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The Directory of Literary Agents
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Literary Agent Directory
Important: Visit each agent’s website (links in their listings below) to see if they’re open to submissions before querying.
Biography
Frances Black is the founder of and literary agent with Literary Counsel. She loves to read, whether reading at the beach, under an umbrella, or curled up on a couch with green tea; she loves romance-based books, the quirkier the better. One of her all-time favorite books is Aunt Julia and the Scriptwriter by Mario Vargas Llosa. Romantic: check! Quirky: double check!
Mr. Llosa gives his readers a tale and keeps them enthralled from beginning to end.
Somerset Maugham is also a favorite author. She says that, “You can smell and feel his words. Maugham’s innuendos about society, his plots and subplots and his portrayal of people can easily be observed today. One can glimpse his influences in current fiction and in original screenplays and, of course, in soap operas. His characters often take two steps forward only to fall three steps back. There’s intrigue, deceit, travel and adventure and of course there is mad love, just what books should offer.”
Notes
This literary agent represents:
FICTION: Commercial * Contemporary * Crime/Detective/Police * Literary * Mystery * Suspense * Thriller * Romance * Young Adult Fiction *
NONFICTION: General Nonfiction * Memoir *
30 West 21 Street 8th Floor New York NY 10010 USA
Ashley Herring Blake
Rees Literary AgencyDO NOT QUERY – THIS AGENT IS NOT CURRENTLY ACCEPTING UNSOLICITED SUBMISSIONSQuery method(s): Online Form *Biography
Ashley Herring Blake is a literary agent with the Rees Literary Agency. She is the author of the Middle Grade novels Ivy Aberdeen’s Letter to the World and The Mighty Heart of Sunny St. James, as well as the Young Adult novels Suffer Love, How to Make a Wish, and Girl Made of Stars.
She is actively acquiring projects in Middle Grade, Young Adult, and Adult fiction. In Middle Grade and Young Adult, she’s drawn to heartfelt contemporary and voice-driven stories, as well as magical realism, contemporary fantasy (all the fairies and witches, please), historical fiction, and graphic novels. She’s always ready for a fresh Young Adult rom-com, especially those featuring LGBTQIA romances. Ashley is also seeking character-driven literary and upmarket Adult fiction and romance. Across all genres and ages, she is highly interested in marginalized and LGBTQIA voices, as well as stories that explore complex family relationships and friendships. A few of her favorite books are Song for a Whale; The Truth About Twinkie Pie; The Last True Poets of the Sea; Picture Us in the Light; Little and Lion; New Kid; Be Prepared; Roller Girl; Red, White, and Royal Blue; Evvie Drake Starts Over; Conversations With Friends; Little Fires Everywhere; Salvage the Bones; and Queenie.
Notes
This literary agent represents:
FICTION: Contemporary * Fantasy * Gay/Lesbian Fiction * Graphic Novel * Historical * Horror * Humor Fiction * Middle Grade Fiction * Mystery * Paranormal * Romance * Suspense * Thriller * Upmarket Fiction * Women’s Fiction * Young Adult Fiction *
NONFICTION: Memoir *
Biography
Caitlin Blasdell is a literary agent with Liza Dawson Associates. Caitlin Blasdell has been a literary agent with Liza Dawson Associates since 2002 with a focus on commercial fiction. Before becoming an agent, she was a senior editor at HarperCollins Publishers. A graduate of Williams College, she lives in Westchester with her husband and four sons.
Notes
This literary agent represents:
FICTION: Commercial * Crime/Detective/Police * Fantasy * General Fiction * Historical * Horror * Middle Grade Fiction * Mystery * New Adult * Paranormal * Romance * Science Fiction * Suspense * Thriller * Women’s Fiction * Young Adult Fiction *
NONFICTION:
121 W. 27th St. Suite 1201 New York NY 10001 USA
Biography
John Blasé is a literary agent with The Bindery. He spent over a decade as an editor and ghostwriter in traditional publishing working with such names as Eugene Peterson, Ann Voskamp, and Brian Zahnd. During that time, he penned two books with his name on the spine—one of them a self-published poetry endeavor titled The Jubilee. At the end of the day, he tries to live by writer George Saunders’ advice: “Stop trying to teach the world something and instead refuse to be boring.”
John and his wife, Meredith, have lived in Monument, Colorado, for almost twenty years. They have three children, all grown now and out living their one wild and precious lives. A long-time fitness aficionado, John earned his CF-L1 certificate in 2019, which allows him the opportunity to coach CrossFit classes each week.
