent at Sterling Lord Literistic, Inc. Born in Midland, Texas, he graduated from Princeton University and earned an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of East Anglia in Norwich, England. His interests are wide-ranging, but in particular he’s looking for the new voice, the original idea, the entirely breathtaking creative angle in both fiction and nonfiction. He lives in Los Angeles with his wife and son, and is the author of the award-winning picture book, A Hundred Billion Trillion Stars, along with Power Up and The Ocean In Your Bathtub, as well as two YA books.
Notes
This literary agent represents:
FICTION: Chapter Book * Children’s Fiction * General Fiction * Graphic Novel * Juvenile Fiction * Middle Grade Fiction * Picture Book * Young Adult Fiction *
NONFICTION: General Nonfiction *
8440 Warner Drive Culver City CA 90232 USA
Sarah N. Fisk
The Tobias Literary AgencyDO NOT QUERY – THIS AGENT IS NOT CURRENTLY ACCEPTING UNSOLICITED SUBMISSIONSQuery method(s): Online Form *Biography
Sarah N. Fisk is a literary agent with The Tobias Literary Agency. They are a former mechanical engineer who made the switch to publishing in 2011. They have worked in the publishing industry as an editorial assistant, author’s assistant, publicist, and art director. Sarah is a former Pitch Wars mentor, board member, and Agent Liaison. They host the podcast Queries, Qualms, & Quirks and have a passion for spreadsheets.
They love books that challenge societal norms, especially gender norms. They have a personal interest in stories featuring queer characters or characters with disability, neurodiversity, chronic illness, or mental health challenges. Great or complicated sibling relationships are their kryptonite. They also enjoy intriguing villains, mysteries woven into other genres, characters they can’t get out of their head, and smart heroines.
They are interested in Young Adult fiction of all genres as well as Adult Romance. They especially enjoy anything under the speculative fiction umbrella and high-concept contemporary or historical stories with a strong hook. Hardcore horror is probably not right for them.
Notes
This literary agent represents:
FICTION: Fantasy * Magical Realism * Middle Grade Fiction * Romance * Science Fiction * Young Adult Fiction *
NONFICTION: Business * Cooking/Cookbook * Cultural/Social Issues * Current Events/Affairs * Dating/Relationship/Sex * Environment * Film/Entertainment * Food/Drinks * Gay/Lesbian * History * How-To * Journalism * Memoir * Middle Grade * Money/Finance * Multicultural * Narrative * Nature * Politics * Pop Culture * Psychology * Science * Self-Help/Personal Development * Technology * Women’s Issues *
Biography
Jennifer Flannery is a literary agent with Flanner Literary Agency. Jennifer founded Flannery Literary in 1992 in New York after working at a literary agency in her hometown of Minneapolis and then in the trade department at HarperCollins. Flannery moved her offices to the Chicago area in 1997. Flannery Literary is looking to find new talent and fresh voices, to help the as-yet-unpublished author find a publishing home. The publishing business is subjective and competitive, so finding a personal connection with a new client and his or her writing is essential and we are, therefore, highly selective about taking on new clients.
Notes
This literary agent represents:
FICTION: Middle Grade Fiction * Young Adult Fiction *
NONFICTION: Middle Grade * Young Adult *
1140 Wickfield Court Naperville IL 60563 USA
Biography
Melissa Flashman is a literary agent with Trident Media Group. A native of Lexington, Kentucky, Melissa Flashman majored in English at Wesleyan University. After stints in the English Ph.D. program at Johns Hopkins, commercial and indie radio, the advertising world and something called cool-hunting (it was the late ‘90s), she got her first job in publishing working as an assistant in the literary department of ICM before moving to Trident Media Group where she was a literary agent for over ten years before joining Janklow & Nesbit Associates in 2017.
Melissa represents award-winning and best-selling fiction and nonfiction. In nonfiction, she is particularly interested in conversation-changing books including journalism, science, technology, business/finance/economics, memoir/narrative, essays and cultural criticism. She is drawn to a range of literary and commercial fiction and is particularly excited about stories that touch on the deeper meaning of life, family, identity and love. A good page-turner is always welcome.
