Kirsten Carleton, Waxman Leavell Literary
As an agent, I get to be a champion for the author throughout the challenging publishing process. I love sharing an author’s vision for the book, working to help him or her uncover it, and finding a home for it with editors and readers who also feel that connection. Beyond the individual book, I want to develop satisfying and successful careers that celebrate great talent.
I’m currently seeking upmarket young adult, speculative, and literary fiction with strong characters I connect with and can’t wait to read what they will do next. Great writing is a must, but not enough to stand alone: I want plot, action, movement.and storytelling. I’m drawn to books that capture my attention early on with a dynamic plot, and innovative storytelling that blends or crosses genres.
I’m particularly interested in stories that bend and blur genres; literary takes on high concept world building; diverse characters in stories that are not just about diversity; antiheroes I find myself rooting for; characters with drive and passion; girls and women in STEM fields; settings outside the US/Europe; characters coping with mental illness; well-researched historical settings; YA noir/thriller/mystery; believable romance that doesn’t develop out of nowhere; a story that introduces me to a new subculture and makes me feel like a native.
Before joining Waxman Leavell in 2014, I worked at Sobel Weber Associates. I hold a B.A. in English with a Creative Writing concentration from Amherst College, and a Graduate Certificate in Publishing from the Columbia Publishing Course.
To submit a project, please send a query letter ONLY via email to one of the addresses below. Do not send attachments, though for fiction you may include 5-10 pages of your manuscript in the body of your email.
Please do not query more than one agent at our agency simultaneously. Due to the high volume of submissions, agents will reach out to you directly if interested. The typical time range for consideration is 6-8 weeks.
Kirsten Carleton [email protected]
Talk tomorrow,
Kathy
Filed under: Agent, Editor & Agent Info, opportunity, Places to sumit, Young Adult Novel Tagged: Agent Looking to Build List, Agent Personal Interests, Kirsten Carleton, Waxman Leavell Literary