John’s long been a culture junkie hooked on everything from the drama of “Hill Street Blues” (which dates him) to the wonder of Game of Thrones to the thoughts of Ta-Nehisi Coates to the poetry of Taylor Swift. And he still mourns the loss of Anthony Bourdain. While loving all genres of literature, he admits a weakness for fiction, short stories, and memoir. A good story, well-told, he simply finds hard to resist.
Notes
This literary agent represents:
FICTION: General Fiction * Short Story Collection *
NONFICTION: Cultural/Social Issues * Dating/Relationship/Sex * General Nonfiction * Memoir * Multicultural * Pop Culture * Religion * Self-Help/Personal Development * Spirituality *
Colorful CO 80920 USA
Biography
Iris Blasi is a literary agent with Arc Literary Management. She has close to two decades of experience in publishing, working in multiple facets of the industry. She joined Arc Literary Management in 2021 after four years at the Carol Mann Agency. Prior to becoming a literary agent, she was Marketing Director and Senior Editor at Pegasus Books. She has held editorial, marketing, publicity, and consulting roles at Random House, Pegasus Books, Union Square Press, Open Road Media, literary PR firm Hilsinger-Mendelson, and consulting firm Idea Logical, Inc. She has worked on best-selling and award-winning books by authors including Lawrence Block, Rachel Carson, Michael Dirda, Erica Jong, Ira Levin, Alexandra Silber, Jerry Stahl, Gloria Steinem, Charles Strouse, and Fay Weldon.
Iris graduated from Princeton University with a B.A. in English and dual minor in American Studies and Gender Studies, and she holds a master’s degree from New York University in Humanities and Social Thought, with a thesis on the life and legacy of the American writer Dawn Powell. Her writing on books, arts, and culture has appeared in outlets including The Wall Street Journal, New York Magazine, Dow Jones Newswires, Publishers Weekly, BUST Magazine, The Jewish Daily Forward, Bitch Magazine, and BookPage. She has spoken in the US and Canada on the topics of publishing, marketing, media theory, and digital and social media at NYU, SXSW, Sarah Lawrence, the General Society of Mechanics and Tradesmen, the Women’s National Book Association, Digital Book World, Publishers Launch, MagNet: Canada’s Magazine Conference, and Humber College’s Book Summit. She is a volunteer for the award-wining nonprofit organization The Telling Room, currently mentoring in the Young Emerging Authors Fellowship.
She is seeking nonfiction in the categories of biography, memoir, history, science/nature, pop culture, cultural criticism, current events, politics, and narrative nonfiction. She has a strong interest in feminism (especially intersectional feminism), in nature, climate change, and conservation, and in social and racial justice. She has a particular penchant for books stemming from a quirky journalistic, academic, or personal obsession.
On the fiction side, she is presently seeking literary and commercial fiction with a strong voice. She is also seeking upmarket mysteries and thrillers. She has a special weakness for books about a major event (a wedding, a reunion, a funeral) that reunites a group of people, books that take place in compressed time periods or places (i.e. The Dinner), books set in boarding schools or on college campuses (Prep; The Secret Place), and books with a gently comic touch. She is a big fan of Jami Attenberg, Megan Abbott, Taffy Brodesser-Akner, Emily Henry, Linda Holmes, Taylor Jenkins Reid, Curtis Sittenfeld, Emma Straub, J. Courtney Sullivan, Jonathan Tropper, and Kevin Wilson, and would love to see submissions along any of those lines.
Notes
This literary agent represents:
FICTION: Commercial * Family Saga * Humor Fiction * Literary * Mystery * New Adult * Thriller * Upmarket Fiction *
NONFICTION: Biography * Cultural/Social Issues * Current Events/Affairs * Education * Environment * History * Journalism * Memoir * Narrative * Nature * Politics * Pop Culture * Science * Women’s Issues *
2838 29th Street Long Island City NY 11102 USA
Andrew Blauner
Blauner Books Literary AgencyDO NOT QUERY – THIS AGENT IS NOT CURRENTLY ACCEPTING UNSOLICITED SUBMISSIONSQuery method(s): Email * Postal Mail *Biography
Andrew Blauner is a literary agent with and the founder of the Blauner Books Literary Agency. He was born and bred in Manhattan, attended Collegiate School, has a B.A. from Brown University, and an M.B.A. from Columbia University School of Business. He founded Blauner Books in 1995.
