2025 Agents/Editors

Agent

Richard Abate, 3 Arts Entertainment

Bio: Richard Abate has been a literary manager for over fifteen years. In 2009 he joined 3 Arts Entertainment, a premier management company based in Los Angeles, to begin their literary division in New York. He has worked with top creative talent such as Tina Fey, Mindy Kaling, Issa Rae, B.J. Novak, Guillermo del Toro, Tim Kring, Howard Gordon, and others. He has worked with the award winning scientist, physician, and NYT bestselling author Sharon Moalem on titles including Survival of the Sickest and DNA Restart. He has also worked closely with Bob Harper to create his NY Times #1 bestselling diet and health series, The Skinny Rules. He has worked with sports celebrities Dale Earnhardt, Jr. and Josh Hamilton; he has also worked with top sports personalities such as Al Michaels, Colin Cowherd, and The Talented Mr. Roto, Matthew Berry. Richard represents many literary writers such as Sally Ball, Kate Christensen (PEN/Faulkner winner), Sana Krasikov (Sami Rohr Prize for Jewish Literature winner), and Oscar Casares, and screenwriter-authors as well such as Attica Locke, Amy Sohn, and Chuck Hogan (screenwriter and author of The Town and Hammett Award winner). He also represents YA authors Daniel Kraus, Lisi Harrison, and Melissa De La Cruz. He also represents Jeff Tietz (National Magazine Award nominee), Tara Bray Smith, Pulitzer Prize winner Tamara Jones, historian James Swanson, journalist Mitchell Zuckoff, Editor-in-Chief of The Boston Globe Brian McGrory, National Book Award nominee David McCumber, and two-time Pulitzer Prize winner Andrew Snyder.

He has also developed and produced for television and film. Projects he has developed, produced, or created include THE STRAIN by Guillermo del Toro and Chuck Hogan, forthcoming series 59 (FX) and BLACK WATER RISING (Starz) by Attica Locke; FROM SCRATCH (Hello Sunshine/Reese Witherspoon) by Tembi Locke, and NIGHT WATCH (AMC) with Sam Rockwell attached. Feature credits include 13 HOURS with Paramount, DANIEL ISN’T REAL with SpectreVision, GODS UNKNOWN with The Russo Brothers at Amazon, and with Sony: LOVE CANAL with Patricia Arquette attached as director, and HUNTING EL CHAPO with Michael Bay attached as director.

Agent

Ritu Anand, D4EO Literary Agency

Bio: Ritu Anand has been a passionate storyteller since childhood. As a writer herself, she is on the same page with other writers and applauds their creativity. Because she believes no good story should ever be filed away in a drawer but be shared with the world, she wishes to represent debut voices as an agent. She joined Robert Diforio and his agency D4EO Literary Agency in Spring, 2023.

For submissions, email a word file to: ritu@d4eo.com.

Looking for: Her interests include kidlit, literary fiction, general fiction and historical fiction.

Kidlit: Picture Books, Middle Grade and YA novels.

Literary Fiction: Drama, Fairy Tales and Fiction in Verse.

General Fiction: Women’s Fiction, Drama, Humor, Realistic Fiction, Satire, Tragedy.

Historical Fiction: Women’s Historical Fiction, Historical Romantic Fiction and Historical Fantasy.

Diverse and Underrepresented Voices are encouraged to submit.

Not looking for: I am not the right agent for erotica, paranormal or sci-fi fiction.

Agent

Bernadette Baker-Baughman, Victoria Sanders & Associates

Bio: Bernadette Baker-Baughman has completed a Master’s Degree in Writing at Portland State University, and spent several years in-house (first editorial, then marketing). She began agenting in 2005 and has worked with VSA since 2010. She is drawn to strong storytelling in all genres, with a special interest in thrillers, contemporary novels, magical realism, young adult, and books for kids. She is also open to pop-culture, gift books, and memoir. She loves smart writing, high concept books, work with great emotional resonance, and humor. She is always looking for authors with a distinctive voice.

Clients: She has represented a number of New York Times bestselling and award-winning writers and illustrators, including Liv Constantine,Carson Morton, Leslye Walton, Faith Erin Hicks, Tony Cliff, Maris Wicks to name a few.

Looking for: Thrillers, Domestic Suspense, Crime Fiction, YA Fiction, Women’s Fiction, Romantic Comedy, Memoir, True Crime.

Not looking for: Science Fiction/Fantasy, Westerns, Cozy Mystery, Straight Romance

Agent

Caitlin Blasdell, Liza Dawson Associates

Bio: Caitlin Blasdell has been a literary agent with Liza Dawson Associates since 2002, focusing 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, four sons, and an ever-expanding flower garden.

