For the November 3-4, 2023 Atlanta Writers Conference, the editors and agents below have provided, in their own words, the genres they are seeking to acquire for publication (in the case of acquisition editors) or represent to publishers (in the case of literary agents)–and they often identify specific genres they are not seeking as well, to decrease ambiguity. Please pay attention to these details to avoid wasting your time and money! In addition to reading this information, you also should review their agency/publisher websites, do an Internet search on them–their manuscript wish lists, Twitter/Instagram feeds, interviews with them and/or what other agents, editors, and authors have written about them–and make sure you’re a good fit with their tastes and attitudes.
PLEASE NOTE: All guest agents and editors will be in-person at the Westin Atlanta Airport Hotel. If any of them switch to virtual participation, we will update this page and inform the attendees who selected that individual.
At every conference, a few participants are disappointed because they paid to get a critique from, or make a pitch to, an agent or editor who isn’t interested in their genre. This usually occurs because the participants did not read these descriptions. Again, don’t be like those people! Read the agents and editors’ bios carefully, research them, and select accordingly. Also, if you want one or two manuscript critique(s) and pitch(es) (and add a third critique and/or pitch after you register by contacting Conference Director George Weinstein at awconference@gmail.com) be sure you select a different agent/editor for each activity. Don’t waste your money by seeing the same person for a manuscript critique as well as a pitch, because they both serve to introduce the agent or editor to you and your work. With the manuscript critique, you get the added value of receiving that individual’s feedback about your writing; it doesn’t make sense to also pitch that individual about the same book, because they will indicate on their written critique whether they’re interested in receiving your partial or full manuscript.
What if you have two different book projects? It’s still a risk to pitch the same agent or editor you’re getting a critique from (just as it’s a risk to get two critiques or do two pitches with the same person), because if this person is interested in the first book project, they will want to focus on that one with you rather than tackle two projects simultaneously. If that person is not interested in the first one, there’s a chance they won’t be interested in the second one either. So, as you’re reading the descriptions below, please consider as many individuals as possible rather than setting your sights on just one. During the registration process, you will see who has spots remaining for each activity and you can choose accordingly. That record of open spots is always up-to-date.
What if you have a self-published book you want to pitch and/or for which you want to get a sample critiqued? If agents and editors are open considering a previously self-published work, you will see this noted in their bios below. Be aware that most industry professionals prefer to only consider never-published manuscripts so they don’t have to deal with copyright issues, previous marketing, and other problems that already-released books present.
ALSO NOTE: At the bottom of each editor/agent bio, we indicate if manuscript critique and/or pitch spots are full and waitlists are available. There is no charge for waitlist spots, so there is no risk in registering for one; if a spot opens for you due to another participant’s cancellation, you will be informed by email and will pay for the activity at that time. If you want to put your name on any waitlists, you must register for those just like any other activity–please go to the Registration page and use the Cvent system link provided there to do so.
If you can’t travel to the Westin Atlanta Airport Hotel due to COVID-19 or another reason, you can indicate on your registration that you want the virtual option, to participate via Zoom in any online meeting with the guest agents and editors you select for manuscript critiques and/or pitches as well as the randomly assigned agents/editors for the query letter critique activity. Due to the ever-increasing expense of the audio-visual equipment and personnel involved and the dwindling number of virtual participants, we are only offering these agent/editor meetings via Zoom (thus, the workshop, Q&A panels, award ceremony with giveaway drawings and free educational sessions will only be available to in-person participants).
See the bios below for complete details about the editors and agents and what they are seeking to acquire (for editors) or represent (for agents). If spots are full for all the editors and agents who are a good fit for you and your work, contact Atlanta Writers Conference Director George Weinstein at awconference@gmail.com to request recommendations about which ones have the shortest waitlists.
Kurt Brackob, Director, Histria Books
Dr. Kurt Brackob is the Director of Histria Books, an independent publishing house with offices in Las Vegas and Palm Beach, since its founding in 2017. Histria Books publishes trade fiction and non-fiction, children’s books, and academic titles across its seven imprints. Histria Books is distributed by the Independent Publishers Group (IPG) In addition to a career in publishing, Dr. Brackob has a background in banking and finance. He is on the board of the Independent Book Publishers Association and is also co-chair of the Professional Development Committee for PubWest, as well as a member of the Independent Publishers Caucus and the Independent Publishers Guild in the United Kingdom.