Melissa’s authors have won numerous awards including the National Book Critic Circle Award, the Rona Jaffe Award, the Hugo Award, n + 1 writer’s fellowship, The Nation’s Ridenhour Prize and the American Book Award among others. A former first serial and magazine agent, she enjoys helping her writers place journalism, essays and fiction in a range of publications including The New Yorker, Harper’s, the New York Times, Vogue, The Guardian, the Wall Street Journal, the Paris Review, n + 1, Tin House, the Baffler and Jacobin.
Some recent titles by her authors include Sweetbitter (Knopf) by Stephanie Danler; The Selfishness of Others (FSG) by Kristin Dombek; Winning Arguments (HarperCollins) by Stanley Fish; Trainwreck (Melville House) by Sady Doyle; The Utopia of Rules (Melville House) by David Graeber; The Future We Want: Radical Ideas for the New Century (Metropolitan) ed. by Sarah Leonard and Bhaskar Sunkara; The Road to Ruin (Portfolio) by James Rickards; and O Fallen Angel (Harper Perennial) and Book of Mutter (Semiotext(e)) by Kate Zambreno.
She lives in Brooklyn; find her on Twitter @melflashman.
Notes
This literary agent represents:
FICTION: Commercial * General Fiction * Literary *
NONFICTION: Business * Cultural/Social Issues * Current Events/Affairs * Dating/Relationship/Sex * Economics * Family Saga * General Nonfiction * Health/Wellness * History * Journalism * Medical/Medicine * Memoir * Money/Finance * Narrative * Politics * Science * Technology *
285 Madison Avenue 21st Floor New York NY 10017 USA
Diana Flegal
Hartline Literary AgencyDO NOT QUERY – THIS AGENT IS NOT CURRENTLY ACCEPTING UNSOLICITED SUBMISSIONSQuery method(s): Email *Biography
Diana Flegal is a literary agent with Hartline Literary Agency. Diana has been with Hartline Literary Agency for fifteen years, and is a freelance editor and literary coach. Former Medical Missionary, Diana lived in Haiti for two years and once extracted a tooth while a chicken danced on her head. She has successfully sold both fiction and nonfiction titles to the Christian and General markets and admits to having too many books in her tiny Asheville home. It is Diana’s passion to encourage writers in all phases of their journey.
Notes
This literary agent represents:
FICTION: Christian Fiction * Contemporary * Crime/Detective/Police * General Fiction * Health/Wellness * Inspirational Fiction * Mainstream * Middle Grade Fiction * Mystery * Religious * Romance * Women’s Fiction * Young Adult Fiction *
NONFICTION: Christian * General Nonfiction * Inspiration * Religion * Spirituality *
Biography
Liza Fleissig is a literary agent with the Liza Foyce Agency. A graduate of the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business with a degree in Finance, and the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law with a JD, Liza brought 20 years of litigation and negotiation experience to the publishing field when she and her partner, Ginger Harris-Dontzin, decided to open their own literary agency. With strong ties to this community, becoming an agent was inevitable, and as Liza says, she “couldn’t be happier.” A “Top 100 Dealmaker” by Publisher’s Marketplace, Liza represents established authors of fiction and nonfiction, along with writers in the earlier stages of their development.
Looking for: Liza loves a good thriller/suspense/mystery that keeps her guessing until the end. She also gravitates to commercial women’s fiction and loves a sarcastic comic voice. On the children’s side, she handles all categories, though is looking mostly for young adult and middle grade. Most of all, she loves being surprised. Nothing is more exciting that being over the moon for a book she’d never expected to like. So at the end of the day, just grab her attention, and she won’t care what the book is about!
Not looking for: Just make sure the writing is strong, and please watch out for unnatural dialogue and word repetition. When every character “cranes their neck,” “wheels around” or “steels themselves” she does tend to roll her eyes. Also, as much as she loves paranormal and dystopian, she is not taking any of those on at the moment.
Notes
This literary agent represents:
FICTION: Chapter Book * Children’s Fiction * Crime/Detective/Police * General Fiction * Inspirational Fiction * Juvenile Fiction * Literary * Middle Grade Fiction * Mystery * Picture Book * Romance * Suspense * Thriller * Women’s Fiction * Young Adult Fiction *
NONFICTION: Cooking/Cookbook * Food/Drinks * General Nonfiction * Juvenile * Middle Grade * True Crime * Young Adult *
1049 Park Ave New York NY 10028 USA
Biography
Christy Fletcher is a literary agent with Fletcher & Company/UTA. Christy Fletcher founded Fletcher & Company in 2003. In addition to running the company day-to-day, she manages Fletcher Media, the company’s production arm, and oversees our business development work.