She is looking for quality commercial fiction, which to her means a strong plot, memorable voice, clean prose, and, ideally, a good hook.  Her specialties include science fiction and fantasy, romance and women’s fiction, thrillers, and historical fiction.  She also handles a few select middle grade and YA authors and a very few nonfiction titles.

Her clients include Zen Cho (Hugo-Award-winning author of BLACK WATER SISTER), Scott Hawkins (THE LIBRARY AT MOUNT CHAR), Brian McClellan (The Powder Mage series), Joel Ross (THE FOG DIVER), Karen Schwabach/Sage Blackwood (STARTING AT SENECA FALLS and the JINX trilogy), Charles Stross (the Hugo-Award-winning Laundry series), and Rebecca Zanetti (NYT-bestselling author of YOU CAN RUN).

Agent

Alicia Brooks, Martin Literary Management

Bio: Alicia Brooks began her publishing career over twenty five years ago as an editorial assistant at Penguin USA (Dutton/Plume).  She advanced to an assistant editor position at Nan A. Talese/Doubleday where she worked with groundbreaking authors, including Margaret Atwood, Pat Conroy, and Ian McEwan. She then became an editor at Picador/St. Martin’s Press where she edited over 40 hardcover titles and several trade paper original titles, including Good Morning America Book Club Pick Noelle Howey’s DRESS CODES: OF THREE GIRLHOODS — MY MOTHER’S, MY FATHER’S, AND MINE, Nega Mezlekia’s award-winning NOTES FROM THE HYENA’S BELLY, and Jaclyn Moriarty’s FEELING SORRY FOR CELIA, an ALA Best Book of the Year and YALSA Quick Pick for Reluctant Young Adult Readers.
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She became a literary agent at The Jean V. Naggar Literary Agency in 2019. Her client list included categories such as Memoir, Narrative Nonfiction from writers with diverse backgrounds, Self-Help, Pop Culture, Literary Fiction, Fantasy, Book Club Fiction, YA Fiction, Horror, and Historical Fiction.She represented Boyah J. Farah, author of the earth-shattering memoir AMERICA MADE ME A BLACK MAN (Harper/Nominated for the NAACP Image Award and NPR Best Book of the Year), Kathleen S. Allen, author of the YA Gothic Horror novel THE RESURRECTIONIST (Roaring Brook) Jennifer Sherman Roberts’ THE VILLAGE HEALER’S BOOK OF CURES: A Novel (Lake Union/Named an Editors’ Choice by the Historical Novel Society and Named a First Reads Editors’ Pick by Amazon) and Sofia Romero, author of the linked story collection WE HAVE ALWAYS BEEN WHO WE ARE (Blackstone/Shortlisted for the Massachusetts Book Award for Fiction).

Alicia graduated magna cum laude from Wellesley College with a B.A. in English and Philosophy. She has a Master’s Degree from Columbia University in the Teaching of English Grades 7-12.  She was raised in Los Angeles and now lives in Manhattan with her writer husband, Michael Londra, and their cat Tut Baby.
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Looking for: Narrative Nonfiction from writers with diverse voices; Memoir with big concepts; Self-Help; Pop Culture; Social Justice; Literary Fiction; Book Club Fiction; Thrillers; Historical Fiction; Horror; Romance; YA Fiction and Nonfiction.

Agent

Penelope Burns, Gelfman Schneider

Bio: Penelope Burns began her career in publishing at Gelfman Schneider as an intern in 2012, and after a brief stint as a book-to-film scout, became a full time agent in 2015. She reads eclectically and is particularly drawn to captivating writing with an engaging voice.

Looking For: Mystery, Psychological Thrillers, Fantasy, Speculative Fiction, Science Fiction, Adult/YA Crossover, YA, MG. Favorite reads of the last year include: Pachinko, I Have Some Questions for You, The School for Good Mothers, Crying in H-Mart, Last Night at the Telegraph Club, We Deserve Monuments, The Adventures of Amina Al-Sarafi, and Such Sharp Teeth.  

Not Looking For: Picture Books, Cozy Mysteries, Military Thrillers, Spy Thrillers, Historical Romance

Select Clients Include: Brooke Archer, Doug Cornett, Kwame Ivery, Em X. Liu, Ashton Noone, Emily Paxman, Alyssa Wees, Leah Vernon

Agent

Jenniea Carter, New Leaf Literary

Bio: Jenniea is a queer Black woman who believes there is always something to learn from a book; for some projects, you have to be a bit more open-minded. She loves to work on projects that address mental health and healing generational trauma through moments of love, joy, and strength.

She has honed her knowledge of book buying, merchandising, and selling in her 10 years of working in bookstores. And after years of teaching ESL, Jenniea found her revitalized passion for books and decided to venture into the publishing world.  Soon after, Jenniea found herself at New Leaf Literary & Media, eager to uplift and amplify marginalized voices. When she is not between the pages of a book, Jenniea can be found binging mystery documentaries and animation.

