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7 Insider Secrets to Get a Top Agent, Publisher, and Book Deal
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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.
- You are searching within category(ies): Science Fiction
Biography
Christi Cardenas is a literary agent with The Plains Agency. Christi Cardenas is the founder and owner of The Plains Agency. Christi navigates her day with coffee in hand bringing people together, monetizing ideas and is inspired by the writers and talents she represents.
Notes
FICTION: Commercial Fiction, Fantasy, Fiction, General Fiction, Literary Fiction, Mystery, Romance, Science Fiction, Suspense Fiction, ThrillerNONFICTION: Biography, Business Book, Cookbook Cooking, Health Wellness, How-To, Lifestyle, Mind Body Spirit, Money Finance, Nonfiction, Pop Culture, Sports
Biography
Moses Cardona is a literary agent with John Hawkins & Associates. Moses has been with us twenty-eight years, and is President of the firm and in all practical aspects the man who runs the office. He supervises the management of the office, and our foreign rights as well as taking care of his own clients. He is the agent for International Bestselling authors: Cecilia Samartin, Gregory Maguire and US representative for Gold Dagger Winner Ann Cleeves ; Gail Godwin, author of Grief Cottage and Three-Time National Book Award nominee. His special interests include commercial fiction, suspense, business, science, and multi-cultural fiction.He is a graduate of New York University and avid comics collector.
Notes
FICTION: BIPOC Fiction, Commercial Fiction, Crime Fiction, Fantasy, Fiction, General Fiction, Horror, Inspirational Fiction, Literary Fiction, Multicultural Fiction, Mystery, Science Fiction, Suspense Fiction, ThrillerNONFICTION: Biography, BIPOC Nonfiction, Business Book, Computers, Economics, Health Wellness, History, Lifestyle, Memoir, Mind Body Spirit, Money Finance, Multicultural Nonfiction, Narrative Nonfiction, Nonfiction, Science, Sports, Technology, TravelCHILDRENÕS BOOKS: Children’s Books, Young Adult Fiction
Biography
Michael Carr is a literary agent with the Veritas Literary Agency. With a strong background in editing and writing, Michael enjoys teaching at workshops and conferences to help develop emerging writers. He is fluent in Spanish and speaks conversational French. Before joining Veritas, Michael had professions as diverse as programming simulators for nuclear submarines and owning an inn in Vermont.
Notes
FICTION: Action Adventure, Chick Lit, Commercial Fiction, Contemporary Fiction, Crime Fiction, Family Saga, Fantasy, Fiction, Graphic Novel, Historical Fiction, Horror, LGBTQ Fiction, Magical Realism, Multicultural Fiction, Mystery, Science Fiction, Suspense Fiction, Thriller, Upmarket Fiction, Women’s FictionNONFICTION: Biography, Environment, General Nonfiction, History, Memoir, Military War Nonfiction, Multicultural Nonfiction, Music, Narrative Nonfiction, Nature, Nonfiction, Science, Sports, Technology, Travel, True CrimeCHILDRENÕS BOOKS: Children’s Books, Middle Grade Fiction, Young Adult Fiction
Biography
Thais Afonso is a literary agent with the Azantian Literary Agency. Thais has eight years of experience in publishing between Brazil, China, and the United States. More recently, she interned at Writers House, where she honed her skills while supporting the desks of Amy Berkower and Johanna Castillo, and she was mentored by Jennifer Azantian before stepping up to the Associate Agent role at ALA. She intends to represent marginalized authors, and she’s especially seeking to uplift BIPOC born and raised in the Global South.An Afro-Brazlian lesbian, Thais currently lives and works out of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. She helps care for her grandmother when she’s not editing books and she’s one of those terrible people who calls the gym her hobby (even though she currently doesn’t go).
