Editors & Agents

The acquisitions editors/publishers and literary agents listed below detail what they’re seeking in their own words. With the exception of the editors and agents participating in the virtual lightning pitch meetings (see bottom of the page) and unless otherwise noted, all editors and agents will be participating in-person at the Westin Atlanta Airport Hotel.

At the end of each listing for the editors and agents, we will note whether the individual has openings or waitlists for manuscript sample critique and query letter pitch meetings–or lightning pitch meetings for the agents and editors just doing that activity. When you’re registering, you’ll be able to see the exact number of openings in the A, B, and C groups for each agent/editor. One group is not better than another; this is simply a way to give you the chance to select up to three different editors and agents for manuscript sample critiques and up to three others for query letter pitches. If the individual you want to meet with is full in group A, be sure to check their availability in groups B and C while you’re registering for manuscript sample critiques and/or query letter pitches. This advice also holds for the lightning pitch virtual agents and editors, where you will see ten groups (A through J).

If an editor/agent you want is full in all groups, you can check with Conference Director George Weinstein to ask how long their waitlist is. There is no charge for waitlisted spots, so there is no risk in signing up for them, but if you’re trying to choose between multiple guests with waitlists, George can tell you who has the shortest standby queue. Note: the lightning pitch agents and acquisitions editors have the most spaces available, so they are likely to still have plenty of availability when the in-person agents and editors’ spots are full. Participants can register for any number of lightning pitches; we’ll schedule these before, after, and/or in-between your other meetings.

Alternatively, if the editor(s) and/or agent(s) you want have only waitlists, you can sign up for 1-2 query letter critiques and tell George who you want to meet with. Before the end of the query letter critique meeting, you can pitch them and ask whether they’re interested in receiving a full/partial manuscript after the conference. This strategy has helped numerous participants create opportunities in previous conferences, sometimes leading to a publication or representation contract.

We recommend selecting as many guests as you can rather than doing multiple critiques or pitches with the same individual–put as many irons in the fire as possible to increase your chances of being asked to submit a full manuscript for publication (from acquisitions editors) or for representation (from literary agents) consideration.

If you have a self-published work you now want to traditionally publish, each guest has specified near the bottom of their profile whether they will consider previously published work.

IN-PERSON ACQUISITIONS EDITOR/PUBLISHER & LITERARY AGENT PROFILES FOR MANUSCRIPT SAMPLE CRITIQUES & QUERY LETTER PITCHES

Ritu Anand, Agent, D4EO Literary Agency

Ritu Anand has been a passionate storyteller since childhood. Caught and admonished for writing—under her desk—during a math class, she recalls being highly inconvenienced. Inspiration had struck from within, and there was little else she could have done to curtail it. Today, Ritu has earned the recognition of being an award-winning author of Kara’s Dreams, a picture book about being resilient in the face of adversity. She gives tremendous credit to the various teachers at Mater Dei Convent, who, in the formative years of her life, made an impression upon her. No good story should ever be filed away but be shared, she believes. That is why she has chosen to champion voices yet unheard. She joined D4EO Literary Agency in Spring 2023. Her clientele has been growing. Soon, she will share some good news about two of her clients catching the interest of two different publishers.

She is open to reading any and all submissions from picture and chapter books (i.e., kidlit) to adult fiction, except science fiction and erotica.

The fiction genres she is seeking include the following:

• Children’s picture books
• Children’s chapter books
• Christian
• Coming-of-age
• Contemporary
• Family saga/drama
• Fantasy
• Historical
• Horror/Supernatural
• Humor
• LGBTQ+
• Literary
• Mainstream/Commercial (incl. magical realism)
• Middle Grade
• Mystery/Crime
• Romance
• Short story collection
• Southern
• Speculative fiction/myths & fairy tales
• Sports
• Suspense
• Thriller
• Upmarket commercial/Book club
• Women’s fiction
• Young Adult

She just wants to be surprised so she never knows what she’s looking for, other than beautiful writing, with emotional resonance.

Ritu will only consider unpublished manuscripts.

Ritu‘s manuscript sample critique and query letter pitch spots are open.

Rachel Beck, Senior Literary Agent, Liza Dawson Associates https://www.lizadawsonassociates.com/

Rachel Beck joined Liza Dawson Associates in 2020 after working at a boutique literary agency for four years. She has been in the publishing industry since 2009 and worked at Harlequin editing romance novels for nearly six years before transitioning her skills to the agent world in order to be an advocate and champion for authors. She lives outside of Pittsburgh with her husband, four young children, and endlessly entertaining cat.

In fiction, she is seeking the following genres:

• Coming-of-age
• Contemporary
• Family saga/drama
• Historical
• Horror/Supernatural
• Humor
• LGBTQ+
• Literary
• Mainstream/Commercial (incl. magical realism)
• Mystery/Crime
• Romance
• Southern
• Speculative fiction/myths & fairy tales
• Sports
• Suspense
• Thriller
• Upmarket commercial/Book club
• Women’s fiction
• Young Adult

Rachel is seeking the following nonfiction topics:

• Business/leadership/law
• Current events/politics/social commentary
• Essay collection
• Health/diet/wellness
• History/biography
• Humor
• Memoir
• Narrative nonfiction/Journalism
• Self-help/relationships
• Spiritual/inspirational/religious
• Sports
• Women’s issues

Rachel’s wish list is on the agency website.

She is willing to consider previously self-published works.

Rachel‘s manuscript sample critique and query letter pitch spots are open.

Julia DeVarti, Associate Editor, Little, Brown/Hachette Book Group

Julia DeVarti is an Associate Editor at Little, Brown and Company, where they acquire books primarily in the fantasy, romance, and romantasy categories. They love any books that blend genres and portray fully fleshed-out worlds that ask big questions about our own—whether those worlds are real or fantastical.

Before joining the Little, Brown team, Julia worked at multiple independent bookstores and freelanced across the industry, working with Random House Children’s Books, Prestel Publishing, Bettina Schrewe Literary Scouting, and others.

Genres Julia will consider include the following:

• Romantasy
• Epic fantasy
• Urban fantasy
• Folkloric fantasy
• Mythology (with a preference for mythologies other than Greek and Roman)
• Science fiction
• Dystopian fiction
• Climate fiction
• Magical realism
• Contemporary romance (with extra interest in queer love stories)
• Horror
• Speculative historical fiction

Julia is incredibly picky about cozy fantasy and cozy romantasy but will also consider them.

Please do NOT send Julia non-con romance, stories heavily featuring pregnancy from the POV of the pregnant person, or gendered magic systems that don’t factor in trans people.

They will consider previously self-published and unpublished works. If Julia is interested in a manuscript, they will suggest agents for the author to connect with before pursuing publication.

Julia‘s manuscript sample critique and query letter pitch spots are open.

Kelsey Evans, Associate Agent, Rosecliff Literary

Kelsey is a publishing professional with a background in communications, marketing, and editing. After a decade helming marketing strategy and content development for agencies with major clients like AAA, Dannon, and Target, she transitioned into publishing. She began as an editor, helping writers shape their work through developmental feedback, query critiques, and revision guidance. Later, she moved into agenting, interning with Triada US and Creative Media Agency (CMA), where she gained hands-on experience in manuscript evaluation, submissions, and client development. Passionate about championing authors, Kelsey now combines editorial insight with marketing expertise to help writers navigate both craft and career. She is especially excited to seek out independent voices by tracking breakout self-published successes, surfacing under-the-radar talent, and scouting the indie authors whose sales, platforms, and craft signal they’re ready to leap into traditional publishing. 

