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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: S
Samantha Shea
Georges Borchardt Literary AgencyDO NOT QUERY – THIS AGENT IS NOT CURRENTLY ACCEPTING UNSOLICITED SUBMISSIONSQuery method(s): Email *Biography
Samantha Shea is a literary agent with the Georges Borchardt Literary Agency. After graduating from Colgate University, Samantha Shea joined Georges Borchardt, Inc. in 2010 and was made a Vice President in 2016. Her list includes literary fiction, memoir/narrative nonfiction, journalism, popular culture, essays, cultural criticism, and history. Samantha’s authors are regularly named for numerous awards and honors, including the “5 Under 35” honor from the National Book Foundation, the “Best of Young American Novelists” honor from Granta Magazine, the Kirkus Prize, the National Book Critics Circle Awards, the PEN/ Robert W. Bingham Prize, and others.
Notes
This literary agent represents:
FICTION: General Fiction * Literary *
NONFICTION: Biography * Cultural/Social Issues * Current Events/Affairs * Environment * Film/Entertainment * General Nonfiction * History * Journalism * Memoir * Narrative * Nature * Politics * Pop Culture * Science * Technology * True Crime *
Charlotte Sheedy
Charlotte Sheedy Literary AgencyDO NOT QUERY – THIS AGENT IS NOT CURRENTLY ACCEPTING UNSOLICITED SUBMISSIONSQuery method(s): Email *Biography
Charlotte Sheedy is a literary agent with and the founder of Charlotte Sheedy Literary Agency. After working at the Dial Press for thirteen years, Charlotte established the Charlotte Sheedy Literary Agency in 1974. In 1995, she joined Sterling Lord Literistic, Inc., as an affiliate agency.
Notes
This literary agent represents:
FICTION: Children’s Fiction * Commercial * Crime/Detective/Police * Graphic Novel * Horror * Juvenile Fiction * Literary * Middle Grade Fiction * Mystery * Picture Book * Young Adult Fiction *
NONFICTION: Art * Autobiography * Biography * Cooking/Cookbook * Current Events/Affairs * Dating/Relationship/Sex * Gay/Lesbian * General Nonfiction * History * Humor * Memoir * Military/War * Narrative * Politics *
Biography
Madeline Shellhouse is a literary agent with Ultra Literary. Madeline joined Ultra after several years in the foreign rights department at Folio Literary Management. She is dedicated to placing Ultra’s authors with the best possible international publishers, working with an extensive network of co-agents around the world.
In addition to representing Ultra’s titles abroad, Madeline is building a select list of young adult and middle grade titles. She is a voracious reader with broad taste, seeking books in the YA and MG space with compelling writing that make her look at the world a little differently or introduce her to a new perspective.
She loves fantasy and retellings of classic stories, and is especially looking for those stories from underrepresented voices. Some of her favorite books and series include Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine, Fablehaven by Brandon Mull, To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before by Jenny Han, A Song of Wraiths and Ruin by Roseanne A. Brown, Firekeeper’s Daughter by Angeline Boulley, Red, White, and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston, Starfish by Lisa Fipps, Like a Love Story by Abdi Nazemian, Every Heart a Doorway by Seanan McGuire, and so many more that it was very hard to stop the list there.
Madeline grew up in Colorado, and is happiest when curled up with a good book—ideally surrounded by mountains. She has a BA in English from the University of Miami, and an MA in English from the University of Colorado–Boulder.
Notes
This literary agent represents:
FICTION: Middle Grade Fiction * Young Adult Fiction *
NONFICTION:
Biography
David R. Shepherd is a literary agent with The DRS Agency. The DRS Agency was founded by publishing veteran David R. Shepherd in 2009 after serving in a Nashville publishing house for 15 years, 10 of those years as Publisher. During that time he acquired and/or worked with such authors as Oliver North, Mike Huckabee, Chuck Norris, Beth Moore, Michael Reagan, Henry Blackaby, Vicki Courtney, Marian Jordan, Tom Doyle, and Calvin Miller. He also served as executive editor for the Holman Christian Standard Bible translation project.
Notes
This literary agent represents:
FICTION:
NONFICTION: Christian * Inspiration * Religion * Spirituality *
317 Main Street Suite 207 Franklin TN 37064 USA
Ken Sherman
Ken Sherman & AssociatesDO NOT QUERY – THIS AGENT IS NOT CURRENTLY ACCEPTING UNSOLICITED SUBMISSIONSQuery method(s): Postal Mail *Biography
Ken Sherman is a literary agent with Ken Sherman & Associates. Ken is also President of Ken Sherman & Associates. The company was established in 1989, and handles film, television, and book writers, as well as selling film and television rights for books and life-rights.
An agent for more than twenty years, Ken is also a popular and accomplished speaker, having taught and lectured extensively at venues including UCLA, USC, Loyola Marymount University, both in New Orleans and Los Angeles, The Santa Barbara Writers’ conference, the American Film Institute, The San Francisco Writers Conference, The Maui Writers Conference, The University of Oklahoma, Sherwood Oaks Experiment College, The Santa Fe Writers Conference, The Novelists, Inc. Conference in San Diego, The Aspen Institute, the Aspen Summers Words Writers Conference and The Eugene International Film Festival where he just received a lifetime achievement award.
