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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.
Biography
Carleen Geisler is a literary agent with the ArtHouse Literary Agency. She comes from a background in technical writing and content marketing. When she found the world of publishing, she fell in love and dove in head first: starting her own author career as well as an internship at ArtHouse. She works on both sides with equal passion, and loves to help authors discover their “why” and curate their careers.
Notes
CLOSED to Submissions | New Literary Agents | Member of the AALA |BIPOC Fiction | Commercial Fiction | Contemporary Fiction | General Fiction | Horror | LGBTQ Fiction | Literary Fiction | Multicultural Fiction | New Adult Fiction | Romance | Short Story Collection | Speculative Fiction | Suspense Fiction | Thriller | Upmarket Fiction | Women’s Fiction |Art | Cookbook Cooking | Crafts | Cultural Social Issues | Dating Relationships Sex | Fitness | Food Drink | Gardening | Health Wellness | LGBTQ Nonfiction | Lifestyle | Memoir | Mind Body Spirit | Pop Culture | Science | Spirituality |
Biography
Jane Gelfman is a literary agent with the Gelfman Schneider/ICM Literary Agency. Jane was born in New York, and after attending an out-of-town college, couldn’t wait to move back to the city and work in Publishing. After a small flirtation with Simon and Schuster and as a “story editor” in film production, she formed an alliance with a British publisher as acquisitions editor and agent for its US rights, and then seguéd into full-time agenting in partnership with Deborah Schneider. The agency has prospered harmoniously for decades, representing a multifaceted array of wonderful writers.
Notes
CLOSED to Submissions | Member of the AALA |Young Adult Fiction | Commercial Fiction | Crime Fiction | General Fiction | Literary Fiction | Mainstream Fiction | Mystery | Romance | Thriller | Women’s Fiction |General Nonfiction | Memoir | Science |
Biography
Tara Gelsomino is a literary agent with and the founder of the One Track Literary Agency. A voracious genre reader since childhood, Tara began her publishing industry career at Romantic Times magazine in 1998 as a writer/editor then managing editor, before transitioning to audiobook publishing in 2005 with BBC Audiobooks America as managing editor, acquisitions editor, and executive marketing manager. During her time with BBCAA, she also spearheaded creating and publishing the first crowd-sourced audiobooks via Twitter with renowned bestselling authors Neil Gaiman and Meg Cabot. (Despite not having the correctly shaped head to pull it off, she has indeed worn many hats.)
In 2013, she returned to her romance roots as the Executive Editor of Crimson Romance, a digital-first imprint for F+W Media and later Simon & Schuster, where she acquired and published more than 300 titles by new and up-and-coming authors. Her proudest achievements at Crimson include leading the imprint to become the largest romance publisher of own voices titles, with nearly 30 percent of its 2017 books by authors of color (per The Ripped Bodice’s Diversity in Romance report), and conceiving, editing, and publishing Snow Falling, the TV tie-in romance novel for the Peabody Award-winning CW show, Jane the Virgin.
Since opening One Track Literary in March 2018, Tara has licensed rights to dozens of print and audio publishers both domestically and internationally, including Berkley Publishing, The Dial Press, Avon Romance, Putnam Books, Harlequin, Audible, Blackstone Publishing, Brilliance Audio, Tantor Media, Recorded Books, Dreamscape Publishing, Penguin Random House Audio, Hachette/Headline Eternal (UK) and more. She has worked with various TV/film representatives and optioned film rights to Netflix. In 2022, OTLA celebrated a landmark year, brokering more than $1 million in deals for its clients.
She is also a member of the Association of American Literary Agents, serving on the digital media committee.
Throughout her career, she has accumulated extensive experience in:
creating, revising, and negotiating publishing contracts
providing in-depth editorial feedback, including developmental, line, and copy edits
designing attention-getting promotional, marketing, and social media campaigns
developing a strong network of publishing industry contacts across multiple formats and disciplines
advising and advocating for authors and providing general career guidance
Tara lives in Rhode Island with her husband and her rescue dog, Yoda. When she isn’t reading or writing, she enjoys watching too much television, buying yarn (and occasionally even knitting it), seeing Broadway musicals, and traveling to new places.
Notes
CLOSED to Submissions | Member of the AALA |Young Adult Fiction | Chick Lit | Commercial Fiction | Contemporary Fiction | Crime Fiction | Dystopian Fiction | Humor Fiction | Mystery | Romance | Satire | Science Fiction | Suspense Fiction | Thriller | Upmarket Fiction | Women’s Fiction |
Biography
Marc Gerald is a literary agent and founder of Europa Content Ltd. Gerald started his career as an editor at True Detective Magazine, before spending four years as a writer/producer at America’s Most Wanted. While there, he conceived and produced the show’s recreations as well as countless full-length TV specials for Fox.