Kelsey is seeking the following fiction genres:

• Coming-of-age
• Fantasy
• Historical
• Horror/Supernatural
• LGBTQ+
• Mainstream/Commercial (incl. magical realism)
• Mystery/Crime
• Romance
• Southern
• Speculative fiction/myths & fairy tales
• Sports
• Suspense
• Thriller
• Upmarket commercial/Book club
• Women’s fiction
• Young Adult

She is seeking the following nonfiction topics:

• Cooking/food/cookbooks
• Science
• Sports

Wish List:

General likes: Immersive settings (fantasy or otherwise), jaw-dropping plot twists, distinctive voice, tight plotting, high concept hooks, emotional character journeys, slow burn romances, top-tier banter.

For Adult

Nonfiction: 

• Anything science-related, specifically physics, is a yes for me! Think Brian Greene and Carlo Rovelli, making complex topics accessible to a wide audience. 
• Personal women’s rowing or basketball stories like The Red Rose Crew or In These Girls, Hope is a Muscle. I’d also love a larger look at the WNBA and growth of women’s basketball as a whole. 
• Nature-based nonfiction like The Hidden Life of Trees or quiet, uplifting stories like Raising Hare.
• Heartfelt, funny, compelling cooking stories. Everything from Calvin Trillin’s The Tummy Trilogies to Marissa Ross’s Wine, All the Time. Coming from a food background, I’dlove personal insights into the world beyond The Bear. Think: The Sharper Your Knife, the Less You Cry; The Making of a Chef; Animal, Vegetable, Miracle; The Omnivore’s Dilemma; A Homemade Life; Tender at the Bone; On Food and Cooking. 
• A deep dive into the recent “tradwife” phenomenon, specifically as it intersects with social media, capitalism, economic precarity, and right-wing ideology. 

Romance: 

• Sports (anything but hockey or football). Send me lacrosse stories, basketball rivals, rowing books — especially if they’re queer. They can be witty, snarky, and fun (Cleat Cute) or deeply moving and compelling (A Sharp Endless Need). 
• Formula 1 or English Premier League stories!
• Grounded, laugh out loud grumpy x sunshine stories like Morbidly Yours by Ivy Fairbanks.
• If you’re a fanfic writer and have banter chops like DMATMOOBIL or Lionheart please (please please) send stories my way! 
• Action/adventure romps like Pirates Of the Caribbean or National Treasure with a romance through-line.
• YES to dark academia and gothic aesthetics. I’d love to see these trends explored more deeply in the Romance space, especially with emotional complexity and immersive (but accessible) atmospheres (Spells for Forgetting, for example). 
• Speculative Romance (think The Dead Romantics from Ashley Poston). 

Horror: 

• CULTS CULTS CULTS
• Mike Flanagan-esque stories or anything that mixes religion or spirituality with horror, like Hell Followed With Us or Black Sheep or Archive 81. 
• Slow unfolding horror with an unreliable narrator like Meg Smitherman’s Thrum. 
• BIPOC-centered stories like The Only Good Indians or Kindred. 
• X-Files. Twin Peaks. Give me weird and creepy and a slow-burning fire. 

Science Fiction/Fantasy: 

• Supernatural investigators like Dresden Files or Constantine, or an aged-up heist story like Six of Crows. 
• I like a good Romantasy but very selectively. It has to be a fresh take on the genre and not a rewrite of SJM or RY. 
• Cozy fantasy is a yes, especially if it has some romance and a bit of mystery. Think The Spellshop by Sarah Beth Durst or The Honey Witch by Sydney J. Shields. 

Suspense/Thriller/Mystery: 

• A super dry, superbly paced English or Scottish standalone like Dept. Q, a series like Slow Horses by Mick Herron, or a multi-timeline, interwoven mystery like Case Histories by Kate Atkinson.
• Sticky, evocative books like Bright Young Women and The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo. 
• Compulsive page-turners a la Freida McFadden, The Devil in the Dark Water, We Solve Murders/The Thursday Murder Club, Killers of a Certain Age. If you have a novel where the trio from The First Wives Club solve a mystery, I’m BEGGING you to send it to me. 
• Tense thrillers in the vein of My Sister, the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite, protagonists like Olivia Pope in Scandal. 
• Atmospheric suspense stories like The Cloisters by Katy Hays. 

For YA

Fantasy: 

• A twist on a myth we haven’t seen before, complete with social commentary and a female heroine (Lore, Legendborn)
• If Lex Croucher would approve, I want to see it. Gwen and Art are Not in Love and Not for the Faint of Heart are two of my favorite reads in this area. 
• Give me grounded fantasy with coming-of-age struggles like The Mediator series by Meg Cabot. 

Misc. requests for YA specifically: 

• Books that tackle hard subjects like Gingerbread by Rachel Cohn and Dreamland by Sarah Dessen. 
• Magical Realism like Weetzie Bat or Every Heart a Doorway.
• Stories about the pressures of being an elite student-athlete. Specifically focused on the balance required to excel at both, the day-to-day of what that looks like, the complicated teammate/friend/rival relationships that are formed, and the harsh truths about competing at the level.

Kelsey will NOT consider anything with graphic sexual assault or animal deaths on the page or AI-generated work. 

She will consider previously self-published work

Kelsey‘s manuscript sample critique and query letter pitch spots are open.

Leticia Gomez, Founder & Principal Agent, Savvy Literary Services

Leticia Gomez is the founder and principal agent of Savvy Literary Services. She is also an Editor-at-Large for Dafina Books, an imprint of Kensington Publishing Corp., which focuses on high-quality fiction and non-fiction that centers on race, identity, and its impact on our experiences. She has helped her clients secure deals with the largest publishers in the world and has seen several of her projects successfully optioned for TV and film adaptation. 

Leticia is actively seeking to acquire fiction and nonfiction in all genres from mainstream authors as well as stories for marginalized communities with a focus on voices of color.

She is seeking the following fiction genres:

• Contemporary
• Family saga/drama
• Fantasy
• Historical – Looking for alternative history novels and narratives based on true people and events
• Horror/Supernatural
• Humor
• Literary – Especially drawn to multicultural narratives
• LGBTQ+
• Mainstream/Commercial (incl. magical realism) – Propulsive plot-driven novels with unforgettable characters
• Mystery/Crime
• Romance – All tropes and subgenres welcomed
• Romantasy
• Romantic Suspense
• Mystery
• Psychological Thrillers
• Speculative fiction/myths & fairy tales
• Sports
• Suspense
• Thriller
• Upmarket commercial/Book club: Looking for controversial and social issue driven novels that will spark meaningful conversation with book club readers
• Women’s fiction

In nonfiction, Leticia is seeking the following topics:

• Business/leadership/law
• Cooking/food/cookbooks
• Current events/politics/social commentary
• Health/diet/wellness
• History/biography
• Narrative Nonfiction – She has a strong affinity for hidden history stories about places and people that are still relatively unknown
• Memoir
• Politics & Current Affairs
• Pop Culture
• Prescriptive Self-Help in all genres
• Self-help/relationships
• Science
• Spiritual/inspirational/religious
• Sports
• True Crime
• Women’s issues

She can only consider unpublished works.ect writers to agencies and agents.

Leticias manuscript sample critique and query letter pitch spots are open.

Naomi Goodheart, Assistant Editor, Random House

Naomi Goodheart is an assistant editor at Random House, where she has worked with authors including Julie Buntin, Torrey Peters, Afia Atakora, Layne Fargo, Sara Nović, and Kelly Corrigan. She is interested in literary and upmarket fiction, especially character-driven coming-of-age novels, multigenerational family stories, funny dramas with bite, off-kilter explorations of the near future, and thrillers that feel surprising but inevitable. In nonfiction, she is drawn to memoir, cultural criticism, and essay collections that find the sweet spot between earnest and acerbic.

