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The Laura Dail Literary Agency, Inc

Incorporated in 1996, represents commercial and literary fiction and nonfiction. They are located in NYC.

They represent: Middle Grade, Young Adult, New Adult, Adult, Fiction, Non-fiction, Historical, Romance, Fantasy, Graphic Novels, Screenplays, and Poetry.

Two authors they represent that we all should know: Throne of Glass – Sarah J. Mass and Whatever After – Sarah Mlynowski, plus too many others to list here.

Laura Dail

Laura Dail graduated from Duke University and received her Master’s degree in Spanish from Middlebury College. She has served on the board of the Association of Authors Representatives (AAR) and currently chairs the AAR Royalties Committee.

Over the years, the agency has represented just about every kind of book. We’ve sold hundreds of books and represented dozens of bestsellers. Laura’s now especially interested in historical and high-concept fiction, funny YA, humor, and serious non-fiction. She’s interested in totally escapist entertainment or important books about the things from which we’re trying to escape.

Laura also edited a gift book about adoption called TRULY YOURS.

None of us handles children’s picture books. No new age. We do not handle screenplays or poetry. We do not consider unsolicited Spanish-language material.

Tamar Rydzinski

Tamar Rydzinski worked at Sanford J. Greenburger Associates prior to joining the Laura Dail Literary Agency. She graduated from Yeshiva University in 2003 with a major in literature and a minor in business.

Tamar is not interested in prescriptive or practical non-fiction, humor, coffee table books, or children’s books (meaning anything younger than middle grade). She is interested in everything else that is well-written and has great characters, including graphic novels. A fantastic query letter is essential – “you need to make me want to read your book, and be excited to read it,” she says, “with those first couple of paragraphs.”

Follow her on twitter @trydzinski

Tamra wants some really great series. Here are my top two:

1. YA and/or MG fantasy. I want my fantasy to be epic. And while trilogies are great, I’d be even more excited by fantasy set in a world that can handle six, seven, or even more books.
2. A YA and/or MG thriller series — a kid who has a plausible reason to be involved with crimes (parent in the FBI? Parent a Medical Examiner? He or she regularly hacks into the police computers?) and solves interesting cases. I want this series to be really smart, with twists and turns I don’t see coming.

As with everything I take on, I’m looking for a strong protagonist and a fabulous cast of supporting characters.

If this sounds like your manuscript, please send it my way!

Tamar’s Wish List:

I will tell you what I am ALWAYS looking for. I need strong, feisty,
smart female characters. I like protagonists who know their worth.

Relationships in which the members respect each other, whether they are
romantic or platonic relationships.

In women’s fiction, I want my heart to be pulled out of my chest, thrown
around for a bit, then put back whole and happy.

In fantasy, make sure your world is unique, interesting, and well
thought out. I want to be able to imagine living there.

In nonfiction, I am generally obsessed with medical breakthroughs. Like,
I love reading about a new drug that helps fight ___.

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES:

Please send a query letter — or email — telling us about your book and convincing us that we want to read more. If you would like, you may include a synopsis and no more than 10 pages. If you are mailing your query, please be sure to include a self-addressed, stamped envelope; without it, you may not hear back from us.

To save money, time and trees, we prefer queries by email. Please send your query or proposal to: [email protected]

We get a lot of spam and are wary of computer viruses, so please use the word “query” in the subject line and include your detailed materials in the body of your message, not as an attachment.

350 Seventh Avenue, Suite 2003
New York, New York  10001
Tel:  212-239-7477

Talk tomorrow,

Kathy