Here are the fiction categories Kurt is most interested in:
- Historical Fiction – all periods
- Horror
- Romance
- Mystery/Thriller
- Fantasy – he is interested in acquiring series
- Young Adult
Here are the non-fiction categories that interests Kurt the most:
- Biography and Memoir
- History – European and United States (all periods)
- International Affairs and Politics
- Entertainment
However, Histria Books has numerous imprints (click here for their latest catalog), and Kurt will also consider any of the following fiction genres and nonfiction topics:
In fiction:
- Children’s/picture books
- Christian
- Coming-of-age
- Contemporary
- Family saga/drama
- Fantasy
- Graphic novel
- Historical
- Horror/Supernatural
- Humor
- LGBTQ+
- Literary
- Mainstream/Commercial (incl. magical realism)
- Middle Grade
- Mystery/Crime
- Romance
- Science fiction
- Southern
- Speculative fiction/myths & fairy tales
- Suspense
- Thriller
- Upmarket commercial/Book club
- Women’s fiction
- Young Adult
In nonfiction:
- Children’s/picture books
- Business/leadership/law
- Cooking/food/cookbooks
- Current events/politics/social commentary
- Health/diet/wellness
- History/biography
- Humor
- Memoir
- Narrative nonfiction / journalism
- Pop culture
- Self-help/relationships
- Science
- Spiritual/inspirational/religious
- Sports
- Women’s issues
Kurt will consider previously self-published works on a case-by-case basis.
Kurt’s manuscript sample critique and pitch spots are full, but waitlists are available.
Cindy Bryan, Acquisitions Editor, Literary Wanderlust
https://www.literarywanderlust.com/
Cindy grew up in North Georgia and now lives in rural Alabama. Believing that stories are essential to life—for remembering, understanding, teaching, and dreaming—she’s passionate about helping authors. When she’s not editing or reading, she’s most likely gardening or making music.
She can also be found at cindybryanediting.com and Twitter @cindybryanedit
Cindy’s looking for full-length novels:
Young adult and adult fiction:
- Fantasy and Science fiction—character driven with an element of hope. Bonus points for a touch of well-crafted humor.
- She is not interested in horror/gore, graphic sex/sexual assault, pandemic stories, or themes of serious mental illness and/or suicide.
On behalf of her LW colleagues she is also looking for:
- Mysteries
- Thrillers
- Light science fiction—character-driven and witty
Cindy can only consider completed, unpublished manuscripts.
She cannot accept agent-represented manuscripts.
Cindy’s manuscript sample critique spots and pitch spots are full but waitlists are available.
Sydney Collins, Assistant Editor, Ballantine Books/Penguin Random House
https://www.randomhousebooks.com/imprint/ballantine-books/
Sydney is an Assistant Editor at Ballantine acquiring adult fiction and nonfiction. Across all genres, she’s drawn to books that are full of heart, grit, and wit. Sydney graduated with honors from the University of Richmond and previously interned at Stonesong, Folio Literary Management, as well as Ballantine before she joined the team full-time.
In fiction, Sydney is specifically looking for:
- Women’s fiction
- Book club fiction
- Contemporary romance & romantic comedies
- Family sagas
- Upmarket fiction
- Myth retellings
- Coming-of-age
- Contemporary general fiction
- Family saga/drama
- LGBTQ+
- Literary
- Mainstream/Commercial (incl. magical realism)
In nonfiction, Sydney is seeking the following:
- Memoir
- Essay collections
- Self-help
- Pop-psychology
- Cultural criticism
- Health/diet/wellness
- Humor
- Narrative nonfiction / journalism
- Pop culture
- Women’s issues
Sydney is especially drawn to multiple POV family stories, emotional and messy coming-of-age stories centered on young women, BIPOC protagonists, nuanced female friendships, and pop culture-heavy writing.
She is NOT the right editor for thrillers, horror, WWII historical fiction, true crime, sports, or business books.
While Sydney prefers working through an agent, she is open to working directly with an author.
She can only consider unpublished manuscripts.
Sydney’s manuscript sample critique and pitch spots are full, but waitlists are available.