Since graduating from the University of California-Berkeley with a major in psychology, Ken has returned numerous times to the classroom to teach his course, “The Business of Writing for Screen, Television and the Publishing Worlds,” at both USC and UCLA. He also co-taught a screenwriting class for many years at the Eugene International Film Festival.
Ken maintains strong community involvement as well, serving as an Arts and Cultural Affairs Commissioner for the City of West Hollywood, is a founding member of the British Academy of Film and Television/Los Angeles (BAFTA), and is a member of both the Academy of Television Arts and Science and the International Advisory Board of the Christopher Isherwood Foundation.
Notes
This literary agent represents:
FICTION: Commercial * Crime/Detective/Police * Family Saga * Fantasy * Gay/Lesbian Fiction * General Fiction * Horror * Literary * Multicultural Fiction * Mystery * Science Fiction * Suspense * Thriller *
NONFICTION: Art * Autobiography * Biography * Celebrity * Film/Entertainment * Fitness * Gay/Lesbian * General Nonfiction * Health/Wellness * Medical/Medicine * Memoir * Music * Narrative * Photography * Pop Culture *
Biography
* Picture Book authors should not submit unless also illustrators. *
Rebecca Sherman is a literary agent with Writers House Literary Agency. She says: “Writers House is a leading full-service literary agency that offers the many resources of a large company and the personal attention of a small agency. It has been my home for over fourteen years now, where I’ve built a list of dynamic and award-winning picture book illustrators and author/illustrators, as well as middle grade and young adult novelists. Further information about clients’ work can be found below (sorry if it sounds like I’m bragging…#ProudAgentMama).
I have taken on clients who came to me as children’s book veterans and others for whom I’ve sold their debut works. Now, I am actively seeking additions to my client list again. In general, I am looking for stories that meet kids where they are (not those that talk down to them or go over their heads) and that genuinely can get them laughing. More specifically:
MG: Middle grade fiction is the arrow that goes to the bull’s-eye of my heart. I’m looking for timeless stories that could become instant classics. I have a soft spot for fresh retellings and inventive folklore, fairytales, etc. I’m equally excited by contemporary stories, particularly friendship stories. Occasionally I fall for character-driven historical fiction set in seldom explored settings.
Favorite childhood MG books: THE WESTING GAME, CHARLOTTE’S WEB, THE BFG, FROM THE MIXED UP FILES OF MRS. BASIL E. FRANKWILER, and HOLES (actually I read this last one when I was an adult). Favorite contemporary MG books: THE WEDNESDAY WARS, THE TRUE MEANING OF SMEKDAY, EMMA JEAN LAZARUS FELL OUT OF A TREE, THE STRANGE CASE OF ORIGAMI YODA, THE REAL BOY.
YA: I’m looking for books with something to say—books that make me laugh, and characters that truly remind me of how confounding and wonderful (ridiculous! frightening! glorious!) adolescence can be. I enjoy contemporary stories of young love and growing up. I am not the right person for your high fantasy/SF submission, however I am game for a novel with fantastical elements in the world we know/urban fantasy/magical realism). Super-edgy and/or issue-driven books aren’t for me either.
Favorite contemporary YA: STARGIRL, BLANKETS, ELEANOR & PARK, WHY WE BROKE UP, THE DISREPUTABLE HISTORY OF FRANKIE LANDAU BANKS.
For all fiction, I’m very much looking for highly illustrated work—not necessarily graphic novels or illustrated diaries, but projects that include inventive uses of artwork to help tell the story. Also: bonus points for manuscripts that include an ensemble of characters in which the individuals as well as the dynamics between characters are complex and fully developed.
Picture Books: I want picture books that can hold up to readings night after night. I’d love to see something that can make me laugh embarrassingly loud. I want to find the next picture book household name like Madeline or Olivia or Harold (in other words, character-driven picture books are welcome). I’m highly selective in this category, and I accept illustrators and author/illustrators only—if you’ve just written picture book text, I’m not the best match for you.
Favorite childhood picture books: THE MONSTER AT THE END OF THIS BOOK, MISS NELSON IS MISSING!, WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE, anything by Richard Scarry. Favorite contemporary picture books: OLIVIA, ME…JANE, THE INCREDIBLE BOOK-EATING BOY, ORANGE PEAR APPLE BEAR, BALLOONS OVER BROADWAY, and THE ADVENTURES OF THE DISH AND THE SPOON. To get an even better sense of my taste in artwork, feel free to visit writershouseart.com.”
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 *
120 Broadway 22nd floor New York NY 10271 USA
Biography
Wendy Sherman is a literary agent with Wendy Sherman Associates. Wendy has been in publishing more years than she cares to admit. She has held senior, executive positions at Simon & Schuster, Macmillan, and Henry Holt. During her time at these major publishing houses, she worked in the areas of subsidiary rights, marketing, sales, and editorial. With a desire to work more closely with writers and help develop their careers, she founded Wendy Sherman Associates Literary Management in 1999.
