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By: Brian A. Klems,
on 1/4/2015
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Reminder: New literary agents (with this spotlight featuring Kirsten Carleton of Waxman Leavell Literary Agency) are golden opportunities for new writers because each one is a literary agent who is likely building his or her client list.
About Kirsten: Before joining Waxman Leavell in 2014, Kirsten worked at Sobel Weber Associates. She holds a B.A. in English with a Creative Writing concentration from Amherst College, and a Graduate Certificate in Publishing from the Columbia Publishing Course. Follow her on Twitter: @kirstencarleton
(The skinny on why to sign with a new/newer literary agent.)
Kirsten is seeking: Upmarket young adult, speculative, and literary fiction with strong characters and storytelling. She’s particularly interested in novels that bend and blur genres; literary takes on high concept worldbuilding; diverse characters in stories that are not just about diversity; antiheroes she find herself rooting for; characters with drive and passion; girls and women in STEM fields; settings outside the US/Europe; well-researched historical settings; YA noir/thriller/mystery; stories that introduces her to a new subculture and makes her feel like a native. She is not interested in horror, romance, erotica, poetry, or picture books.
How to submit: Send a query letter with the first five to ten pages of your manuscript in the body of the email only to kirstensubmit [at] waxmanleavell.com.
(Is it best to query all your target agents at once? — or just a few to start?)
The biggest literary agent database anywhere
is the Guide to Literary Agents. Pick up the
most recent updated edition online at a discount.
Other writing/publishing articles & links for you:
Want to build your visibility and sell more books?
Create Your Writer Platform shows you how to
promote yourself and your books through social
media, public speaking, article writing, branding,
and more. Order the book from WD at a discount.
By: Brian A. Klems,
on 12/21/2014
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Reminder: New literary agents (with this spotlight featuring Leon Husock of L. Perkins Agency) are golden opportunities for new writers because each one is a literary agent who is likely building his or her client list.
About Leon: Prior to joining the L. Perkins Agency, Leon was an associate agent at Anderson Literary Management. He has a BA in Literature from Bard College and attended the Columbia Publishing Course. Leon is actively building his client list. Follow him on Twitter: @leonhusock.
(Why writers who don’t have a basic website are hurting their chances of success.)
He is seeking: He has a particular interest in science fiction & fantasy, young adult and middle-grade novels filled with strong characters and original premises, but keeps an open mind for anything that catches his eye. He is also looking for historical fiction set in the 20th century, particularly the 1980s or earlier. He is not interested in nonfiction at this time.
How to contact: E-query him at leon [at] lperkinsagency.com.
(Do you need multiple literary agents if you write different genres?)
The biggest literary agent database anywhere
is the Guide to Literary Agents. Pick up the
most recent updated edition online at a discount.
I (Chuck) Will Instruct At These Great Writing Events Soon:
- Oct. 24, 2014: Atlanta Writers Fall Conference (Atlanta, GA)
- Feb. 6, 2015: Kentucky Writers Conference (Louisville, KY)
- Feb. 7, 2015: Tennessee Writers Conference (Nashville, KY)
- Feb. 20, 2015: Portland Writing Workshop (Portland, OR)
- Feb. 21, 2015: Seattle Writers Workshop (Seattle, WA)
- March 27-28, 2015: Chesapeake Writing Conferences (Baltimore and DC)
- April 17-18, 2015: Carolina Writing Workshop Conferences (Charlotte, NC and Columbia, SC)
- May 15, 2015: Milwaukee Writers Conference (Milwaukee, WI)
- May 16, 2015: Chicago Writers Workshop (Chicago, IL)
- June 25-28, 2015: Jackson Hole Writers Conference (Jackson Hole, WY)
- July 31- Aug. 2, 2015: Writer’s Digest Conference East (New York, NY)
- October 2015: Books by the Banks Book Festival (Cincinnati, OH)
Your new complete and updated instructional guide
to finding an agent is finally here: The 2015 book
GET A LITERARY AGENT shares advice from more
than 110 literary agents who share advice on querying,
craft, the submission process, researching agents, and
much more. Filled with all the advice you’ll ever need to
find an agent, this resource makes a great partner book to
the agent database, Guide to Literary Agents.