Eventually, Gerald left Fox to head up ABA Award winning Old School Books, an imprint of WW Norton books, that is widely credited with starting a resurgence in interest in urban black literature. After publishing close to 25 books with Old School, as well as co-writing and co-producing the Stratosphere release of Six Ways to Sunday (based upon one of its titles) Gerald moved on to form The Syndicate with Wesley Snipes and Def Jam. Determined to bring literature and a love of reading to a young, urban and primarily black audience, Gerald commissioned novellas from some of hip hop’s brightest stars and sold them with CD’s supplied by Def Jam. Eventually, Gerald’s interest in germinating original ideas and packaging innovative concepts led him to representation and the formation of Los Bravos Management.
In August 2004, LBM was acquired by The Agency Group. In 2016, The AGency Group was purchased by United Talent Agency. Gerald left in May 2018 to start Europa Content.
Notes
Accepting Submissions |Juvenile Nonfiction | Middle Grade Fiction | Young Adult Fiction | BIPOC Fiction | Crime Fiction | Fantasy | General Fiction | Graphic Novel | Horror | Inspirational Fiction | Multicultural Fiction | Mystery | Romance | Science Fiction | Suspense Fiction | Thriller |General Nonfiction | Art | Biography | BIPOC Nonfiction | Business Book | Computers | Cookbook Cooking | Cultural Social Issues | Dating Relationships Sex | Diet Nutrition | Economics | Food Drink | Health Wellness | History | How-To | Humor Nonfiction | Lifestyle | Medical Medicine | Memoir | Mind Body Spirit | Money Finance | Multicultural Nonfiction | Narrative Nonfiction | Parenting | Photography | Pop Culture | Reference | Religion | Science | Self-Help | Spirituality | Sports | Technology | Travel |
Biography
Ronald Gerber is a literary agent and manages subsidiary rights, permissions, and contracts at Lowenstein Associates. Before joining the Lowenstein team in April 2019, he spent several years in literary scouting at Sanford J. Greenburger Associates and Maximum Films & Management and supported two agents at Writers House. Ronald is a proud graduate of Bard College at Simon’s Rock and received his B.A., summa cum laude with high honors, from Clark University.
Notes
Accepting Submissions | Member of the AALA |Middle Grade Fiction | Action Adventure | BIPOC Fiction | Commercial Fiction | Contemporary Fiction | Crime Fiction | Dystopian Fiction | Family Saga | General Fiction | Historical Fiction | Horror | Humor Fiction | LGBTQ Fiction | Literary Fiction | Multicultural Fiction | Mystery | Romance | Science Fiction | Short Story Collection | Suspense Fiction | Thriller | Upmarket Fiction | Women’s Fiction |General Nonfiction | Biography | BIPOC Nonfiction | Celebrity | Current Events Affairs | History | Journalism | LGBTQ Nonfiction | Memoir | Multicultural Nonfiction | Music | Narrative Nonfiction | Politics | Pop Culture | Sports | True Crime | Women’s Issues |
Biography
Jeff Gerecke is a literary agent with the G Agency. Jeff says: “Starting in June 2010, I am now officially running my own agency, the G Agency, LLC. I have previously worked at the JCA Literary Agency for 17 years and for the last 5 have been affiliated with the Gina Maccoby Literary Agency. I am interested in commercial and literary fiction, as well as serious non-fiction and pop culture. My focus as an agent has always been on working with writers to shape their work for its greatest commercial potential. I provide lots of editorial advice in sharpening manuscripts and proposals before submission.
I’ve been a member of the Royalty Committee of the Association of Authors Representatives since its founding and am always keen to challenge publishers for their willfully obscure royalty reporting. Also I have recently taken over the position of Treasurer of the A.A.R. My publishing background includes working at the University of California Press so I am always intrigued by academic subjects which are given a commercial spin to reach an audience outside academia. I’ve also worked as a foreign scout for publishers like Hodder & Stoughton in England and Wilhelm Heyne in Germany, which gives me a good sense of how American books can be successfully translated overseas.”
Notes
Accepting Submissions | Member of the AALA |Commercial Fiction | Crime Fiction | General Fiction | Historical Fiction | Literary Fiction | Mystery | Thriller |General Nonfiction | Biography | Business Book | Computers | Current Events Affairs | Economics | History | Military War Nonfiction | Money Finance | Narrative Nonfiction | Politics | Pop Culture | Sports | Technology | True Crime |
Biography
David Gernert is a literary agent with and the President of the Gernert Company. David spent the first fourteen years of his publishing career at Doubleday, the last six as Editor-In-Chief. He left Doubleday in 1996 to start The Gernert Company, believing his experience as a publisher would give him some unique insight into the representation of authors. He lives in Pound Ridge with his wife and four children.