Notes
FICTION: BIPOC Fiction, Contemporary Fiction, Fantasy, Fiction, Gothic Fiction, Horror, LGBTQ Fiction, Magical Realism, Mystery, Romance, Science Fiction, Speculative Fiction, Suspense Fiction, ThrillerCHILDRENÕS BOOKS: Children’s Books, Young Adult Fiction
Biography
Lucy Carson is a literary agent with The Friedrich Agency. She says: ÒI was an over-achieving Òtheater kidÓ who joined every club I could jam into my high school schedule, and never missed a staged production. I attended The University of Michigan, but rarely attended any football games because the library was so blissfully quiet and empty on those SaturdaysÑa temptation too rare to pass up. At Michigan, I studied Film & Television, with an emphasis on production, and when some Juniors spent their semester abroad, I spent mine in Los Angeles, working for The Weinstein Company. I had planned to move to LA after graduation, but when MollyÕs then-assistant had a maternity leave that coincided with graduation in April 2008, I decided to postpone LA for a few months, since the agency was newly formed and my mother needed a trusted temp. Working together proved to be far more fun than either of us expected, so I simply never left.In my 14 years at the agency, I have cultivated a list of mostly fiction and narrative non-fiction for the adult trade audience. I have a particular weakness for voice-forward fiction that asks complicated questions about the intersection of tech, media, and modern relationships. Always with eyes peeled for elevated and stylish writing, I read widely across many genres, including thrillers, horror, sci-fi, and magical realism. Often the novels that are hardest to definitively categorize are the ones that most readily seduce me. In non-fiction, I always crave narrativeÑwhether itÕs a previously untold chapter of history, or an intimate memoir, or the portrait of a contemporary cultural phenomenon.In addition to brokering domestic publishing deals for my own clients, I also oversee all Film, Television & Dramatic business for the wider agency list. This does not mean I represent screenplays! These services only apply to existing print publishing clients and their underlying intellectual property (i.e. the book, the short story, the article). The Friedrich AgencyÕs Film/TV relationships are non-exclusive and customized for each project, and have resulted in all manner of adaptations, from serialized TV shows to one-woman Broadway plays.Five non-agency books that I loved: ASSEMBLY, CHEMISTRY, SPECIAL TOPICS IN CALAMITY PHYSICS, MAYBE YOU SHOULD TALK TO SOMEONE, DRIVE YOUR PLOW OVER THE BONES OF THE DEAD.”
Notes
FICTION: Commercial Fiction, Crime Fiction, Fiction, General Fiction, Horror, Literary Fiction, Magical Realism, Mystery, Science Fiction, Suspense Fiction, Thriller, Upmarket FictionNONFICTION: Biography, Cultural Social Issues, Current Events Affairs, General Nonfiction, History, Memoir, Narrative Nonfiction, Nonfiction, Pop Culture, Science
Biography
Barbara Casey is president of the Barbara Casey Agency. She represents clients nationally and internationally in fiction and nonfiction for adults. She is also a partner with Strategic Media Books. Her past and present professional associations are numerous and include being editorial consultant for the Jamaican Writers Circle in affiliation with the University of West Indies and Mico Teachers College in Kingston. She also received special recognition for her editorial work on the English translations of Albanian childrenÕs stories.She is a frequent guest speaker at writersÕ conferences and universities throughout the United States. She is a former director, guest author, and panelist of BookFest of the Palm Beaches, Florida; and for thirteen years, she served as judge for the Pathfinder Literary Awards in Florida. She held the position of Florida Regional Advisor for the Society of ChildrenÕs Book Writers and Illustrators from 1991 to 2003.Originally from Carrollton, Illinois, Barbara Casey attended the University of North Carolina, North Carolina State University, and North Carolina Wesleyan College where she received a BA degree, summa cum laude, with a double major in English and history. In 1978 she left her position as Director of Public Relations and Vice President of Development at North Carolina Wesleyan College to write full time and develop her own manuscript evaluation and editorial service. Since that time her award-winning articles, short stories, and poetry for adults have appeared in several publications.
Notes
FICTION: Commercial Fiction, Crime Fiction, Fantasy, Fiction, General Fiction, Inspirational Fiction, Literary Fiction, Mystery, Science Fiction, Suspense Fiction, Thriller, Women’s FictionNONFICTION: Biography, General Nonfiction, History, Inspirational Nonfiction, Narrative Nonfiction, Nonfiction, Self-Help, True CrimeCHILDRENÕS BOOKS: Children’s Books, Middle Grade Fiction, Middle Grade Nonfiction, Picture Book, Young Adult Fiction, Young Adult Nonfiction
Biography
Haley Casey is a literary agent with Creative Media Agency, Inc. She has always had a special place in her heart for stories, but it was when she wrote her first chapter book in fifth grade that her true love of literature was realized. In 2015, she graduated from The University of Kansas with a bachelorÕs degree in creative writing, and that fall, she attended the Denver Publishing Institute. She began her full-time career at Ogden Publications, where she was an editor for four years. There she worked with a variety of authors across multiple magazines, wrote articles, edited podcasts, and even styled photosÑanything to add some creativity to her days. In 2020, she interned at Metamorphosis Literary Agency and Creative Media Agency, Inc. before stepping into her role as a junior agent at CMA. She also manages the digital arm of the company. Haley is actively building her list, and is ready to assist her authors in achieving their publishing goals.