There has never been a better time to be a Sci-Fi / Fantasy author. With television shows like Battlestar Galactica, Game of Thrones and Outlander each in turn becoming massive pop culture phenomena, and Marvel’s superhero films dominating the box office, SF/F has gone mainstream like never before. The SF/F literary marketplace has also become more open to a variety of stories and points of view.
The SF/F agents of Fuse Literary (formerly Foreword Literary) will help you perfect your new Sci-Fi, Fantasy or Horror masterpiece in this online boot camp titled “How to Write and Sell Your Fantasy & Science Fiction.” It starts on Nov. 10, and all registrants will get individualized agent critiques as well as have the chance to ask the agent instructors any questions they wish.
Among the topics that will be discussed:
- How to build a unique and memorable fictional world that will entice an agent
- How to craft a compelling, high-stakes plot that keeps the reader engaged
- How to create refreshing and dynamic characters
- How to find agents seeking SF/F manuscripts
- How to avoid common pitfalls in your query letter and sample pages
- How to rein in an out-of-control word count
- How to lay the groundwork for an epic series in your first book. Sign up for the boot camp here.
After the seminar lecture, we will be available to answer any questions you may have about the SF/F market or the publishing process. Then the agents from Fuse Literary will critique the query letter and first five double-spaced pages from all registrants. Don’t miss this opportunity to get the inside scoop on genre publishing!
PLEASE NOTE: A few works discussed as examples in our presentation will include A Song of Ice and Fire by George R. R. Martin, Kushiel’s Dart by Jacqueline Carey, Dune by Frank Herbert, and Lagoon by Nnedi Okorafor. It’s not necessary to have read any or all of these books, but a passing familiarity with at least a few of them will be helpful.
Only registered students can access the discussion sessions. You’ll also be able to ask questions of your fellow students. Feel free to share your work and gain support from your peers
Please note that any one of the agents may ask for additional pages if the initial submission shows serious promise.
In addition to feedback from agents, attendees will also receive:
— Download of “An Agent’s Tips on Story Structures that Sell,” an on-demand webinar by literary agent Andrea Hurst
— 1-year subscription to the WritersMarket.com literary agent database
About Fuse Literary:
Fuse Literary is a full-service, hybrid literary agency based in the Silicon Valley with offices in New York City, Chicago, San Diego, and Vancouver. We blend the tried-and-true methods of traditional publishing with the brash new opportunities engendered by digital publishing, emerging technologies, and an evolving author-agent relationship. Sign up for the boot camp here.
Fuse manages a wide variety of clients, from bestsellers to debut authors, working with fiction and non-fiction for children and adults worldwide. We combine technical efficiency with outside-the-covers creative thinking so that each individual client’s career is specifically fine-tuned for them.
Agent Laurie McLean is a partner at Fuse Literary. She spent 20 years as the CEO of a publicity agency and 8 years as an agent and senior agent at Larsen Pomada Literary Agents in San Francisco. At Fuse, Laurie specializes in adult genre fiction plus middle-grade and young adult children’s books. Her SF/F clients include the New York Times and USA Today bestselling YA author Julie Kagawa, bestselling fantasy and science fiction author Michael J. Sullivan, and award-winning steampunk and fantasy authors Pip Ballantine and Tee Morris.http://www.writersdigest.com/wp-admin/post-new.php
Agent Connor Goldsmith is an associate agent at Fuse Literary, part of the firm’s New York office. He began his career in publishing as an associate agent at Lowenstein Associates. At Fuse, Connor specializes in adult genre and commercial fiction, in addition to select literary fiction and nonfiction titles. His SF/F clients include award-winning romantic fantasy author Jeffe Kennedy and upcoming debut SF/F authors Claire Humphrey, Alex White, and Cass Morris.
Please note: Both Laurie McLean and Connor Goldsmith will be participating in the online discussion sessions together on the same boards. There is no need to request to ask questions to one or the other beforehand. If you ask a question, both Laurie and Connor will be able to reply to you based on their expertise. However, only Connor Goldsmith will be critiquing submissions.