As an anthologist, he has edited the collections: Coach: 25 Writers Reflect on People Who Made a Difference (Hachette); Brothers: 26 Stories of Love and Rivalry (Wiley); Central Park: An Anthology (Bloomsbury); Our Boston: Writers Celebrate the City They Love (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt); The Good Book: Writers Reflect on Favorite Bible Passages (Simon & Schuster); and In Their Lives: Great Writers on Great Beatles Songs (Blue Rider Press / Penguin Random House, Spring 2017). He is also the co-editor of For the Love of Baseball: A Celebration of the Game that Connects Us All. His work has been published in the New York Times, and he has appeared on a wide array of media outlets, including: NPR’s “On Point,” with Tom Ashbrook, The Brian Lehrer Show, and The Leonard Lopate Show, as well as Ben Cheever’s “About Writing.” He is member of PEN American Center, National Book Critics Circle, The Authors Guild, Association of Authors’ Representatives, and SABR (Society of American Baseball Research). Blauner Books Literary Agency has also been named one of “The 15 Most Influential Sports Education ‘Teams’ in America” for representing and publishing high standard books which significantly contribute to sports education.
Notes
This literary agent represents:
FICTION: General Fiction * Graphic Novel * Humor Fiction * Thriller *
NONFICTION: Autobiography * Biography * Business * Celebrity * Current Events/Affairs * Dating/Relationship/Sex * Film/Entertainment * General Nonfiction * Health/Wellness * History * Memoir * Money/Finance * Multicultural * Music * Narrative * Politics * Pop Culture * Reference * Science * Sports * Travel * True Crime *
Biography
Isabelle Bleecker is a literary agent and a partner with the Nordlyset Literary Agency. An industry veteran with almost 30 years in book publishing, Isabelle Bleecker has devoted her career to words, ideas, and authors. She has held positions across editorial, production, and subsidiary rights in several houses including Rizzoli International, Tuttle Publishing, and the Perseus Books imprints, giving her a thorough insider’s understanding of every aspect of the trade book business. Her agenting focus is on idea-driven, upmarket nonfiction that expands our understanding of the world in science, investigative journalism, smart self-help, and narrative history, especially history focused on the lost or untold stories of our past, and commentaries on the world in which we live. She handles literary fiction and YA fiction with an international flair and from voices with fresh new stories and perspectives.
Notes
This literary agent represents:
FICTION: Children’s Fiction * General Fiction * Juvenile Fiction * Literary * Multicultural Fiction * Mystery * NoMG * NoPB * Young Adult Fiction *
NONFICTION: Biography * Business * Current Events/Affairs * General Nonfiction * Health/Wellness * History * Investigative * Journalism * Juvenile * Lifestyle * Money/Finance * Narrative * Politics * Science * Self-Help/Personal Development * Travel * Upmarket *
Albany NY USA
Biography
Eloy Bleifuss is a literary agent Janklow & Nesbit Associates. After studying journalism, Eloy’s first job in publishing was at Simon & Schuster where he assisted the publishers of S&S, Touchstone, and Scribner. He switched to the agency side when he joined Janklow & Nesbit Associates in 2019. In addition to working with Kirby Kim and Paul Lucas, Eloy is cultivating a growing list of fiction and nonfiction clients.
Eloy is drawn to genre-blurring upmarket and literary fiction. He loves contemporary stories of regular people navigating relationships and work, atmospheric thrillers set in an under-explored time or place, and character-driven speculative fiction. When it comes to nonfiction, he enjoys reading a broad sweep of categories from science writing and forgotten histories to pop culture and relatable self-help. Whether it is fiction or nonfiction, he is a fan of writing that is dark, strange, funny, and queer. A graduate of Vassar College, Eloy grew up in Chicago and now lives in Brooklyn.
Notes
This literary agent represents:
FICTION: Contemporary * Gay/Lesbian Fiction * General Fiction * Humor Fiction * Literary * Thriller * Upmarket Fiction *
NONFICTION: Gay/Lesbian * General Nonfiction * History * Humor * Pop Culture * Science * Self-Help/Personal Development *
Biography
Brettne Bloom is a literary agent and partner with The Book Group. Brettne has been a literary agent since 2002. She works with a wide range of writers, from New York Times bestselling novelists to award-winning historians, journalists, scientists, memoirists, biographers. Her clients have been finalists for the Pulitzer Prize, the National Book Award, the National Book Critics Circle Award, the PEN New England Award, the First Novel Prize, and the Impac Dublin Literary Award, among others.
Brettne’s areas of interest include literary and commercial fiction for adults, and works of narrative history, biography, memoir, spiritual exploration, and psychology. She also represents food, health, and lifestyle experts. She was born in Houston, Texas and divides her time between New York and Atlanta, where she lives with her husband and two daughters. A voracious reader all of her life, Brettne is especially drawn to distinct voices, untold stories, and unique perspectives on historical events. She also loves literary and art history, tales of love and friendship, so-called “millennial fiction,” and anything involving the science of the human body and brain.