Notes
FICTION: BIPOC Fiction, Contemporary Fiction, Fantasy, Fiction, Horror, LGBTQ Fiction, Magical Realism, Multicultural Fiction, Paranormal Fiction, Romance, Science Fiction, Upmarket Fiction, Women’s FictionNONFICTION: BIPOC Nonfiction, Cultural Social Issues, Environment, Gardening, Health Wellness, LGBTQ Nonfiction, Memoir, Multicultural Nonfiction, Narrative Nonfiction, Nature, Nonfiction, Psychology, True Crime, Women’s IssuesCHILDRENÕS BOOKS: Children’s Books, Middle Grade Fiction, Young Adult Fiction, Young Adult Nonfiction
Biography
Heather Cashman is a literary agent with the Storm Literary Agency. Heather has always devoured any book–fiction or nonfiction–that told a good story and introduced a new world, but she especially loves the ones that make her want to be the heroine of her own life. Her work in Biochemistry inspired her imagination for creating worlds. Writing for enjoyment turned into an interest in improving craft.Heather was a professional editor for Cornerstones Literary Consultancy, editing middle grade, young adult, and adult books. SheÕs also helped authors by working as Managing Director of Pitch Wars, #PitMad, and Pitch Madness, as well as being a Pitch Wars mentor. Before becoming Associate Literary Agent and Agent Mentor at Storm Literary Agency, Heather interned for three years at The Bent Agency and Entangled Publishing.Heather is currently seeking submissions for middle grade, young adult, and adult in fiction and nonfiction. For fiction, sheÕll consider all genres and loves a good genre splice. For non-fiction, anything that takes her back to those days in the library when she wanted to learn about someone, something, and somewhere new.For all writing, Heather enjoys unique characters formed from their own experiences in a unique world. The characters need to feel real with a distinct voice from the first line. Thematic elements and strong character arcs are a must. She loves commercial fiction that has a literary flair and inclusive books that bring us together as citizens of the world.Some of her favorite authors: Anne McCaffrey, Terry Brooks, Judy Blume, Dr. Seuss, Shel Silverstein, Gary Paulson, Roald Dahl, Lord Byron (so much love for Prometheus Unbound, especially), Orson Scott Card, Beverly Cleary, Dean Koontz, Rainbow Rowell, Pierce Brown, Leigh Bardugo, Maggie Stiefvater, Holly Black, and so many more.
Notes
FICTION: Action Adventure, Commercial Fiction, Contemporary Fiction, Crime Fiction, Dystopian Fiction, Fantasy, Fiction, Graphic Novel, Historical Fiction, Horror, Humor Fiction, LGBTQ Fiction, Literary Fiction, Magical Realism, Multicultural Fiction, Mystery, Romance, Science Fiction, Suspense Fiction, Thriller, Upmarket Fiction, Women’s FictionNONFICTION: Art, Biography, Cookbook Cooking, Crafts, History, Humor Nonfiction, Illustrated, LGBTQ Nonfiction, Nonfiction, Pop Culture, Psychology, Science, Sports, True CrimeCHILDRENÕS BOOKS: Chapter Book Fiction, Children’s Books, Middle Grade Fiction, Middle Grade Nonfiction, Picture Book, Young Adult Fiction, Young Adult Nonfiction
Biography
Sarah Chalfant is a literary agent with The Wylie Agency.
Notes
FICTION: Fantasy, Fiction, General Fiction, Historical Fiction, Literary Fiction, Science Fiction, Short Story CollectionNONFICTION: Art, Autobiography, Biography, Business Book, Current Events Affairs, General Nonfiction, Health Wellness, History, Memoir, Money Finance, Narrative Nonfiction, Nonfiction, Politics, Pop Culture, Reference, Religion, Science, Spirituality, Sports
Biography
Jennifer Chevais is an associate agent with The Rights Factory. Jennifer is currently building her list of authors specialising in fantasy, science fiction, and horror, but she also has a soft spot for thrillers, upmarket fiction, memoir, graphic novels, and many more.
JenniferÕs experience includes freelance acquisition reading and translating for a French publisher as well as nearly a decade in advertising.
Twitter: @jchevais
Notes
Accepting Submissions | New Literary Agents |Juvenile Nonfiction | Middle Grade Nonfiction | Young Adult Nonfiction | Fantasy | Graphic Novel | Horror | Science Fiction | Thriller | Upmarket Fiction |Memoir |
Biography
Ernie Chiara is a literary agent with Fuse Literary. He loves nothing more than getting to work with his amazing clients on the books of their dreams. Having first joined Fuse Literary as a writer and client himself, he knows what itÕs like to be in the query trenches, and his goal is to be the type of agent every writer hopes to find.Prior to becoming a literary agent, Ernie was an associate agent at Fuse, an assistant to Fuse Senior Agent Tricia Skinner, and a mentor and Communications Director for the Pitch Wars writer mentorship program. A former copywriter for a Fortune 500 client, Ernie is also the founder of TBRstack.com, a platform for authors and publishing professionals to share lists of their favorite books.Outspoken about the issues of equality, both in society as a whole and as they relate to the publishing industry, Ernie values accuracy in representation and the raising of marginalized voices. He strives to be a fierce advocate for his clients and their interests, and is passionate about bringing their stories to a broader audience.In his free time, Ernie enjoys sketching and painting, whaling away on his drum kit, binge-watching the latest fantasy series, and having fun with his three amazing kids. He specializes in Fantasy, Science Fiction, and Horror in the Adult, Young Adult, and Middle Grade categories, as well as YA Contemporary.