Sign up for the boot camp here.
By: Chuck Sambuchino,
on 9/14/2014
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This week’s agent spotlight is not a new agent, but rather an established one who has just made an agency move and is actively seeking clients. Get to know Lana Popovic of Chalberg & Sussman (info below) and see if she is a good fit for you work. Good luck!
(What query letter mistakes will sink your submission chances?)
About Lana: Lana Popovic holds a B.A. with honors from Yale University, a J.D. from the Boston University School of Law, where she focused on intellectual property, and an M.A. with highest honors from the Emerson College Publishing and Writing program. Prior to joining Chalberg & Sussman, Lana worked at Zachary Shuster Harmsworth, where she built a list of Young Adult and adult literary authors while managing foreign rights for the agency.
With an abiding love for dark, edgy themes and shamelessly nerdy fare—Battlestar Galactica and Joss Whedon are two of her great loves—Lana is looking for a broad spectrum of Young Adult and Middle Grade projects, from contemporary realism to speculative fiction, fantasy, horror, sci-fi, and historical. For the adult market, Lana is interested in literary thrillers, horror, fantasy, sophisticated erotica and romance, and select nonfiction. An avid traveler, she has a particular fondness for stories set in Eastern Europe, the Middle East, North Africa, and Asia, although she also loves reading deep and original stories about American subcultures. You can follow her on Twitter at @LanaPopovicLit. She will be a panelist at the Boston Book Festival this year, and also the AWP 2015 conference.
(Writing non-fiction? Hear submission advice from literary agents.)
She is seeking:
- Young Adult/Middle Grade Fiction: Contemporary/realistic, mysteries, thrillers, fantasy, historical, horror, sci-fi
- Adult Fiction: Literary thrillers, sci-fi, horror, romance, erotica, women’s literary fiction
- Adult Nonfiction: Pop culture, blog-to-book, literary memoir
How to contact: To query Lana, please e-mail lana [at] chalbergsussman.com with the first ten pages of the manuscript included in the body of the e-mail. Lana accepts queries by e-mail only.
The biggest literary agent database anywhere
is the Guide to Literary Agents. Pick up the
most recent updated edition online at a discount.
Reminder: New literary agents (with this spotlight featuring Valerie Noble of Donaghy Literary Group) are golden opportunities for new writers because each one is a literary agent who is likely building his or her client list.
About Valerie: Valerie Noble is an Associate Agent at Donaghy Literary Group. While studying chemistry at California State University, Long Beach, Valerie mastered the art of doing proper research, particularly for technical writing. Her love of science and reading merged when she began penning her first novel in the midst of her studies. In true scientific fashion, Valerie researched all there was to know about publishing. She connected with agents, editors, and other writers, and interned for Jessica Sinsheimer of Sarah Jane Freymann Literary Agency.
An education is never finished and Valerie continues to cultivate relationships and hopes to use her knowledge and skills in finding fresh new voices for Donaghy Literary Group.
She is seeking: Valerie is seeking Young Adult, and New Adult — in the following areas:
• Science Fiction YA/NA
• Fantasy YA/NA
• Historical Fantasy YA/NA
• Historical Fiction YA/NA
Valerie loves YA/NA science fiction and fantasy (think Kristin Cashore and Suzanne Collins) but reads everything under the sun. For her, it’s more about the writing and less about the genre. In saying that, Valerie is generally not interested in romance or paranormal.
Submission Instructions: Electronic Submissions only. Send the query letter, 1-2 page synopsis and the first 10 pages of manuscript — all in body of email, no attachments. Send to query(at)donaghyliterary(dot)com.
The biggest literary agent database anywhere
is the Guide to Literary Agents. Pick up the
most recent updated edition online at a discount.
Other writing/publishing articles & links for you:
Want to build your visibility and sell more books?
Create Your Writer Platform shows you how to
promote yourself and your books through social
media, public speaking, article writing, branding,
and more. Order the book from WD at a discount.