Lori Colvin, Literary Agent, Birch Literary
Lori Colvin has a special empathy for authors, having penned over 150 books herself, under a successful pen name. A fierce advocate for her fellow writers, Lori understands the publishing industry from many different viewpoints and does her absolute best to tailor her approach to meet each author’s needs.
Lori’s looking for the following fiction genres:
- Coming-of-age
- Contemporary
- Crime
- Family saga/drama
- Historical
- Humor
- LGBTQ+
- Mystery (except cozy)
- Southern
- Suspense
- Thriller
- Upmarket commercial/Book club
- Women’s fiction
In nonfiction, she is seeking the following topics:
- Health/diet/wellness
- Humor
- Memoir
- Pop culture
- Self-help/relationships
- Women’s issues
Genres Lori is NOT seeking at the moment:
- Romance
- Fantasy
- Science fiction
- Young adult
- Middle grade
- Picture books
She can only consider unpublished manuscripts.
Lori’s manuscript sample critique and pitch spots are full, but waitlists are available.
Dawn Dowdle, Owner, Blue Ridge Literary Agency
Dawn Dowdle began Blue Ridge Literary Agency, LLC in Virginia in 2009 to help authors, especially newer authors. Prior to establishing her agency, she was a freelance copy editor and an avid reader of cozy mysteries. Murder at Redwood Cove by Janet Finsilver, Staging Is Murder by Grace Topping, and Murder at Harbor Village by G.P. Gardner, are Cozy Mysteries she represents that are USA Today Bestsellers. The agency now has three agents. Please check the website for the genres the other agents are representing.
Fiction genres and subgenres of interest to Dawn Dowdle:
- Cozy Mystery (prefer female protagonists; 70K+ words)
- Historical Mystery
- Mystery
- Suspense
- Fiction Picture Book (700 words or less; no animal main characters)
- Amish Romance
- Category Romance
- Middle Grade (35K+ words)
Nonfiction topics Dawn is seeking:
- Cookbook
- Travel
Dawn is NOT accepting:
- Any type of fantasy/sci-fi
- Young Adult
- Women’s fiction
- Nonfiction other than cookbooks and travel books
- Manuscripts over 100K words
- Manuscripts under 65K words
- Picture books over 800 words
- Erotica
- Omniscient points of view
- Manuscripts in present tense
Dawn does not represent previously published works and will not represent a new book in a series that has already had books published in it.
Dawn’s manuscript sample critique spots are full but a waitlist is available. She has open pitch spots.
Elizabeth Ford, Co-Founder, Blackwater Press
https://www.blackwaterpress.com/
Elizabeth Ford dropped out of law school to pursue a PhD in Scottish music at the University of Glasgow. This research won the National Flute Association Graduate Research Award. She has held research fellowships at the University of Glasgow, the Institute for Advanced Studies in the Humanities at the University of Edinburgh, the Riemenschneider Bach Institute, the McGill-Burney Centre, and the Bodleian Libraries. Her writing is widely published in the fields of eighteenth-century Scottish studies and historical musicology and has been called “required reading.” Her work in editing started when she was employed by her family’s physician to assist as he wrote the great American novel. Since then, she has worked with writers of fiction and non-fiction, copyedited for the Legal Studies Forum, worked as the English language editor for Schott Music, and was managing director of a small press in Glasgow. She is currently lead copyeditor of ABO: Interactive Journal for Women in the Arts, 1640-1830. Her fierce cat called Flòraidh, who is an active member of the editorial committee.
Elizabeth will read anything that holds still long enough but is partial to big thick books with small print and no pictures. Away from books, she likes to take pointlessly long walks in search of obscure folkloric sites, attempt to translate Gaelic, and get escorted out of libraries. Her current residence in an octagonal yurt on the summit of a mountain allows her to fully embrace her reclusive nature.
She is seeking the following in fiction:
- Literary fiction
- Short stories
- Historical fiction
- Appalachian
- Southern
In nonfiction, she is seeking:
- Essay collection
- Classical music
- Scottish history
- Historical memoir, especially 18th century
- Appalachian-themed nonfiction
Elizabeth is NOT seeking science fiction, paranormal, true crime, erotica, fantasy, dragons, religious or inspirational, young adult, children’s, self-help, travel guides, or food writing. She also will not accept anything in which an animal dies.
Elizabeth will consider self-published books.
She prefers to work directly with authors.
Elizabeth’s manuscript sample critique and pitch spots are full, but waitlists are available.