Notes
FICTION: BIPOC Fiction, Crime Fiction, Fantasy, Fiction, Horror, LGBTQ Fiction, Literary Fiction, Multicultural Fiction, Mystery, Science Fiction, Speculative Fiction, Suspense Fiction, Thriller, Upmarket FictionCHILDRENÕS BOOKS: Children’s Books, Middle Grade Fiction, Young Adult Fiction
Biography
Jane Chun is a literary agent at the Transatlantic Agency. She joined Transatlantic in 2023 after four years at Janklow & Nesbit Associates. Prior to her time at J&N, she worked on a freelance project for HG Literary and interned at Writers House and Maximum Films & Management.Before entering the publishing world, Jane attended NYU where she majored in History and minored in Business of Entertainment, Media, and Technology; Creative Writing; and Spanish. She returned to NYU shortly after graduation and a brief stint at Asian CineVision and the Asian American International Film Festival (AAIFF) to receive her M.S. in Publishing with distinction. She is a native New Yorker.
Notes
FICTION: BIPOC Fiction, Chick Lit, Commercial Fiction, Contemporary Fiction, Family Saga, Fantasy, Fiction, Graphic Novel, Historical Fiction, Horror, LGBTQ Fiction, Literary Fiction, Science Fiction, Speculative Fiction, Upmarket Fiction, Women’s FictionNONFICTION: BIPOC Nonfiction, Cultural Social Issues, Environment, Food Drink, History, Illustrated, Investigative, Journalism, Memoir, Narrative Nonfiction, Nature, Nonfiction, Pop Culture, Science, TravelCHILDRENÕS BOOKS: Children’s Books, Middle Grade Fiction, Young Adult Fiction
Biography
Ginger Clark is a literary agent with Ginger Clark Literary. Ginger launched Ginger Clark Literary in 2021 to guide and support authors as they build and grow their careers in publishing. With over two decades of experience at Writers House and Curtis Brown, in addition to active work in major positions at the Association of AuthorsÕ Representatives, Ginger is an expert in contracts, foreign rights, and negotiating with all the top publishers. She prides herself on always putting her clients first. She is a graduate of Bryn Mawr College, and lives with her husband outside New York City.
Notes
FICTION: Crime Fiction, Fantasy, Fiction, General Fiction, Horror, Mystery, Paranormal Fiction, Romance, Science Fiction, Women’s FictionNONFICTION: General Nonfiction, Narrative Nonfiction, NonfictionCHILDRENÕS BOOKS: Children’s Books, Middle Grade Fiction, Middle Grade Nonfiction, Young Adult Fiction, Young Adult Nonfiction
Biography
Lane Clarke is a literary agent with Ultra Literary. She believes in representing books that transport your mind, whether it be in a fantastical world, or the real one. She is always hoping to learn something new from books, and strives to represent a diverse list of creators. She represents all age groups and is fairly genre-agnosticÐshe simply looks for stories that have something to say in both the fiction and nonfiction space. She earned a Bachelors of Arts in English Literature from Virginia Tech, and a law degree from The University of Chicago Law School. She is the co-founder of PitBlk, a Twitter pitch event for Black writers from across the diaspora, and is the brain behind #BVM, the Black Voices Matter hashtag. She lives in the Washington D.C.-area with her husband and two fur babies.
Notes
FICTION: BIPOC Fiction, Chick Lit, Commercial Fiction, Contemporary Fiction, Family Saga, Fantasy, Fiction, Graphic Novel, Historical Fiction, Horror, LGBTQ Fiction, Literary Fiction, Magical Realism, Mystery, New Adult Fiction, Romance, Science Fiction, Speculative Fiction, Thriller, Upmarket Fiction, Women’s FictionNONFICTION: BIPOC Nonfiction, Cultural Social Issues, Current Events Affairs, Dating Relationships Sex, General Nonfiction, Memoir, Narrative Nonfiction, NonfictionCHILDRENÕS BOOKS: Board Book, Children’s Books, Middle Grade Fiction, Middle Grade Nonfiction, Picture Book, Young Adult Fiction, Young Adult Nonfiction
Biography
Bill Clegg is a literary agent with The Clegg Agency. Bill represents authors such as Mary Jo Bang, Bonnie Jo Campbell, Mark Doty, Rivka Galchen, Daniyal Mueenuddin, Salvatore Scibona, and Rebecca Wolff. But he’s an author, too, having published last year the memoir Portrait of an Addict as Young Man and this April the follow-up Ninety Days: A Memoir of Recovery. Both published by Little, Brown, the memoirs delve into Clegg’s drug addiction and recovery.
