2019

Kerry D’Agostino

KERRY D'AGOSTINO

A woman with brown hair and a pink shirt is standing in front of a pine tree.

Kerry D’Agostino is a literary agent at Curtis Brown, Ltd. She represents literary and upmarket fiction, and her authors include novelists Erin Adams, Andrea Bobotis, Leesa Cross-Smith, Nancy Wayson Dinan, Micah Dean Hicks, Talia Lakshmi Kolluri, Leslie Pietrzyk and Liza Wieland. She is particularly drawn to character-driven work, unconventional plot structures, unreliable narrators, complicated family relationships, and speculative elements that challenge our ways of thinking about the world. Kerry is a graduate of Bowdoin College, Harvard Graduate School of Education, and the Columbia Publishing Course. She currently serves as Co-Vice President on the Board of Directors for the Association of American Literary Agents, where she is also a member of the organization’s Programming Committee. Kerry is also a member of Curtis Brown’s Inclusion & Accountability Committee. She lives in Saratoga Springs, New York, with her husband, daughter, and two cats.

WHAT I'M LOOKING FOR

Kerry D'Agostino represents literary and upmarket fiction. She is particularly drawn to character-driven work, unconventional plot structures, unreliable narrators, complicated family relationships, and speculative elements that challenge our ways of thinking about the world.

SAMPLE TITLES OR AUTHORS

Jackal, by Erin E. Adams
What We Fed to the Manticore, by Talia Lakshmi Kolluri
Half-Blown Rose, by Leesa Cross-Smith

Specializes In

FICTION: Commercial Fiction, Literary Fiction, Short Story Collections

Considers

FICTION: Commercial Fiction, Historical Fiction, LGBTQIA+, Literary Fiction, Multi-Cultural/Global Fiction, Short Story Collections

Posted by GrubStreet in Literary Agent

Jamie Carr

JAMIE CARR

Jamie Carr joined The Book Group in January 2020 as an agent. Prior, she worked in the literary department of William Morris Endeavor for almost six years where she championed New York Times bestsellers, award winning titles, and groundbreaking debuts. Born and raised in Lower Manhattan, she has an MFA in fiction writing and began her career in the books department of Tin House.

Jamie represents novelists, short story writers, journalists, activists, and food and culture writers. Most interested in adult literary and upmarket commercial fiction and narrative nonfiction, she is drawn to writing that is voice-driven, highly transporting, from unique perspectives and marginalized voices, and that seeks to disrupt or reframe what appears to be known.

WHAT I'M LOOKING FOR

Novelists, activists, culture and food writers. Looking for boundary breaking literary fiction and upmarket women's fiction. And in nonfiction, journalists and culture writers. Especially looking for writing that is voice-driven, highly transporting, from unique perspectives and marginalized voices.

SAMPLE TITLES OR AUTHORS

Sophia Shalmiyev
Tracy Clark-Flory
Melissa Larsen

Specializes In

FICTION: Chick Lit, Commercial Fiction, Family Saga, GLBT, Literary Fiction, Multi-Cultural, Thrillers/Suspense, Upmarket Women's Fiction

NONFICTION: Cultural/Social Issues, Current Affairs, GLBT, Multi-Cultural, Music, Narrative, Politics, Pop Culture, Women's Concerns

Considers

FICTION: Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Horror, Science Fiction, Short Story Collections

NONFICTION: Dating/Relationships, Food & Lifestyle, Investigative Journalism, Memoir, Nature/Ecology, Psychology, Women's Concerns

Posted by GrubStreet in Literary Agent

Hattie Fletcher

HATTIE FLETCHER

Hattie Fletcher has been the managing editor of Creative Nonfiction magazine since 2005 and is the editor of the monthly mini-magazine True Story. Essays she has edited have been reprinted in The Best American Essays, The Best American Travel Writing, and The Best Women’s Travel Writing and have been awarded the Pushcart Prize. She has also worked on books covering such topics as end-of-life care, personalized medicine, education, mental health, and parenting. She was a coordinating editor for the Best Creative Nonfiction series, published by W.W. Norton, and is co-editor, with Lee Gutkind, of True Stories, Well Told from the first 20 years of Creative Nonfiction magazine (In Fact Books, 2014).