Notes
Accepting Submissions |Commercial Fiction | Crime Fiction | General Fiction | Horror | Mystery | Romance | Thriller | Women’s Fiction |General Nonfiction | Celebrity | Current Events Affairs | Film Entertainment | History | Music | Narrative Nonfiction | Politics | Pop Culture | Sports | True Crime |
Biography
Jack Gernert is a literary agent with The Gernert Company. Jack is a graduate of the University of Virginia, where he double majored in Economics and American Studies with a focus on popular culture. A former intern, Jack spent time chasing snow drifts and sunshine as a ski bum in Utah and an events coordinator in Miami before joining The Gernert Company full time in 2016. He loves stories about heroes—both real and imagined—and is often hooked by writing with a sense of humor or an unforgettable narrator.
Notes
Accepting Submissions |General Fiction | Humor Fiction | Satire |General Nonfiction | Business Book | Economics | Humor Nonfiction | Money Finance | Pop Culture |
Sarah Gerton
New Leaf Literary & Media, Inc.Accepting SubmissionsQuery Method(s): Email > Online Form >Biography
Sarah Gerton is an Associate Literary Agent and Subrights Associate at New Leaf Literary & Media. She is seeking fiction and select narrative nonfiction for middle grade, young adult, and crossover adult readers. She’s eager to read YA and MG fiction of all genres; on the adult side, she is primarily interested in sci-fi, fantasy, and horror. Across the board, she gravitates toward unforgettable characters and sriking prose. Before joining New Leaf, she worked at Curtis Brown, Ltd., and graduated from Wesleyan University and the Columbia Publishing Course. Originally from small-town Minnesota, she’s now based in Queens and enjoys exploring the city’s restaurants and bookstores.
Notes
Accepting Submissions | Member of the AALA |Juvenile Nonfiction | Middle Grade Fiction | Middle Grade Nonfiction | Young Adult Fiction | Young Adult Nonfiction | Fantasy | Horror | New Adult Fiction | Science Fiction |
Biography
Claire Gerus is a literary agent with the Claire Gerus Literary Agency. Claire has been Editor-in-Chief of two publishing houses, worked for seven major publishers, including Harlequin, Rodale, Random House, Doubleday, John Wiley, Kensington, and Adams Media, written articles for U.S. and Canadian magazines and newspapers, and taught corporate communications to such clients as IBM, Kelloggs, Mutual of Omaha, and Procter & Gamble.
In 1996, she established a thriving business as a New York literary agent, selling publishers books on a variety of subjects: business, history, memoirs, religion, health, spirituality, psychology, politics, pop culture, and women’s studies. She sold a 3-million copy health bestseller and brought film star Esther Williams’ story to Simon & Schuster. It went on to become a New York Times bestseller.
In 1999, she joined Kensington Publishing in New York and founded TwinStreams Books, a complementary healing imprint. Later, as Executive Editor at Citadel Press, she acquired and edited titles on celebrity biography, self-help, relationships, spirituality, new age, diet, Judaica, and health. From 2001-August, 2002, she was Executive Editor at Adams Media, where she published the first biography of Laura Bush. She also published a wide range of new age, business, self-help, and inspirational books.
She is presently working as a literary agent and book development consultant. Among her clients are an ex-CIA agent, three psychologists, a policewoman, a District Attorney, an Assistant Attorney-General, a business communications consultant, a women’s safety advocate, a best-selling psychologist, the Wall Street Journal’s Soviet specialist, a former Miss Connecticut and inspirational columnist, a diabetes spokesperson and many more with equally fascinating backgrounds!
Notes
Accepting Submissions | General Nonfiction | Biography | Business Book | Health Wellness | History | Lifestyle | Mind Body Spirit | Money Finance | Politics | Psychology | Religion | Science | True Crime |
Biography
Hafizah Geter is a literary agent with Janklow & Nesbit Associates. An agent, an expert editor, and a fierce advocate, Hafizah Geter got her first job in literature over a decade ago with the literary nonprofit Cave Canem, before moving on to organizations like PEN America and Poets House in NYC. Before joining Janklow & Nesbit in 2020, she was an editor at Little A and Joey Soloway’s Topple Books where she worked on award winning fiction and nonfiction, including New York Public Library and NPR Best Books of the Year. Hafizah represents a wide array of nonfiction and literary and commercial fiction. In search of great writers and thinkers, she is eager to work with experts in their field.
In nonfiction, Hafizah is particularly interested in big-idea books that start conversations, challenge conventions, and reveal something precise about society or relationships. She is keen on books that examine technology, race, disability, queerness, inequality, science, politics, as well as cultural histories and close studies (salt, rain, mushrooms, tears, etc.).
In fiction, Hafizah is keen on a broad range of literary and commercial fiction that reveal new connections, and fuller ways for us to be human. She loves a sad book as much as a contemplative or funny one. Above all, she seeks writers whose sentences thrum with voice and style.