Wendy loves voice and story-driven fiction. She is interested in women’s fiction that hits that sweet spot between literary and mainstream and has a passion for Southern voices, historical dramas, suspense with a well-developed protagonist, and has a weakness for family secrets, mother-daughter relationships, and realistic love stories.
She is also interested in non-fiction with a unique twist by authors with a strong, well-developed media platform. Memoir, narrative non-fiction, practical and prescriptive, self-help and mainstream psychology are also general areas of interest. Strong categories for her include parenting, relationships, spirituality, lifestyle, pop-culture, and just about anything to do with food or dogs.
Wendy is on the Board of Directors of the Association of Authors Representatives (AAR) and a member of The Women’s Media Group.
Notes
This literary agent represents:
FICTION: Chick Lit * Family Saga * General Fiction * Inspirational Fiction * Literary * Mainstream * Romance * Suspense * Thriller * Women’s Fiction *
NONFICTION: Animals/Pets * Business * Cooking/Cookbook * Dating/Relationship/Sex * Food/Drinks * General Nonfiction * Health/Wellness * How-To * Lifestyle * Memoir * Mind/Body/Spirit * Money/Finance * Narrative * Parenting/Child Guidance * Pop Culture * Practical * Prescriptive * Psychology * Self-Help/Personal Development * Spirituality *
138 W. 25th St. Suite 1018 New York NY 10001 USA
Adrian Shirk
Drift(less) LiteraryDO NOT QUERY – THIS AGENT IS NOT CURRENTLY ACCEPTING UNSOLICITED SUBMISSIONSQuery method(s): Email *Biography
Adrian Shirk is a literary agent with Drift(less) Literary. She brings over ten years of experience as an author, editor and career mentor to dozens of emerging writers. She has two books of creative nonfiction, And Your Daughters Shall Prophesy: Stories from the Byways of American Women and Religion and Heaven is a Place on Earth: Searching for an American Utopia, both from Counterpoint Press. Her essays have otherwise appeared in The Atlantic, Lit Hub, and others, as well as Catapult, where she was previously a columnist and regular contributor. She holds an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Wyoming, and worked as an editor at Wilder Quarterly, as well as the erstwhile small press The Corresponding Society and its biannual journal Correspondence. Most recently, in addition to working with clients and developing manuscripts for Drift(less), she teaches in the BFA Creative Writing Program at Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, serving as the Writing Lives Advisor and Internship Coordinator. She lives in the Catskills, where she helps run a cooperative artists’ residency called The Mutual Aid Society.
Notes
This literary agent represents:
FICTION: General Fiction * Short Story Collection *
NONFICTION: General Nonfiction * Memoir *
Biography
Victoria Shoemaker is a literary agent with The Spieler Agency. Victoria joined The Spieler Agency in 1994 as the West Coast representative. Her areas of interest include environment and natural history, popular culture, memoir, photography and film, literary fiction and poetry, and books on food and cooking. With over 35 years in bookselling and publishing, her experience includes retail bookselling, book development, editing, promotion and publicity. Among her authors are Kate Horsley (The Confessions of a Pagan Nun, A Killing in a New Town, Careless Love), William Fox (Aereality: Essays on the World, Terra Antarctica: Looking into the Emptiest Continent), Kazuaki Tanahashi (The Heart of the Brush: Exploring East Asian Calligraphy, Selected Zen Chants, The Heart Sutra—Exploring Wisdom Beyond Wisdom), Peter Dale Scott (The Road to 9/11: Wealth, Empire, and the Future of America, American War Machine: Deep Politics, the CIA Global Drug Connection), Taigen Daniel Leighton (Cultivating the Empty Field: The Silent Illuminations of Zen Master Hongzhi). Forthcoming books include Mary Street Alinder (Group f.64: Ansel Adams, Imogen Cunningham…, Ansel Adams: A Biography, revised edition)
Notes
This literary agent represents:
FICTION: General Fiction * Literary *
NONFICTION: Cooking/Cookbook * Film/Entertainment * Environment * Food/Drinks * History * Memoir * Nature * Photography * Pop Culture *
75 Broad St. Suite 304 New York NY 10004 USA
Ella Marie Shupe
Belcastro AgencyDO NOT QUERY – THIS AGENT IS NOT CURRENTLY ACCEPTING UNSOLICITED SUBMISSIONSQuery method(s): Online Form *Biography
Ella Marie Shupe is a literary agent with the Belcastro Agency. Ella Marie has been a literary agent since 2008. She was drawn to helping authors achieve their dreams after she studied English at Youngstown State University. She realized her biggest joy was recommending new books to fellow college students. She turned her dream into a career when she became a junior agent with the Belcastro Agency. As an agent, Ella Marie has discovered many new authors and she soon became a senior agent. She continues her hunt for new manuscripts with a voice that jumps off the page and a colorful plot. Her main goal is nurturing a collaborative relationship that will lead to publication and long lasting writing careers.