Notes
FICTION: Crime Fiction, Fantasy, Fiction, General Fiction, Historical Fiction, Literary Fiction, Mystery, Science Fiction, Short Story Collection, ThrillerNONFICTION: Art, Biography, Current Events Affairs, Dating Relationships Sex, General Nonfiction, Health Wellness, History, Humor Nonfiction, Lifestyle, Memoir, Military War Nonfiction, Narrative Nonfiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, Politics, Pop Culture, Science, True CrimeCHILDRENÕS BOOKS: Children’s Books, Young Adult Fiction
Biography
Lucy Cleland is a literary agent with the Frances Goldin Literary Agency. She joined the agency in 2025 and brings over a decade of experience representing prize-winning authors of fiction and nonfiction. Her taste is bold and eclectic; she loves working with writers who, to steal from a line Dickinson, Òtell all the truth but tell it slant.ÓLucyÕs clients have been National Book Award and Pulitzer finalists, winners of the NBCC Award and PEN America Awards, recipients of MacArthur ÒGeniusÓ grants, and elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences; their books have been featured in the New Yorker Briefly Noted, New York Times EditorsÕ Choice, and a variety of best books of the year lists, as well as ranked as USA Today Bestsellers and selected for the Book of the Month Club. LucyÕs nonfiction taste is anchored by her interest in the way culture shapes us (and we shape it). She represents Ôbig ideaÕ books, narrative nonfiction, pop culture/cultural criticism, history, psychology, social science, philosophy, natural science, and select memoir. SheÕs looking for stylish writers who have their hands on a curiosity-inducing subject, books that add depth and context to conversations in the zeitgeist, and experts that offer readers powerful and urgent clarity about their lives and the world around them. In fiction, Lucy is drawn to novels with sticky or unusual concepts. On the literary side, she loves authors that explore how social issues and human hearts get painfully and gloriously tangled up together. On the commercial side, she gravitates towards transportive historical fiction and genre-bending contemporary work, particularly grounded fantasy and sci-fi stories that trace the downstream effects of a single ÒtwistÓ on our world. Regardless of genre, authors writing from marginalized perspectives are heartily welcomed.A southern transplant originally from Atlanta, Lucy lives with her wife and two dogs in Boston. Previously, she worked as an agent at Kneerim & Williams and Calligraph. You can find her on instagram at shelfpromotion.
Notes
FICTION: BIPOC Fiction, Commercial Fiction, Contemporary Fiction, Fantasy, Fiction, General Fiction, Historical Fiction, LGBTQ Fiction, Literary Fiction, Magical Realism, Science Fiction, Upmarket FictionNONFICTION: Biography, BIPOC Nonfiction, Business Book, Cultural Social Issues, Current Events Affairs, Economics, General Nonfiction, Health Wellness, History, How-To, Law Legal, LGBTQ Nonfiction, Medical Medicine, Memoir, Money Finance, Narrative Nonfiction, Nature, Nonfiction, Parenting, Philosophy, Politics, Pop Culture, Psychology, Science, Technology, Upmarket Nonfiction, Women’s IssuesCHILDRENÕS BOOKS: Children’s Books, Middle Grade Fiction, Middle Grade Nonfiction, Picture Book
Biography
Marisa Cleveland the Executive Director and a literary agent with The Seymour Agency. She joined The Seymour Agency as an author in 2009. With more than two decades in the education and publishing industries, she is adamant about supporting the efforts toward the betterment of the human condition. In June 2020, she started signing her own authors who write in the children’s, general fiction, and nonfiction spaces. Marisa has been featured, participated, and moderated at book festivals, panels, and workshops on branding, communication, cultural agility, diversity, leadership development, and the state of the industry. Gulfshore Business and DÕLatinos magazines honored Marisa with the Arts and Culture 2015 FACE Award, and in 2014, Gulfshore Business selected her as a Ò40 Under 40Ó honoree. In June 2015, her young adult novel hit the New York Times as part of an anthology, and her other publications include academic peer-reviewed articles, an academic book chapter, and fiction and nonfiction books.