She continues to collaborate with clients including Gretchen Rubin, Chip & Dan Heath, Eric Ries, Bob Sutton, Daniel Mason, Ian Urbina, David Leonhardt, Stanford’s d.school, design strategy firm IDEO, among others. She lives in Manhattan with her husband, the author Sam Walker, and their two children.
Notes
This literary agent represents:
FICTION: Ethnic Fiction * General Fiction * Multicultural Fiction * Suspense * Thriller *
NONFICTION: Biography * Business * Cooking/Cookbook * Cultural/Social Issues * Current Events/Affairs * Economics * Ethnic * Food/Drinks * General Nonfiction * History * Investigative * Journalism * Lifestyle * Memoir * Mind/Body/Spirit * Money/Finance * Multicultural * Narrative * Science * Sports *
511 Sixth Avenue #120 New York NY 10011 USA
Biography
Richard Florest is a literary agent with Creative Management. Richard Florest joined Rob Weisbach Creative Management in 2012. He develops and represents fiction, non-fiction, and children’s fiction writers for the company. He previously held editorial positions at Putnam/Penguin Group, Miramax Books, and The Weinstein Company, where he published authors such as Man Asian Prize winner and Man Booker Prize nominee Tan Twan Eng. Richard was the Director of Acquisitions at Open Road Integrated Media before joining Rob Weisbach Creative Management in 2012. Born and raised in Massachusetts, Richard now lives in Manhattan with his wife and daughter. He is a graduate of Saint Anselm College.
Notes
This literary agent represents:
FICTION: Children’s Fiction * General Fiction * Thriller * Young Adult Fiction *
NONFICTION: General Nonfiction * Memoir * Narrative *
New York NY 10075 USA
Caitie Flum
Liza Dawson AssociatesDO NOT QUERY – THIS AGENT IS NOT CURRENTLY ACCEPTING UNSOLICITED SUBMISSIONSQuery Method(s): Email *Biography
Caitie Flum is a literary agent with Liza Dawson Associates. She joined Liza Dawson Associates in July 2014 as assistant and audio rights manager. She graduated from Hofstra University in 2009 with a B.A. in English with a concentration in publishing studies. She interned at Hachette Book Group and Writers House. She was an editorial assistant then coordinator for Bookspan, where she worked on several clubs including the Book-of-the-Month Club, The Good Cook, and the Children’s Book-of-the-Month Club.
Notes
This literary agent represents:
FICTION: Commercial * Crime/Detective/Police * Fantasy * Gay/Lesbian Fiction * Historical * Middle Grade Fiction * Mystery * New Adult * Romance * Science Fiction * Thriller * Upmarket Fiction * Women’s Fiction * Young Adult Fiction *
NONFICTION: Current Events/Affairs * Film/Entertainment * Gay/Lesbian * History * Humor * Narrative * Pop Culture * Women’s Issues *
Biography
Amy Flynn is a literary agent with Rubin Pfeffer Content, LLC. She represents books for children.
Notes
This literary agent represents:
FICTION: Chapter Book * Children’s Fiction * Graphic Novel * Juvenile Fiction * Middle Grade Fiction * Picture Book * Young Adult Fiction *
NONFICTION: Juvenile * Middle Grade * Young Adult *
648 Hammond Street Boston MA 02467 USA
Biography
Jacqueline Flynn is a literary agent with Joelle Delbourgo Associates. Jacqueline Flynn represents both fiction and non-fiction in a broad range of categories. She is particularly interested in authors who offer unique perspectives that counter conventional wisdom and cookie-cutter solutions. She now uses her finely-developed editorial acumen to guide authors through the process of positioning their books for the marketplace, preparing proposals, and marketing their work. Jacquie specializes in coaching authors to use Social Media and other marketing tools to build and connect with their reader community. A former editor with two decades experience, she is also available to work with authors as an editor on proposals and manuscripts, both nonfiction and fiction.