Here are the fiction genres Naomi is seeking:

• Coming-of-age
• Contemporary
• Family saga/drama
• Historical
• Humor
• LGBTQ+
• Literary
• Mainstream/Commercial (incl. magical realism)
• Mystery/Crime
• Suspense
• Thriller
• Upmarket commercial/Book club
• Women’s fiction

In nonfiction, she is seeking these topics:

• Essay collection
• Memoir

She is NOT a good fit for manuscripts that handle graphic sexual assault and suicide.

Naomi is happy to consider both previously self-published work and unpublished manuscripts.

She would prefer to work with an author through an agent and can assist with connecting authors to agents on a case-by-case basis.

Naomi‘s manuscript sample critique and query letter pitch spots are open.

Mahito Indi Henderson, Editorial Assistant, Legacy Lit/Grand Central Publishing, Hachette Book Group

Mahito Indi Henderson is the Editorial Assistant for Legacy Lit, Hachette Book Group, an imprint of Grand Central Publishing that gives voice to issues, authors, and all groups that have been underrepresented, under-served, and overlooked. He is acquiring across plot-driven commercial and upmarket fiction across genres. He has a particular affinity for “pressure cooker” fiction (think The Guest-meets-The White Lotus), and loves works in translation (Perfection), humor (Calypso), LGBTQ stories (Open, Heaven), and journalistic deep-dives (Killers of Roe). Outside of work, he is an actor, writer, and former cheese monger.

Mahito is seeking the following fiction genres:

• Contemporary
• Horror/Supernatural
• Humor
• LGBTQ+
• Mainstream/Commercial (incl. magical realism)
• Mystery/Crime
• Speculative fiction/myths & fairy tales
• Suspense
• Thriller
• Upmarket commercial/Book club
• Women’s fiction

He does NOT acquire poetry or prose that is too literary in style. 

While Mahito prefers working through agents, he would be happy to refer writers to agents if he would like to pursue their work. He can only consider unpublished work.

Mahitos manuscript sample critique and query letter pitch spots are open.

Jade Hui, Editor, Summit Books, Simon & Schuster

Jade Hui joined Summit Books in April 2025 from Atria Books, where she supported the publications of New York Times bestselling authors including Rebecca Serle, Zakiya Dalila Harris, Lisa Jewell, Jamie Ford, and Patti Callahan Henry, among others. Some of her authors include Emily Austin, C. Michelle Lindley, Warona Jay, and Brian Schaefer. Jade previously worked at William Morris Endeavor, Vice Media, and holds a BA in English and Sociology from Connecticut College. She is drawn to fiction with a strong message at its core featuring vibrant casts of characters and seeks to champion anyone who has a story in their heart.

Jade is seeking the following fiction genres:

• Coming-of-age
• Contemporary
• Family saga/drama
• Historical
• Humor
• LGBTQ+
• Literary
• Mystery/Crime
• Romance
• Suspense
• Thriller
• Upmarket commercial/Book club
• Women’s fiction

In nonfiction, she is seeking the following topics:

• Memoir
• Narrative nonfiction/Journalism

Wish List:

She is currently looking for Book Club Fiction featuring a strong female protagonist (authors like Coco Mellors, Rachel Khong, Alison Espach, Ann Napolitano, and Gabrielle Zevin), Upmarket Fiction with a dead body or a love story (authors like Liz Moore, Claire Leslie Hall, Charlotte McConaghy, and Miranda Cowley Heller), International Literary Fiction with a strong sense of place (authors like Samantha Sotto Yambao, Jane Yang, and Hwang Bo-Reum), and select Narrative Nonfiction/Memoir that reads like a novel (authors like Katherine Boo, Tembi Locke, and Kao Kalia Yang).

Jade prefers to work through an agent, so she will be happy to connect any author whose work she’s interested in with the right agent.

She is not considering previously self-published works.

Jade‘s manuscript sample critique and query letter pitch spots are open.

Ginger Hutchinson, Literary Agent, Movable Type Management

Ginger Hutchinson is a literary agent at Movable Type Management, where she represents adult commercial and upmarket fiction across genres. She’s drawn to voice-driven stories with strong hooks, immersive settings, and memorable characters, and enjoys working closely with authors to shape compelling, high-concept narratives. Ginger recently sold Reba McQueen’s Werewolves of Waffle Hutch, a darkly comic Appalachian horror novel about the graveyard-shift staff at a 24-hour diner in West Virginia confronting deadly creatures in the surrounding woods, to Hyperion Avenue in a two-book deal, with publication scheduled for spring 2027.

In fiction, Ginger is seeking the following:

• Coming-of-age
• Contemporary
• Family saga/drama
• Historical
• Horror/Supernatural
• LGBTQ+
• Literary
• Mainstream/Commercial (incl. magical realism)
• Mystery/Crime
• Romance
• Science fiction
• Southern
• Speculative fiction/myths & fairy tales
• Suspense
• Thriller
• Upmarket commercial/Book club
• Women’s fiction

Ginger is seeking the following nonfiction topics:

• Current events/politics/social commentary
• Essay collection
• History/biography
• Narrative nonfiction/Journalism
• Pop culture
• Science
• Women’s issues

Wish List:

Ginger would love to see atmospheric, voice-driven suspense and horror with a strong sense of place and a clever hook. She gravitates toward stories in the vein of Sharp Objects, Long Bright River, The Guest List, The Plot, I Have Some Questions for You, and The Other Black Girl. She’s especially excited by literary suspense with complex characters, and enjoys stories that begin in the familiar but quickly spiral into something far stranger or more dangerous.

Ginger is eagerly seeking smart, socially-aware horror with dark humor and a touch of camp, à la Grady Hendrix and Rachel Harrison.

She also loves escapist mysteries with an underdog protagonist or ensemble cast, in the spirit of Knives Out, Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers, Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone, and How to Solve Your Own Murder.

Ginger is always open to book-club fiction: immersive, character-driven novels that you want everyone you know to read next. Think Summer Sisters, Little Fires Everywhere, Fleishman Is in Trouble, Big Little Lies, The Vanishing Half, and anything by Ann Patchett. 

Across genres, she enjoys stories centered on unusual professions or subcultures and books set in vivid locations—especially the South, coastal towns, or remote communities. She’s particularly drawn to novels where the natural world feels like a character, shaping the tension and atmosphere of the story, as in A Tale for the Time Being, Swamplandia!, The Overstory, Annihilation, and Mexican Gothic.

She’s particularly drawn to themes of found family, buried secrets, and the slow erosion of communities—small towns marked by economic decline, generational tensions, shifting identities, and the unsettling forces that emerge when a place begins to fracture.

She enjoys morally ambiguous protagonists, but is not the right fit for police procedurals, extremely cozy mysteries, military or medical thrillers, or MG/YA. She tends to avoid gratuitous violence or excessive gore, preferring suspense and horror that build dread through atmosphere, psychology, and social tension.

Above all, Ginger is looking for transportive stories with a literary sensibility, undeniable stakes, and twists that feel surprising yet inevitable. 

She is primarily seeking unpublished manuscripts at this time, however she will consider previously self-published work with a strong sales record.

Ginger‘s manuscript sample critique and query letter pitch spots are open.

Christopher Madden, Executive Editor, Woodhall Press

Christopher works with Woodhall’s most seasoned writers as well as their rising stars. A serial entrepreneur, writer, poet, and performer, Chris currently teaches at Fairfield University and co-directs the Black Rock Art Guild.