Notes
FICTION: Contemporary Fiction, Fantasy, Fiction, General Fiction, Magical Realism, Mystery, Science Fiction, Speculative Fiction, Upmarket FictionNONFICTION: Business Book, Memoir, NonfictionCHILDRENÕS BOOKS: Children’s Books, Middle Grade Fiction, Middle Grade Nonfiction, Picture Book, Young Adult Fiction, Young Adult Nonfiction
Biography
Jonathan Cobb is a literary agent with HG Literary. He graduated from the University of California, San Diego with a BachelorÕs degree in English Literature, and later completed a MasterÕs degree in Publishing: Digital and Print Media at NYU. After gaining experience at Writers House and NYU Press, he joined HG Literary to assist partner and agent Josh Getzler on a wide variety of titles in fiction and nonfiction. In addition to being an agent, Jon also coordinates HG LiteraryÕs internship program.Jon reads all genres of fiction but has a particular interest in contemporary middle grade and YA, science fiction and fantasy, African-American fiction, literary fiction, and mysteries and thrillers. He also has a soft spot for anything related to track and field, geek culture, weird science or cutting-edge technology.
Notes
FICTION: Action Adventure, BIPOC Fiction, Commercial Fiction, Contemporary Fiction, Crime Fiction, Espionage Military Fiction, Family Saga, Fantasy, Fiction, Graphic Novel, Historical Fiction, Horror, LGBTQ Fiction, Literary Fiction, Magical Realism, Multicultural Fiction, Mystery, New Adult Fiction, Romance, Science Fiction, Short Story Collection, Speculative Fiction, Suspense Fiction, Thriller, Upmarket Fiction, Women’s FictionCHILDRENÕS BOOKS: Children’s Books, Middle Grade Fiction, Young Adult Fiction
Biography
Mara Cobb is a literary agent at Lighthouse Literary. On Mara Cobb’s fifth birthday, she read two Junie B. Jones books in one sitting. It wasnÕt long after that when her grandmothers, both voracious readers, took it upon themselves to hunt for books she would love just as much as the Junie B. series. By age six, she was reading Nancy Drew mysteries. At seven, she was working her way through the Bobbsey Twins and Little House in the Big Woods, followed by Little Women. As a reader and as an agent, she often picks up the same books that she sneaked into her bed and read long into the night with her handy-dandy flashlight. She’s drawn to strong and feisty protagonists, antagonists with redemptive arcs, and plots that have curveballs and keep her glued to the page. She loves books that are impossible to put down with surprising plot twists–books that have her saying Òjust one more chapterÓ at 2 a.m. when she really should be sleeping. By day, when she’s not reading or teaching at a nearby community college, she’s drafting stories of her own, baking cookies, crafting, playing piano and fiddle, and spending time outdoors with the dogs, cats, goats, horses, and chickens on her family’s farm. By night, she can be found consuming iced coffee while watching cheesy rom-coms and reality TV. She also enjoys traveling and hopes to visit all 50 states, finding unique coffee shops, book stores, and hole-in-the-wall restaurants along the way. In February 2022, Mara began interning at Martin Literary Management, and she started work as a junior agent at Martin Lit in September 2023. She is excited to be part of Lighthouse Literary, where she can fulfill her goal of working on projects that serve as a light in our world.
Notes
FICTION: Action Adventure, Commercial Fiction, Contemporary Fiction, Family Saga, Fiction, General Fiction, Historical Fiction, Literary Fiction, Mystery, New Adult Fiction, Religious Fiction, Romance, Science Fiction, Upmarket Fiction, Women’s FictionNONFICTION: Biography, Crafts, Current Events Affairs, Dating Relationships Sex, Family, General Nonfiction, Health Wellness, History, Humor Nonfiction, Lifestyle, Memoir, Mind Body Spirit, Nonfiction, Parenting, Religion, Self-Help, Spirituality, Sports, Travel, Women’s IssuesCHILDRENÕS BOOKS: Children’s Books, Middle Grade Fiction, Young Adult FictionNONFICTION: Christian Books, Christian Fiction, Christian Nonfiction
Biography
Christine Cohen is a literary agent with the Virginia Kidd Agency. She joined the Virginia Kidd Agency in 1998 and had the distinct pleasure of learning the business via taking dictation from her mentor, James Allen, and Virginia Kidd herself. The first professional phone call she handled was from “a lovely gentleman named Harlan Ellison.” She learned the trade handling works by Gene Wolfe, Ursula K. Le Guin, Anne McCaffrey, James Tiptree, Jr. and E.E. “Doc” Smith. These days she gets to work with the likes of Alan Dean Foster, John Varley, Rajnar Vajra, Karen Heuler, and Michael Libling. She enjoys nothing more than working with her authors, foreign/translation rights colleagues, and film contacts. When reading on a snowy day, or on the sunny deck in summertime at Arrowhead in Milford, PA, the agency’s home for the past 56 years, she has to remind herself that she is, indeed, “working.”