Recent sales include Joseph Kelly’s MAROONED (Bloomsbury), Laura Sobiech’s memoir FLY A LITTLE HIGHER (Thomas Nelson), Jennifer Alvarez middle-grade trilogy RIDERS OF THE REALM (HarperCollins), Sue Scheff SHAME NATION written with Melissa Schorr (Sourcebooks), Anne Brown’s SUMMER GIRL (Entangled), and Gleb Raygorodetsky’s ARCHIPELAGO OF HOPE (Pegasus).
She holds a Bachelor of Arts from Bucknell University where she majored in International Relations and rowed on the Women’s Crew team. She is also a Hockey/Volleyball/Band Mom, knitter, and avid hiker who lives in Northern New Jersey with her husband and two sons. Like Joelle she also speaks French, but not nearly as well.
Notes
This literary agent represents:
FICTION: Children’s Fiction * Commercial * Ethnic Fiction * Fantasy * General Fiction * Juvenile Fiction * Literary * Middle Grade Fiction * Multicultural Fiction * Mystery * New Adult * Picture Book * Religious * Romance * Science Fiction * Suspense * Thriller * Women’s Fiction * Young Adult Fiction *
NONFICTION: Biography * Business * Computers * Cooking/Cookbook * Current Events/Affairs * Ethnic * Food/Drinks * General Nonfiction * Health/Wellness * History * Juvenile * Lifestyle * Memoir * Middle Grade * Mind/Body/Spirit * Money/Finance * Multicultural * Narrative * Parenting/Child Guidance * Pop Culture * Psychology * Reference * Religion * Science * Sports * Technology * Travel * Young Adult *
101 Park St. Montclair NJ 07042 USA
Biography
Katherine Flynn is a literary agent with Calligraph. Katherineis has been an agent since 2008. Her clients are award-winning and #1 New York Times bestselling writers. Recently, her authors have won or been finalists for the Pulitzer Prize, the National Book Award, the George Washington Prize, the Hillman Prize for the Common Good, and the Helen Bernstein Book Award for Excellence in Journalism, alongside numerous best-of-the-year selections and many other accolades.
Katherine represents history, biography, politics, current affairs, investigative journalism, narrative nonfiction, cultural criticism, pop culture, adventure, true crime, science, nature, medicine, business, sociology, and psychology. She also represents select fiction, and is fond of urban or foreign locales, crime novels, insight into women’s lives, biting wit, and historical settings. That said, she is open to anything that is well-written and contains a good, fresh story or big idea. She prizes securing major deals for her authors with quality publishers and placing international and film/tv rights for their books.
Prior to establishing Calligraph, Katherine worked at the Kneerim & Williams Agency for fifteen years. She previously edited history textbooks, taught English literature and composition to high school students, and worked in a rare book shop. She serves as the publishing consultant to Harvard University’s Radcliffe Institute and is a Boston Book Festival board member. She graduated from Johns Hopkins University and then pursued her Ph.D. in History at Brown University, where she is now A.B.D.
Notes
This literary agent represents:
FICTION: Commercial * Contemporary * Crime/Detective/Police * General Fiction * Historical * Literary * Mystery * New Adult * Romance * Thriller * Women’s Fiction * Young Adult Fiction *
NONFICTION: Biography * Business * Cooking/Cookbook * Cultural/Social Issues * Current Events/Affairs * Dating/Relationship/Sex * Environment * Food/Drinks * General Nonfiction * Health/Wellness * History * How-To * Investigative * Journalism * Lifestyle * Medical/Medicine * Memoir * Middle Grade * Money/Finance * Narrative * Nature * Parenting/Child Guidance * Politics * Pop Culture * Psychology * Science * Sports * True Adventure * True Crime * Young Adult *
88 Broad St. Suite 503 Boston MA 02110 USA
Biography
Sheldon Fogelman is a literary agent with the Sheldon Fogelman Agency. Uniquely equipped to serve as agent and attorney, Sheldon Fogelman has worked with many of the most distinguished authors and illustrators in children’s books throughout his career. As agent his clients include Jerry Pinkney, Diane Stanley, Richard Peck, T.A. Barron, and Peggy Rathmann, among many others. And as attorney, his clients include Maurice Sendak and Mildred Taylor. He has worked on several literary estates including James Marshall’s, for which he currently acts as trustee. In addition, Sheldon was one of the earliest agents to attend Bologna children’s Book Fair regularly, and he has represented various publishers including William Morrow children’s Division and Albert Whitman & Co., with regard to dramatic/motion picture/television rights. He has also been a featured speaker at many conferences including the Annual SCBWI Conference in Los Angeles and New York.