Notes
This literary agent represents:
FICTION: Commercial * General Fiction * Historical * Literary * Romance *
NONFICTION: Art * Biography * Cooking/Cookbook * Food/Drinks * General Nonfiction * Health/Wellness * History * Investigative * Journalism * Lifestyle * Memoir * Narrative * Psychology * Science * Spirituality * Upmarket *
20 West 20th Street Suite 601 New York NY 10011 USA
Biography
Keely Boeving is a literary agent with the WordServe Literary Agency. After receiving her B.A. in English from the University of Virginia, she went on to attend the Denver Publishing Institute and then began her career in New York working in the editorial departments of Bloomsbury and Oxford University Press, where she acquired books for the trade history list. She moved back to Colorado in 2014 and began her own freelance editorial company before joining WordServe the following year. She lives in Denver with her husband and their twins. You can find out more about her editorial work at http://www.keelyboeving.com.
Keely is looking for smart, well-crafted contemporary and literary fiction; narrative nonfiction and memoir; and well-researched nonfiction books in the areas of health and wellness, business (especially books targeting women in the workplace), parenting and family life, social justice, and religious studies; as well as projects from diverse and under-represented voices. For the Christian market, she is seeking books in the areas of Christian Living, spiritual transformation, devotion and worship, and women’s topics including motherhood, relationships and marriage, work-life balance, and calling. She is *not* looking for thrillers, sci-fi, fantasy, or romance.
Notes
This literary agent represents:
FICTION: Children’s Fiction * Christian Fiction * Contemporary * Middle Grade Fiction * Picture Book * Religious * Young Adult Fiction *
NONFICTION: Business * Christian * Cultural/Social Issues * Dating/Relationship/Sex * Family * General Nonfiction * Health/Wellness * Juvenile * Lifestyle * Memoir * Middle Grade * Narrative * Parenting/Child Guidance * Psychology * Religion * Spirituality * Women’s Issues * Young Adult *
7500 E. Arapahoe Rd. Suite 285 Centennial CO 80112 USA
Biography
Anne Bohner is a literary agent with Pen and Ink Literary, and the founder. Prior to founding Pen & Ink Literary, Anne Bohner was a Senior Editor with New American Library and also worked at Bantam Dell for several years. While at NAL Anne spearheaded the YA line NAL Jam where she worked on many promising books including a current New York Times bestselling series. Anne has also worked with bestselling and award winning authors of both adult fiction and nonfiction and has an extensive background in the romance genre.
Notes
This literary agent represents:
FICTION: Commercial * General Fiction * Romance * Women’s Fiction * Young Adult Fiction *
NONFICTION: General Nonfiction *
200 W. 58th St Number 9C New York NY 10019 USA
Sarah Bolling
The Gernert CompanyDO NOT QUERY – THIS AGENT IS NOT CURRENTLY ACCEPTING UNSOLICITED SUBMISSIONSQuery method(s): Email *Biography
Sarah Bolling is a literary agent with The Gernert Company. Born and raised in Washington, D.C., Sarah joined The Gernert Company in 2017 after working in editorial at Norton. She’s looking to represent fiction blending literary ambition with genre sensibility, especially featuring diverse characters, far-flung locales, or inventive narrative structure. Her taste also includes a range of nonfiction, including memoir, pop culture, psychology, sociology, and style. Sarah majored in East Asian Studies at Brown University, and holds an MA in Comparative Literature from Goldsmiths, University of London. She lives in Manhattan.
Notes
This literary agent represents:
FICTION: General Fiction * Literary *
NONFICTION: Beauty/Fashion/Style * Cultural/Social Issues * General Nonfiction * Memoir * Narrative * Pop Culture * Psychology *
Biography
Annie Bomke is a literary agent with the Annie Bomke Literary Agency. She is a literary agent with over a decade of experience helping authors succeed. Her books include Dodging and Burning by John Copenhaver, winner of the Macavity Award for Best First Novel, and nominated for a Lammy Award, Strand Critics Award, Barry Award and Anthony Award, and the Barnes & Noble bestselling Poppy McAllister cozy mystery series by Libby Klein. She has edited a wide range of projects—from hard-nosed business books to otherworldly historical novels. Authors have called her the pH test for good writing, and a bedrock for literary quality control.