Hafizah was born in Zaria, Nigeria and grew up in Akron, Ohio and Columbia, South Carolina. She received her BA in English and economics from Clemson University, an MFA in nonfiction from NYU, and an MFA in poetry from Columbia College Chicago. Her memoir, The Black Period: On Personhood, Race & Origin, (Random House) is a New Yorker Magazine Best Book of 2022, a Good Morning America Anticipated Book, and an Amazon’s Best of the Month Editor’s Pick. Her poetry collection, Un-American (Wesleyan University Press), was a 2021 NAACP Image Award, a 2021 PEN Open Book Award finalist, and longlisted for the 2021 Brooklyn Public Library Literary Prize.
Currently, Hafizah is eager to receive nonfiction in the realm of reportage/journalism, big-ideas, economics, labor, abolition, science, tech/social media culture, cultural criticism, social and political sciences, prescriptive nonfiction, and nature writing.
Notes
Accepting Submissions | Black Literary Agents |BIPOC Fiction | Commercial Fiction | General Fiction | LGBTQ Fiction | Literary Fiction | Multicultural Fiction |General Nonfiction | Biography | BIPOC Nonfiction | Business Book | Cultural Social Issues | Dating Relationships Sex | Economics | Environment | History | Investigative | Journalism | Law Legal | LGBTQ Nonfiction | Lifestyle | Memoir | Multicultural Nonfiction | Nature | Politics | Science | Technology | Upmarket Nonfiction |
Biography
Josh Getzler is a literary agent with HG Literary. Josh left Harcourt in 1993 to get an MBA from Columbia Business School. After Business School, Josh spent 11 years owning and operating a minor league baseball team (the Staten Island Yankees). He left baseball in late 2006 and rejoined the book world on the agent side. Josh worked at Writers House until November 2009, building a list of adult novelists, YA and middle grade authors, and the occasional nonfiction writer; then joined Russell and Volkening. In May 2011 he partnered with Carrie Hannigan, and has been actively and happily running his list.
Josh represents more than 60 authors, including Geoff Rodkey (NYT Best Selling THE TAPPER TWINS series from Little, Brown), Paul Goldberg (THE YID—Picador), Todd Moss (The Judd Ryker thriller series from Putnam), EJ Copperman/Jeff Cohen (The best-selling HAUNTED GUEST HOUSE series from Berkley Prime Crime among others), EM Powell (The FIFTH KNIGHT series from Thomas & Mercer with more than 150,000 sales), Jessica Burkhart (Best Selling CANTERWOOD CREST series), Asha Dornfest (PARENT HACKS out from Workman) and Gerald Elias (the Daniel Jacobus mystery series from Severn).
Josh is particularly into foreign and historical fiction; both women’s fiction (your Downton Abbey/Philippa Gregory Mashups), straight ahead historical fiction (think Wolf Hall or The Road to Wellville); and thrillers and mysteries (The Alienist, say; or Donna Leon or Arianna Franklin). He’d LOVE a strong French Revolution novel. So send in your ruthless doges and impious cardinals…and your farmhouse cozies! (He does love cozies…) Give him atmosphere, let him learn something about another time or another place (or both), and kill off nasty Uncle Mortimer in the process—Josh will be yours!
Josh has also been taking on a significant amount of middle grade fiction, which has been a particular sweet spot. Settings that are just a little off seem to be a real favorite, along with contemporary/funny books about kids. Not so much high fantasy or science fiction, and definitely not picture books. (There are many others who specialize in these books, including Carrie Hannigan at HG.) Please don’t send religious fiction–he doesn’t have contacts in the Christian book market.
In nonfiction, he’s very interested in increasing his list in history (including micro-histories), business, and political thought–but not screeds.
Notes
CLOSED to Submissions | Member of the AALA |Middle Grade Fiction | Young Adult Fiction | Action Adventure | Commercial Fiction | Contemporary Fiction | Crime Fiction | Espionage Military Fiction | Historical Fiction | Literary Fiction | Mystery | Science Fiction | Suspense Fiction | Thriller | Upmarket Fiction | Women’s Fiction |Business Book | Cultural Social Issues | History | Journalism | Memoir | Military War Nonfiction | Narrative Nonfiction | Politics | Pop Culture | Psychology | Sports | True Crime |
Biography
Lilly Ghahremani is a literary agent with the Full Circle Literary Agency. She fell into this dream career in publishing. After graduating from UCLA Law School, she joined a small law firm that, of all things, represented authors. What fun for a bookaholic! While she loved finessing the perfect contract for powerhouse academic authors, she realized she wanted to be part of the bigger life cycle of a book. She and Stefanie partnered up and co-founded Full Circle Literary nearly two decades ago (!!!). They had at their core the very personal mission to lift marginalized voices (cue Lilly going on and on about the lack of representation of Middle Eastern kids in books when she was growing up).