By: Chuck Sambuchino,
on 8/24/2014
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Today’s literary agent spotlight is with Mark Gottlieb of Trident Media Group. Mark is actively building his client list at the moment, and is definitely worth getting to know better. Learn more about him below:
About Mark: From an early age, Mark showed a passionate interest in his father’s work, his founding of Trident with Dan Strone, and the growth of the company. And his father Robert took great pleasure in being “grilled” regularly by Mark. This focus on publishing continued at Emerson College, where Mark was a founding member of the Publishing Club, then its President, subsequently overseeing its first publication under the Wilde Press imprint. After graduating Emerson with a degree in writing, literature and publishing, Mark began his career as an assistant to the Vice President of the Berkley imprint at Penguin, working with leading editors at the firm.
(Headed to a conference? Learn how to approach an agent.)
Mark’s first position at Trident was in the foreign rights department, assisting the department’s agents in selling the books of clients around the world. Mark continued to follow the customary Trident development process by next assuming the position of audio rights agent. Since Mark has managed the audio rights business, the annual sales volume has doubled (for more information on audio books, please see the Audio Books page under our Services tab). Now while continuing to head up audio rights, Mark is building his own client list of writers. Follow Trident Media Group on Twitter or on Facebook.
He is seeking: In fiction, he seeks Science Fiction, Fantasy, Young Adult, Comics, Graphic novels, Historical, History, Horror, Literary, Middle Grade, Mystery, Thrillers and New adult.
In nonfiction, he seeks Arts, Cinema, Photography, Biography, Memoir, Self-help, Sports, Travel, World cultures, True crime, Mind/Body/Spirit, Narrative Nonfiction, Politics, Current affairs, Pop culture, Entertainment, Relationships, Family, Science, Technology.
How to submit: Use the online submission form here. Make sure you direct your inquiry to Mark.
(Can your query be longer than one page?)
The biggest literary agent database anywhere
is the Guide to Literary Agents. Pick up the
most recent updated edition online at a discount.
Other writing/publishing articles & links for you:
Want to build your visibility and sell more books?
Create Your Writer Platform shows you how to
promote yourself and your books through social
media, public speaking, article writing, branding,
and more. Order the book from WD at a discount.
By: Chuck Sambuchino,
on 8/4/2014
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This past weekend at the Writer’s Digest Writers Conference in NYC, one of the attending agents at the pitch slam was Catherine Luttinger of Darhansoff & Verrill. Catherine recently rejoined the agency and is looking for clients now. Learn more about her below.
She is seeking: Catherine is primarily interested in science fiction and fantasy. To her, that includes anything that could even remotely be labeled as such. Viable submission material includes everything from classic space operas to the apocalypse; alternative universes, dystopias, and eco-thrillers—as well as the paranormal, horror, zombies, plagues, and time travel. She is also willing to look at historical fiction, mythology re-told, YA, thrillers and mysteries. You may also pitch her pop-science nonfiction.
(How NOT to start your story. Read advice from agents.)
How to submit: Send queries to [email protected]. Put “Query for Catherine: [TITLE]” in your subject line.
The biggest literary agent database anywhere
is the Guide to Literary Agents. Pick up the
most recent updated edition online at a discount.
Other writing/publishing articles & links for you:
Want to build your visibility and sell more books?
Create Your Writer Platform shows you how to
promote yourself and your books through social
media, public speaking, article writing, branding,
and more. Order the book from WD at a discount.
By: Chuck Sambuchino,
on 5/18/2014
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Reminder: New literary agents (with this spotlight featuring Andy Kifer of The Gernert Co.) are golden opportunities for new writers because each one is a literary agent who is likely building his or her client list.
About Andy: Andy joined The Gernert Company in 2012 after two years working for Aram Fox, Inc., where he scouted books for foreign publishers. He grew up in Pittsburgh, PA, lived in North Carolina for five years, and worked briefly as a cross-country coach at a boarding school before starting his career in publishing. He lives in Brooklyn and runs in Prospect Park.
(How to be a literary agent’s dream client.)
He is seeking: “I’m looking for literary fiction, smart genre fiction (in particular, high-concept thrillers or sci-fi), and nonfiction with a strong narrative bent. I’m a sucker for love stories and inventive narrative structure.”