Notes
This literary agent represents:
FICTION: Commercial * Contemporary * Crime/Detective/Police * Family Saga * Fantasy * Gay/Lesbian Fiction * Historical * Literary * Magical Realism * Multicultural Fiction * Mystery * Science Fiction * Suspense * Thriller * Upmarket Fiction * Women’s Fiction *
NONFICTION:
Todd Shuster
Aevitas Creative ManagementDO NOT QUERY – THIS AGENT IS NOT CURRENTLY ACCEPTING UNSOLICITED SUBMISSIONSQuery method(s): Online Form *Biography
Todd Shuster is a literary agent and partner with Aevitas Creative Management. He represents such authors as James S. Hirsch, who wrote the New York Times bestselling Hurricane; Oscar-nominated actress Taraji P. Henson, author of the bestselling memoir Around the Way Girl; Pulitzer Prize-winning foreign correspondent Jeffrey Gettleman; and Deval L. Patrick, former Governor of Massachusetts. Todd also works with numerous prestigious institutions including The Boston Consulting Group, The Boston Globe, and Jeter Publishing, Derek Jeter’s eponymous imprint at Simon & Schuster. Films Todd has helped shepherd to the big screen include Wild, starring Reese Witherspoon; Black Mass, starring Johnny Depp; and The Pursuit of Happyness, starring Will Smith.
Following college at Yale and law school at Northeastern University, Shuster practiced publishing and entertainment law at the law firms of Palmer & Dodge and Ropes & Gray. He founded the literary agency Zachary Shuster Harmsworth which recently merged with Kuhn Projects to form Aevitas.
Based in New York, Shuster represents both fiction and nonfiction. His nonfiction list primarily focuses on current affairs, politics and civil rights, health and wellness, memoir, business, and history. His fiction list includes both literary and commercial novels, including mysteries and thrillers.
Notes
This literary agent represents:
FICTION: Commercial * Crime/Detective/Police * General Fiction * Literary * Mystery * Thriller *
NONFICTION: Art * Autobiography * Biography * Business * Cooking/Cookbook * Cultural/Social Issues * Current Events/Affairs * Dating/Relationship/Sex * Fitness * General Nonfiction * Health/Wellness * History * How-To * Lifestyle * Medical/Medicine * Memoir * Military/War * Money/Finance * Narrative * Parenting/Child Guidance * Politics * Psychology * Religion * Science * Spirituality * Sports * Technology * True Adventure * True Crime *
Biography
Anne Sibbald is a literary agent with Janklow & Nesbit Associates. She found her professional home as an agent.
Anne’s interests are broad, but quintessentially encompass the classic “good read” and anything, be it fiction or nonfiction, that illuminates the world in a fresh way. She believes that we tell stories to understand ourselves and the world we live in, and that those stories can transport us to different worlds, times and places; as well as revealing the mysteries of nature and the truths and complexities of the human heart and mind.
Anne grew up in the United Kingdom and lived in Germany and Belgium before moving to the United States. She worked in the investment banking and fashion industries before joining the agency in 1979. She received a B.A. in Economics, with a specialization in international and development economics, from Fordham University. Morton Janklow talked her out of going to law school, for which she is profoundly grateful.
Notes
This literary agent represents:
FICTION: Commercial * Fantasy * General Fiction * Science Fiction * Suspense * Thriller *
NONFICTION: Autobiography * Biography * Celebrity * Cultural/Social Issues * Current Events/Affairs * Economics * Film/Entertainment * Family * General Nonfiction * History * Memoir * Military/War * Music * Parenting/Child Guidance * Politics * Pop Culture * Science *
285 Madison Avenue 21st Floor New York NY 10017 USA
Biography
Britt Siess is a literary agent with and the founder of Britt Siess Creative Management. Britt focuses primarily on graphic novels and illustrated works. She also represents select middle grade fiction and Adult science fiction and fantasy. Prior to founding BSCM, Britt earned her English Literature degree at the University of Washington and trained with the Taryn Fagerness Agency, the Wales Literary Agency, and Martin Literary & Media Management. She also worked in the sales division of the UK based publisher, The Quarto Group, selling both foreign and domestic rights. Britt has a passion for comics and sequential art, as well as a keen editorial eye that she brings to every project.
Notes
This literary agent represents:
FICTION: Graphic Novel * Picture Book *
NONFICTION:
Seattle WA USA
Biography
Michael Signorelli is a literary agent with Aevitas Creative Management. He he represents literary and commercial fiction as well as nonfiction in cultural history, current affairs, memoir, politics, science, sports, and technology. He joined the agency after working as an editor at HarperCollins Publishers and a senior editor at Henry Holt & Company.
He has published New York Times bestsellers and winners or finalists of the Booker Prize, the National Book Critics Circle Award, the Phi Beta Kappa Science Award, the Commonwealth Book Prize, the Lambda Literary Award, and the Barnes & Noble Discover Prize. He has worked with authors such as Nicola Barker, Christopher Bonanos, Philip Caputo, Brandi Collins-Dexter, Dennis Cooper, Dan Chaon, Joan Donovan, Jack Devine, Woody Guthrie, Catherine Ryan Howard, Oksana Masters, Ian McGuire, Hannah Nordhaus, Lisa O’Donnell, Justin Taylor, Simon Van Booy, Marilyn Yalom, and many others.