Now a recovering lawyer, Lilly jokes that she uses her powers for good. Since striking her very first book deal (a pop culture book sold to Random House) Lilly has been hooked on the thrill of telling a client that their book is about to become a reality. She enjoys thinking carefully about contracts and using them to make room for authors and illustrators to grow. She’s no book-slinger and it’s never about one project. As an agent, she works closely with clients to strategize a longer play of creative productivity and satisfaction.
Lilly represents a wide range of authors and illustrators on both the adult and children’s book sides, including: Pulitzer Prize and Golden Kite award-winning illustrator Fahmida Azim; Emmy-winning journalist, medical doctor and poet Dr. Seema Yasmin; Dawn Dais (author of the bestselling Sh!t No One Tells You parenting series); Emmy-winning ABC San Francisco anchor Dion Lim ; disability activist Kam Redlawsk; interfaith storyteller and educator Naaz H. Khan; lifestyle bloggers Rachel Mae Smith/The Crafted Life and Melissa Bahen/Lulu the Baker; illustrators Andrea Pippins, Susie Ghahremani, Mariam Quraishi and Lili Chin; early childhood and STEAM expert Dr. Rekha Rajan; poet and performance artist Harold Green III (Black Roses and Black Oak, Harper Collins) and SO many wonderful others.
*She can talk about her books, her beloved clients and #FullCircleFam forever – just try her!
Lilly is a proud graduate of University of Michigan, Ann Arbor (Go Blue!), UCLA School of Law (JD), and San Diego State University’s School of Business (MBA). Happy to be back in San Diego after a few years living in Seattle, she can be found strolling in the sun, drinking too much coffee at her local coffee shop, driving and singing with the windows down, or reading with her daughter, a bookworm in training.
Notes
Accepting Submissions |Picture Book | Juvenile Nonfiction | Middle Grade Fiction | Graphic Novel | Multicultural Fiction |Art | Gift Novelty | Lifestyle | Multicultural Nonfiction | Music | Photography | Pop Culture |
Biography
Anna Ghosh is the founding agent of Ghosh Literary. She started her career as a literary agent in New York City in 1995 and was previously a partner at Scovil Galen Ghosh.
The agency offers worldwide literary representation for print and digital media and all allied rights, including motion picture, theatrical and multimedia rights.
Anna’s client list includes New York Times bestsellers, winners of the Pulitzer Prize, Guggenheim and other awards, as well as unheralded gems. Her literary interests are wide and eclectic and she is known for discovering and developing writers. She is particularly interested in literary narratives and books that illuminate some aspect of human endeavor or the natural world. Anna does not typically represent genre fiction but is drawn to compelling storytelling in most guises.
Anna studied Cultural Anthropology and Literary Journalism at Hampshire College, Massachusetts and Liberal Studies at The New School for Social Research, New York. Originally from India, Anna now lives in San Francisco, California.
Notes
Accepting Submissions |Commercial Fiction | Fantasy | General Fiction | Historical Fiction | Literary Fiction | Mainstream Fiction | Science Fiction | Women’s Fiction |General Nonfiction | Art | Autobiography | Biography | Business Book | Celebrity | Cultural Social Issues | Current Events Affairs | Dating Relationships Sex | Economics | Film Entertainment | Fitness | Food Drink | Health Wellness | History | Journalism | Medical Medicine | Memoir | Mind Body Spirit | Money Finance | Multicultural Nonfiction | Music | Narrative Nonfiction | Photography | Politics | Pop Culture | Religion | Science | Self-Help | Spirituality | Technology | Travel | True Adventure | True Crime | Upmarket Nonfiction |
Biography
Jaclyn Gilbert is a literary agent with and the founder of Drift(less) Literary. She began her career in sales and marketing at Workman Publishing before joining Janklow & Nesbit’s foreign rights team—where she helped secure translation rights to works by Jhumpa Lahiri, Tom Wolfe, Laura Hillenbrand, Sarah Manguso, Maggie Nelson, and many others. Jaclyn holds a B.A. from Yale and an MFA from Sarah Lawrence College. In 2018, her debut novel, Late Air, was published by Little A, and her stories, essays and reviews have appeared in Post Road Magazine, Tin House, Long Reads, The Paper Brigade, Lit Hub, and elsewhere. Formerly she worked as a literary agent at Cullen Stanley International, where she worked on selling works for translation by Kiese Laymon, Gina Apostol, Ariana Reines, and Kate Zambreno.
Notes
Accepting Submissions |General Fiction | Short Story Collection |General Nonfiction | Memoir |
Biography
Tara Gilbert is a literary agent with KT Literary. They are a literary agent based out of Portland, Oregon. Tara began their career working as an intern in 2017 and soon became an agent in 2019. Tara’s passion is working with LGBTQ+, BIPOC, Neurodiverse, body diverse, and underrepresented authors and illustrators, focusing on fiction and graphic novels for MG, YA, and adults. Their clients include award nominees Lee Mandelo, CG Drews, ST Gibson, bestselling illustrator Joanna Cacao, and more.