How to submit: Please query me by following The Gernert Company’s submission guidelines (see www.thegernertco.com): send a query letter to info [at] thegernertco.com, with “Attn: Andy Kifer ” in the e-mail’s subject line. I’d prefer to see the first few chapters pasted into the body of the e-mail. Snail mail queries to The Gernert Company’s office, addressed to me, are fine too! I promise I read everything that comes my way, though at Gernert we tend to respond only if something piques our interest.
(Should You Sign With a New Literary Agent? Know the Pros and Cons.)
The biggest literary agent database anywhere
is the Guide to Literary Agents. Pick up the
most recent updated edition online at a discount.
Other writing/publishing articles & links for you:
Want to build your visibility and sell more books?
Create Your Writer Platform shows you how to
promote yourself and your books through social
media, public speaking, article writing, branding,
and more. Order the book from WD at a discount.
Literary agent Jennifer Azantian has formally opened her own agency early this year
, and put out a call for submissions. Check out her specifics below and see if she’s a good fit for your work.
About Jennifer: Founder Jennifer Azantian began her agenting career in 2011, first as an intern and then as an assistant and associate, at the Sandra Dijkstra Literary Agency. In 2014, after working with senior agent and entertainment lawyer Paul Levine, Jennifer opened her own agency
specializing in genre fiction. Jennifer brings to her clients a passion for literature born of a writer’s heart and an editorial eye honed from reviewing thousands of projects both for herself and as submissions manager at the Dijkstra Agency. This, coupled with the guidance and superior contracts knowledge of Paul Levine, empowers the Jennifer Azantian Literary Agency to confidently commit to negotiating the very best terms for its talented authors as it guides their careers to success.
(11 literary agents share what NOT to write in your query letter.)
She is seeking: fantasy, science-fiction, and horror that focuses on characters that feel real, the kind whose stories she can get invested in regardless of extravagance in plot or setting. She is fascinated by the basic human truths that emerge at the heart of all the greatest fantasies. These are the kind of projects that she advocates. She is actively acquiring only science fiction and fantasy (including all of their subgenres) as well as smart, psychological horror for middle grade, young adult, new adult, and adult readers.
How to submit: queries [at] azantianlitagency.com. Send your query letter, 1-2 page synopsis, and first 10-15 pages of your ms pasted into an email (no attachments). If you work was requested personally by Jennifer (at a conference, etc), or was referred by a current client, or is being submitted exclusively, please say so in the email subject line.
(How to pitch agents at a writers’ conference.)
The biggest literary agent database anywhere
is the Guide to Literary Agents. Pick up the
most recent updated edition online at a discount
.
Other writing/publishing articles & links for you:
A writing routine is healthy — but is it totally necessary?How to Sell Pieces to Magazines and Newspapers.Need an agent? This new agent is seeking fiction, memoir, and more.Writing YA, mid grade or picture books? New agent Clelia Gore wants your query.How I Learned to Kill My Darlings (and Improve My Writing).Follow Chuck Sambuchino on Twitter or find him
on Facebook. Learn all about
his writing guides on how to get published, how to find a literary agent, and writing a query letter.
Want to build your visibility and sell more books?
Create Your Writer Platform
shows you how to
promote yourself and your books through social media, public speaking, article writing, branding,
and more. Order the book from WD at a discount.
This is not technically a New Agent Alert
, because agent
Caitlen Rubino Bradway of LKG Agency is not a new agent. But this does resemble such an alert because Caitlen is making an open call for new submissions from writers. So check her out and see if you can send her (or her co-agent) a query.
About Caitlen: “I joined the LKG Agency
in 2008, thereby disproving the theory that no English major ever does anything with their degree. I have enjoyed my apprenticeship under Lauren Galit very much, and I am now actively looking to build my own list. In my spare time, I am an author in my own right (or is that write?). My first book,
Lady Vernon and Her Daughter, which I co-wrote with my mother, was released by Crown in 2009. We also contributed to
Jane Austen Made Me Do It, published by Ballantine in 2011. My first middle grade novel,
Ordinary Magic, was published by Bloomsbury Children’s in 2012.”
(Do you need multiple literary agents if you write different genres?)