Signorelli graduated from Hamilton College with a BA in English Literature and lives with his family in Scarsdale, New York.
Notes
This literary agent represents:
FICTION: Contemporary * Gay/Lesbian Fiction * Historical * Horror * Humor Fiction * Literary * Multicultural Fiction * Mystery * Satire * Suspense * Thriller *
NONFICTION: Biography * Celebrity * Cultural/Social Issues * Current Events/Affairs * Environment * Film/Entertainment * History * Journalism * Memoir * Military/War * Narrative * Nature * Politics * Pop Culture * Psychology * Science * Spirituality * Sports * Technology * Travel * True Adventure * True Crime *
19 W. 21st Street Suite 501 New York NY 10010 USA
Biography
Jeff Silberman is a literary agent with Folio Literary Management. He says: “I’m a new horizon hunter. My interests are wide, my passions run deep, and the books I represent cut a wide swath. A videogame impresario who has explored new technology, outer space, and the ocean’s depths with equal passion. A neuroscientist who created ground breaking technology for studying the brain, and whose prose is utterly stunning. A rock and roll legend who bares his soul. A scholar in Timbuktu who risked his life to save ancient Egyptian and African manuscripts that helped pave the way for Western civilization. A biomedical engineer bridging the gap between art and science, and creating things that matter. An ingénue who left rural North Carolina and found womanhood as she became a part of the cultural explosion of Fellini’s Rome and the French New Wave. A Hall of Famer the players nicknamed God.
There’s nothing quite like rich narrative non-fiction or a daring memoir. Making science and technology sing. Savoring food, diving deep into important social issues – or the animal kingdom… I haven’t done a math book yet, but I’d love to. History? I’m in. Humor, health, pop culture – there’s pretty much no category of non-fiction that doesn’t intrigue me and for which I wouldn’t happily accept an invitation to take a ride.
Fiction: I am currently representing a number of novelists working on their debuts, and their work runs the gamut from book club / commercial to literary, and in one case, literary hilarious. I’d love more.
I seek books that in some way leave us different than we were before. It could be because a new world was opened up to us, or our relationship to the one we thought we knew was changed, because we learned something, or had our hearts opened wide, or simply guffawed nonstop.
I work closely with everyone I represent, from editorial input to deal making to marketing, and all points in between. Heart and soul.”
Notes
This literary agent represents:
FICTION: Action/Adventure * Commercial * Contemporary * Crime/Detective/Police * Espionage/Military * Family Saga * Historical * Inspirational Fiction * Literary * Multicultural Fiction * Mystery * New Adult * Thriller * Upmarket Fiction * Young Adult Fiction *
NONFICTION: Animals/Pets * Art * Biography * Business * Celebrity * Cooking/Cookbook * Cultural/Social Issues * Current Events/Affairs * Dating/Relationship/Sex * Design * Environment * Film/Entertainment * Fitness * Food/Drinks * Gardening * Gay/Lesbian * Gift/Novelty * Health/Wellness * History * How-To * Humor * Journalism * Juvenile * Lifestyle * Medical/Medicine * Memoir * Military/War * Money/Finance * Multicultural * Music * Narrative * Nature * Parenting/Child Guidance * Photography * Politics * Pop Culture * Psychology * Religion * Science * Self-Help/Personal Development * Spirituality * Sports * Technology * Travel * True Adventure * True Crime * Women’s Issues *
630 Ninth Ave. Suite 1101 New York NY 10036 USA
John Silbersack
The Bent AgencyDO NOT QUERY – THIS AGENT IS NOT CURRENTLY ACCEPTING UNSOLICITED SUBMISSIONSQuery method(s): Email *Biography
John Silbersack is a literary agent with The Bent Agency. He says: “I am a publishing professional with a deep experience as editor, publisher and agent. Prior to joining The Bent Agency, I spent 17 years at Trident Media Group as Executive Vice President and represented bestsellers by a host of fiction and non-fiction authors. Prior to that I built a solid publishing background at companies such as HarperCollins, Warner Books, and Penguin Putnam. I founded six imprints and have worked with writers and media properties including Governor John Kasich, General Wesley Clark, Chuck Close, Jean-Michel Cousteau, Philip K. Dick, the Frank Herbert Estate, Dean Koontz, Ursula K. LeGuin, Major League Baseball, NASCAR, the NBA, the Obama Inaugural Committee, Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen, the Ellen Raskin Estate, Charles Schulz, and Denzel Washington.
As a literary agent, I have enjoyed success with a diverse roster of clients. Drawing on my more than twenty years as an editor, I work closely with my clients to develop and refine their proposals and manuscripts, many of which have gone on to become New York Times and international bestsellers. This attention to detail and strong sense of the agent’s role in the publishing process are the defining aspects of my success as a literary agent.
I have an A.B. from Brown University and am the author of several books. I am married and have three children.”