Annie has loved the publishing industry since her position as an Editorial Assistant at Zoetrope: All-Story, a literary magazine founded by Francis Ford Coppola. She explored her love of books managing Alcala Gallery, an art gallery and rare bookstore, and even had a brief stint as a technical writer for a Department of Defense contractor.
She represents a wide variety of adult and YA fiction and nonfiction, including commercial and literary fiction, upmarket fiction, mysteries (from hilarious cozies to gritty police procedurals and everything in between), historical fiction, women’s fiction, psychological thrillers, literary/psychological horror, self-help, business, health/diet, cookbooks, memoir, relationships, current events, psychology, and narrative nonfiction.
Annie spends her free time reading, going for walks in the park, and dancing. Her favorite authors include Haruki Murakami, Margaret Atwood, Ray Bradbury, Tana French, and Paul Auster.
Notes
This literary agent represents:
FICTION: Commercial * Crime/Detective/Police * Family Saga * Gay/Lesbian Fiction * General Fiction * Historical * Horror * Humor Fiction * Juvenile Fiction * Literary * Magical Realism * Mystery * New Adult * Suspense * Thriller * Upmarket Fiction * Women’s Fiction * Young Adult Fiction *
NONFICTION: Biography * Business * Cooking/Cookbook * Crafts * Current Events/Affairs * Dating/Relationship/Sex * Diet/Nutrition * Gay/Lesbian * Health/Wellness * History * Humor * Journalism * Lifestyle * Memoir * Mind/Body/Spirit * Money/Finance * Narrative * Pop Culture * Psychology * Science * Self-Help/Personal Development * Travel * True Crime * Young Adult *
P. O. Box 3759 San Diego CA 92163 USA
Biography
Ian Bonaparte is a literary agent with Janklow & Nesbit Associates. He began his career in publishing at Farrar, Straus & Giroux, where he worked at the nexus of sales, publicity, and marketing. Having booked tours, pitched and edited essays from authors across Macmillan, and rescued numerous readings from disaster and near-miss, he departed for the agency world, joining Janklow & Nesbit in 2016.
A graduate of the Columbia Publishing Course at the Columbia Journalism School, Ian holds a B.A. in English with a focus in Creative Writing from Vanderbilt University. He is actively acquiring in the areas of journalistic reportage, current events, science, big idea, creative memoir, and history, and is especially interested in social justice, radical thought, and moving the Overton window of discourse. He is able to help writers place journalism and op-eds. With an extensive background in editing fiction, he is also seeking a select list of fiction writers, and is interested in seeing any novel that is both moving and plot-driven.
With his combined experience in the literary agency and publisher trenches, Ian brings a holistic understanding to the total endeavor of publishing, from proposal to indie bookshelf. He is fiercely committed to his authors and deeply grateful to assist in bringing new ideas, outlooks and worlds into existence. He hails from Portland, Oregon.
Notes
This literary agent represents:
FICTION: General Fiction * Horror * Literary *
NONFICTION: Cultural/Social Issues * Current Events/Affairs * General Nonfiction * History * Investigative * Journalism * Memoir * Narrative * Politics * Science * Technology * Upmarket *
285 Madison Avenue 21st Floor New York NY 10017 USA
Sandra Bond
Bond Literary AgencyDO NOT QUERY – THIS AGENT IS NOT CURRENTLY ACCEPTING UNSOLICITED SUBMISSIONSQuery method(s): Online Form *Biography
Sandra Bond is a literary agent with the Bond Literary Agency. She was the program administrator at the University of Denver’s Publishing Institute, where she now guest lectures each summer.
She represents adult commercial and literary fiction, mystery/thriller/crime fiction, and YA fiction in all categories. She does not represent romance, adult science fiction, adult fantasy, poetry, children’s picture books, or screenplays. In nonfiction, she represents narrative, science for a general audience, business and history, and the authors she takes on must have great credentials, real expertise in their subject area, and some kind of platform from which they can actively promote their books.
Notes
This literary agent represents:
FICTION: Crime/Detective/Police * Commercial * General Fiction * Juvenile Fiction * Literary * Mystery * NoPB * Suspense * Thriller * Upmarket Fiction * Women’s Fiction * Young Adult Fiction *
NONFICTION: Biography * Business * Cooking/Cookbook * History * Lifestyle * Mind/Body/Spirit * Money/Finance * Narrative * Science * Young Adult *
Janna Bonikowski
The Knight AgencyDO NOT QUERY – THIS AGENT IS NOT CURRENTLY ACCEPTING UNSOLICITED SUBMISSIONSQuery method(s): Online Form *Biography
Janna Bonikowski is a literary agent with The Knight Agency. She joined the Knight Agency in 2016 with several years of experience as both an independent editor and a freelance editor for Lyrical Press/Kensington. She holds a bachelor’s degree focused on business and economics, but her passion for books made a career in publishing inevitable.