She is seeking: “I personally am looking for middle grade and young adult fiction. In teen novels, Sci-fi/fantasy is my sweet spot, but I’m open to anything as long as it doesn’t have zombies. (For a more detailed description of what I’m looking for, you can check out my blog post at our website
.)
“Also, the LKG Agency [which has one other agent] is always on the lookout for nonfiction, both practical and narrative. We specialize in women’s focused how-to, such as parenting, lifestyle, health & nutrition, and beauty, but we are open to a lot of nonfiction genres. (For a full list you can check out the submission guidelines
on our website.)”
(The skinny on why to sign with a new/newer literary agent.)
How to contact: “We are looking for email queries only. Nonfiction queries should be sent to lkgquery [at] lkgagency.com; we ask that you please mention any publicity you have at your disposal in your query letter. For middle grade and YA queries, email crubinobradway [at] lkgagency.com.”
The biggest literary agent database anywhere
is the Guide to Literary Agents. Pick up the
most recent updated edition online at a discount
.
Other writing/publishing articles & links for you:
Sell More Books by Building Your Writer Platform.More Tips on Writing a Query Letter.NEW agent Beth Campbell seeks clients and is building her list. Trust Your Instincts: Write the Story the Way YOU Think It Should Be Told.Follow Chuck Sambuchino on Twitter or find him
on Facebook. Learn all about
his writing guides on how to get published, how to find a literary agent, and writing a query letter.
Want to build your visibility and sell more books?
Create Your Writer Platform
shows you how to
promote yourself and your books through social media, public speaking, article writing, branding,
and more. Order the book from WD at a discount.
By: Chuck Sambuchino,
on 3/1/2014
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How do you hook an agent right away, keep them hooked, and make the most of your new publishing relationship? In this all-new March 2014 Boot Camp, “How to Find and Keep a Literary Agent,”
you’ll learn how to get a literary agent’s attention through a great submission, and also how to navigate the process of working successfully with an agent. After hearing instruction from the agents at Kimberley Cameron Literary Agency, you’ll also work with an agent online to review and refine your all-important query letter and the first five pages of your novel with the agents. This Boot Camp will cover a range of important questions:
- What keeps an agent reading? What makes writing jump off the page?
- What are the most common Chapter 1 mistakes that make them stop reviewing your submission?
- What are the steps you need to give your query and manuscript the best possible shot?
- What are the turn-ons and turn-offs when it comes to queries?
- How do agents make judgment calls?
- And much more. Sign up for the boot camp here
.
With real-life examples of queries that do and don’t work, you will learn how you can refine your own query letter and get an agent to request your novel.
The world of literary agencies can be an intimidating place. You’ll be lead through the inner-workings of finding the perfect literary agent, working with an agent and how to get the most out of your relationship. See what a day in the life of an agent looks like, and get tips about how to find your perfect author-agent match that will result in a successful partnership.
The best part is that you’ll be working directly with a knowledgeable and experienced agent, who will provide feedback specific to your work. Sign up for the boot camp here
.
Here’s how it works:
On March 24th, you will gain access to a special 60-minute online tutorial presented by agents at the Dijkstra Literary Agency. It will explain the submission process of submitting to an agent, what they find appealing in a query letter and what an author-agent relationship looks like from the inside. You will also be notified by email which agent you’ll be working with Monday afternoon.
From 1:00 to 3:00 PM (PST) on both March 25 and March 26, instructors will be available to answer questions and provide additional feedback via the Writer’s Digest University message boards. Only registered students can access these boards. You’ll also be able to ask question of your fellow students. Feel free to share your work and gain support from your peers.
After listening to the presentation and participating in the discussion sessions, you’ll be able to revise your query & first 5 double-spaced pages as necessary. Then, you’ll email those pages directly to Jill Marr, Elise Capron, Thao Le or Roz Foster, by the end of the day on Thursday. They will spend 10 days reviewing their assigned critiques and providing feedback as to what works and what doesn’t.
Please note that any one of the instructing agents may ask for additional pages if the initial submission shows serious promise.