Woodhall Press is interested in good writing and fresh stories. These often trump genres, but the genres Woodhall publishes are listed below.

In fiction, Chris is seeking:

• Contemporary
• Family saga/drama
• Fantasy
• Historical
• Horror/Supernatural
• Humor
• LGBTQ+
• Literary
• Mainstream/Commercial (incl. magical realism)
• Middle grade
• Mystery/Crime
• Romance
• Science fiction
• Short story collection
• Speculative fiction/myths & fairy tales
• Suspense
• Thriller
• Upmarket commercial/Book club
• Women’s fiction
• Young adult

While Chris has some interest in poetry collections, they can be difficult to sell. Woodhall is selective but still open to this form. For example, in the fall of 2024, they are publishing a memoir in verse.

In nonfiction, he is seeking:

• Current events/politics/social commentary
• Essay collection
• Health/diet/wellness
• Humor
• Memoir
• Self-help/relationships
• Spiritual/inspirational/religious
• Sports
• Women’s issues

Chris can work directly with an author or through a literary agent.

He can consider previously published, including self-published, works.

Chris‘s manuscript sample critique and query letter pitch spots are open.

Danielle Marshall, Agent, Jane Rotrosen Agency

Danielle Marshall joined JRA in 2025 after more than 30 years working in publishing and bookselling, with varied experiences across the book business including Editorial Director for Lake Union Publishing, marketing and publicity roles at Workman and Simon & Schuster, as well as frontlist book buyer for the largest independent bookstore on the west coast. An avid reader and editor, she is known as a strong advocate for her authors and for building bestselling brands.

In fiction, Danielle is seeking the following genres:

• Coming-of-age
• Contemporary
• Family saga/drama
• Historical
• Horror/Supernatural (upmarket)
• LGBTQ+
• Literary
• Mainstream/Commercial (incl. magical realism)
• Southern
• Suspense
• Thriller
• Upmarket commercial/Book club
• Women’s fiction

Danielle is seeking these nonfiction topics:

• Memoir
• Self-help/relationships
• Spiritual/inspirational/religious

Danielle does NOT represent spicy romance, romantasy, hard sci-fi, fantasy, YA, MG, or children’s books. In historical fiction, she is NOT seeking any historical novels with WWI or WWII as the time period or backdrop.

She will consider self-published works, but no series titles that have previously been published.

Danielle‘s manuscript sample critique and pitch spots are open.

Vickie McEntire, Publisher, Colorful Crow Publishing

Vickie McEntire is the owner of Colorful Crow Publishing; an independent press committed to “Publishing with Heart.” Through its imprints, including Colorful Crow and Colorful Crow Kids, the company champions stories that connect across communities and resonate with readers on a deeply human level.

Vickie works closely with authors to develop and publish character-driven fiction, historical fiction, and select nonfiction with a clear audience and purpose. She is particularly drawn to literary and book club fiction with strong voice, Southern or place-based storytelling, and stories that explore identity, relationships, and transformation. She also acquires children’s books—from picture books to middle grade—that center empathy, courage, and belonging.

An award-winning author herself, Vickie has been published multiple times in the Chicken Soup for the Soul series and previously served as editor of a regional magazine, bringing a deep understanding of both the creative and editorial process to her work with authors.

In fiction, she is seeking the following genres:

• Children’s picture books
• Children’s chapter books
• Coming-of-age
• Historical
• Literary
• Mainstream/Commercial (incl. magical realism)
• Middle Grade
• Short story collection
• Southern
• Upmarket commercial/Book club
• Women’s fiction
• Young Adult

In nonfiction, she is seeking essay collections.

Vickie looks for projects that are polished, purposeful, and ready for the collaborative publishing process.

She is NOT seeking paranormal, erotica, or horror.

Vickie is open to considering previously self-published work on a case-by-case basis, particularly if the manuscript has been professionally edited and demonstrates strong market potential. However, most of her acquisitions are unpublished manuscripts.

She works directly with authors and does not require agent representation.

Vickie‘s manuscript sample critique and pitch spots are open.

Gray Rinehart, Contributing Editor, Baen Books

Gray Rinehart is a contributing editor (the “Slushmaster General”) for Baen Books, and is the only person to have commanded an Air Force satellite tracking station, written speeches for Presidential appointees, devised a poetic form, and had music on The Dr. Demento Show.

During his rather odd USAF career, Gray fought rocket propellant fires, refurbished space launch facilities, “flew” Milstar satellites, drove trucks, processed nuclear command and control orders, commanded the largest remote tracking station in the Air Force Satellite Control Network, and did other interesting things. In addition to one near-future science fiction novel, his fiction has appeared in Analog Science Fiction & Fact, Asimov’s Science Fiction, Orson Scott Card’s Intergalactic Medicine Show, and several anthologies. He is an award-winning author of nonfiction, and a singer/songwriter with four albums of mostly science-fiction-and-fantasy-inspired music. His alter ego is the Gray Man, one of several famed ghosts of South Carolina’s Grand Strand, and his web site is grayrinehart.com.

Gray is seeking the following fiction genres:

• Speculative/Science Fiction of all types — near future, far future, military SF, space opera, alternate history, etc., including young adult and new adult
• Fantasy of all types — epic fantasy, urban fantasy, mythic fantasy, historical fantasy, etc., including young adult and new adult
• While he is not looking for horror per se, he is okay with including horror in the above categories as a secondary element.

Gray will consider previously self-published work.

He works directly with most Baen authors. However, if an author has an agent, he prefers to work through the agent at the outset. Whoever he works with first—author or agent—is who he prefers to work with going forward.

Gray’s manuscript sample critique and query letter pitch spots are open.

Rebecca Rodd, Agent, Levine, Greenberg, Rostan Literary Agency

Rebecca Rodd is an Agent at Levine, Greenberg, Rostan Literary Agency, where she began in 2020. She represents both fiction and nonfiction writers covering all age groups.

Rebecca is seeking the following fiction genres:

• Children’s picture books (especially if illustrated)
• Coming-of-age
• Contemporary
• Family saga/drama
• LGBTQ+
• Literary
• Mainstream/Commercial (incl. magical realism)
• Romance
• Speculative fiction/myths & fairy tales
• Upmarket commercial/Book club
• Women’s fiction
• Young Adult

In nonfiction, she is seeking the following topics:

• Cooking/food/cookbooks
• Current events/politics/social commentary
• Essay collection
• Humor
• Narrative nonfiction/Journalism
• Self-help/relationships
• Sports
• Women’s issues

Wish List:

She is most interested in grounded, speculative stories, page-turning contemporary romance, non-linear storytelling, and elevated writing across the board. In nonfiction, she’s intrigued by millennial perspectives, nuanced narrative storytelling interwoven with pop culture, and stories meant to challenge readers. As a graduate of Spelman College and a former librarian, Rebecca is always looking to amplify underrepresented voices. Right now, she’d be particularly excited to see manuscripts set on or about HBCUs (or settings inspired by).

Rebecca is NOT the best fit for mysteries, thrillers, or suspense, unless there’s a unique genre-blend. She’s also not the best fit for stories rooted in historical trauma. No stories, please, where there is any form of harm to young children.

She can only consider unpublished work.

Rebecca‘s manuscript sample critique and pitch spots are open.

Hannah Pierdolla, Assistant Editor, St. Martin’s Press/Macmillan Publishers

Hannah Pierdolla is an assistant editor at St. Martin’s Press. Born and raised in Texas, she moved to New York and joined the team in 2022 after attending the Columbia Publishing Course. She loves high concept fantasy with an engaging voice, and anything slightly absurd—in other words, a book that makes her Percy Jackson ankle tattoo glow.