When she’s not reading, Janna tries to keep her challenging dog from eating the cats, the furniture, the stairs, the walls.
Notes
This literary agent represents:
FICTION: Chick Lit * Commercial * Contemporary * Family Saga * Fantasy * Gay/Lesbian Fiction * Historical * Magical Realism * Multicultural Fiction * Mystery * Romance * Upmarket Fiction * Women’s Fiction * Young Adult Fiction *
NONFICTION:
Anne Borchardt
Georges Borchardt Literary AgencyDO NOT QUERY – THIS AGENT IS NOT CURRENTLY ACCEPTING UNSOLICITED SUBMISSIONSQuery method(s): Email *Biography
Anne Borchardt co-founded the New York-based literary agency, Georges Borchardt, Inc., in 1967. Georges Borchardt introduced to American readers major works by Roland Barthes, Samuel Beckett, Pierre Bourdieu, Gilles Deleuze, Marguerite Duras, Franz Fanon, Michel Foucault, Eugene Ionesco, Jacques Lacan, Alain Robbe-Grillet, Jean-Paul Sartre, Elie Wiesel and Monique Wittig. In 2010, he was awarded the insignia of Chevalier of the Legion of Honor.
Notes
This literary agent represents:
FICTION: Literary *
NONFICTION: Autobiography * Biography * Current Events/Affairs * General Nonfiction * History * Memoir * Military/War * Narrative * Politics * Science *
Georges Borchardt
Georges Borchardt Literary AgencyDO NOT QUERY – THIS AGENT IS NOT CURRENTLY ACCEPTING UNSOLICITED SUBMISSIONSQuery method(s): Email *Biography
Georges Borchardt is a literary agent with the Georges Borchardt Literary Agency. Georges is a well-respected literary agent in America; he has represented figures ranging from General Charles de Gaulle to Jane Fonda. Borchardt’s first job in New York was as an assistant in a literary agency specializing in foreign writers. In 1959, it was Borchardt who secured an American publisher for Elie Wiesel’s Night, following rejection after rejection by publishers who labeled the memoir of Wiesel’s internment in concentration camps too morbid for American readers. Night has sold more than six million copies in the United States alone.
Borchardt is responsible for the American publication of the first works by Samuel Beckett. He also introduced to American readers major works by Roland Barthes, Pierre Bourdieu, Marguerite Duras, Frantz Fanon, Michel Foucault, Eug
Notes
This literary agent represents:
FICTION: General Fiction * Literary * Mainstream * Women’s Fiction *
NONFICTION: Autobiography * Biography * Cooking/Cookbook * Current Events/Affairs * General Nonfiction * History * Memoir * Military/War * Narrative * Politics * Pop Culture * Reference * Science *
Valerie Borchardt
Georges Borchardt Literary AgencyDO NOT QUERY – THIS AGENT IS NOT CURRENTLY ACCEPTING UNSOLICITED SUBMISSIONSQuery method(s): Email *Biography
Valerie Borchardt is a literary agent with the Georges Borchardt Literary Agency. She joined the agency in 1999. Several of her clients have appeared on The New York Times bestseller list. She is also the foreign rights director and a vice president. She has a BA from Wesleyan University and a Masters in Slavic Language and Literature from Columbia University.
Notes
This literary agent represents:
FICTION: Commercial * General Fiction * Historical * Horror * Literary * Young Adult Fiction *
NONFICTION: Current Events/Affairs * General Nonfiction * History * Memoir * Narrative * Politics *
Biography
Michael Bourret is a literary agent with Dystel, Goderich & Bourret, LLC. Michael Bourret joined Dystel, Goderich & Bourret as an intern while studying film and television production at New York University, and began at the agency full-time in 2000. After ten years as an agent in the New York office, Michael now works in Los Angeles in the West Coast office of DG&B. There, he continues to represent his own list of bestselling and award-winning clients while also aggressively pursuing new film and television opportunities.