For more information on Jenniea’s projects and her wishlist, visit her here.

Looking for: She is interested in Cozy Mysteries, Horror, Speculative, Thrillers, Fantasy, and Romance. She represents picture books to adult.

Not looking for: She is not interested in espionage and historical.

Agent

Jon Cobb, Hannigan Getzler Literary (HG Literary)

Bio: Jon Cobb is a Literary Agent at Hannigan Getzler Literary. Prior to joining HG Literary in 2016, he completed a Master’s degree in Publishing: Digital and Print Media at NYU. He joined HG Literary to assist partner and agent Josh Getzler on a wide variety of titles in fiction and nonfiction.

Looking for: Jon is looking for Mysteries, Thrillers, Horror, Speculative, Grounded Sci-Fi, and Fantasy. He represents across age groups, Middle Grade, YA and Adult. He’s particularly looking for stories written by authors of diverse and underrepresented backgrounds; high-concept, 15-minutes-in-the-future speculative thrillers; and bold, creative, genre-defying mashups–Ocean’s 11 across timelines, Grey’s Anatomy but make it magic, The Bourne Identity during a family reunion. Something with clear genre appeal but with an unheard-of twist.

Not Looking For: True crime; Non-fiction; traditional cozy mysteries; straightforward CIA or military thrillers; Trump allegories.

Editor

Luisa Cruz Smith, Penzler Publishers

Bio: Luisa Cruz Smith is the editor in chief of Penzler Publishers, which includes The Mysterious Press and Scarlet Suspense. Luisa spent her early career as the buying director for Book Passage, one of the largest independent bookstores in the country, and as a freelance editor for authors focused on crime fiction. After first editing for Otto Penzler on special projects, Luisa became the founding editor-in-chief for Penzler Publisher’s new suspense fiction imprint, Scarlet Suspense. In 2022 she was promoted to editor-in-chief of Penzler Publishers, which includes Mysterious Press, a literary crime fiction imprint Penzler founded in 1975 and has published some of the greatest names in the genre.

Looking for: Luisa is interested in a wide range of crime fiction – from the traditional who-dunnit, to international thrillers, to psychological suspense – but mostly she is hoping to find great characters and a gripping storyline.

Not looking for: She is not interested in short stories or books centered around Sci-Fi or Fantasy elements.

Agent

Andrianna deLone, Creative Artists Agency (CAA)

Bio: Andrianna deLone represents a wide range of fiction and nonfiction authors, including cookbook authors. She began her career at ICM in 2017 and joined CAA in 2022 following the agency’s acquisition of ICM. Originally from San Diego, she graduated from Vanderbilt University with degrees in English and Political Science. She is also a graduate of the Columbia University’s Publishing Course. She lives in Brooklyn.

Looking for: Upmarket and literary thrillers and psychological suspense with a strong voice.

Not looking for: YA, fantasy, or sci-fi.

Agent

Susanna Einstein, Dunow, Carlson & Lerner

Bio: Susanna Einstein began her publishing career in 1996 at Warner Books (now Grand Central Publishing), then worked as a book scout for Maria B. Campbell Associates before she began agenting in 2005. From 2015-25 she ran her own agency, Einstein Literary Management. She works primarily on upmarket commercial and crime fiction for adults, selectively on YA and MG projects, and idiosyncratically on non-fiction that has included biography, business, cookbooks, history and memoir.

Her crime-fiction clients include Edgar-Award winners Bruce DeSilva, David Ellis, and Daniel Stashower; other fiction and non-fiction clients include Ree Drummond (aka The Pioneer Woman), Shari Dunn, Jennie Fields, Rachael Herron, Virginia Hume, Emmy Laybourne, Sarah Seltzer, and Kitty Zeldis.

Looking for: Susanna is looking for character-driven and well-plotted crime fiction, and would love to expand her roster of female-identifying clients writing mysteries or suspense. She is also interested in good cross-genre fiction (think Kaliane Bradley or Katie Williams), and in impeccably researched and reported true crime.

In terms of her taste, some of her favorite non-client crime fiction of the last few years was written by S.A. Cosby, Tana French, Jane Harper, Mick Herron, Jean Hanff Korelitz, Laura Lippman, Attica Locke, Liz Moore, Richard Osman, Nina Simon, Jessie Sutanto, and Chris Whitaker.

Not looking for: She is not the right agent for military thrillers, books with extensive torture scenes, books that fetishize violence against women, or books by writers who don’t read within their genre.

Agent

Liza Fleissig, Liza Royce Agency

Bio: Liza Fleissig, with her partner Ginger Harris-Dontzin, opened the Liza Royce Agency (LRA) in early 2011. A cross-platform company providing development, representation, and strategic career management for clients in all media, their goal is to represent clients in all stages of their careers, from the most established to those developing their craft, as well as debuts. Both former partners in NYC based litigation law firms, Liza and Ginger bring a combined 40 years of negotiating experience to the field. This background, along with connections rooted in publishing, movies and television, allowed them to focus and build on a referral based clientele.

