2021

Susan Canavan

SUSAN CANAVAN

Susan Canavan joined the Waxman Literary Agency in 2019. She was formerly a senior executive editor at Houghton Mifflin Harcourt where she acquired and edited dozens of New York Times bestsellers in the categories of narrative nonfiction, history, adventure, sports, memoir, journalism, health, science, pop culture, parenting, nature and literary and historical fiction. She is interested in books that explore the limitlessness of human potential or that change the way we think about the world around us. A graduate of Boston College with an MFA in Creative Writing from Emerson College, she is passionate about exceptional storytelling, narrative arc and discovering original voices.

Specializes In

NONFICTION: Narrative, Memoir

MORE DETAILS COMING SOON!

Posted by GrubStreet in Literary Agent

Amber Oliver

AMBER OLIVER

Amber Oliver is an editor at Penguin Random House. Amber has published Lambda Literary Award winner, Claire O’Dell’s A Study in Honor and The Hound of Justice and has forthcoming titles such as Robin Page’s Small Silent Things, Lee Matalone’s Home Making, Shayla Lawson’s This is Major, Morgan Jerkins’s Wandering in Strange Lands, and Yaffa S. Santos’s A Taste of Sage. Amber is also a 2019 Publishers Weekly Star Watch Honoree. She was born and raised in the Bronx, is a graduate of the City College of New York, and is committed to uplifting marginalized voices and acquiring literary fiction and upmarket commercial fiction that is well-written, culturally relevant, and totally engrossing.

WHAT I'M LOOKING FOR

I love literary and upmarket commercial novels that has beautiful language, punchy and believable dialogue, lush settings, and fully realized characters. I am particularly interested in own voices and marginalized communities, as well as books that are timely and culturally relevant. I am looking for workplace novels, literary novels with music, southern Gothics, LGBTQ narratives, family sagas, sibling stories, among others. In terms of nonfiction, I value the same voices, but am drawn to pop culture, social issues, social justice, essay collections and memoir. The themes I'd like across fiction (and non) are identity, legacy, trauma, mental health, social justice, power dynamics, feminism, among others.

SAMPLE TITLES OR AUTHORS

Wandering in Strange Lands: A Daughter of the Great Migration Reclaims Her Roots, Morgan Jerkins
Small Silent Things, Robin Page
This is Major: Notes on Diana Ross, Dark Girls, and Being Dope, Shayla Lawson

Specializes In

FICTION: Family Saga, GLBT, Literary Fiction, Multi-Cultural, Short Story Collections, Upmarket Women's Fiction

NONFICTION: Adventure/True Story, Cultural/Social Issues, GLBT, Memoir, Multi-Cultural, Music, Pop Culture, Women's Concerns

Considers

FICTION: Humor/Satire

NONFICTION: Current Affairs, Humor, Investigative Journalism

Posted by GrubStreet in Editor

Saba Sulaiman

SABA SULAIMAN

A South Asian woman with long black hair pulled in a pony tai lwearing thick-rimmed black glasses and a black blouse with white polka dots smiling with bookshelves in the background.

Saba Sulaiman is a Senior Agent at Talcott Notch Literary Services, a boutique agency located in Milford, CT. She holds a BA in Economics and Middle Eastern Studies from Wellesley College and an MA from the University of Chicago, where she studied modern Persian literature. Being an immigrant who is constantly negotiating her own identity and sense of belonging in a place she now calls “home,” she is committed to championing books by writers from marginalized communities with compelling stories to tell; stories that demonstrate the true range of perspectives that exist in this world, and address urgent and often underexplored issues in both fiction and non-fiction with veracity and heart. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram @agentsaba and learn more about her at sabasulaiman.com.

WHAT I'M LOOKING FOR

I'm looking primarily for children's fiction and non-fiction, and I'm particularly (although not exclusively) interested in contemporary realistic stories. I'm also open to romance, literary, upmarket, and commercial fiction, tightly plotted, character-driven psychological thrillers, cozy mysteries à la Agatha Christie, humor writing, and memoir.

SAMPLE TITLES OR AUTHORS

Too Bright to See, Kyle Lukoff
The Moon from Dehradun, Shirin Shamsi
Jokes to Offend Men, Kate Herzlin, Danielle Kraese, Ysabel Yates, and Allison Kelley

Specializes In

FICTION: Children's, Middle Grade, Picture Books, Young Adult

NONFICTION: Cultural/Social Issues, Humor, Juvenile, Memoir, Multi-Cultural, Parenting, Women's Concerns

Considers

FICTION: Humor/Satire, Literary Fiction, Multi-Cultural, Mystery, Romance, Upmarket Women's Fiction

NONFICTION: Dating/Relationships, GLBT, Health & Fitness, Music, Pop Culture

Posted by GrubStreet in Literary Agent

Danielle Burby

DANIELLE BURBY

Danielle got her start at a New York agency in 2013 where she handled foreign rights and built her client list until joining NLA as an agent in 2017. She primarily represents young adult, middle grade, and women’s fiction with select picture books. She is building her list in graphic novels. She looks for a strong narrative voice and a cast of characters she wants to spend time with.