Notes
This literary agent represents:
FICTION: Children’s Fiction * Commercial * Contemporary * Family Saga * Gay/Lesbian Fiction * Graphic Novel * Historical * Horror * Humor Fiction * Literary * Middle Grade Fiction * Multicultural Fiction * Picture Book * Satire * Technology * Thriller * Women’s Fiction * Young Adult Fiction *
NONFICTION: Art * Biography * Cultural/Social Issues * Current Events/Affairs * Gay/Lesbian * Gift/Novelty * Humor * Journalism * Juvenile * Memoir * Multicultural * Narrative * Politics * Pop Culture * Science * Upmarket Fiction *
One Union Square West Suite 904 New York NY 10003 USA
Biography
Katie Shea Boutillier is a literary agent with the Donald Maass Literary Agency. atie Shea Boutillier joined the Donald Maass Literary Agency in 2011. She is the Rights Director handling the agency’s translation and audio rights, and selected film/TV and electronic rights. In addition, Katie is focusing her list on women’s fiction and YA: realistic, contemporary, upmarket, historical (1920s +), domestic suspense, psychological suspense/thrillers, magical realism, light fantasy, light sci-fi. Memoir and narrative non-fiction only on referral. She loves books with big voices and strong hooks. She is a cum laude graduate of Marist College.
Notes
This literary agent represents:
FICTION: Commercial * Contemporary * Family Saga * General Fiction * Humor Fiction * Juvenile Fiction * Mystery * Suspense * Upmarket Fiction * Women’s Fiction * Young Adult Fiction *
NONFICTION: Cultural/Social Issues * Narrative *
1000 Dean Street Suite 252 Brooklyn NY 11238 USA
Biography
Brenda Bowen is a literary agent with The Book Group. She represents authors and artists of books for young readers from preschool to young adult; she also represents some adult titles. Her clients have won the MacArthur Fellowship; the Newbery Medal and Newbery Honor; the Caldecott Medal and Caldecott Honor; the Stonewall Award; the Geisel Honor; the William C. Morris Honor; the New York Times Best Illustrated Book prize; the Society of Illustrators Gold Medal; as well as many other awards and citations. Brenda’s clients have been #1 New York Times bestsellers, and have been translated around the globe; she represents Oscar-, Emmy-, and Tony-Award winners; career authors and artists; and newcomers making their debuts. She can’t decide which she loves more: a bold picture book, or a lyrical middle-grade novel.
Brenda has the unusual advantage of having seen publishing from all sides: she began her career as an agent at Sanford J. Greenburger; she was a children’s book publisher for many years; she has written an adult novel; and she’s an award-winning author of some forty books for children. She lives with her family in New York City, and spends August in a cottage in Maine, where the menu almost always includes blueberry corn muffins.
Notes
This literary agent represents:
FICTION: Chapter Book * Children’s Fiction * Ethnic Fiction * Gay/Lesbian Fiction * General Fiction * Graphic Novel * Historical * Juvenile Fiction * Literary * Middle Grade Fiction * Multicultural Fiction * Picture Book * Women’s Fiction * Young Adult Fiction *
NONFICTION: Cultural/Social Issues * Dating/Relationship/Sex * Family * General Nonfiction * Juvenile * Medical/Medicine * Middle Grade * Parenting/Child Guidance * Women’s Issues * Young Adult *
20 West 20th Street Suite 601 New York NY 10011 USA
Sharon Bowers
Folio Literary ManagementDO NOT QUERY – THIS AGENT IS NOT CURRENTLY ACCEPTING UNSOLICITED SUBMISSIONSQuery method(s): Email *Biography
Sharon Bowers is a literary agent with Folio Literary Management. She began her career as an editor at HarperCollins and then partnered with Angela Miller in Miller Bowers Griffin Literary Management. She believes in a hands-on approach to working with authors and editors works with award-winning novelists such as Lori Rader-Day, Hilary Fannin, Abubakar Adam Ibrahim, Zukiswa Wanner, Miriam O’Callaghan and Kermit Lynch. She also represents a diverse list of non-fiction, including chefs and food writers such as Deborah Madison, Amy Chaplin, Tess “The Blender Girl” Masters, Tama Matsuoka Wong, Cal Peternell, Leah Cohen, Mads Refslund, Cathy Whims and Amanda Cohen, and organizations such as the Natural Gourmet institute and Pain D’Avignon.
Notes
This literary agent represents:
FICTION: Crime/Detective/Police * Mystery * Romance * Thriller * Women’s Fiction *
NONFICTION: Cooking/Cookbook * Dating/Relationship/Sex * Diet/Nutrition * General Nonfiction * Health/Wellness * How-To * Lifestyle * Memoir * Narrative * Parenting/Child Guidance * Pop Culture * Religion * Spirituality *
Biography
Brandi Bowles is a literary agent with United Talent Agency (UTA). A twelve year veteran in book publishing, Brandi’s lifelong passion for the written word, a great sense of humor, and the art of engaging storytelling have led her to cultivate a standout client list and an uncommon approach to book representation. She is often the invisible hand helping her clients develop marketable book ideas that take their careers into new directions and heights.