Clients: Robert Bailey II, Isabella Maldonado, Sara DiVello, Elise Hart Kipness, Amy Impellizzeri, Retired FBI Agent Jerri Williams, Jon Lindstrom, Estate of Marc Olden, among others

Looking for: psychological thrillers, domestic suspense, mystery/suspense, crime fiction, medical thrillers (would love the next Quincy/Scarpetta generation) –  basically a fresh way in to tried and true concepts – female narratives with complicated histories/family/friendships always welcome

Currently not looking for: sci/fi/fantasy, crazy presidents, Russia/China, covid/pandemic stories, traditional CIA/terrorist, mob/cartel, military thrillers (unless author is/was military)

Agent

Rebeka Finch, Darley Anderson

Bio: Rebeka Finch had her first start in publishing as an assistant at Darley Anderson Agency and
Associates working on the crime and thriller list, and she is now building her own list in the
commercial fiction space.

As a reader and an agent, Rebeka is on the hunt for commercial romantic and romantasy fiction, specifically for the BookTok hungry market — whether this is a contemporary rom-com, a spicy romance, a breathtaking romantasy, romantic suspense, or a new adult coming-of-age story.

She’d also love to see more genre-bending mashups, think Twisters but make it a romance, or Bridget Jones meets Ocean’s Eleven. Something filled with thrills and adventure, but keeping a spine tingling romance at its core.

Looking for: Romance, fantasy, romantasy, historical, book club, romantic suspense

Not looking for: Non-fiction, science fiction, poetry, literary fiction, military fiction

Agent

Carolyn Forde, Transatlantic Agency

Bio: Carolyn is a Partner and Senior Agent at Transatlantic Agency, in addition to overseeing the International rights division at the agency. She represents bestselling and award-winning authors and is always on the lookout for more compelling stories and talented writers.

Looking for: Currently she is seeking upmarket commercial fiction by female identifying authors, really funny and romantic romcoms from diverse voices, agenda setting non-fiction – either investigative journalism or literary memoir that offers a window into an unusual or rarely seen part of society. Her authors include USA Today bestselling Karma Brown (RECIPE FOR A PERFECT WIFE), critically acclaimed romcom author Jean Meltzer (THE MATZAH BALL), bestselling thriller author Hannah Mary McKinnon (NEVER COMING HOME), bestselling memoirist Clayton Thomas-Muller (LIFE IN THE CITY OF DIRTY WATER) and bestselling investigative journalist Sarah Berman (DON’T CALL IT A CULT).

Not looking for: She is not looking for YA, fantasy, military/CIA thrillers or children’s books.

Agent

David Forrer, InkWell Management

Bio: David Forrer began his career in publishing in 1997 after receiving a Masters in Creative Writing (fiction) from Boston University. He has been an agent with InkWell Management since it was created in 2004. He enjoys smart, propulsive fiction with a great hook and unforgettable characters, including crime, suspense and thrillers that range from commercial to literary. He’s had the privilege of working with many talented authors including Tom Baragwanath (PAPER CAGE), Ella Berman (BEFORE WE WERE INNOCENT), Tammy Greenwood (THE STILL POINT), Priya Guns (YOUR DRIVER IS WAITING), Hannah Richell (THE SEARCH PARTY) and Hayley Scrivenor (DIRT CREEK).

Agent

Gail Fortune, The Talbot Fortune Agency

Bio and photo coming soon!

Agent

Lori Galvin, Aevitas Creative Management

Bio: Lori Galvin worked as a book editor before moving to the literary agent side in 2015. She works with a diverse group of writers of both fiction and nonfiction. Some of her clients’ projects have been optioned by A24, Netflix, and CBS Studios. She has signed and sold books by writers she has met through PitchFest, including Wanda M. Morris and Cheryl A. Head.

Looking for: Captivating writing across crime and suspense, both commercial and literary—and from all voices, especially authors who are using the genre to explore contemporary issues—but through story, not sermons. In addition to twisty, dark novels of crime and suspense; mystery/horror crossovers, espionage and high concept thrillers, she is eager to work with writers whose work engages the reader on an emotional level; i.e., a story that sticks with you and can make for excellent book club discussions.

Not looking for: Traditional military thrillers; traditional cozies; organized crime novels a la ‘mob’ novels, or technothrillers/biotech thrillers that are so centered on the technology aspect, they might date quickly.

Agent

Kate Garrick, Salky Literary Management

Bio: Kate Garrick (she/hers) joined SLM in 2021, after two decades as an agent at The Karpfinger Agency and DeFiore and Company, where she also served as contracts manager. Originally from Orange Park, Florida, Kate earned her B.A. in English literature at Florida State University and her M.A., also in English literature, from New York University. She  lived in New York City for more than twenty years, but is now based in Portland, Oregon. She has successfully represented a wide range of award-winning and bestselling fiction and non-fiction projects in her career.