Hannah is seeking the following fiction genres:

• Coming-of-age
• Fantasy
• Horror/Supernatural
• LGBTQ+
• Mainstream/Commercial (incl. magical realism)
• New adult
• Science fiction
• Speculative fiction/myths & fairy tales
• Young Adult

Wish List

She is looking for Young Adult, New Adult, and adult books in the following genres: fantasy, speculative fiction, campy horror, horromance, cozy horroromance, cozy fantasy, genre-bending fiction, fairytale retellings, queer stories, pop culture nonfiction.

She is NOT looking for Contemporary fiction, contemporary romance, police procedurals, psychological thrillers, nonfiction (exception of pop culture), COVID stories, AI stories, circus- or carnival-based stories, or poetry.

Hannah can consider previously self-published or never published work.

Macmillan’s policy is for their editors to work directly with an agent. She is happy to provide suggestions about literary agents if she is interested in a manuscript.

Hannah‘s manuscript sample critique and query letter pitch spots are open.

Ayesha Shibli, Editorial Assistant, Del Rey Books/Penguin Random House

Ayesha Shibli is an editorial assistant at Del Rey. Prior to entering publishing, she received her MFA in Poetry and worked as a bookseller at an independent bookstore in Washington, DC. 

She is especially seeking the following fiction genres:

• Fantasy
• Horror/Supernatural
• LGBTQ+
• Romance
• Science fiction
• Speculative fiction/myths & fairy tales

Wish List

Her preferred genres are fantasy (esp. Gothic, epic, and cozy), folk/myth/retelling, South Asian and SWANA own voices, queer rep, political commentary, deep worldbuilding, light science fiction, horror with heart (i.e. devasting family trauma), fantasy romance (not quite romantasy, i.e. prefer romance subplot rather than main plot). Recent favorite books/authors: Ava Reid, Sabaa Tahir, Naomi Novik, R.F. Kuang, Heather Fawcett, LIGHT FROM UNCOMMON STARS, THIS MONSTER OF MINE, WEAVINGSHAW. While Ayesha will read pretty much anything, please no superheroes, Westerns, or hard sci-fi.

Ayesha is only interested in acquiring agented manuscripts, but for unagented work, she is comfortable recommending agencies she is familiar with. She would then be happy to request a chance to review a manuscript (or revision) again when the author has gotten representation.

She will consider previously self-published work but has a strong preference for unpublished manuscripts.

Ayesha‘s manuscript sample critique and query letter pitch spots are open.

Bonnie Swanson, Agent, FinePrint Literary Management

Bonnie Swanson (the agent not the cartoon character!) is a retired elementary school teacher who lives in Southern Illinois. A Member of AALA and the SFWA, she represents authors who cover all the age groups from picture books through adult manuscripts. She has a husband, three grown children, two bonus daughters, one granddaughter (who she doesn’t spoil AT ALL!) and three fur-babies who think they need to eat all the cat food all of the time.

In fiction, Bonnie is seeking the following genres:

• Fantasy
• Horror/Supernatural
• LGBTQ+
• Mainstream/Commercial (incl. magical realism)
• Science Fiction
• Speculative fiction/myths & fairy tales
• Suspense

She also is seeking nonfiction humor. 

Bonnie has very eclectic tastes and sometimes doesn’t know what she’s looking for until she reads it. However, there are a few consistencies in what she likes/doesn’t like.

LIKES: 

• She is dying for a good speculative psychological horror! A little gore is okay, but she would rather be scared than grossed out. And bonus points if you can make the villain likeable or funny. (Think a gender-bent/gay Sherlock Holmes, set in Middle Earth or outer space, with all the creepy feels of Silence of the Lambs but where Hannibal isn’t necessarily evil!) 
• Normalized queerness where it isn’t the focus of the plot or subplot. 
• She’s a sucker for a good romantasy (witches, vampires, animagus, or even ghosts!): HEA required
• Issue-driven stories that address timeless social issues and the people who fight to change them hopefully with magic
• Stories where the underdog wins
• Non-traditional characters who feel real (even if they are in outer space) 
• The Oxford comma

Wish list:

Across the board for all age groups, she wants to see underrepresented authors. (BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, disabled, etc.)

DISLIKES: stories with violence against women/children/animals, erotica, misogyny, alpha males, and romances where the heroine dumps the main love interest for no reason and goes for the villain. 

She will consider previously published work that has sold 5,000-10,000 copies.

Bonnie‘s manuscript sample critique and query letter pitch spots are open.

Jennifer Udden, Agent, Laura Dail Literary Agency

Jennifer Udden joined the Laura Dail Literary Agency in 2024. She has over a decade of experience agenting, including time spent at the Donald Maass Agency, the Barry Goldblatt Agency, and New Leaf Literary. She has worked with a wide variety of notable authors of genre fiction, among them New York Times bestsellers and Hugo award finalists and winners and is a member of the AALA.

She’s also worn many other hats, including comics recruiter, freelance editor, and romance novelist. She has a soft spot for the Golden Age of Detective Fiction, and runs an occasional newsletter about publishing & writing called A Faster No.

Jennifer is seeking the following genres in adult fiction:

• Coming-of-age
• Contemporary
• Family saga/drama
• Fantasy
• Historical
• Horror/Supernatural
• Humor
• LGBTQ+
• Literary
• Mainstream/Commercial (incl. magical realism)
• Mystery/Crime
• Romance
• Science fiction
• Southern
• Speculative fiction/myths & fairy tales
• Sports
• Suspense
• Thriller
• Upmarket commercial/Book club
• Women’s fiction

Wish List

• Fantasy: standout world building, compelling characters & voices, dark fantasy, cozy fantasy with an edge
• Romance: mystery romance & romantic suspense, why-choose, unusual settings or communities, historical-with-a-twist, dark romance
• Mysteries/Thrillers: unusual structures/unreliable narrators, cross-genre elements
• Open to select horror, literary/upmarket, and commercial science fiction with standout hooks and strong writing
• Interested in working with fan writers who are looking to explore traditional publishing!

Here’s a link to her MSWL website listing with a more detailed rundown. 

She doesn’t necessarily have triggers, but she’s NOT the right agent for: books about AI (in any capacity), any children’s books (including picture books and chapter books), middle grade, young adult, military suspense, cop-based crime, or any nonfiction, including memoir. She is an enormous hater of generative AI as a whole.

She will consider previously self-published projects, but the writer’s ability to provide sales tracking/reporting data is key. 

Jennifer‘s manuscript sample critique and query letter pitch spots are open.

Matthew Valdez, Agent, Megibow Literary Agency

After years of being a reluctant reader, Matthew’s love of literature began as a teenager when his mom handed him a copy of TWILIGHT. Then, in college, he took a Young Adult Literature class and was further hooked on young adult novels. In fact, it was this Lit professor who encouraged Matthew to attend YALLFest, which launched him into the world of publishing. With over a decade of volunteering at conferences and interning at literary agencies, Matthew brings a behind-the-scenes perspective to his job as agent. 

Matthew holds a Bachelor’s in Secondary Education from the Metropolitan State University of Denver, and is currently attending The University of Central Florida to obtain his Master’s in Educational Leadership. He lives in sunny Florida where he teaches High School English and hopes just a sliver of his passion for books rubs off on his students.