Notes
This literary agent represents:
FICTION: Chapter Book * Children’s Fiction * Juvenile Fiction * Middle Grade Fiction * Picture Book * Young Adult Fiction *
NONFICTION: Juvenile * Middle Grade * Young Adult *
420 E 72nd Street New York NY 10021 USA
Biography
Emily Forland is a literary agent with Brandt & Hochman Literary Agents, Inc. She represents voice-driven literary fiction and non-fiction, among them bestsellers and prize winners, and has a special place in her heart for original writing that jumps off the page. Equally drawn to a traditional domestic novel as she is to more idiosyncratic work, she seeks out beautifully crafted writing, characters that come fully alive on the page, and stories rooted strongly in their setting. Humor is always welcome. In addition to literary fiction, she represents memoir, narrative nonfiction, history, biography, food writing, cultural criticism, graphic novels, and young adult fiction. Query by email preferred.
Notes
This literary agent represents:
FICTION: General Fiction * Graphic Novel * Humor Fiction * Literary * Young Adult Fiction *
NONFICTION: Biography * Cultural/Social Issues * Food/Drinks * History * Humor * General Nonfiction * Memoir * Narrative *
1501 Broadway Suite 2605 New York NY 10036 USA
Emily Forney
BookEnds Literary AgencyDO NOT QUERY – THIS AGENT IS NOT CURRENTLY ACCEPTING UNSOLICITED SUBMISSIONSQuery method(s): Online Form *Biography
Emily Forney is a literary agent with the BookEnds Literary Agency. Emily is, as she likes to say, a professional fangirl. From the early days of crafting fiction prompts on Tumblr to writing miniseries on how to write a successful fantasy battle scene, she fell in love with the minor details of storytelling. After receiving her MFA in Creative Writing, emphasizing in YA fiction, she worked for a popular fiction press as an editor until she realized she wanted to stay with her favorite authors throughout their careers. She was a publishing and editorial fellow for the LA Review of Books,where she trained with her editorial background. Becoming an agent, especially at BookEnds, was fate.
Growing up, Emily would stay awake until sunrise to finish new YA releases, and honestly, she just desperately wants the vampire trend to return. She enjoys the whimsy, the complexities, and the warmth young adult and children’s books offer, and she hopes to work with authors interested in turning their speculative worlds into series. With a BA in History and certificates in Classics and Latin studies, she’s also a big fan of historical fiction and mythological works.
She writes about identity and youth through her experiences as a young black woman, particularly focusing on genre fiction as a means to explore tropes otherwise dominated by white voices. Emily would particularly like to read #OwnVoices stories and is always on the lookout for new Black authors.
Notes
This literary agent represents:
FICTION: Children’s Fiction * Middle Grade Fiction * New Adult * Romance * Young Adult Fiction *
NONFICTION:
Biography
David Forrer is a literary agent with InkWell Management. David began his career in publishing in 1997 after receiving a Masters in Creative Writing (fiction) from Boston University. He has been an agent with InkWell Management since it was created in 2004. His areas of interest and representation range from literary, commercial, historical and crime fiction to suspense/thriller, humorous non-fiction and popular history.
Notes
This literary agent represents:
FICTION: Commercial * Crime/Detective/Police * General Fiction * Historical * Literary * Mystery * Suspense * Thriller *
NONFICTION: General Nonfiction * History * Humor *
521 Fifth Avenue Suite 2600 New York NY 10175 USA
Biography
Gail Fortune is a literary agent with the Talbot Fortune Agency. She is a literary agent and former book editor with over twenty-five years of publishing experience. Prior to becoming an agent she spent sixteen years at Putnam Berkley (now part of Penguin Random House), where she rose from Assistant to the Editor-in-Chief to Executive Editor. Her authors won RITAs and Agatha’s and were Edgar, Anthony and Shamus nominees. She has edited and agented New York Times and USA Today bestsellers and Publisher’s Weekly Books of the Year. She is a graduate of Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism.