Notes
FICTION: Fantasy, Fiction, Horror, Science Fiction
Biography
Judythe Cohen is a literary assistant with Janklow & Nesbit Associates. She served as the right hand of literary agent legend Mort Janklow for 23 years, working closely with him and many of his clients, including Danielle Steel, David McCullough, Thomas Harris, Michael Moore, Robert Wagner, Scott Eyman and JR Moehringer. She has also worked on projects with Beastie Boys, Joan Didion, and Joe Hagan. Judythe grew up in Amarillo, Texas, received her BA from Hampshire College and her MFA from Columbia University. She is seeking authors who can keep her turning the pages, with interest in literary fiction, upmarket commercial fiction, domestic thrillers/suspense, narrative non-fiction, science fiction and anything featuring strong, unique women characters.
Notes
FICTION: Commercial Fiction, Fiction, Literary Fiction, Science Fiction, Speculative Fiction, Suspense Fiction, Thriller, Upmarket Fiction, Women’s FictionNONFICTION: Narrative Nonfiction, Nonfiction, Women’s Issues
Biography
Amy Collins is a literary agent with Talcott Notch Literary Services. She has more than 30 years in the publishing industry as a book buyer, Sales Director for a large non-fiction publisher, and the founder and President of New Shelves Books, one of the largest book sales and marketing companies in the US. Collins is a USA TODAY and WALL STREET JOURNAL bestselling author and has spent her career working with Barnes & Noble, Target, Costco, Books-A-Million, Wal-Mart, as well as bookstores and libraries. As well as an agent, Collins is a trusted expert, speaker, and recommended publishing consultant for some of the largest book and library retailers and wholesalers in the publishing industry. In her agent role, Collins focuses on non-fiction/ history, historical fiction, fantasy, and sci-fi. She can be reached at amysadvice.com.Amy Collins has taught and spoken at many of the publishing industryÕs top festivals and conferences, including PublisherÕs WeeklyÕs BookCon, Keynoting at Scottish WriterÕs Conference, Oklahoma WriterÕs Conference, Author U, AAPS, Dublin Writers Conference, BAIPA, IBPAÕs Publishing University, Dallas Book Con, NY PitchFest, PALA, St. Louis WriterÕs Conference, Writers Digest Annual and Novel Conferences, Henderson Writers Conference, DFWCon, Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers Conference, and many others.When not in the office, her focus is on the working poor and poverty elimination, and she spends a great deal of time personally and professionally working with and training women from disadvantaged backgrounds. A member of several charitable and political organizations, she donates not only her time but a portion of her companyÕs profits to grant-based charities that work to alleviate the cycle of poverty. Amy is currently working while traveling and living in a spacious motorhome with two dogs and a husband, living life to the fullest.
Notes
FICTION: Contemporary Fiction, Fantasy, Fiction, Historical Fiction, Magical Realism, Science FictionNONFICTION: Animals, Biography, Celebrity, Cookbook Cooking, Cultural Social Issues, Current Events Affairs, Gardening, General Nonfiction, History, How-To, Journalism, Lifestyle, Music, Narrative Nonfiction, Nonfiction, Politics, Pop Culture, PsychologyCHILDRENÕS BOOKS: Children’s Books, Young Adult Fiction
Biography
Andrea Comparato is a literary agent with and the founder of the Inscriptions Literary Agency. Her favorite books to represent are: picture books, middle grade, graphic novels, craft books, memoirs, and children’s devotionals. She had an idea for a graphic novel-style children’s devotional and would love to see a submission for one!
Notes
This literary agent represents:
FICTION: Children’s Fiction * Christian Fiction * Fantasy * Graphic Novel * Juvenile Fiction * Middle Grade Fiction * Picture Book * Religious * Science Fiction * Young Adult Fiction *
NONFICTION: Biography * Christian * Crafts * Juvenile * Middle Grade * Religion *
Andrea Comparato
Inscriptions Literary AgencyAccepting SubmissionsQuery Method(s): Email or Online FormBiography
Andrea Comparato is a literary agent with and the founder of the Inscriptions Literary Agency. Her favorite books to represent are: picture books, middle grade, graphic novels, craft books, memoirs, and childrenÕs devotionals. She had an idea for a graphic novel-style childrenÕs devotional and would love to see a submission for one!