He is seeking the following fiction genres:

• Coming-of-age
• Contemporary
• Fantasy
• Graphic novel
• Historical
• Horror/Supernatural
• LGBTQ+
• Literary
• Romance (including sports romance)
• Science fiction
• Speculative fiction/myths & fairy tales
• Upmarket commercial/Book club
• Women’s fiction
• Young Adult

Wish List

Adult Fantasy:

• All subgenres including: Romantasy, High/Epic, Cozy, Dark, Historical, Folklore Retellings, Dark Academia, Portal.
• He is desperately looking for LGBTQ+ and marginalized main characters (MCs) in fantasy!
• Some recent favorites: THE HURRICANE WARS by Thea Guanzon, IN THE VEINS OF THE DROWNING by Kalie Cassidy

Adult Horror:

• Paranormal, Demonic Possession, Historical, Folklore, Dark Academia, and Gothic.
• LGBTQ+ and marginalized MCs are a plus!
• Some recent favorites: INCIDENTS AROUND THE HOUSE by Josh Malerman, DIAVOLA by Jennifer Marie Thorne

Romance:

• Contemporary, New Adult, Dark Romance, Paranormal, Romantic Comedy, Romantasy, Holiday, Sports
• LGBTQ+ preferred, but all are welcome!
• Spice at any level is welcome!
• Recent favorites: BOOK LOVERS by Emily Henry, THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE KISSMAS by Sara Raasch

Commercial / Upmarket / Book Club / Literary Fiction:

• Recent favorites: STATION ELEVEN by Emily St. John Mandel, ATMOSPHERE or literally anything by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Young Adult Fantasy:

• All subgenres including: Fantasy Romance, High, Cozy, Dark, Historical, Folklore Retellings, Dark Academia, Portal.
• He is desperately looking for LGBTQ+ and marginalized MCs in YA fantasy!

High concept YA Science Fiction:

• Some recent favorites: LEGEND OF THE WHITE SNAKE by Sher Lee, THE PRISON HEALER by Lynette Noni, CROWN OF FEATHERS by Nicki Pau Preto

Young Adult Romance:

• Contemporary, Paranormal, Romantic Comedy
• LGBTQ+ and marginalized MCs are a plus!
• Some recent favorites: DARK HEARTS by James L. Sutter, THE LONG RUN by James Acker, WHAT IS THIS FEELING? by Robby Weber

Contemporary Young Adult Fiction

He is only looking for unpublished manuscripts.

Matthew‘s manuscript sample critique and query letter pitch spots are open.

Rebekah Winslow, Junior Literary Agent, Doug Grad Literary Agency

Following her graduation from the University of Texas at Austin, Rebekah first joined the Doug Grad Literary Agency as an intern and is now building her own client list. She is on the hunt for manuscripts with beautifully crafted prose that transport her to different times and places. When she’s not working, she’s scouring secondhand shops for CDs and old books. She also likes periodically visiting national parks and disappearing into the wilderness.

Rebekah is seeking the following in adult fiction:

• Fantasy
• Historical
• Horror/Supernatural
• Literary
• Mainstream/Commercial (incl. magical realism)
• Mystery/Crime
• Science fiction
• Southern
• Speculative fiction/myths & fairy tales (but not retellings)
• Suspense
• Thriller
• Upmarket commercial/Book club

Wish List

• The Natural World
• Family Dynamics
• Married Protagonists
• Stylistic Prose
• Speculative Horror
• Romantic Subplots (She’s not the best fit for romance-centered books however)
• Experimental Prose
• Strong Friendships
• Philosophically Complex
• Space Opera
• Magical Realism
• Contemplative
• Hard Science Fiction
• Unique Fantasy Worlds
• Man vs. Nature
• Technothrillers
• Less-Seen Time Periods, Locations, or Perspectives
• Southern Dialects
• Rural Settings

She’s NOT a good fit for:

• Erotica
• Children’s, MG, or YA
• Non-Fiction
• Short-Form Fiction
• Retellings
• Romance-Centered Books (Ex. Romantasy, Contemporary Romance)

Rebekah can only consider unpublished manuscripts.

Rebekah‘s manuscript sample critique and pitch spots are open.

VIRTUAL ACQUISITIONS EDITOR/PUBLISHER & LITERARY AGENT PROFILES FOR LIGHTNING PITCHES

Linda Camacho, Senior Literary Agent, Gallt & Zacker Literary Agency – VIRTUAL FOR LIGHTNING PITCHES

Linda Camacho is a senior agent at Gallt & Zacker Literary, where she has the pleasure of representing a roster of award-winning, bestselling writers and illustrators. In her two decades in publishing, she’s held various positions at Simon & Schuster, Writers House, and Penguin Random House. Linda received her MFA in creative writing from the Vermont College of Fine Arts and has a short story published in the YA anthology Every Body Shines (Bloomsbury). She adores stories that make her feel in a big way, whether it’s elation, grief, fear, and everything in between.

She’s interested in the following fiction genres:

• Family saga/drama
• Fantasy
• Graphic novel (writer-illustrators only)
• Horror/Supernatural
• LGBTQ+
• Mainstream/Commercial (incl. magical realism)
• Middle Grade
• Romance
• Southern
• Speculative fiction/myths & fairy tales
• Upmarket commercial/Book club
• Women’s fiction
• Young Adult

She only represents unpublished manuscripts.

Linda’s lightning pitch spots are open.

Laurie Dennison, Associate Agent, Creative Media Agency – VIRTUAL FOR LIGHTNING PITCHES

After earning her master’s from the University of Florida and a brief stint as an English teacher, Laurie Dennison spent over a decade as a freelance writer, ghostwriter, editor, and desktop publishing consultant before stepping into her role as an associate agent at Creative Media Agency. She served as a Pitch Wars mentor for five years, and she completed the Denver Publishing Institute in 2022. Laurie also works in the CMA film department with Paige Wheeler.

Laurie represents upmarket and commercial fiction, including projects with strong book club potential, psychological and domestic suspense, women’s fiction, and romance, and she is open to light speculative elements across genres. She loves strong character development and propulsive pacing. In nonfiction, Laurie looks for narrative nonfiction, big idea, women’s issues, pop culture, and pop science from experts in their fields with strong platforms. 

Laurie is seeking the following fiction genres:

• LGBTQ+
• Romance (open to speculative)
• Southern
• Suspense
• Upmarket commercial/Book club (open to speculative)
• Women’s fiction (open to speculative)
• Young Adult (mystery/suspense, fast paced) (open to speculative)

She is seeking the following nonfiction topics:

• Current events/politics/social commentary
• Narrative nonfiction/Journalism
• Pop culture
• Women’s issues

Specific wish list desires in fiction:

• Upmarket fiction with a strong commercial hook
• Book club (Like Gabrielle Zevin, Taylor Jenkins Reid)
• Psychological and domestic suspense (Like Ashley Elston, Laura Dave)
• Women’s fiction (Like Kiley Reid, Lily King)
• Romance (Like Rachel Lynn Solomon, Emily Henry)
• YA – propulsive pacing, high concept, preferably with a romantic element across genres (Like Diana Urban, Jennifer Lynn Barnes)
• Open to speculative or light, grounded fantasy and sci fi across genres, but not the best fit for fay/fairy stories, epic or high fantasy or sci fi, space operas, etc.

Specific wish list desires in nonfiction:

• Narrative nonfiction
• Big idea
• Women’s issues
• Pop culture
• Pop science

Across nonfiction genres, she’s seeking experts in their fields with strong platforms. 

Laurie is not the best fit for stories centered around child abuse, sexual assault, or suicide. She is open to considering previously self-published works with very strong sales records (over 10k units sold in the first year).

Laurie’s lightning pitch spots are open.