Kate Gale, Managing Editor, Red Hen Press
Dr. Kate Gale is co-founder and Managing Editor of Red Hen Press and Editor of the Los Angeles Review. She teaches in the Low Residency MFA program at the University of Nebraska in poetry, fiction and creative nonfiction.
She is the author of the The Loneliest Girl from the University of New Mexico Press and of seven books of poetry including The Goldilocks Zone from the University of New Mexico Press in 2014, and Echo Light from Red Mountain in 2014 and six librettos including Rio de Sangre, a libretto for an opera with composer Don Davis, which had its world premiere October 2010 at the Florentine Opera in Milwaukee. She speaks on independent publishing at schools including USC, Harvard, Columbia and Oxford University.
Kate is looking for the following in fiction:
- Commercial/mainstream fiction
- Contemporary
- Dystopian fiction
- Fantasy
- LGBTQ+
- Literary
- Queer literature
- Science fiction
- Speculative fiction/myths & fairy tales
- Upmarket/Book club fiction
- Women’s fiction
- Young adult
Red Hen Press is NOT seeking Christian literature.
In nonfiction, she is seeking:
- Culture
- Current events/politics/social commentary
- Environment
- Women’s issues
Kate is also seeking poetry collections.
She works with authors who are unagented and those who have representation.
She can only consider unpublished manuscripts.
Kate’s manuscript sample critique and pitch spots are full, but waitlists are available.
Georgia Hughes, Editorial Director, New World Library
Georgia A. Hughes is editorial director at New World Library, where she acquires and edits nonfiction books. Prior to joining New World Library, Georgia worked as a bookseller, at HarperCollins and as a freelance editor. Recent acquisitions include The Power of Daily Practice by Eric Maisel, Let It Be Easy by Susie Moore, The Language Your Body Speaks by Ellen Meredith, School of Awake by Kidada Jones, Permission Granted by Regina Louise, Manage Your Menopause Naturally by Maryon Stewart, and Growing Big Dreams by Robert Moss. New World Library, publisher of the bestselling The Power of Now and other award-winning books, strives to publish books that help readers change their lives and the world, and aims for diversity and inclusion.
Georgia is seeking the following nonfiction categories:
- Memoirs with a message
- Health, including alternative health
- Pets and animals
- Spirituality
- Mindfulness
- Meditation
- Empowerment
- Self-help
- Personal growth
- New thought/New Age
- Nature
- Nature spirituality
- Sustainable business
- Entrepreneurship
- Leadership
- Buddhism
- Eco psychology
- Recovery
- Relationships
- Parenting
- Writing and creativity
- Prosperity
She is NOT seeking fiction or poetry.
Georgia can work directly with authors or with agents.
She is happy to consider self-published works.
Georgia’s manuscript sample critique and pitch spots are full but waitlists are available.
La Sheera Lee, Senior Literary Agent, SBR Media
La Sheera Lee has an undergraduate degree from Longwood University. She holds a graduate degree from Grand Canyon University. She has worked in the publishing industry as an author’s assistant and a publicist. In addition, she has written articles for several magazines. La Sheera has also won several awards for blogging and being a book influencer.
La Sheera considers manuscripts in the following fiction genres:
- Women’s Fiction
- Romance
- Thriller/suspense
- Young adult fiction
- Young adult romance
- Christian Fiction
She welcomes books with BIPOC or disabled characters. She loves women’s fiction with strong female leads and strong family connections. La Sheera also loves thrillers and suspense manuscripts with unexpected plot twists and turns. She is drawn to complex characters and themes.
She will consider previously published work.
La Sheera’s manuscript sample critique and pitch spots are full, but waitlists are available.
Melissa McArthur, Associate Publisher, Falstaff Books
Born and raised in Southeastern Kentucky, Melissa McArthur now calls the heart of Virginia home. She loves books and words and commas, so naturally she chose professions that involve those things. She’s the Associate Publisher at Falstaff Books and the Communications Coordinator at the Department of Health. She’s also worked as an editor, graphic designer, and English professor. Tinkering with language and helping others make connections are the things she enjoys most about all of her professional endeavors.