Notes
This literary agent represents:
FICTION: Crime/Detective/Police * Fantasy * Literary * Middle Grade Fiction * Mystery * Science Fiction * Suspense * Thriller * Young Adult Fiction *
NONFICTION: Biography * Current Events/Affairs * History * Memoir * Politics * Pop Culture * Science *
Janet Silver
Aevitas Creative ManagementDO NOT QUERY – THIS AGENT IS NOT CURRENTLY ACCEPTING UNSOLICITED SUBMISSIONSQuery method(s): Online Form *Biography
Janet Silver is a literary agent with Aevitas Creative Management. She represents a roster of bestselling and award-winning authors of literary fiction, creative nonfiction, and poetry. Her list of acclaimed clients includes Cheryl Strayed, author of the international bestsellers Wild and Tiny Beautiful Things; Anthony Marra, author of the New York Times bestsellers A Constellation of Vital Phenomena, The Tsar of Love and Techno, and Mercury Pictures Presents; Monique Truong, winner of the Asian American Literary Award for her novel The Book of Salt; Mecca Jamilah Sullivan, winner of a Lambda Award for her debut novel Big Girl; Hanna Pylväinen, winner of a Whiting Award for her novel We Sinners; and Safiya Sinclair, award-winning author of the poetry collection Cannibal and the forthcoming How to Say Babylon: A Jamaican Memoir.
Janet brings in-depth knowledge of the publishing industry and extensive editorial experience to her work as an agent. Before joining Aevitas, she was Publisher at the former Houghton Mifflin Company, where she worked with such renowned authors as Philip Roth, Jhumpa Lahiri, Tim O’Brien, and Jonathan Safran Foer.
At Aevitas, Janet represents authors whose fiction and nonfiction are notable for compelling storylines, singular voices, and unique perspectives. She has been a trustee of the Provincetown Fine Arts Work Center and is on the advisory board of Ploughshares magazine. She was featured in the Poets and Writers article “Agents as Editors.”
Notes
This literary agent represents:
FICTION: Literary *
NONFICTION: Biography * General Nonfiction * History * Memoir * Narrative * Philosophy * Women’s Issues *
Biography
Erica Rand Silverman is a literary agent with Stimola Literary Studio. Erica has always been committed to the social and emotional wellbeing of children. First, as a high school teacher and dean, then as a consultant for the Inner Resilience Program, and now as a literary agent in children’s publishing. In her 10+ years in publishing, Erica has worked with some of the most exciting new talent and treasured mainstays in the industry as well as the estates of our favorite classics. She is currently focused on representing authors and illustrators of illustrated books for children and the occasional adult nonfiction project in parenting and wellness. She received her degree in Secondary English Education from the University of Wisconsin—Madison, and a Master of Arts degree in Theater from Hunter College. Erica is a tireless advocate for her clients and proud to be a part of an industry that is so thoughtfully shaping young hearts and minds.
Notes
This literary agent represents:
FICTION: Chapter Book * Children’s Fiction * Ethnic Fiction * Gay/Lesbian Fiction * Graphic Novel * Juvenile Fiction * Middle Grade Fiction * Multicultural Fiction * Picture Book * Religious * Young Adult Fiction *
NONFICTION: Cultural/Social Issues * Ethnic * Gay/Lesbian * Gift/Novelty * Health/Wellness * Juvenile * Middle Grade * Mind/Body/Spirit * Multicultural * Parenting/Child Guidance * Religion * Young Adult *
11 Briarwood Lane PO Box 1066 West Tisbury MA 02575 USA
Biography
Eric Siminoff is a literary agent with William Morris Endeavor Entertainment. Eric graduated from Princeton University in 1989, with a degree in Classics. He began his publishing career at W.W. Norton as an editorial assistant. He joined Janklow and Nesbit 1991 and rose to co-director. He left Janklow & Nesbit for William Morris Endeavor in 2009. His switch in agencies was considered a major event in the publishing industry. He represents three Pulitzer Prize winners, as well as over a dozen New York Times bestselling authors.
Notes
This literary agent represents:
FICTION: Children’s Fiction * Commercial * Crime/Detective/Police * General Fiction * Horror * Humor Fiction * Juvenile Fiction * Literary * Middle Grade Fiction * Mystery * Picture Book * Satire * Short Story Collection * Thriller * Young Adult Fiction *
NONFICTION: Biography * Business * Celebrity * Cooking/Cookbook * Current Events/Affairs * Dating/Relationship/Sex * Film/Entertainment * General Nonfiction * History * Humor * Memoir * Military/War * Money/Finance * Music * Narrative * Politics * Pop Culture * Science * Technology *
11 Madison Avenue 18th Floor New York NY 10010 USA
Biography
Meredith Kaffel Simonoff is a literary agent with The Gernert Company. She joined The Gernert Company in 2022 after ten years as an agent at DeFiore and Company, preceded by six years at the Charlotte Sheedy Literary Agency. Her tastes include literary, upmarket, and genre-bending fiction, select creative nonfiction, and the occasional illustrated work. She graduated from Yale University and is proud stepmom to two daughters.