Notes
FICTION: Chick Lit, Contemporary Fiction, Crime Fiction, Fiction, General Fiction, Humor Fiction, Inspirational Fiction, Mystery, Religious Fiction, Romance, Satire, Science Fiction, Suspense Fiction, Thriller, Upmarket FictionNONFICTION: Biography, Crafts, Gift Novelty, Memoir, Narrative Nonfiction, Nonfiction, Religion, True CrimeCHILDRENÕS BOOKS: Children’s Books, Middle Grade Fiction, Picture Book, Young Adult FictionNONFICTION: Christian Books, Christian Fiction, Christian Nonfiction
Biography
Dan Conaway is a literary agent with Writers House Literary Agency. He says: “I’m a literary agent at Writers House and represent an extensive list of bestselling and award-winning novelists, crime writers, biographers, memoirists, journalists and historians.Prior to joining Writers House I worked as Executive Editor at both Putnam and HarperCollins, and as Director of Literary Acquisitions at PolyGram Filmed Entertainment. I started my career as a College Traveler at W.W. Norton. I authored the blog BookAngst 101, a long-retired insider’s account of the publishing industry, writing under the pseudonym Mad Max Perkins.***I’m looking for contemporary literary fiction and smart, upmarket crime and suspense fiction that explores a diversity of voices and experiences, and stories about underrepresented cultures and identities. I am looking for a distinctive voice, compelling characters, a strong sense of place, and a gripping, propulsive plot. I don’t read a lot of science fiction or horror, but am open to both, if the writing’s great.Novels IÕve loved recently: MY SISTER, THE SERIAL KILLER by Oyinkan Braithwaite; THE COLLECTIVE by Alison Gaylin; YOUR HOUSE WILL PAY by Steph Cha; RAZORBLADE TEARS by S.A. Cosby; THE QUEEN’S GAMBIT by Walter Tevis; THESE WOMEN by Ivy Pochoda.What I’m NOT looking for: Police procedurals, fantasy, childrenÕs lit or anything in the YA space.For non-fiction, I’m NOT looking for books in the self-help/self-improvement/business realms. I AM looking for books with ambitious themes, subjects that are topical and thought-provoking and conversation starting. My real love, always, is *narrative* nonfiction, driven by powerful story-telling–investigative journalism, true crime, history, music and pop culture, science, and gorgeously-written memoir.Some non-fiction IÕve loved recently: HIDDEN VALLEY ROAD by Robert Kolker; ALSO A POET by Ada Calhoun; MEMORIAL DRIVE by Natasha Trethewey; YOUNG MEN AND FIRE by Norman Maclean; BENEATH A RUTHLESS SUN by Gilbert King.Thanks for reading and good luck with your query process–look forward to hearing from you.”
Notes
FICTION: BIPOC Fiction, Contemporary Fiction, Crime Fiction, Fiction, General Fiction, Horror, Literary Fiction, Multicultural Fiction, Mystery, Science Fiction, Sports Fiction, Suspense Fiction, Thriller, Upmarket FictionNONFICTION: Biography, BIPOC Nonfiction, Cultural Social Issues, Current Events Affairs, General Nonfiction, History, Investigative, Journalism, Memoir, Multicultural Nonfiction, Music, Narrative Nonfiction, Nonfiction, Politics, Pop Culture, Science, Sports, True Crime
Biography
Kay Cornett is a literary agent with Birch Literary. Before joining Birch Literary, Kay began her publishing career as an intern at Folio Literary Management after receiving her MFAW from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Following a role in marketing and public relations, she landed Birch Literary. As an agent, Kay takes an active role in the editorial process and is dedicated to cultivating a long-term career and vision for her authors.
Notes
FICTION: Crime Fiction, Fantasy, Fiction, General Fiction, Literary Fiction, Mystery, Paranormal Fiction, Religious Fiction, Science Fiction, Suspense Fiction, ThrillerNONFICTION: Cookbook Cooking, Dating Relationships Sex, Design, Fitness, Health Wellness, Lifestyle, Mind Body Spirit, Narrative Nonfiction, Nonfiction, Parenting, Poetry, Religion, True CrimeCHILDRENÕS BOOKS: Children’s Books, Young Adult Fiction
Biography
Miriam Cortinovis is a literary agent with the ArtHouse Literary Agency. Born and raised in Italy, Miriam (they/she) moved to Chicago as a teenager and has since earned a BA in Creative Writing and an MA in Writing & Publishing from DePaul University. After an excellent internship at Aevitas Creative Management, for which she also freelance read, she landed at ArtHouse Literary as an intern. They became Associate Agent through intense months of professional growth and supported learning. When not reading or writing SFF fiction of their own, Miriam enjoys playing videogames with their partner and scheming on Dungeons & Dragons with her friends. Their MSWL is inspired by all these speculative passions on top of their non-binary, bisexual, and chronically ill identity.
Notes
Accepting Submissions | New Literary Agents | Member of the AALA |Middle Grade Fiction | Young Adult Fiction | Action Adventure | BIPOC Fiction | Contemporary Fiction | Fantasy | General Fiction | Historical Fiction | Horror | LGBTQ Fiction | Literary Fiction | Magical Realism | Multicultural Fiction | Paranormal Fiction | Romance | Science Fiction | Suspense Fiction | Thriller |Cultural Social Issues | Narrative Nonfiction |