Olivia Emerick, Assistant Literary Agent, Metamorphosis Literary Agency – VIRTUAL FOR LIGHTNING PITCHES

A Boston College graduate with a background in English and Classics, Olivia Emerick has always had her nose in a book. With her experience in the literary and theatrical spaces, she values collaboration, communication, and human stories. She is passionate about advancing authors’ careers while respecting their artistic visions. Outside work, she enjoys writing poetry and attending local theatre productions. 

In fiction, Olivia is seeking the following genres:

• Contemporary
• Fantasy
• Horror/Supernatural
• LGBTQ+
• Mainstream/Commercial (incl. magical realism)
• Romance
• Speculative fiction/myths & fairy tales
• Sports
• Suspense
• Thriller
• Young Adult

Wish List

Under the umbrella of commercial fiction for young adult and adult audiences, Olivia is looking for manuscripts in the romance, fantasy, mythology, dark academia, dystopian, horror, and thriller genres. Some of her favorite subgenres include cozy fantasy, romantasy, nautical fantasy, gothic horror, folk horror, mythological retelling, and psychological thriller. She has a special interest in genre-blending manuscripts and those with a speculative twist. She is especially passionate about representing work from neurodivergent and disabled authors. Across genres, Olivia always looks for character development intertwined with the plot, complex characters with rich backgrounds, immersive world-building with strong imagery, interesting side characters, well-revealed exposition, strong character arcs, nuanced relationships, the subversion of well-known tropes, and a mix of plot and character-driven storylines. She is also drawn to atmospheric writing, slow burn romances, enemies-to-lovers and rivals-to-lovers dynamics, found family casts, themes of sisterhood, witty banter, female rage, villain-turned-ally arcs, and deaf and blind representation. 

Olivia is NOT the best person to represent children’s picture or chapter books, middle grade fiction, dark romance, memoir, short story collections, science fiction, high/epic fantasy, literary fiction, non-fiction, domestic thrillers, space operas, western romances, full erotica, superhero fiction, or military/political/espionage thrillers. She is not accepting stories that depict sexual assault, animal abuse, excessive gore, all- or majority-male casts, cheating plotlines, pandemics, world-building featuring AI systems without critiquing them, age-gap romances, surprise pregnancies, or instalove.

She will only consider unpublished manuscripts at this time.

Olivia’s lightning pitch spots are open.

Tara Gavin, Editor, Crooked Lane Books/Alcove Press – VIRTUAL FOR LIGHTNING PITCHES

Tara spent years at Harlequin Books, where she pursued her love of women’s fiction, working with several New York Times bestselling authors, including Diana Palmer, Heather Graham and Lindsay McKenna. At Kensington Books, Tara still worked with bestselling women’s fiction authors but also was able to pursue her love of mysteries and suspense. Tara joined Crooked Lane Books / Alcove Press in 2020, where the best of all worlds came together. 

She is seeking the following fiction genres:

• Contemporary
• Family saga/drama
• Fantasy
• Historical (Depends on century – have published retellings, WWII, etc.)
• Horror/Supernatural
• Literary
• Mainstream/Commercial (incl. magical realism)
• Mystery/Crime
• Romance (incl. Western Romance a la Diana Palmer)
• Science fiction (have published Dystopian)
• Southern
• Speculative fiction/myths & fairy tales
• Sports
• Suspense
• Thriller
• Upmarket commercial/Book club
• Women’s fiction

Tara is also currently looking for “feel-good” stories.

Crooked Lane Books/Alcove Press will only consider unpublished books in the North American market. With British titles, they will generally publish simultaneously with a British publisher. 

Tara can consider books from agents and also from authors without representation. She has worked with many authors who do not have agents.

Tara’s lightning pitch spots are open.

Chad Luibl, Agent, Janklow & Nesbit Associates – VIRTUAL FOR LIGHTNING PITCHES

Born and raised in Virginia, Chad received a BA in English at Lynchburg University before moving to Eastern Europe to teach English for several years. While in Krakow, Poland, he got his MA in European Studies at Jagiellonian University, with a focus in Comparative Literature. He went on to get his MFA in Creative Writing at Virginia Commonwealth University, where he was also the coordinator of the VCU Cabell First Novelist Award, an intern in the Literature Department at the National Endowment for the Arts, and an editor at Blackbird and Broad Street literary journals.

In fiction, Chad is seeking the following genres:

• Coming-of-age
• Contemporary
• Family saga/drama
• Graphic novel
• Historical
• Horror/Supernatural
• Humor
• LGBTQ+
• Literary
• Mainstream/Commercial (incl. magical realism)
• Mystery/Crime
• Romance
• Science fiction
• Short story collection
• Southern
• Speculative fiction
• Sports
• Suspense
• Thriller
• Upmarket commercial/Book club
• Women’s fiction

He is seeking the following nonfiction topics:

• Current events/politics/social commentary
• Essay collection
• Health/diet/wellness
• History/biography
• Humor
• Memoir
• Narrative nonfiction/Journalism
• Self-help/relationships
• Science
• Spiritual/inspirational/religious
• Sports
• Women’s issues

Wish List

Literary and book club fiction: Novels that delve into the complexities of the human condition. Chad tends to lean into character-driven or plotty novels with brisk pacing and a strong emotional core.

Speculative and historical fiction: Works that offer a fresh perspective on a setting or time period, while also feeling relevant to contemporary issues and themes.

Inventive horror and thrillers: Page-turners that are as gripping as they are smart and original. The best are still devastatingly emotional (horror with heart), and if you can sneak a romance thread in there, even better.

Narrative nonfiction and journalism: Compelling storytelling that couldn’t be better summarized in an essay or article. Most nonfiction he goes for reads like a novel. Chad is particularly interested in memoir, untold histories, sports, and adventure stories.

Graphic novels: That push the boundaries of visual narrative.

He can only consider unpublished works.

Chad’s lightning pitch spots are open.

Michelle Richter, Vice President and Agent, Fuse Literary – VIRTUAL FOR LIGHTNING PITCHES

Michelle is Vice President of Fuse Literary representing leaders in the crime fiction community, award-winners, and debut authors. She joined the agency after eight years in editorial at St. Martin’s Press, where she worked on fiction and nonfiction with high-profile personalities, New York Times bestsellers, and debuts. She has built her career finding underserved clients with major talent and helping them jump their careers to the next level. She wants to boost underrepresented voices in her favorite genres to break through and create lasting change in both their writing careers and the publishing industry. Her years of experience as an agent, at a Big 5 publisher, and as an educator inform her relationships with her clients and help her guide them through the complex stages of their careers. She was an adjunct lecturer for five years in the Master’s in Publishing program at Pace University, of which she is an alumna. She also frequently attends conferences throughout the United States.

Michelle’s clients have won or been shortlisted for such awards as the Edgar, Mary Higgins Clark, Strand Critics, Anthony, Agatha, Lefty, ITW Thriller, Macavity, Barry, Derringer, Silver Falchion, IPPY, and International Book Award.

She is seeking the following fiction genres:

• Mystery
• High-Concept Suspense
• Domestic Suspense
• Psychological Thriller
• LGBTQ+
• Book Club Women’s Fiction
• Commercial Fiction

Wish List

Michelle is especially eager to find high-concept crime fiction with catchy hooks, twisty plots, and complex lead characters. She’s a sucker for fiction that taps into her emotions, with the kind of voice that instantly identifies a book as that author’s. BIPOC, LGBTQ, and disabled voices in fiction are welcome. Michelle loves lots of twists, unreliable narrators, isolated locales/locked rooms, stories of family secrets, friendships, and sibling relationships. She’s also seeking book club fiction that really makes you think and feel, and recent faves include THE CORRESPONDENT, ATMOSPHERE, and MARGO’S GOT MONEY TROUBLES.