Looking for: Kate is drawn to strong narrative voices. She is particularly interested in literary and upmarket fiction, memoir, and narrative non-fiction that endeavors to contribute to the conversations that will move our society forward. Kate looks for projects that demonstrate a clear confidence of intention and a willingness to engage with our changing world with humility and curiosity.

Editor

Elana Gibson, CamCat Books

Bio: Elana Gibson is the Associate Editor and Acquisitions Manager at CamCat Books, a boutique publisher of award-winning genre fiction owned by Baker & Taylor. She joined the CamCat team in 2021 and specializes in developmentally editing fantasy, science fiction, and young adult novels.

Looking for: Young adult, especially young adult mysteries and thrillers, fantasy, science fiction, mysteries, thrillers, suspense, historical fiction, and new adult.

Not looking for: Nonfiction, military thrillers.

Agent

Amy Giuffrida, Belcastro Agency

Bio: Amy Giuffrida is a Senior Literary Agent at Belcastro Agency and member of the Association of American Literary Agents (AALA). Prior to joining Belcastro, she had a variety of internships—including Entangled and P.S. Literary Agency—and became a literary agent in 2020 at The Jennifer De Chiara Literary Agency. In 2022, Amy moved to Belcastro Agency, where she represents talented kid lit, adult, and non-fiction writers.

Looking for: In adult, Amy is looking for commercial and upmarket fiction, women’s fiction, romance (rom-coms, paranormal, romantasy, contemporary), speculative fiction, horror, thrillers, suspense. In young adult, she is focused on horror, thrillers, fantasy. and science fiction. While primarily interested in fiction, she will consider select narrative non-fiction. She is especially interested in works by BIPOC authors in both fiction and non-fiction.

Not looking for: Amy is not looking for military, mafia/mob, pandemic/virus, zombie, or religious stories, nor anything that celebrates violence towards women or children. She does not represent novellas or erotica.

Agent

Andrea Hurst, Andrea Hurst & Associates

Bio: Andrea Hurst is the Founder and President of Andrea Hurst & Associates.

As a literary agent and developmental editor, Andrea brings over 25 years of experience in the publishing industry. She has worked with major publishers, both domestic and international. Overall, her focus is to help authors polish their book, obtain publication, and build their author brand.

Some of her clients include bestsellers such as Dr. Bernie Siegel, Boo Walker, Marc Edelheit, Hannah Jayne, Penny Warner, Ashley Farley, Chef John Ash, and Suzanne Kelman. Her clients and their books have appeared on the Oprah Show, Ellen DeGeneres Show, Good Morning America, National Geographic Network, Amazon Charts, and in The NY Times.

Andrea began her career in the entertainment business working in product development and marketing with Columbia Records, but eventually found her passion in book publishing. She teaches classes at writing conferences and MFA programs, offering valuable insight as an agent, editor, and author of ten books, both in fiction and nonfiction. Her most recent novel, House of Dreams, releases in April 2024.

Looking for: I am currently seeking well-crafted, commercially viable fiction titles. My preferred genres are women’s fiction, upmarket and book club fiction, domestic suspense/thrillers, family drama, psychological suspense, crime fiction, historical fiction, rom com, and romance. I am always open to working with underrepresented voices and stories.

Crime novel that plays games with the psyche – no police procedurals

Rom-com with a diverse set of characters and an idealistic setting (like novels by Abby Jimenez)

In terms of literary fiction, I am drawn to works like Beartown by Fredrik Backman, which contains strong character development, powerful themes, and overcoming both internal and external conflicts.

Historical fiction set in the Georgian era (Austen’s time), Gilded Age, or early 1900s like Downton Abbey and WWII.

Contemporary romance with strong tropes and series potential.

Fast-paced, twisty domestic suspense (like novels by Freda McFadden or Harlan Coben)

Atmospheric, high-conflict, high-stakes thriller similar to The Guestlist by Lucy Foley

Dramatic thrillers with family dynamics similar to The Last Thing He Told Me by Laura Dave

Psychological suspense with a surprise ending like The Plot by Jean Hanff Korelitz

Anything along the same vein as the series The Morning Show or Defending Jacob on Apple TV+

As always, I’m enthralled by stories that challenge me, where the mystery is seemingly impossible to figure out, and the reader never knows the truth until the very end. However, believability is of upmost importance.

Not looking for: Please keep in mind, I am not a right fit for titles that deal with espionage, the military, explicit gore or carnage, high-fantasy or sci-fi, erotica, poetry, young adult, or middle grade.