She is seeking the following fiction genres:
- Family saga/drama
- Fantasy
- Horror/Supernatural
- LGBTQ+
- Mainstream/Commercial (incl. magical realism)
- Mystery/Crime (she has a keen interested in building this list)
- Science fiction
- Southern
- Speculative fiction/myths & fairy tales
- Suspense
- Thriller
Melissa is open to working directly with an author or through an agent.
She will consider previously published work, especially if the author has an existing audience.
Melissa’s manuscript sample critique and pitch spots are full, but waitlists are available.
Taj McCoy, Literary Agent, Rees Literary Agency
An Oakland-born law grad, Taj McCoy (she/her) is committed to writing stories championing Black and multiracial women of color, plus-sized protagonists, Black love, Black joy, and characters with strong senses of sisterhood and familial bonds. Her Adult Fiction is published by MIRA and HQN (Harlequin, HarperCollins).
Taj trained to be an agent at Fuse Literary for a year, having previously served as a Pitch Wars mentor and a co-program manager for Diverse Voices, Inc.’s DVdebut program. In 2022, she joined Rees Literary Agency, where she aims to widen the entryway for marginalized authors and illustrators and to normalize Black joy, fat joy, celebrations of culture, intersectional identities, and love without limitations.
Taj represents the following in character-driven adult fiction:
- Contemporary
- Romance
- Romcoms
- Women’s fiction
- Mystery/thriller
In middle grade and young adult fiction:
- YA contemporary
- Mystery
- Romance (middle grade crush)
- Thriller
- Fantasy with well-defined magic systems, especially ones rooted in non-western mythology or folklore and including themes such as coming of age, chosen hero, belonging/accepting identity, owning their power/attributes, and joy
In adult non-fiction, she is seeking strong messages in
- Memoirs
- Narratives
- Cookbooks
- Satire
- Empowerment/self-help with strong takeaways
Children’s non-fiction:
- Historical narratives
- Picture books––especially ones focused on BIPOC characters/culture, connecting with others, feeling seen and understood, and learning about culture or nature
Taj is NOT currently looking for adult horror; science fiction; fantasy; erotica; stories focused on the military; crime procedurals; romance with toxic masculinity; on-page sexual assault, trauma, abuse, or assault; or children’s chapter books, fiction picture books, or board books.
She can only consider unpublished manuscripts.
Taj’s manuscript sample critique and pitch spots are full, but waitlists are available.
Gina Panettieri, Founder, Talcott Notch Literary Services
Gina Panettieri is the founder of Talcott Notch Literary Services, a five-member full-service literary agency, and has worked across a wide range of adult and juvenile fiction and nonfiction for more than 25 years.
Some of her recent notable titles include HOME AT NIGHT by USA Today Bestselling author Paula Munier (Minotaur), DEMPSEY by WSJ Bestselling writing team Andrews & Wilson (Blackstone), ALL THE RIGHT NOTES by Dominic Lim (Grand Central), BLUE LIKE ME by Aaron Philip Clark (Thomas & Mercer), THE BUCHAREST LEGACY by William Maz (Oceanview), and CASHVERTISING ONLINE by Drew Eric Whitman (Red Wheel Weiser).
Gina is currently open to the following genres in fiction:
- Upmarket/book club/literary women’s fiction for the adult market
- Crime fiction (mystery, thriller, suspense, cozy, etc.) for adult and young adult (YA) markets
- Historical fiction, particularly that set around an iconic event or historical figure, for the adult market
- Romcoms, for adult and YA markets
- Horror, for adult, middle grade, and YA markets
- Dark fantasy for the adult market
- Dark psychological thrillers for the adult market
- Science fiction (near-future, grounded SF only) for adult and YA markets
- Fantasy based in myth and folklore for YA market
- Classic fairytale retellings for YA market
In nonfiction, she is seeking:
- Memoir – Must have a robust platform to support. Humorous memoir is a plus!
- Narrative nonfiction – Exploration of significant social/cultural issues
- True crime
- Business and career
- History and pop history
- Gardening
- Nature
- Travel guides
- Pop culture – film, television, music, art
- Self-help/relationships
- Fitness/health
If she sees something that would work for someone else in her agency, she would forward it to them.
Gina is NOT looking for:
- Space opera
- Epic or high fantasy
- Picture books
- Books for early readers
She is not open to previously self-published books.
Gina’s manuscript sample critique and pitch spots are full, but waitlists are available.