WHAT I'M LOOKING FOR

Creative Nonfiction publishes original essays of up to 4,000 words as well as craft and criticism. Each issue of the magazine is organized around a theme, announced well in advance. Submission guidelines at creativenonfiction.org/submissions

True Story features new longform (5,000 - 10,000 word) narratives.

SAMPLE TITLES OR AUTHORS

"Wait Times", Joe Fassler (excerpted in the Atlantic as "How Doctors Take Women's Pain Less Seriously")
Toi Derricotte
Beth Ann Fennelly

WHAT MY MAGAZINES ARE LOOKING FOR

Creative Nonfiction and True Story both favor narrative, as well as subjects that aren't traditionally seen as "literary"—we're interested in the use of narrative to communicate expertise and experience. We also favor nuance and detail, offering a generally immersive and in-depth experience for readers.

Posted by GrubStreet in Literary Magazine Editor

Ashley Lopez

ASHLEY LOPEZ

Ashley Lopez joined the Waxman Literary Agency in 2015. She received her MFA in Fiction from Sarah Lawrence College and is a founder and the Managing Editor of Pigeon Pages Literary Journal. Ashley is looking for literary and young adult fiction, narrative nonfiction, memoir, and cultural criticism. Most importantly she seeks authors with a strong point of view and an eye for language.

WHAT I'M LOOKING FOR

-Literary Fiction
-Upmarket Women's Fiction
-Young Adult Fiction w/ crossover potential
-Narrative Nonfiction
-Cultural Criticism
-Memoir

Specializes In

FICTION: Literary Fiction, Multi-Cultural

NONFICTION: Cultural/Social Issues, Current Affairs, GLBT, Investigative Journalism, Memoir, Narrative, Pop Culture, Women's Concerns

Considers

FICTION: Commercial Fiction, Family Saga, GLBT, Graphic Novels, Short Story Collections, Upmarket Women's Fiction, Young Adult

NONFICTION: Dating/Relationships, Food & Lifestyle, Gift Books, History, Multi-Cultural, Music, Nature/Ecology, Parenting, Politics, Psychology, Science, Self-Help, Travel, True Crime

Posted by GrubStreet in Literary Agent

Emi Ikkanda

EMI IKKANDA

An Asian American woman in her 30s, with shoulder-length black hair.

Emi Ikkanda is an Executive Editor acquiring nonfiction and select fiction projects at Tiny Reparations Books, Dutton, and Plume at Penguin Random House. She previously worked at Seal Press at Hachette, Spiegel & Grau at Random House, and Henry Holt at Macmillan. She publishes a diverse list of award-winning, bestselling, and culturally relevant books. Over the years she has edited #1 New York Times and international bestselling authors, and edited winners or finalists for the Pulitzer Prize, National Book Award, Carnegie Medal, Financial Times Business Book of the Year Award, and the TIME 100.

Recent highlights on her list include #1 New York Times bestselling author Ijeoma Oluo’s Mediocre, Karla Cornejo Villavicencio’s NBA finalist The Undocumented Americans, Carla Power’s Pulitzer finalist Home, Land, Security, Minda Harts’s Right Within, Arianna Davis’s What Would Frida Do?, international bestselling novelist Michael David Lukas’s The Last Watchman of Old Cairo, Sanaë Lemoine’s New York Times Editor’s Choice The Margot Affair, NASA Astronaut Nicole Stott’s Back to Earth, and former Reddit CEO Ellen Pao’s Reset.

WHAT I'M LOOKING FOR

BIPOC, queer, disabled, and other underrepresented writers of entertaining, voice-driven nonfiction (humor, pop culture, hybrid memoir, essays), or bold culture-shifting nonfiction (journalism, history, business, big idea books, practical books).