Agent

Jade Kavanagh, Darley Anderson Agency & Associates

Bio: Jade Kavanagh joined Darley Anderson & Associates in April 2020 from Caroline Sheldon Literary Agency. Jade represents a list of crime, thriller, and horror authors and works on brand authors across the agency. Jade has her BA and MA in English Literature.

Looking for: Overall, Jade looks for books to entertain. Jade’s primary genres include thriller, suspense, psychological suspense, horror, book club, romantic suspense and horror. I am specifically looking for a Nora Roberts-esque author writing in the romantic suspense space, writing larger than life generational stories with suspense and real heart. I’d love a crime story with a true crime element to it – a big hook in and a slow burning mystery with an atmospheric setting (something like True Detective and Mare of Easttown). In the book club space, I’d love to find something with a voice I am wowed by; something like Queenie or Such a Fun Age. Across the spectrum of horror and speculative fiction, I’m looking for haunting stories filled with slow build darkness and characters at its heart.  For thriller and psychological suspense, I am craving voices like Gillian Flynn or Riley Sager, telling exciting and dark, pacey thrillers.

Not looking for: Jade is firmly looking for adult commercial fiction. She is not looking for fantasy, rom com, historical or new adult.

Agent

Elizabeth Kracht, Kimberley Cameron & Associates

Bio: Elizabeth Kracht is a literary agent with Kimberley Cameron & Associates and the author of The Author’s Checklist: An Agent’s Guide to Developing and Editing Your Manuscript. She also works as a freelance developmental editor coaching authors.

Elizabeth represents both literary and commercial fiction as well as nonfiction, and brings to the agency experience as a former acquisitions editor, freelance publicist, and writer. Elizabeth’s websites can be viewed at: www.elizabethkracht.com and www.kimberleycameron.com

Looking for: In fiction, she represents thrillers, mysteries, literary, commercial, women’s, and historical. In nonfiction, she is interested in finding true crime, investigative journalism, narrative/creative nonfiction, prescriptive, voice- or adventure-driven memoir, high concept, science, spirituality, sexuality, self-help, and pet stories.

Not looking for: Elizabeth is not looking for screenplays, previously published works, high finance, or business books.

Agent

Jake Lovell, Sandra Dijkstra Literary Agency

Bio: Jake joined SDLA in 2023. He earned his MA in Literature and Writing Studies from CSU San Marcos in 2021. He is also a veteran, having joined the Army in 2008. During his time he was promoted to Sergeant and served on two deployments overseas. Born and raised in Southern California, Jake proudly comes from a mixed cultural background and is second generation Chicano on his mother’s side.

Looking for: He is actively seeking adult fiction and non-fiction. In general, he’s especially drawn to character driven stories written in distinct and diverse voices with an emphasis on:

Gothic, horror, thrillers, westerns, military, and books with speculative fiction elements (supernatural, paranormal, UFOs, etc…; think Jordan Peele or 10 Cloverfield Lane).

Indigenous stories and Latin(x) stories are both extremely underrepresented and I am dying to read and represent new authors from these backgrounds; fiction and non-fiction.

I love murder mysteries like Sharp Objects and Girl on the Train, not mystery as the main genre/market however, but something that aligns more along the vein of suspense. I’m also a sucker for a good whydunit.

On the non-fiction front, Jake is especially interested in True Crime, history, and military, ex.: Columbine, American Sniper, and The Fact of a Body.

Not looking for: romance, fantasy, Sci Fi, YA, or children’s books, spy/espionage.

Agent

Sandy Lu, Book Wyrm Literary Agency

Bio: Sandy Lu founded Book Wyrm Literary Agency in 2020 after working as a literary agent for more than a decade at the L. Perkins Agency. Her client list includes Amazon, Barnes  & Noble, Publishers Weekly, and USA Today bestsellers, Stoker Award, Hammett Prize, and Anthony Award nominees, Goodreads Choice Awards finalists, and New York Times Best of the Year recipient.

Sandy is seeking stories that will draw her in with a unique voice, make her miss her bedtime with a thrilling plot, and characters that will stay with her long after she turns the last page. Bonus points if you can make her laugh out loud or unable to hold back tears. She especially loves historical fiction, atmospheric world building, and anything dark, twisted, or with a supernatural bent. She favors unreliable narrators and serpentine plots that will keep her guessing till the end. And her white whale is a great spy novel set in early 20th century Shanghai.

Looking for: mystery, thriller, suspense, horror, science fiction, fantasy, historical  fiction, upmarket women’s fiction, YA, family saga, rom-coms, historical true crime, biography, and narrative nonfiction on history, science, psychology, and food.

Not looking for: picture books, graphic novels, screenplays, memoir, contemporary true crime, parenting, sports, political/religious/military thrillers, westerns, erotica, or poetry.

Agent

Caitlin Mahony, WME books

Bio and photo coming soon!