Brandi’s client list reflects her multifaceted passions: On the nonfiction side, she has represented memoirs, cookbooks, and prescriptive books of all kinds, as well as science, humor, pop culture, and real-life inspirational stories. For fiction, she represents high-concept novels that feature strong female bonds, and psychological or scientific themes. All of her books have in common surprising plots or fresh takes on otherwise familiar subjects.
Brandi’s titles include Rabbit: A Memoir by comedian Ms. Pat (Dey Street, 2017), Between Two Worlds by celebrity medium Tyler Henry (Gallery Books, 2016), Girl Logic by Iliza Shlesinger (Weinstein Books, 2017), The Big Life by Ann Shoket, former EIC of Seventeen (Rodale, 2017), Shut Up and Run by Robin Arzon (a New York Times bestseller), and Hugo and Rose by novelist and screenwriter Bridget Foley (St. Martin’s Press).
Brandi understands that publishing is a lifelong dream for many of her authors, as well as a service to their readers and fans; her role is to serve as an entry point and tireless advocate for a rich and rewarding publishing experience.
Originally from Louisville, KY, Brandi now lives with her husband and two young children in Brooklyn, NY.
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This literary agent represents:
FICTION: Children’s Fiction * Commercial * Fantasy * Humor Fiction * Literary * Mainstream * Picture Book * Romance * Science Fiction * Thriller * Upmarket Fiction * Women’s Fiction *
NONFICTION: Art * Business * Celebrity * Cooking/Cookbook * Cultural/Social Issues * Current Events/Affairs * Dating/Relationship/Sex * Diet/Nutrition * Film/Entertainment * Food/Drinks * General Nonfiction * Gift/Novelty * Health/Wellness * History * How-To * Horror * Humor * Inspiration * Juvenile * Lifestyle * Medical/Medicine * Memoir * Mind/Body/Spirit * Money/Finance * Music * Narrative * Parenting/Child Guidance * Philosophy * Politics * Pop Culture * Prescriptive * Reference * Religion * Science * Self-Help/Personal Development * Spirituality * Technology *
888 7th Ave 7th Floor New York NY 10106 USA
Sarah Bowlin
Aevitas Creative ManagementDO NOT QUERY – THIS AGENT IS NOT CURRENTLY ACCEPTING UNSOLICITED SUBMISSIONSQuery method(s): Online Form *Biography
Sarah Bowlinis a literary agent with Aevitas Creative Management. She joined Aevitas in early 2017 after a decade as an editor of literary fiction and nonfiction. She has worked on the international breakout novel How Should a Person Be? by Sheila Heti; the New York Times Notable Book, The Beautiful Bureaucrat by Helen Phillips; the National Book Award-nominated The End by Salvatore Scibona; and works by the award-winning novelist, Juan Gabriel Vásquez.
Bowlin has a BA in American Literature from New York University. Originally from the South, she got her start in publishing at Riverhead Books and was most recently a senior editor at Henry Holt & Company.
As an Aevitas agent based in Los Angeles, she is focused on bold, diverse voices in fiction and nonfiction. She’s especially interested in stories of strong or difficult women and unexpected narratives of place, of identity, and of the shifting ways we see ourselves and each other. She’s also interested in food history, wine, and dance.
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This literary agent represents:
FICTION: General Fiction * Humor Fiction * Literary *
NONFICTION: History * Humor * Narrative * Pop Culture *
Hannah Bowman
Liza Dawson AssociatesDO NOT QUERY – Open to only adult scifi and fantasy.Query method(s): Email *Biography
Hannah Bowman is a literary agent with Liza Dawson Associates. Hannah Bowman joined Liza Dawson Associates as an agent in 2011. She graduated from Cornell University in 2009, earning a B.A. in English and mathematics. While a student, she spent four summers working in particle physics at Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory. She is also an organist. She lives in Los Angeles.
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This literary agent represents:
FICTION: Christian * Fantasy * Science Fiction * Young Adult Fiction *
NONFICTION: Christian * Cultural/Social Issues * History * Law * Politics * Religion * Spirituality * True Crime *
Biography
Rachel S. Boye is a literary agent with The DRS Agency. Rachel primarily represents the agency’s female Christian authors.
Notes
This literary agent represents:
FICTION:
NONFICTION: Christian * Inspiration * Religion * Spirituality * Women’s Issues *
317 Main Street Suite 207 Franklin TN 37064 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)