Sarah Phair, Agent, Sanford J. Greenburger Associates
Sarah represents a range of fiction and nonfiction authors writing for the adult market. In fiction she focuses on upmarket and literary fiction that is accessible to a wide audience and contains beautiful language with elevated ideas. If you would read it in your book club or take it on vacation, it might be a good fit for Sarah’s list. She particularly loves: family sagas, friendship centered stories, complex psychological suspense, campus novels, anti-heroines, and a good love story.
In nonfiction, her areas of interest include: progressive politics, popular science, psychology, self-development, gender, pop culture, and anything about food. She is especially interested in projects analyzing the future of media consumption, how and what we eat, agriculture, and housing.
Sarah joined Greenburger Associates in 2019. Originally from Mississippi, she moved to New York in 2010 to pursue a career in publishing. She worked at Trident Media Group for six years, acting as audio agent and foreign rights agent before building her own list. Sarah also has a M.A. in British and American Literature.
Sarah is seeking the following fiction genres:
- Contemporary
- Family saga/drama
- Humor
- LGBTQ+
- Literary
- Mainstream/Commercial (incl. magical realism)
- Mystery/Crime
- Southern
- Suspense
- Thriller
- Upmarket commercial/Book club
- Women’s fiction
In nonfiction, Sarah is seeking:
- Current events/politics/social commentary
- Essay collection
- Health/diet/wellness
- Narrative nonfiction / journalism
- Pop culture
- Self-help/relationships
- Science
- Women’s issues
She can only consider unpublished manuscripts.
Sarah’s manuscript sample critique and pitch spots are full, but waitlists are available.
Jonathan Rosen, Agent, The Seymour Agency
Jonathan Rosen is the author of several Middle Grade books, and takes that knowledge of what it’s like to be on the author side of the trenches into agenting, in order to help guide writers along on their path to publication. He has a passion for books and wants to help as many people as possible get published.
In fiction, he is seeking:
- Young Adult
- Mysteries
- Thrillers
- Historical Fiction
- Sports
- Romantic Comedy
- Anything with humor
- He will always have an eye out for diverse voices, and in particular Jewish stories
In nonfiction, he is looking for
- Biographies
- Memoirs
- Pop Culture
- Humor
- Sports
- Journalism
He can only consider unpublished manuscripts.
Jonathan’s manuscript sample critique and pitch spots are full, but waitlists are available.
Ariana Sinclair, Associate Editor, William Morrow/HarperCollins
https://www.harpercollins.com/collections/william-morrow
Ariana Sinclair joined HarperCollins Publishers in 2019 as executive assistant to Liate Stehlik, President and Publisher of the Morrow group. In 2023, she was named Associate Editor for William Morrow. She graduated from the University of Oregon with degrees in Journalism and Comparative Literature. Originally from Portland, OR, she currently resides in Brooklyn, NY.
Upcoming projects include debut horror Edenville by Sam Rebelein, where a novelist becomes trapped in a dark and dangerous scheme at a haunted university; Bridget Collins’ next speculative historical novel; new historical fiction from bestselling author Caroline Frost; and debut romance One Christmas Morning by Rachel Greenlaw, a heartfelt and imaginative novel where a young woman relives the same Christmas day from the perspective of close friends.
Books she’s loved lately: Book Lovers by Emily Henry A Certain Hunger by Chelsea G. Summers A Children’s Bible by Lydia Millet, Seven Days in June by Tia Williams Now is Not the Time to Panic by Kevin Wilson Motherthing by Ainslie Hogarth, Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo, and Piranesi by Susanna Clark
Ariana is seeking a wide range of fiction including:
- Women’s fiction
- Coming-of-age
- Contemporary
- Family saga/drama
- Horror/Supernatural
- Humor
- LGBTQ+
- Literary
- Mainstream/Commercial (incl. magical realism)
- Romance – relationships with equal measures of humor and heart
- Speculative fiction/myths & fairy tales
- Suspense
- Thriller
- Upmarket and literary fiction with book club appeal
- Stories centered around diverse characters are especially desired
She will consider previously self-published work.
While Ariana prefers working through an agent, for the right project she could recommend agents for the participant to approach.
Ariana’s manuscript sample critique and pitch spots are full, but waitlists are available.