Her favorite writers include Lucy Foley, Carol Goodman, Ruth Ware, Laura Lippman, Jennifer Hillier, Jesse Q. Sutanto, Elle Cosimano, Lisa Jewell, Alex Finlay, and Emma Straub. She’d love to find the next DON’T LET HIM IN, BATH HAUS, IT’S ELEMENTARY, SCORCHED GRACE, DIAL A FOR AUNTIES, CITY UNDER ONE ROOF, WINTER COUNTS, or MURDER TAKES A VACATION.

Michelle does NOT represent as of the following:

• Political, Medical, Espionage, or Climate Thrillers
• Genre Fiction (Sci-Fi, Fantasy, Western, Erotica)
• Satire
• Humor
• Memoir
• Children’s Picture, Chapter, Middle-Grade, or Young Adult Books
• Faith-based Fiction or Nonfiction
• Screenplays
• Historical Fiction set during WWII or before 1920

Michelle would prefer NOT to see any sex crimes including trafficking, rape, incest, or child sexual abuse. She also doesn’t want fiction with priests or nuns or with dissociative identity disorder (multiple personalities). 

She can only consider unpublished works.

Michelle’s lightning pitch spots are open.

Sharon Salonen, Senior Editor, Literary Wanderlust– VIRTUAL FOR LIGHTNING PITCHES

Sharon Salonen is a senior editor at Literary Wanderlust, an independent traditional publisher in Denver, Colorado. Sharon has over 25 years’ experience as an editor, graduating with a master’s degree in publishing from The George Washington University and from the Editing program at the University of Chicago. Beyond editing fiction, Sharon also works as a legal editor and is a member of EFA and ACES. She lives in Seattle with her husband and dog.

Sharon is seeking the following fiction genres:

• Fantasy
• Historical
• Horror/Supernatural
• Mainstream/Commercial (incl. magical realism)
• Mystery/Crime
• Speculative fiction/myths & fairy tales
• Suspense
• Thriller

Wish List

Sharon’s dream manuscript: An atmospheric page-turner with tight prose and strong characters.

Sharon is seeking adult genre fiction: mystery (all subgenres, including hard-boiled, cozy, police procedural, PI, amateur detective), suspense/thriller, fantasy (all subgenres, including magic realism, urban fantasy, paranormal), gothic, and historical and Western fiction. And while she rarely works in romance, LGBTQ+, or Southern, she is certainly open to any of these being an aspect of the story if a part of the above-listed genres. She loves Southern Gothic, for example. Cross-genre fiction of the above-listed genres is also fine.

She does NOT accept nonfiction, YA, or science fiction. Also, please no animal cruelty or excessive/gratuitous violence.

Sharon can only consider unpublished manuscripts. No AI-generated books, please.

She happily accepts manuscripts from authors without agents. In fact, most of the authors she’s worked with haven’t had representation; she enjoys working directly with authors.

Sharon’s lightning pitch spots are open.

Kaitlyn Sanchez, Literary Agent, Bradford Literary Agency – VIRTUAL FOR LIGHTNING PITCHES

Kaitlyn Sanchez (she/her) is an agent with Bradford Literary Agency and a middle school math teacher. She has been agenting for 6 years and has sold over 65 books with her incredible clients. Representative titles are Mushroom Rain, Hattie Hates Hugs, Brave Like Mom, Trucker Kid, Old Friends, Whatever Comes Tomorrow, Platanos are Love, Giraffe is Too Tall for This Book, Same Love, Different Hug, Simply Skye, Too Much: An Overwhelming Day, Afikoman Where’d You Go?, Have You Seen My Acorn?, and Gloriana Presente. Kaitlyn always loves helping creators find the story that they’re meant to tell.

She’s also the proud co-creator and co-host of the Spring Fling Kidlit Contest and Kidlit Zombie Week as well as creator and co-host of the Kidlit Fall Writing Frenzy Contest. In her free time, she loves to play soccer, binge-watch TV shows, and, of course, read. Especially when she’s all cozied up with her husband and daughter reading together.

Website: https://kaitlynleannsanchez.com/

Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/kaitlynleann17.bsky.social

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KaitlynLeann17

Please follow her clients on social media: https://kaitlynleannsanchez.com/literary-clients/

Kaitlyn is seeking the following fiction genres:

• Children’s picture books

• Middle Grade (all genres, including but not limited to coming-of-age, contemporary, humor mystery, novels-in-verse, low fantasy, sci-fi, sports, horror, etc.)

Wish List

For more information on what type of fantastic stories to submit to Kaitlyn for critiques, check out her MSWL: https://www.manuscriptwishlist.com/mswl-post/kaitlyn-sanchez/

Please do NOT send her any stories about cults, especially religious cults.

She can only consider unpublished works.

Kaitlyn’s lightning pitch spots are open.

Tina Schwartz, Founder & Literary Agent, The Purcell Agency – VIRTUAL FOR LIGHTNING PITCHES

Tina P. Schwartz wears many hats as The Purcell Agency’s Founder and Owner, opening in 2012. She’s also an author, keynote speaker, and literary agent. To find out more, visit www.ThePurcellAgency.com or www.TinaPSchwartz.com.

She is seeking the following fiction genres:

• Coming-of-age
• Contemporary
• Family saga/drama
• Horror/Supernatural
• Humor
• LGBTQ+
• Literary
• Mainstream/Commercial (incl. magical realism)
• Middle Grade
• Mystery/Crime
• Romance
• Sports
• Suspense
• Thriller
• Upmarket commercial/Book club
• Women’s fiction
• Young Adult

In nonfiction, she is seeking the following topics:

• Health/diet/wellness
• Humor
• Memoir
• Narrative nonfiction/Journalism
• Self-help/relationships
• Women’s issues

Wish List

Right now her manuscript wish list includes Middle Grade, Young Adult, and Adult fiction – mainly contemporary fiction, romance, and women’s fiction. She takes on some nonfiction in the subject areas of health, inspirational, and memoir.

She can only consider unpublished and completed (except for nonfiction proposals) manuscripts.

Tina’s lightning pitch spots are open.

Ann Leslie Tuttle, Agent, Dystel, Goderich & Bourret – VIRTUAL FOR LIGHTNING PITCHES

Ann Leslie Tuttle joined DG&B in 2017 after working for 20 years at Harlequin Books, now a division of HarperCollins, where she acquired and edited an extensive list of bestselling titles in women’s fiction.  She received her B.A. degree from the College of William and Mary and an M.A. from the University of Virginia.  Finding talented authors (established and debut) and growing a writer’s career have always been Ann Leslie’s passion. Ann Leslie lives in New York City.

She is seeking the following fiction genres:

• Coming-of-age
• Contemporary
• Family saga/drama
• Historical
• Horror/Supernatural
• Mystery/Crime
• Romance
• Southern
• Suspense
• Thriller
• Upmarket commercial/Book club
• Women’s fiction
• Young Adult

In nonfiction, she is seeking the following topics:

• History/biography
• Women’s issues

Wish list:

Ann Leslie is actively seeking thrillers, psychological suspense, historical romance and fiction, mysteries, horror, rom coms, romantasy and YA. Stories set in the South especially captivate her as do other fictional works that convey a strong sense of place.  She is also seeking fiction that portrays animals. On the nonfiction side, Ann Leslie is looking for narrative nonfiction that is geared to a female audience.

Ann Leslie is NOT seeking dystopian, middle grade, fantasy, time travel, or science fiction.

She can only consider unpublished projects.

Ann Leslie’s lightning pitch spots are open.

Questions? Contact Conference Director George Weinstein.