Notes
This literary agent represents:
FICTION: Crime/Detective/Police * General Fiction * Historical * Literary * Mystery * Romance * Upmarket Fiction * Women’s Fiction * Suspense * Thriller *
NONFICTION: Current Events/Affairs * General Nonfiction * History * Journalism * Narrative *
980 Broadway Suite 664 Thornwood NY 10594 USA
Biography
Roz Foster is a literary agent with the Frances Goldin Literary Agency. After spending more than six years as a literary agent with the Sandra Dijkstra Literary Agency, Roz joined the Goldin Agency in 2019. She’s interested in books that grapple with what it is to be human, books that confront big human themes—morality, purpose, freedom, faith or its lack, hierarchy, success, violence, meaning, love, and death. She looks for stories that make sense of the chaos of life and the harshness of reality. She loves writing that has emotional depth, makes insightful observations, and demonstrates exquisite linguistic skill.
In fiction, Roz is looking for literary or commercial; contemporary, speculative/sci-fi (including cli-fi) on the literary side, historical, supernatural, mystery/crime, and thriller. In nonfiction, she’s looking for history, nonfiction narrative, memoir, business, self-help, tech, science, and design.
Recent sales through the Goldin Agency include Clare Corbould and Michael McDonnell’s TO CHOOSE OUR BETTER HISTORY (New Press); Surekha Davies’s HUMANS: A MONSTROUS HISTORY (UC Press); Christopher Paul Harris’s TO BUILD A BLACK FUTURE (Princeton UP); and Robin Bernstein’s THE TRIALS OF WILLIAM FREEMAN: A STORY OF MURDER, RACE, AND AMERICA’S FIRST INDUSTRIAL PRISON (U of Chicago Press). Select sales through the Dijkstra Agency include Constance Sayers’s A WITCH IN TIME and THE LADIES OF THE SECRET CIRCUS (Redhook); Martha Jones’s VANGUARD (Basic); Susan O’Donovan’s BECOMING CITIZENS (Metropolitan); Daniel Russell’s THE JOY OF SEARCH (MIT Press); Claire Potter’s POLITICAL JUNKIES (Basic); Blain Roberts and Ethan J. Kytle’s DENMARK VESEY’S GARDEN (New Press); and Michael K. Honey’s TO THE PROMISED LAND (Norton).
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This literary agent represents:
FICTION: Commercial * Crime/Detective/Police * Fantasy * General Fiction * Literary * Mystery * Paranormal * Science Fiction * Suspense * Thriller *
NONFICTION: Current Events/Affairs * Design * General Nonfiction * History * Memoir * Narrative * Politics * Science * Sociology * Technology *
214 W. 29th St. Suite 1006 New York NY 10001 USA
Biography
Renee Fountain is a literary agent with Gandolfo Helin & Fountain Literary Management. She’s also the president and a publishing industry veteran, a reviewer for Kirkus and New York Journal of Books, and a book scout for The CW Network.
During her almost decade-long tenure with major houses such as Harcourt Brace and Simon & Schuster, Ms. Fountain had the great fortune of working with some of the best writers and illustrators in the publishing world.
Additionally, with more than ten years of licensing and branding experience, she has been involved in creating book-related merchandise including iconic favorites such as Raggedy Ann and Nancy Drew; as well as brokering film and television options.
Renee is looking for all types of adult and YA fiction and non-fiction. She prefers: thrillers, horror/dark fantasy, urban/contemporary fantasy, humor, sci-fi, pop-culture, memoirs, and narrative/commercial. She DOES NOT represent previously published books (including self-published), Westerns, Hard Science Fiction, Space Opera, Middle Grade, Picture Books, Erotica, Poetry, Novellas or Short Story Collections.
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This literary agent represents:
FICTION: Children’s Fiction * Commercial * Contemporary * Fantasy * General Fiction * Horror * Humor Fiction * Juvenile Fiction * Mystery * NoMG * NoPB * Romance * Science Fiction * Sports Fiction * Suspense * Thriller * Young Adult Fiction *
NONFICTION: Biography * Business * Cooking/Cookbook * General Nonfiction * Health/Wellness * History * Humor * Juvenile * Lifestyle * Memoir * Mind/Body/Spirit * Money/Finance * Narrative * Pop Culture * Sports * Young Adult *
New York NY 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)