Laura Usselman, Stuart Krichevsky Literary Agency
Laura Usselman is a literary agent representing adult fiction and nonfiction. Before joining SKLA, Laura earned her MFA in Fiction at Virginia Tech, where she taught composition and creative writing, and worked at Cambridge University Press. A native of Atlanta, she studied English and film at the University of Georgia. She lives with her family in Decatur, Georgia.
Her fiction interests include character-centered fiction of all stripes, from the formally strange to the family saga. For nonfiction, she is interested in thoughtful narrative nonfiction, restlessly curious idea books, and reported memoir.
Specifically in fiction, Laura is seeking:
- Coming-of-age
- Contemporary
- Family saga/drama
- Historical
- Horror/Supernatural
- Humor
- LGBTQ+
- Literary
- Mainstream/Commercial (incl. magical realism)
- Mystery/Crime
- Romance
- Short story collection
- Southern
- Suspense
- Thriller
- Upmarket commercial/Book club
- Women’s fiction
The nonfiction topics she’s looking for are as follows:
- Current events/politics/social commentary
- Essay collection
- Health/diet/wellness
- History/biography
- Humor
- Memoir
- Narrative nonfiction/journalism
- Pop culture
- Self-help/relationships
- Science
- Spiritual/inspirational/religious
- Sports
- Women’s issues
She can only consider unpublished manuscripts.
Laura’s manuscript sample critique and pitch spots are full, but waitlists are available.
Melissa Valentine, Acquisitions Editor, Lake Union Publishing/Amazon
https://amazonpublishing.amazon.com/lake-union-publishing.html
Melissa Valentine is an acquisitions editor at Lake Union Publishing with a portfolio representing a wide range of book club fiction, from upmarket women’s fiction to historical. She works with New York Times bestselling author Eileen Goudge, Wall Street Journal bestselling author Weina Dai Randell, and many more. With over a decade of editorial experience at various companies, she is passionate about books, her authors, and discovering new voices. When she’s not reading manuscripts, she is enjoying the culture, food, and outdoors of lovely Northern California with her husband and daughter.
Melissa is seeking the following fiction genres:
- Commercial women’s fiction, including emotional women’s fiction, charming stories, women’s fiction with elements of suspense, as well as romantic women’s fiction
- Upmarket book club fiction
- Family drama
- Historical fiction
- Domestic suspense
She is NOT interested in humor, horror, rom coms, fantasy, or science fiction.
Melissa can only consider unpublished manuscripts.
She can work with authors directly or through an agent.
Melissa’s manuscript sample critique and pitch spots are full, but waitlists are available.
Jade Wong-Baxter, Agent, Frances Goldin Literary Agency
Jade Wong-Baxter joined the agency in 2021. She previously worked for three years at Massie & McQuilkin Literary Agents as a junior agent and foreign rights associate. A graduate of Vassar College, Jade got her start in publishing at Writers House, W. W. Norton, and Folio Literary Management. Among her interests are adult literary/upmarket fiction and narrative nonfiction, with an emphasis on narratives by and about people of color, as well as the perspectives of marginalized identities. Some of her other areas of interest include magical realism, memoir, cultural criticism and Asian-American history.
Specifically, Jade is seeking these fiction genres:
- Coming-of-age
- Contemporary
- Family saga/drama
- Historical
- Horror/Supernatural – not genre horror, but will do upmarket/literary
- Humor
- LGBTQ+
- Literary
- Mainstream/Commercial (incl. magical realism)
- Short story collection
- Southern
- Speculative fiction/myths & fairy tales — not genre speculative, but will do upmarket/literary
- Suspense
- Upmarket commercial/Book club
- Women’s fiction
In nonfiction, Jade is seeking the following:
- Cooking/food – food narratives but not generally straight cookbooks
- Current events/politics/social commentary
- Essay collection
- Health/diet/wellness – not prescriptive
- History/biography
- Humor
- Memoir
- Narrative nonfiction / journalism
- Pop culture
- Science
- Sports
- Women’s issues
She can only consider unpublished manuscripts.
Jade’s manuscript sample critique and pitch spots are full, but waitlists are available.
Questions?
Please contact George Weinstein at awconference@gmail.com.
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Wouldn’t miss it. A great opportunity to meet and greet those on the forefront of everything books.
What an awesome opportunity to network with such a collective group of talented professionals.
The 2017 Writers Conference was a great and informative experience. I will never miss another conference. Both editors and agents were informative and motivating.