Agent

Victoria Marini, High Line Literary Collective

Bio and photo coming soon!

Agent

Paula Munier, Talcott-Notch Literary Services

Agent

Kiana Nguyen, Donald Maass Literary Agency

Bio: Kiana (Kiki) Nguyen started in publishing in 2015 with an internship with Wunderkind PR, independent book publishing PR company, working on campaigns with authors such as Ernest Cline. There, she discovered a practical industry for her codependent love of fiction. In 2016, Kiki went on to intern with DMLA where she soon joined the team full-time as an assistant literary agent.

Kiki is now building her client list within young adult and adult fiction with a focus on queer and BIPOC authors.

Looking for: Dark, gritty, fun romps in Romance, Horror, and Domestic Suspense especially; both Young Adult and Adult. I want to have a good time with bitchy, irredeemable characters who do what they want when they want and have to suffer the consequences. If they have never cared about doing the right, responsible, legal thing they’re already halfway to my heart. I want extroverts with personality and chaotic social lives, please I’m bored and dying. Bonus points if it’s characters in their 20s-30s that feel like they’re living in the 2020s.

With Domestic Suspense, Psychological Thrillers, and Thrillers of that nature: Suburban houses occupied by unhappily married straight couples aren’t the only options for settings and character scenarios! Cities exist! So do apartment buildings and single people with myriad friends/friend groups outside of nosy housewives and the PTA! And really, I would love to read about women whose lives don’t revolve around men in any way.

I want to have fun! I am always a sucker for dark, meaty twists and turns (hello, Lisa Jewell!) but I’d love to see different narrative tones a la the 1999 classic Jawbreaker and Scream (which is a Horror, I know but still applicable and also what I rep!). Doom, gloom, and dread are fantastic ways to doll out a mystery or suspense but not the only way and I am dying to see more narrative variety in the genre.

Horror that doesn’t take itself too seriously and feels like the narrators are just as unreliable as the potential kill count. I’m bored by single family homes and ancient estates, so let’s change the location and demographic of the characters, please.

Romance with heat and bite—the rom-coms are getting corny and lacking the “com” to begin with.

SFF that pivots away from the rigamarole of royal politics, machinations, knighthood/guards, etc. etc. I want to have some hectic times with the serfdom, please, I beg.

Agent

Hayley Nusbaum, Gersh

Bio: Hayley Nusbaum coordinates the Publishing and Media Rights Departments for the Gersh Agency. Hayley finds material across genres for all Gersh’s book and media rights agents, for both publishing and film representation. She has a full-service approach with her clients, negotiating both film and publishing deals. She also supports top clients across the agency with IP pursuits.

Looking for: Literary fiction, suspense, thriller, upmarket fiction, commercial fiction, speculative, horror, sweeping romance, narrative non-fiction.

Not looking for: Young adult, middle grade, spy books.

Agent

Sarah Phair, Sanford Greenburger Associates

Bio and photo coming soon!

Agent

Katie Reed, Andrea Hurst & Associates

Bio and photo coming soon!

Agent

Michelle Richter, Fuse Literary

Bio: Michelle Richter is a Senior Agent at Fuse Literary, which she joined from St. Martin’s Press. Crime fiction is her true love, from police procedurals to domestic suspense to thriller. And let’s not forget heists and con artists. She’s rarely found a British or Scandinavian crime show she couldn’t get wrapped up in. Recent favorite authors include Eli Cranor, Ruth Ware, S.A. Cosby, P.J. Vernon, Halley Sutton, and David Heska Wanbli Weiden.

Looking for: She is currently looking for suspense, thriller, amateur sleuth, traditional mystery, police procedural, commercial women’s fiction, and book club reads. She loves a strong voice, character-driven fiction, dual timelines, family secrets, sister/friend stories, lots of twists, and unreliable narrators. LGBTQ, BIPOC, and disabled voices are very welcome.

Not looking for: She is not looking for WWII or pre-20th century historical fiction; private investigators; political, military or espionage thrillers; science fiction/fantasy; poetry; YA or middle-grade fiction; memoir. Stories with human or drug trafficking, sexual assault or abuse, religious themes or characters aren’t a good fit for Michelle’s list.

Clients: E.A. Aymar, L.A. Chandlar, Kyra Davis, Kellye Garrett, Tara Laskowski, Alan Orloff, J. Todd Scott, Carl Vonderau, Erica Wright.

Agent

Alec Shane, Writers House

Bio: Alec majored in English at Brown University, a degree he put to immediate use by moving to Los Angeles after graduation to become a professional stunt man. Realizing that he prefers books to breakaway glass, he moved to New York City in 2008 to pursue a career in publishing. Alec quickly found a home at Writers House Literary Agency, where he quickly began building his own list. He is still aggressively looking for new talent across a wide variety of genres.