SAMPLE TITLES OR AUTHORS

Ijeoma Oluo’s Mediocre

Karla Cornejo Villavicencio’s The Undocumented Americans

Zach Anner's If At Birth You Don't Succeed

Specializes In

       FICTION: 

NONFICTION: Cultural/Social Issues, Investigative Journalism, LGBTQIA+, Current Affairs, History, Humor, Memoir, Multicultural/Global Perspectives, Narrative, Politics, Pop Culture, Psychology, Religion, Spirituality, Women's concerns, Self Help

Considers

       FICTION: 

NONFICTION: Cultural/Social Issues, Dating/Relationships, Gift Books, Investigative Journalism, LGBTQIA+, Current Affairs, History, Humor, Medical, Memoir, Multicultural/Global Perspectives, Narrative, Nature/Ecology, Parenting, Politics, Pop Culture, Psychology, Religion, Science, Self Help, Spirituality, Technology, Travel, Women's concernsod & Lifestyle, Health & Fitness, Humor, Medical, Music

Posted by GrubStreet in Editor

Michelle Tessler

MICHELLE TESSLER

Michelle Tessler represents a select number of best-selling and emerging authors in both fiction and nonfiction. Clients include accomplished journalists, scientists, academics, experts in their field, as well as novelists and debut authors with unique voices and stories to tell. She values fresh, original writing that has a compelling point of view.

She has worked in the publishing industry for over twenty years. Before forming her boutique agency in 2004, Michelle worked at the William Morris Agency and the prestigious literary agency Carlisle & Company (now Inkwell Management). She represents, among others, Seth Casteel (Underwater Dogs); Paul Collins (Murder of the Century), Frans de Waal (The Bonobo and The Atheist, Our Inner Ape); Leanne Ely (Saving Dinner); Mira Jacob (The Sleepwalker’s Guide to Dancing); Amy Stewart (The Drunken Botanist, Wicked Plants); Amanda Eyre Ward (The Jetsetters, How to Be Lost); David Sloan Wilson (The Neighborhood Project, Evolution for Everyone). She is a member of the Association of Author’s Representatives and Women’s Media Group.

WHAT I'M LOOKING FOR

Literary Fiction, Narrative Nonfiction

SAMPLE TITLES OR AUTHORS

Salt Houses, Hala Alyan
The Jetsetters and The Sober Lush, Amanda Eyre Ward
Good Talk and The Sleepwalker's Guide to Dancing, Mira Jacob

Specializes In

FICTION: Literary Fiction, Multi-Cultural, Upmarket Women's Fiction

NONFICTION:  Adventure/True Story, Cultural/Social Issues, Gift Books, History, Investigative Journalism, Medical, Memoir, Multi-Cultural, Narrative, Nature/Ecology, Psychology, Science, Women's Concerns

Considers

FICTION: Commercial Fiction, Graphic Novels, Historical Fiction

NONFICTION: Current Events, Dating/Relationships, Food & Lifestyle, GLBT, Health & Fitness, Humor, Men's Concerns, Military/War, Parenting, Pets, Politics, Pop Culture, Religion, Self-Help, Spirituality, Technology, Travel

Posted by GrubStreet in Literary Agent

Malaga Baldi

Malaga Baldi

White lesbian of a certain age trying to smile.

Malaga Baldi has worked as an independent literary agent since 1986. The Baldi Agency is an eclectic agency specializing in literary fiction, memoir and cultural history. She worked as a cashier at Gotham Book Mart, in the Ballantine Books Publicity Department, as an associate at Candida Donadio & Associates and the Elaine Markson Agency before going out on her own. Baldi believes the strength of the author's voice and the heart of the story to be key when considering new work. Baldi graduated from Hampshire College and lives in NYC.

What I'm Looking For

Intelligent, well-crafted completed fiction. Well thought out nonfiction proposals that might change your mind about a particular topic.

Specializes In

FICTION: Historical Fiction, GLBT, Literary Fiction, Multi-Cultural

NONFICTION: GLBT, History, Memoir, Music, Narrative, Nature/Ecology, Pop Culture

Considers

FICTION: Commercial Fiction, Crime, Graphic Novel

NONFICTION: Cultural/Social Issues, Current Affairs, Investigative Journalism, Politics, Psychology, Religion, Science, Sports

Posted by GrubStreet in Literary Agent

Serene Hakim

SERENE HAKIM

A woman in her 30s with dark hair, wearing a black shirt and beige sweater, in front of a bookcase.

