2023 QueryFest Agents / Editors

Chief Literary Officer

Lou Aronica, Gramarye Media

Bio: Lou Aronica is the Chief Literary Officer of Gramarye Media, a next-generation transmedia book publisher and film studio. He is also a multiple New York Times bestselling author of both fiction and nonfiction and a past president of Novelists Inc.

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.

Currently Looking For: 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 Leslye Walton, Faith Erin Hicks, Tony Cliff, Maris Wicks, Liv Constantine, and Carson Morton, to name a few.

Editor

Joe Brosnan, Grove Atlantic

Bio: Joe Brosnan is a Senior Editor at Grove Atlantic where he specializes in crime fiction. Prior to that, he worked at St. Martin’s Press/Minotaur Books and managed Criminal Element for nearly a decade.

Looking for: At this time, I am exclusively looking for crime fiction submissions, particularly books from diverse authors who are using the genre to hold up a mirror to contemporary issues. I’m interested in everything from small-town noir to upmarket thrillers, and I’m looking for authors who intend to write a book every year(ish), whether it’s a series or standalone. I want to find authors who are in this for the long haul, and who I can work with for years to come.

Not looking for: I’m less interested in historical crime fiction, especially anything set before the 20th Century, and while I know cozies are having their moment, I’m not looking for those types of books either.

AGENT

Madelyn Burt, Stonesong

Bio: Madelyn Burt joined Stonesong in 2015 and has worked on a variety of projects ranging from adult and children’s fiction to cookbooks, lifestyle, and more. She is now actively building her own list, and looks forward to establishing long-lasting,  collaborative relationships with her authors. A life-long lover of history, she earned her MA in Medieval Studies before joining the publishing world.

Madelyn is currently focused on adult mysteries, crime, and thrillers, although she is interested in both adult and children’s fiction. She is drawn to character-driven stories that feature tight-knit groups and strong friendships, quests and heists, and unique voices. She is also particularly interested in fiction and select nonfiction that is able to make a historical person or period accessible to the modern reader.

Independent Editor & Book Coach

Dawn Ius

Bio: Dawn Ius is a novelist, screenwriter, professional editor and book coach, and communications specialist. She is the author of three contemporary young adult novels published by Simon Pulse (Simon & Schuster)—ANNE & HENRY, OVERDRIVE, and LIZZIE, as well as 15 educational graphic novels, which are being made into cartoons. She has written for the animated Nickelodeon show, “Rainbow Rangers” and her TV series, HEARTLESS, was optioned for development by Verite Films.

Dawn is the Managing Editor of the e-magazine published by The International Thriller Writers organization The Big Thrill and the forthcoming thriller writer’s portal Write2Thrill, and is an established book coach and development editor with more than 15 years professional experience. She is represented by Anne Tibbets at Donald Maass Literary.

Dawn lives in Edmonton, AB—no, not in an igloo—with three giant breed dogs and her husband.

Agent

Nicole Resciniti, The Seymour Agency

Bio: Nicole’s clients include NYT Bestsellers and Award-Winning Authors— Cindy Dees and Dr. Michael David Evans, Karna Small Bodman, Julie Ann Walker, Lauren Layne, Shelley Shepard Gray, Julie Cross, Melissa Landers, Kate Meader, Sara Driscoll, and Jen J. Danna.

Agent

Elizabeth Winick Rubinstein, McIntosh & Otis

Bio: Elizabeth Winick Rubinstein, President and senior agent at McIntosh & Otis, has degrees from New York University and Manhattan School of Music. She began her book publishing career in subsidiary rights and then took on the responsibilities of acquisitions editor at a major audio publishing imprint. Initially, she joined McIntosh & Otis to manage all subsidiary rights but began working as an agent shortly thereafter. Her primary interests include literary fiction, women’s fiction, historical fiction, romance, mystery/suspense, and memoir, along with narrative non-fiction, history and current affairs. Elizabeth represents numerous New York Times bestsellers, and both Agatha and Edgar Award winners and nominees.

Editor

Gretchen Stelter, Independent Editor

Bio:Gretchen Stelter began her career as an agent, helping launch a West Coast–based boutique agency and later moving to editorial director. In 2010, she started editing and writing full-time and has worked on over 700 traditionally published books, doing everything from developmental editing and ghost writing to proofreading and copyediting. She’s a member of ITW, AWP, Editorial Freelancers Association, and Sisters in Crime.

Clients: ITW members A.F. Brady, Liv Constantine (Lynne Constantine & Valerie Constantine), Vanessa Lillie, Glenn Dyer, Jerri Williams; authors Robert Camuto, Kevin Muñoz; Addison McKnight (Krista Wells & Nicole Moleti); Tullan Holmqvist & Teresa Sorkin; and publishing houses Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (Mrs. Mohr Goes Missing, Burn-In & more), Sourcebooks (including books by Luca Veste, Darcy Coates, Marie Benedict, Nic Joseph & Randall Silvis), Albert Whitman (including books by YALSA-honored Linda Joy Singleton and Ava Morgyn), and more.

Agent

Ann Leslie Tuttle, Dystel, Goderich & Bourret

Bio:

Ann Leslie Tuttle joined DG&B in 2017 after working for 20 years at Harlequin Books where she most recently was a Senior Editor.  At Harlequin, she was fortunate to work on an extensive and varied list of bestselling and award-winning titles in romance and women’s fiction.  She is actively acquiring women’s fiction, especially beach reads and historical fiction; contemporary romance, rom coms, historical romance, Southern Gothics, thrillers, mysteries, narrative nonfiction and Middle Grade.  She received her B.A. degree from the College of William and Mary and an M.A. from the University of Virginia. Finding and nurturing talented new and established writers has always been Ann Leslie’s passion.

Clients: PW bestselling authors Debbie Herbert and Jenna Kernan, national bestselling author Nancy Robards Thompson, Elizabeth Everett, Lisa Kroger, Ananya Deverajan, and Lauren Kung Jessen.

Agent

Terrie Wolf, AKA Literary Management

Bio: Since founding AKALM in 2010, Terrie has been honored to manage authors who are at all stages of the writing journey and their eclectic and unforgettable works. She primarily represents adult fiction (mystery, thriller, women’s, regional and inspirational), the occasional non-fiction offering, and children’s fiction (especially MG mysteries) and non-fiction. Maintaining a global outlook, Terrie has sold rights in more than forty countries and thirty languages. She was named ACFW Agent of the Year in 2021.

Clients: Terrie’s clients include Byron Graves, Margaret Mizushima, Jeff Nesbit, Maria Shriver, and the estate of “the King of the Paperbacks” Harry Whittington.