Notes
This literary agent represents:
FICTION: General Fiction * Graphic Novel * Literary * Upmarket Fiction *
NONFICTION: Cultural/Social Issues * Dating/Relationship/Sex * General Nonfiction * History * Upmarket *
136 East 57th Street New York NY 10022 USA
Anjali Singh
Ayesha Pande LiteraryDO NOT QUERY – THIS AGENT IS NOT CURRENTLY ACCEPTING UNSOLICITED SUBMISSIONSQuery method(s): Online Form *Biography
Anjali Singh is a literary agent with Ayesha Pande Literary. Anjali Singh started her career in publishing in 1996 as a literary scout. Most recently Editorial Director at Other Press, she has also worked as an editor at Simon & Schuster, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt and Vintage Books. She is is best known for having championed Marjane Satrapi’s Persepolis after stumbling across it on a visit to Paris. She has always been drawn to the thrill of discovering new writers, and among the literary novelists whose careers she helped launch are Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Samantha Hunt, Preeta Samarasan, Zoe Ferraris, Victoria Patterson, Natalie Bakopoulos, Enid Shomer and Brigid Pasulka. As a literary agent, she is looking for new voices, character-driven fiction or non-fiction works that reflect an engagement with the world around us, literary thrillers, memoirs, YA literature and graphic novels. She is a member of the International Committee of the Brooklyn Book Festival.
Notes
This literary agent represents:
FICTION: Graphic Novel * General Fiction * Literary *
NONFICTION: General Nonfiction * Memoir *
Jessica Sinsheimer
Context Literary AgencyDO NOT QUERY – THIS AGENT IS NOT CURRENTLY ACCEPTING UNSOLICITED SUBMISSIONSQuery method(s): Email * Online Form *Biography
Jessica Sinsheimer is a literary agent with the Context Literary Agency. Jessica has been reading and campaigning for her favorite queries since 2004. Originally from the San Francisco Bay Area, she went east for Sarah Lawrence College and stayed for the opportunity to read soon-to-be books for a living. Before joining Context, she was an Associate Agent at the Sarah Jane Freymann Literary Agency.
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This literary agent represents:
FICTION: Commercial * Crime/Detective/Police * Family Saga * Fantasy * Gay/Lesbian Fiction * General Fiction * Graphic Novel * Historical * Horror * Humor Fiction * Literary * Middle Grade Fiction * Mystery * Romance * Science Fiction * Suspense * Thriller * Upmarket Fiction * Women’s Fiction * Young Adult Fiction *
NONFICTION: Cooking/Cookbook * Food/Drinks * General Nonfiction * Humor * Journalism * Narrative * Psychology * Science * Self-Help/Personal Development * Travel * True Crime *
Biography
Max Sinsheimer is a literary agent with Sinsheimer Literary, LLC. He says: “I represent a range of adult nonfiction, with a particular interest in food, science, and society. Sometimes those interests intersect, as in Larissa Zimberoff’s Technically Food (Abrams Press, 2021), about the lab-driven future of food. Many of my books have a policy or advocacy angle, including Marion Nestle’s Unsavory Truth (Basic Books, 2018), Michael Jacobson’s Salt Wars (MIT Press, 2020), and Catherine Donnelly’s Ending the War on Artisan Cheese (Chelsea Green, 2019). I’m on the lookout for more great place-specific food narratives, having sold a sake travelogue called Exploring the World of Japanese Craft Sake (Tuttle, 2022).
There’s more on my plate (pun!) than just food and drink. I’m arguably representing the opposite of food and drink with a book about fasting called The Oldest Cure in the World (Abrams Press, 2022). I love working with investigative and longform journalists like Steve Hendricks. I’m also keen to represent more environmental and social issues books like Mario Ariza’s Disposable City (Nation Books, 2020), about Miami’s sea level rise crisis, and If I Don’t Make It, I Love You (Skyhorse, 2019), a collection of narratives from school shooting survivors.
I’ve taken an interest lately in memoirs and memoir-ish projects, including Slow Cooked (University of California Press, 2022), in which Marion Nestle reflects on how she achieved late-in-life success as a leading advocate for healthier and more sustainable diets, and Missed Conceptions (Broadleaf Books, 2022), in which Karen Stollznow illuminates the shadow nation of the infertile throughout time and across cultures, and relates her own decade-long struggle to conceive.
Prior to founding my agency I managed Oxford University Press’s influential food and drink Companion series, multi-authored, subject-defining works that included The Oxford Companion to Beer (2011), The Oxford Companion to Sugar and Sweets (2015), Savoring Gotham (2015), The Oxford Companion to Cheese (2016), and The Oxford Companion to Spirits and Cocktails (2021). The series has won or been nominated for James Beard, IACP, Gourmand, and other food writing awards. While I enjoyed my time at OUP immensely, I wanted to represent my authors’ interests more completely. Since founding my agency in 2016, I can!
I have a BA in English lit from Middlebury College and an MA in liberal studies from Duke University. I live with my fiancé in Washington, D.C., and travel back and forth to NYC often to meet with editors and visit family. In my free time I play an unhealthy amount of online chess.”