Looking For: Horror, thriller, mystery, noir, grounded sci-fi, YA and middle grade “boy” fiction, and beautifully written historical fiction. In nonfiction: biography, narrative nonfiction history, military, pop science, and all things sports.

Not Looking For: Romance (paranormal or otherwise), politics (fiction or nonfiction), women’s fiction, picture books, high fantasy, and science fiction featuring aliens/intergalactic warfare. He’s also read enough about Russia, in any capacity, for a while.

Clients: Nat Cassidy, Casey Barrett, Adam Cesare, Hank Early, Jumata Emill, Laurie R. King, Mystery Writers of America (MWA), Jack Murphy, Christopher Price, among others.

Editor

Shawn Reilly Simmons, Level Best Books

Agent

Alexander Slater, Sanford J. Greenburger Associates, Inc.

Bio: Alex has only ever worked for authors. A UConn graduate with a concentration in creative writing, he has experience in every area of literary agenting, from interning and assisting, to selling foreign rights and cultivating his own client list. After two years at the Maria Carvainis Agency, and twelve years at Trident Media Group, he’s thrilled to be bringing his passion for publishing and his expertise in its business to SJGA. As always, Alex seeks to launch careers. His clients today include multiple award-winning and New York Times bestselling authors.

Looking for:  Horror and domestic suspense.

Not looking for: Fantasy.

Agent

Alice Speilburg, Speilburg Literary Agency

Bio: Alice Speilburg is the founding agent of Speilburg Literary Agency and has worked in publishing for more than a decade. She represents commercial fiction and narrative nonfiction. Alice is a member of the Association of American Literary Agents, as well as several writing organizations. She started her career in editorial at a publishing house before moving to a small Brooklyn agency and then launching Speilburg Literary. She has worked with bestselling and award-winning authors, branded content, and literary and professional societies.

Agent

Alexa Stark, Writers House

Bio: Alexa Stark joined Writers House in 2022, after ten years at Trident Media Group. She represents a range of literary and upmarket fiction and select nonfiction. Her authors have appeared on the New York Times Bestseller list and have won or been listed for the PEN/Faulkner Award, the National Book Foundation’s 5 under 35, the Rona Jaffe Award, the Ernest J. Gaines Award for Literary Excellence, The Young Lions Fiction Award, Lambda Literary Award, and the Center for Fiction First Novel Prize, among others. Raised in New York City, Alexa earned her BA in Comparative Literature at Columbia University. She lives in Brooklyn with her family.

Looking for: literary/upmarket suspense and social thrillers with a strong voice. She’s especially drawn to female-driven narratives, novels with a strong emotional core, and fiction that delves into the surreal or plays with genre in fresh and subversive ways.

Not looking for: Military thrillers, fantasy, science fiction, YA.

Agent

John Talbot, The Talbot Fortune Agency

Bio: John Talbot is a literary agent and former book editor with over twenty-five years of Big Five publishing experience. His clients include Indiebound, New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestsellers, as well as winners of several national literary awards. Categories of interest include crime, espionage, book club and literary fiction, horror, mysteries, thrillers, Rom-Coms, Southern fiction, and women’s fiction.

Looking for: When reading submissions he looks for authenticity, a strong and engaging voice, good pacing, and, most of all, a singular protagonist who grabs his attention from page one.

Not looking for: He is not interested in YA, fantasy, or hard sci fi.

Agent

Nikki Terpilowski, Holloway Literary

Bio: Nikki established Holloway Literary in 2011.

Some of her publishing achievements include representing RITA nominated titles, RT Book Reviews’ Top Picks, and starred Publishers Weekly reviews. Notably, her Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Globe & Mail, and iBooks UK best-selling author Kimberly Belle was a Goodreads Choice Awards Nominee for Best Mystery/Thriller in 2017 and a nominee for 2023 ITW Thriller Awards for best audiobook.

She has also worked with several best-selling authors, including Amazon US & UK best-selling author Katie Oliver and USA Today best-selling author Catherine Bruns. Other notable clients include: Daytime Emmy nominee BlackSouthernBelle.com’s Michiel Perry, Food Television personality Saba Wahid and screenwriter Greg DePaul (Bride Wars, Saving Silverman).

Lastly, Nikki is a tv and film producer specializing in book IP with several projects in development, including the Haunted Harmony Mysteries with Hallmark.

Looking for: Nikki is looking for small-town romance, Regency romance, historical mystery, light fantasy and scifi in both adult and ya, fresh takes on domestic suspense, westerns, Afrofuturism, thrillers written by veterans/law enforcement/intelligence operatives, lifestyle non-fiction, southern fiction and magical women’s fiction.

Not looking for: cozy mysteries, crime fiction, horror, erotica, crimes against children, serial killers.

Agent

Barbara Zitwer, Barbara J. Zitwer Agency

Photo and bio coming soon!