In addition to feedback from instructing agents, attendees will also receive:
- Download of “An Agent’s Tips on Story Structures that Sell,” an on-demand webinar by
Andrea Hurst
- 1-year subscription to the WritersMarket.com literary agent database
Recap on Dates:
March 24th – Boot Camp begins
March 25 – Discussion Session
March 26 – Discussion Session
March 27 – Materials due to agents
April 7 – All critiqued materials due back to attendees
About the Instructors:
ELISE CAPRON is an acquiring agent at the Sandra Dijkstra Literary Agency. She also manages the SDLA office and works closely with Sandra Dijkstra on author development and management. She is most interested in serious, character-driven literary fiction and well-written narrative non-fiction (particularly serious history with a good story).A graduate of Emerson College, Elise holds a BFA in Writing, Literature and Publishing, and served on the editorial staff of the Emerson Review for several years. She interned at Harcourt and the Dijkstra Agency before joining the agency full-time in late 2003.Elise is interested in fiction that has unforgettable writing, a terrific narrative voice/tone, and memorable characters. She loves novels with an unusual or eccentric edge and is drawn to stories she has never heard before. She aims to work with writers who are getting their work published regularly in magazines and who have a realistic sense of the market and their audience. Some of Elise’s recent and soon-to-be-published fiction titles include Tiphanie Yanique’s Land of Love and Drowning (Riverhead) and How to Escape from a Leper Colony (Graywolf); Courtney Brkic’s The First Rule of Swimming (Little, Brown); Rachel Toor’s On The Road to Find Out (FSG); Jonathon Keats’The Book of the Unknown (Random House); Rikki Ducornet’s Netsuke (Coffee House Press); Maureen McHugh’s After the Apocalypse (Small Beer Press), which was picked as a “Top 10 Best of the Year” by Publishers Weekly; Ali Liebegott’s The IHOP Papers (Carroll & Graf); Peter Plate’s Soon the Rest Will Fall (Seven Stories Press); and more.
On the non-fiction front, Elise is looking for fascinating true stories told in a compelling way. Currently, Elise is especially interested in working with up-and-coming scholars (particularly historians) who are looking to transition from the academic market to a trade readership. Some of Elise’s recent and soon-to-be-published non-fiction titles include Jack Shuler’s The Thirteenth Turn: A History of the Noose (Public Affairs) and Blood and Bone: Truth and Reconciliation in a Southern Town (University of South Carolina Press); Leo Braudy’s Haunted; Jane Vandenburgh’s The Wrong Dog Dream: A True Romance (Counterpoint); Jonathon Keats’ Forged: Why Fakes Are the Great Art of Our Age (Oxford University Press); Cynthia Barnett’s Blue Is the New Green: An American Water Ethic (Beacon); Billy Smith’s Ship of Death: The Voyage That Changed the Atlantic World (Yale); and more.
Please note that Elise is specifically not interested in: fantasy, young-adult/middle-grade, picture books, romance, sci-fi, business books, cookbooks, poetry, religious/spiritual books, screenplays, or self-help. And while she is interested in narrative non-fiction, please note that she takes on very little memoir.
JILL MARR is an acquiring agent at the Sandra Dijkstra Literary Agency. She graduated from San Diego State University with a B.A. in English with an emphasis in Creative Writing and a minor in History. She has a strong Internet and media background and nearly 15 years of publishing experience. She wrote features and ads forPages, the literary magazine for people who love books, and continues to write book ads for publishing houses, magazine pieces, and promotional features for television. After writing ad copy and features for published books for years, she knows how to find the “hook” and sell it.
Jill is interested in commercial fiction, with an emphasis on mysteries, thrillers, romantic suspense and horror, women’s commercial fiction and historical fiction. She is also looking for non-fiction by authors who are getting their work published regularly and who have a realistic sense of the market and their audience. Jill is looking for non-fiction projects in the areas of history, sports, politics, current events, self-help, cookbooks, memoir, health & nutrition, pop culture, humor and music.