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This literary agent represents:
FICTION:
NONFICTION: Art * Biography * Business * Cooking/Cookbook * Cultural/Social Issues * Current Events/Affairs * Dating/Relationship/Sex * Diet/Nutrition * Food/Drinks * General Nonfiction * Health/Wellness * History * How-To * Humor * Lifestyle * Memoir * Money/Finance * Narrative * Parenting/Child Guidance * Photography * Politics * Pop Culture * Reference * Religion * Science * Spirituality * Sports * Technology * True Crime *
1354 Kenyon Street NW Apt 3 Washington DC 20010 USA
Tricia Skinner
Fuse LiteraryDO NOT QUERY – THIS AGENT IS NOT CURRENTLY ACCEPTING UNSOLICITED SUBMISSIONSQuery method(s): Online Form *Biography
Tricia Skinner is a literary agent with Fuse Literary. She is a Senior Agent at Fuse Literary, joining the company in 2015. She enjoys discovering fantastic writers who wish to establish long-lasting careers in publishing. She seeks to build a powerful client list of authors who produce original, extraordinary tales, especially writers from marginalized communities, because no one should feel excluded from their favorite fiction categories.
Writing has consistently played a significant part in Tricia’s life. After earning an undergraduate degree from the nationally acclaimed Journalism Institute for Media Diversity at Wayne State University, she started her writing career as a newspaper reporter for The Detroit News, Investor’s Business Daily, MSN, and The Houston Chronicle. She’s worked in academia and video games industry, later earning her graduate degree from Southern Methodist University.
Tricia’s experience as a published fantasy author informs her approach to agenting. She knows the highs and lows, the joy of accomplishment and the hurt of adversity. She communicates regularly with her clients, brainstorms ideas, gives feedback, and listens to their concerns. Tricia is Team Vader, listens to K-pop, loves everything Marvel, and finds great joy in learning a new language.
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This literary agent represents:
FICTION: Fantasy * Middle Grade Fiction * Science Fiction * Young Adult Fiction *
NONFICTION:
Victoria Skurnick
Levine Greenberg Rostan Literary AgencyAAR/AALA MemberQuery method(s): Email * Online Form *Biography
Victoria Skurnick is a literary agent with the Levine Greenberg Rostan Literary Agency. Victoria came to Levine Greenberg after being at The Book-of-the Month Club for almost twenty years. As Editor-in-Chief, she relished the opportunity to devour every kind of book, from the finest literary fiction to Yiddish for Dogs. Anne Tyler, John LeCarre, Amy Tan, Tom Wolfe, Stephen King, Michael Lewis, Lee Child, Roddy Doyle, Alice Sebold, Tracy Kidder, Julia Child and Susan Elizabeth Phillips are just a few of the authors that make her deaf and blind to anyone around her when she’s reading.
Victoria’s other addiction besides reading is music. She has sung in many choirs in New York City and spent a few ostensibly happy years singing rock in groups like Big and the Evolution. No, you haven’t heard of it-if you had, she wouldn’t be an agent. She also is the co-author (with Cynthia Katz) of seven novels written by “Cynthia Victor.”
Raised in New Rochelle, NY, Victoria went to the University of Wisconsin where she studied political science with an emphasis on constitutional law, a subject that still fascinates her. Neither adventurous nor peripatetic, she has remained within a 20-mile radius of home since her day of birth.
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This literary agent represents:
FICTION: Crime/Detective/Police * General Fiction * Literary * Mystery * Thriller *
NONFICTION: Biography * Current Events/Affairs * Dating/Relationship/Sex * Diet/Nutrition * General Nonfiction * Health/Wellness * History * Humor * Memoir * Narrative * Politics * Pop Culture * Science * Sports * True Crime *
307 Seventh Ave. Suite 2407 New York NY 10001 USA
Biography
Alexander Slater is a literary agent with Sanford J. Greenburger Associates. Alex has only ever worked for authors. A UConn graduate with a concentration in creative writing, he has experience in every area of literary agenting, from interning and assisting, to selling foreign rights and cultivating his own client list. After two years at the Maria Carvainis Agency, and twelve years at Trident Media Group, he’s thrilled to be bringing his passion for publishing and his expertise in its business to SJGA and GreenburgerKids.
As always, Alex seeks to launch careers, especially for writers who have been systematically held back. His clients today include several award-winning and New York Times bestselling authors.
Please query him with smart and innovative thrillers, as well as witty and original rom-coms in the YA space. As for middle grade, he loves graphic novels and hopes to see more grounded sci-fi and fantasy, as well as books that aim for the highest literary prizes. Ultimately, all stories must have that sense of urgency that the best books for children share, and be from writers passionate about their own voice and eager to engage in the diverse and dynamic conversation already ongoing in contemporary literature.
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This literary agent represents:
FICTION: Children’s Fiction * Contemporary * Crime/Detective/Police * General Fiction * Graphic Novel * Juvenile Fiction * Middle Grade Fiction * Mystery * NoPB * Suspense * Thriller * Young Adult Fiction *
NONFICTION: Juvenile * Middle Grade * Young Adult *
55 5th Avenue New York NY 10003 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)