Notes
CLOSED to Submissions |Juvenile Nonfiction | Middle Grade Fiction | Middle Grade Nonfiction | Young Adult Fiction | Young Adult Nonfiction | BIPOC Fiction | Commercial Fiction | Contemporary Fiction | Fantasy | General Fiction | Graphic Novel | Historical Fiction | Horror | LGBTQ Fiction | Literary Fiction | Magical Realism | Multicultural Fiction | New Adult Fiction | Romance | Science Fiction | Upmarket Fiction |BIPOC Nonfiction | Illustrated | LGBTQ Nonfiction | Lifestyle | Multicultural Nonfiction | New Age | Pop Culture | Psychology | Spirituality |
Biography
Edythea Ginis Selman is the president of Edythea Ginis Selman Agency.
Notes
Accepting Submissions |Middle Grade Fiction |History | Military War Nonfiction | Multicultural Nonfiction |
Biography
Peter Ginsberg is a literary agent with the Curtis Brown Literary Agency. Peter joined Curtis Brown following sales and subsidiary rights positions at Doubleday and St. Martin’s Press. Peter opened Curtis Brown’s San Francisco office in 1992. He developed the agents’ publishing course at the New York University Center for Book Publishing and has taught at the Stanford Publishing Course and the Stanford Communications Workshops as well as the University of California at Berkeley. Peter has served on the Board of Directors of the Association of Authors’ Representatives and the board of the Friends of the San Francisco Public Library.
Notes
CLOSED to Submissions |Commercial Fiction | General Fiction | Thriller |General Nonfiction | Autobiography | Biography | Business Book | Current Events Affairs | History | Memoir | Military War Nonfiction | Money Finance | Politics | Science | Self-Help | Technology |
Biography
Susan Ginsburg is a literary agent with Writers House Literary Agency. Susan says: “I’ve been in the business for over 35 years, and with Writers House for 25. I got my start on the editorial side, as editor-in-chief of St. Martin’s and Atheneum Books and Executive Editor of Pocket Books at Simon & Schuster, where I had the fortune to publish such wonderful writers as Alice Walker (THE COLOR PURPLE) and John Irving (THE WORLD ACCORDING TO GARP). My agenting career has spanned both fiction and non-fiction, and I continue to work closely with all my authors editorially. I am currently looking for commercial and literary fiction—particularly voice-driven narratives in unique settings filled with emotionally compelling characters—as well as rich, big idea narrative non-fiction, and unique memoirs.
I am not the right agent for horror, science-fiction, or epic fantasy.”
Notes
Accepting Submissions | Black Literary Agents | Member of the AALA |Picture Book | Juvenile Nonfiction | Middle Grade Fiction | Middle Grade Nonfiction | Young Adult Fiction | Young Adult Nonfiction | Commercial Fiction | Crime Fiction | General Fiction | Literary Fiction | Mystery | New Adult Fiction | Romance | Thriller | Women’s Fiction |General Nonfiction | Biography | Business Book | Cookbook Cooking | Current Events Affairs | Food Drink | History | Memoir | Money Finance | Narrative Nonfiction | Politics | Science |
Biography
Elena Mechlin Giovinazzo is a literary agent with Pippin Properties. She always thought she’d be an English teacher. That is, until the day she realized (later than she cares to admit) that books came from someplace and that there were jobs in those places. She immediately set out to find one of those jobs. After attending the Publishing Institute at the University of Denver she worked her way through positions in subsidiary rights and marketing, until she landed at Pippin in June of 2009 and never looked back. She has been mining the queries for gold and jewels ever since.
Notes
CLOSED to Submissions |Picture Book | Juvenile Nonfiction | Middle Grade Fiction | Middle Grade Nonfiction | Young Adult Fiction | Young Adult Nonfiction | General Fiction | Graphic Novel | Historical Fiction | Mystery |Gift Novelty | History |
Biography
Katie Gisondi is a literary agent with the Laura Dail Literary Agency. She graduated from Hamilton College in 2020 with a BA in Creative Writing. Before finding her home at LDLA she worked at Cut + Run Productions NYC and ran social media at Eaton Hemp Superfoods. In her spare time, she fangirls over romantasy, thrillers, and Jane Austen.