Serene Hakim is an agent at Ayesha Pande Literary. She represents authors in a variety of genres, from MG fantasy to adult literary fiction to contemporary YA. Serene is particularly interested in both YA and adult fiction that has international themes, highlights a variety of cultures, and focuses on underrepresented and/or marginalized voices. Specifically, she’s looking for writing that explores different meanings of identity, home, family and parenthood/motherhood and is currently prioritizing projects in the kids' space, though she is still selectively taking on adult writers. Her educational background is in French and women’s studies, and she holds an MA in French-English translation from New York University.

WHAT I'M LOOKING FOR

Currently prioritizing taking on projects in the Young Adult and Middle Grade spaces, with a focus on contemporary stories, though I tend to really like books with speculative or genre elements, such as fantasy, magical realism, and a bit of horror. On the adult side, I like literary fiction with multicultural or international elements. Across all ages, I am prioritizing writers of color and writers from marginalized backgrounds.

SAMPLE TITLES OR AUTHORS

Mostly Dead Things, by Kristen Arnett
Cece Rios Trilogy, by Kaela Rivera
The Next New Syrian Girl and the forthcoming Six Truths and a Lie, by Ream Shukairy

SPECIALIZES IN

FICTION: Literary Fiction, Multi-Cultural, Short Story Collections, Young Adult, Middle Grade

NONFICTION: Narrative

 

CONSIDERS

FICTION: GLBT, Middle Grade, Upmarket Women's Fiction, Short Story Collections, Family Saga, Literary Fiction, Children's, Young Adult

NONFICTION: Cultural/Social Issues, Multi-Cultural, Narrative, Women's Concerns

Posted by GrubStreet in Literary Agent

DongWon Song

DONGWON SONG

DongWon Song is an agent at Howard Morhaim Literary Agency representing science fiction and fantasy for adults, young adult, and middle grade readers as well as select non-fiction. They were formerly an editor at Orbit, a product manager for an ebook startup, and they have been an adjunct instructor with Portland State University and New York University.

WHAT I'M LOOKING FOR

Speculative fiction for adults, young adults, and middle grade audiences.

SAMPLE TITLES OR AUTHORS

Anger is a Gift, Mark Oshiro
The Lies of Locke Lamora, Scott Lynch
Alyssa Wong

SPECIALIZES IN

FICTION: Children's, Fantasy, Graphic Novels, Middle Grade, Multi-Cultural, Science Fiction, Young Adult

NONFICTION: Cultural/Social Issues, Food & Lifestyle, Multi-Cultural

CONSIDERS

FICTION: Horror

NONFICTION: Investigative Journalism, Juvenile, Narrative, Nature/Ecology, Science

Posted by GrubStreet in Literary Agent

Katie Raissian

KATIE RAISSIAN

Katie Raissian is an editor at Grove Atlantic, where she edits literary fiction and nonfiction. She is also editor and publisher of Stonecutter, a print magazine of art and literature which focuses on publishing international writers and artists alongside US-based ones. Stonecutter has featured work by John Ashbery, Cathy Linh Che, Mark O’Connell, Renee Gladman, Ricardo Piglia, Nicole Sealey, Newsha Tavakolian, Sara Baume, Karl Ove Knausgaard, Lydia Kiesling, and Sally Rooney, to name but a few. Now residing in Queens, Katie is originally from Cork, Ireland.

SAMPLE TITLES OR AUTHORS

Why We Can't Sleep, Ada Calhoun
The Parisian, Isabella Hammad
The Far Field, Madhuri Vijay

Specializes In

FICTION: Literary Fiction, Multi-Cultural, Short Story Collections

NONFICTION: Memoir, Psychology, True Crime

Considers

FICTION: Commercial Fiction, Family Saga, GLBT, Graphic Novels, Historical Fiction, Humor/Satire, Science Fiction, Thrillers/Suspense, Upmarket Women's Fiction

NONFICTION: Adventure/True Story, Cultural/Social Issues, Current Affairs, GLBT, Multi Cultural, Music, Narrative, Nature/Ecology, Parenting, Politics, Pop Culture, Science, Technology, Women's Concerns

MORE INFO COMING SOON!

Posted by GrubStreet in Editor