Some of Jill’s recent and soon-to-be-published non-fiction includes the Travel Channel’s Nick Groff’s Chasing Spirits (NAL); Maybe We’ll Have You Back (Skyhorse) by actor Fred Stoller; Get Over It (Seal Press) by Christina Pesoli; Doulas A. Wissing’s Funding Our Enemy (Prometheus Books); Why We Love Serial Killers (Skyhorse) by Scott Bonn; America’s Greatest “Failing” School (Nation Books) by journalist Kristina Rizga; Don’t Lick the Minivan (Skyhorse) by Leanne Shirtliffe; William Jones’ More Than the Dream: The Untold Story of the March on Washington (Norton); Rocking the Pink (Seal Press) by singer-songwriter Laura Roppé; Stop Reading Baby Books (Skyhorse) by JJ Keith; Drunks: America’s Search for Sobriety by Christopher Finan; and Argyle Armada: Life with America’s Top Pro Cycling Team (VeloPress) by Mark Johnson.
Some of Jill’s new and upcoming fiction includes Bloodman and American Woman (Thomas & Mercer) by Robert Pobi; Reckless Disregard (Seven Stories Press) by Robert Rotstein; Three Souls(HarperCollins) by Janie Chang; Madam (Plume) by Cari Lynne and Kellie Martin; The Cordell Logan thriller series (The Permanent Press) by David Freed; Benefit of the Doubt (Tor/Forge) by Neal Griffin; Garbo’s Last Stand (Entranced) by Jon Miller; The Crossroads thriller series (Thomas & Mercer) by Eyre Price; The Dog Year (Berkley) by Ann Garvin; The Change Your Name Store (Sky Pony Press) by Leanne Shirliffe; and the Jaden Terrell series that includes the Shamus Award nominee Racing the Devil and A Cup Full of Midnight (The Permanent Press).
Please note that Jill is specifically not interested in: YA, children’s books, sci-fi, romance or anything involving unicorns.
ROZ FOSTER is an acquiring agent at the Sandra Dijkstra Literary Agency. She works from New York. She has a B.A. in English Literature from UC San Diego, studied philosophy for a year at the University of Sheffield, U.K., and earned her M.A. in English, with an emphasis in composition & rhetoric and creative writing, from Portland State University. At PSU, she taught writing in exchange for tuition. She’s been learning French since 2009.Roz spent over five years as a qualitative researcher in high-tech consumer products marketing. In 2008, she co-founded a web design company for which she provided non-profit organizations with audience-focused market research, project planning, and digital design. She joined SDLA in 2013.
Roz is interested in non-fiction in the areas of cultural studies, sociology, business, history, politics, current affairs, science and design. She looks for driven, narrative storytelling and sharp concepts that have the potential to transcend their primary audience. She’s also interested in literary and commercial fiction, literary YA with crossover potential for the adult market, and literary sci-fi. In fiction, she looks for a resonant, lively voice; rich, irresistible language; characters with compelling development arcs; and a mastery of dramatic structure. Across the board, she’s looking for books that make her feel like the author is tuned into a rising revolution — cultural, political, literary, or whatnot — that’s about to burst on the scene.
Please note that Roz is specifically not interested in: sports, cookbooks, screenplays, poetry, romance, fantasy, or children’s books.
THAO LE handles finances and selected contracts at the Dijkstra Agency. She is also an agent. She is a graduate of the University of California, San Diego, with a double major in Econ-Management Science and Chinese Studies. While interning at the agency during college, she realized where her true love lies — books — and joined the agency full-time in the spring of 2011.
Thao is currently building her list and is looking for adult sci-fi/fantasy, YA (of all genres), and the occasional MG. Her taste for speculative fiction is eclectic and she enjoys both gritty, dark narratives and fantastically quirky stories. She is also looking for light-hearted, funny, and moving contemporary YAs with a raw, authentic teen voice. She’s particularly drawn to memorable characters, smart-mouthed dialogue, strong plots that can balance romance and action, and tight writing. She would also love to see more culturally diverse characters featured as the heroes and heroines in mainstream fiction. Her favorite books are the ones that can reimagine familiar tales and tropes in a completely fresh and new way. Recent sales include Katherine Harbour’s debut fantasy, Thorn Jack, to Harper Voyager in a three-book deal.
Thao is specifically not interested in: biographies, business books, cookbooks, picture books, poetry, religious/spiritual books, screenplays, self-help, short stories, or travel books.
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