Notes
Accepting Submissions | New Literary Agents | Member of the AALA |Middle Grade Fiction | Young Adult Fiction | Commercial Fiction | Contemporary Fiction | Fantasy | Graphic Novel | Horror | Humor Fiction | LGBTQ Fiction | Mystery | New Adult Fiction | Romance | Science Fiction |Cultural Social Issues | Dating Relationships Sex | Environment | Family | Health Wellness | History | Humor Nonfiction | LGBTQ Nonfiction | Lifestyle | Medical Medicine | Money Finance | Narrative Nonfiction | Nature | Pop Culture | Psychology | Science | Self-Help | Sports | Technology | True Crime | Women’s Issues |
Biography
Jessica Gitre is a literary agent with Janklow & Nesbit Associates. Born and raised in Austin, Texas, Jessica Gitre majored in Mathematics and Linguistics at the University of Chicago. A lifelong reader, when internships and jobs as a data scientist weren’t filling her cup, she took the leap into publishing and landed at ICM Partners (now owned by CAA) on their Contracts and Royalty Administration team. In 2023, Jessica joined Janklow and Nesbit Associates where she assists Melissa Flashman and Emma Parry.
Jessica is interested in non-fiction with an authoritative voice – the kind that brings clarity to a complex web of topics. She seeks niche cultural histories, a propulsive narrative, and/or dissections of complex technical phenomena for a trade audience in any field. She is also interested in exploring generational differences in how we mediate our relationship with technology. With fiction, she is looking for stories that walk the line between a strong emotional core and a wry tone, or that turn the mundane into the sacred.
Notes
Accepting Submissions | New Literary Agents |General Fiction | Literary Fiction |Cultural Social Issues | History | Narrative Nonfiction | Science | Technology |
Biography
Amy Giuffrida is a literary agent with the Belcastro Agency. After Amy earned her BA at the University of Kutztown and a M.Ed. from Lock Haven University, she incorporated her love of reading and books with being a middle school teacher. Amy’s biggest joy was to put the perfect book in the hands of a teen and change their minds about reading. Amy turned this love into a career by reading romance slush for a publishing company, then interned for various literary agencies, until she became an associate literary agent in 2020. In her spare time, you can find Amy either listening to, reading, or talking about books. She also loves binge-watching teen and reality TV shows—all while snuggling with one or more of her three rescue dogs.
Some of Amy’s favorite books: It by Stephen King; The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas; Looking for Alaska by John Green; Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston; The Grace Year by Kim Liggett; The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid; The Invisible Life of Addie Larue by V. E. Schwab. Her favorite TV shows are Buffy, The Boys, Schitt’s Creek, Stranger Things, and anything remotely like Married at First Sight.
Notes
Accepting Submissions | Member of the AALA |Picture Book | Juvenile Nonfiction | Young Adult Fiction | BIPOC Fiction | Commercial Fiction | Contemporary Fiction | Family Saga | Horror | Mystery | Romance | Suspense Fiction | Thriller | Upmarket Fiction | Women’s Fiction |Celebrity | Cookbook Cooking | Crafts | Cultural Social Issues | Dating Relationships Sex | Family | Film Entertainment | Food Drink | How-To | Journalism | Lifestyle | Multicultural Nonfiction | Narrative Nonfiction | Photography | Pop Culture | Psychology | Self-Help | Travel | True Adventure | True Crime | Women’s Issues |
Biography
Alex Glass is the founder and literary agent with Glass Literary Management. Alex started Glass Literary Management in 2015 after an eighteen-year career in book publishing. For the previous thirteen years he was a literary agent at Trident Media Group, where he built a diverse list of successful authors.
Prior to becoming an agent, Alex worked in marketing at the Putnam Berkley Publishing Group and spent three years in the literature program at the National Endowment for the Arts.
Alex has had the privilege of representing debut novelists and memoirists along with celebrities, professional athletes, and nationally renowned experts. He became a literary agent because he wanted to give talented creative writers a platform to develop their craft and reach the widest possible audience, and his novelist clients writing for adults and children are international bestsellers and have won awards such as the PEN/O’Henry, the Edgar, and the Newbery. Along the way, he has been able to follow his interests into other areas of publishing, and his client list includes bestselling authors in health and wellness, sports, history, business, narrative nonfiction, memoir, celebrity, and popular culture.
Alex has represented thirteen New York Times bestsellers and numerous other national and international bestsellers. His books have been published in over two dozen languages around the world, and many have been optioned for film and television, including Matt Bondurant’s The Wettest County in the World, which became the feature film LAWLESS, directed by John Hillcoat; and Chad Kultgen’s Men Women & Children, which became the feature film of the same name, directed by Jason Reitman.
Alex has been interviewed and quoted in publications like Publisher’s Weekly, the Wall Street Journal, Kirkus Reviews, and Entertainment Weekly, which called him “an A-list agent.” He is a graduate of the Johns Hopkins University and the MFA program at American University. He lives in New York City with his wife, Sarah, a book editor, and their daughters, Gabrielle and Vivienne.
Notes
Accepting Submissions | Member of the AALA |Juvenile Nonfiction | Middle Grade Fiction | Middle Grade Nonfiction | Young Adult Fiction | Young Adult Nonfiction | BIPOC Fiction | Crime Fiction | General Fiction | Graphic Novel | Literary Fiction | Multicultural Fiction | Mystery | Suspense Fiction | Thriller |General Nonfiction | Biography | BIPOC Nonfiction | Business Book | Celebrity | Cookbook Cooking | Dating Relationships Sex | Diet Nutrition | Health Wellness | History | How-To | Inspirational Nonfiction | Journalism | Lifestyle | Memoir | Mind Body Spirit | Money Finance | Multicultural Nonfiction | Narrative Nonfiction | Parenting | Pop Culture | Religion | Science | Spirituality | Sports |
Carla Glasser
The Betsy Nolan Literary AgencyAccepting SubmissionsQuery Method(s): Email > Postal Mail >Biography
Carla Glasser is a literary agent with The Betsy Nolan Literary Agency.
Notes
Accepting Submissions | Art | Business Book | Cookbook Cooking | Crafts | Dating Relationships Sex | Design | Gardening | How-To | Lifestyle | Money Finance | Parenting | Psychology | Self-Help |
Biography
Linda S. Glaz is a literary agent with and the founder of The Linda S. Glaz Literary Agency. She says: “Well, it’s not a secret. I worked as an agent for thirteen years and made the decision to form the Linda S. Glaz Literary Agency. I haven’t regretted my decision for even one day. It’s beyond exciting when a debut author receives an offer for publication, and I’m always thrilled to be part of that moment. I hope to help launch more careers as I move forward.
And now, I wake up every single morning pinching myself to be sure I really have this amazing career. I love helping authors realize their dreams! I also teach nationally to help writers attain new levels of success in their craft, so watch for me at a conference near you. Or better yet, invite me to share at your conference on an array of topics from Are You Writing What You’re Called to Write? to Deep Deep POV, and more cutting-edge topics to help authors take their work to the next level. I would love it if you considered being part of this journey with me.”
Notes
Accepting Submissions |Juvenile Nonfiction | Young Adult Fiction | Young Adult Nonfiction |Christian Fiction | Christian Nonfiction |Contemporary Fiction | General Fiction | Historical Fiction | Inspirational Fiction | Mystery | Religious Fiction | Romance | Suspense Fiction | Thriller | Western Fiction |General Nonfiction | Business Book | Cookbook Cooking | Health Wellness | How-To | Inspirational Nonfiction | Mind Body Spirit | Money Finance | Religion | Self-Help | Spirituality | Sports | Travel |
Biography
Mollie Glick is a literary agent with Creative Artists Agency. After graduating from Brown University, Mollie began her publishing career as a literary scout, advising foreign publishers regarding the acquisition of rights to American books. She then worked as an editor at the Crown imprint of Random House, before switching over to “the other side” and becoming an agent at JVNLA (The Jean V. Naggar Literary Agency) in 2003.
Mollie’s list includes literary fiction, narrative non-fiction, and a bit of practical non- fiction. She’s particularly interested in fiction that bridges the literary/commercial divide, combining strong writing with a great plot, and non-fiction dealing with popular science, medicine, psychology, cultural history, memoir and current events. She’s very hands-on, working collaboratively with her authors to refine their projects, then focusing on identifying just the right editors for the submissions. In addition to her work as a literary agent, Mollie also teaches classes on non-fiction proposal writing at Media Bistro, and a copy of her instructional article on non-fiction proposal writing will be featured in this year’s edition of the Writers Digest guide to literary agents.
Notes
Accepting Submissions | New Literary Agents |Picture Book | Middle Grade Fiction | Young Adult Fiction | BIPOC Fiction | Fantasy | General Fiction | Graphic Novel | Horror | Literary Fiction | Multicultural Fiction | Paranormal Fiction | Romance | Science Fiction | Thriller | Women’s Fiction |General Nonfiction | BIPOC Nonfiction | Business Book | Cookbook Cooking | Cultural Social Issues | Current Events Affairs | Dating Relationships Sex | Food Drink | Health Wellness | History | How-To | Humor Nonfiction | Lifestyle | Medical Medicine | Memoir | Money Finance | Multicultural Nonfiction | Narrative Nonfiction | Parenting | Politics | Pop Culture | Reference | Religion | Science | Self-Help | Spirituality | Sports | Technology | Travel | True Crime |
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Directory Instructions
Use the drop-down menu on the left to search for agents by genre, gender, location, longevity, or AAR Status. To find a specific agent or agency, enter the agent’s name or the name of the agency into the search box.
Important: If you use the search box, you must remove the search term by pressing the “Clear Search” link before you look for more agents using the drop-down menu (or you won’t see the proper results). Click on the “Show Notes” and “Show Bio” links underneath each agent for more information about that agent.
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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)