WHAT I'M LOOKING FOR

  • Middle grade, young adult, graphic novels, women’s fiction, and select picture books
  • Fresh, inclusive, intersectional narratives with an emphasis on diverse protagonists, whether LGBTQ+, BIPOC, disabled, etc.
  • I am particularly drawn to: complex female characters, seaside novels, girls with swords, magical realism, LGBTQ+ love, sister stories, toxic friendships, feminist fairytales, social justice themes, folklore, creepy forests, complicated family dynamics, quirky adventures, protagonists who change systems and break rules, heartwarming love stories, whimsy.
  • I welcome queries from all authors and am particularly passionate about advocating for writers with historically marginalized identities including sexuality, gender identity, race, ethnicity, and disability.

SAMPLE TITLES OR AUTHORS

Fireborne, Rosaria Munda
Etta Invincible, Reese Eschmann
The Paper Girl of Paris, Jordyn Taylor

Specializes In

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

Considers

FICTION: Chick Lit, Commercial Fiction, Family Saga, Historical Fiction, Literary Fiction, Picture Books

Posted by GrubStreet in Literary Agent

Heather Carr

HEATHER CARR

A white cis woman with shoulder length brown hair seated in front of a bookshelf

Heather Carr is a literary agent at The Friedrich Agency where she represents fiction and nonfiction for adults. Originally from the suburbs of Portland, Oregon, she now lives in Brooklyn, NY. Heather is looking for voice-driven narrative nonfiction by a writer who guides the reader into a world they are uniquely positioned to write about, particularly with original reportage. She’s also seeking literary fiction and high-concept commercial fiction including that which dabbles in the surreal and suspenseful. She loves to be surprised by offbeat humor, new takes on old tropes, and unconventional storytelling. In all writing, she’s on the hunt for a singular voice and new perspectives. She does not represent any work for children or young adults.

WHAT I'M LOOKING FOR

I'm actively looking for investigative narrative nonfiction in the vein of Patrick Radden Keefe's SAY NOTHING and Rachel Aviv's STRANGERS TO OURSELVES, inventive literary fiction like Susanna Clarke's PIRANESI or Kiese Laymon's LONG DIVISION, and moody suspense like Katy Hays' THE CLOISTERS.

SAMPLE TITLES OR AUTHORS

Dances by Nicole Cuffy
Everyone in This Room Will Someday Be Dead by Emily Austin
Secrets of the Octopus by Sy Montgomery (forthcoming in March '24)

Specializes In

FICTION: Literary Fiction, Upmarket Women's Fiction

NONFICTION: Narrative, Nature/Ecology, Investigative Journalism

Considers

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

NONFICTION: Cultural/Social Issues, GLBT, Investigative Journalism, Multi-Cultural, Narrative, Nature/Ecology, Science, Women's Concerns

Posted by GrubStreet in Literary Agent

Kiele Raymond

KIELE RAYMOND

A white woman with glasses and medium length hair poses against a white brick background.

Kiele Raymond joined Thompson Literary Agency in 2017 to seek out bold new voices in literary fiction and narrative nonfiction. Her list includes critically acclaimed and award winning writers such as Lee Matalone, Ari Braverman, Peace Adzo Medie, Nichole Perkins, Katie Barnes, and Candice Wuehle. Kiele received her B.A. in Anthropology and English Literature from Johns Hopkins University and her M.A. in the Humanities from the University of Chicago before launching her publishing career as an editor at Simon & Schuster. Her studies in modernism, sociolinguistics, and affect theory continue to influence her reading tastes and she treats each project with great editorial care.

WHAT I'M LOOKING FOR

I love working with literary fiction that feels deeply rooted in interiority and place. I am also interested in working with more narrative non-fiction that asks hard questions and circumvents simple answers.

SAMPLE TITLES OR AUTHORS

NIGHTBLOOM by Peace Adzo Medie

THE WOODS by Janice Obuchowski

FAIR PLAY by Katie Barnes.

Specializes In

FICTION: Literary Fiction, Multi-Cultural/Global Fiction

NONFICTION: Cultural/Social Issues, Investigative Journalism, Narrative

Considers

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

NONFICTION: Cultural/Social Issues, Investigative Journalism, Narrative, History, Pop Culture

Posted by GrubStreet in Literary Agent

Sonali Chanchani

SONALI CHANCHANI

Sonali smiles in front of a bookcase.

 

 

 

Sonali Chanchani is an agent at Folio Literary Management, where she represents character-driven upmarket and literary fiction with a strong, distinctive voice. In particular, she’s drawn to smart women’s fiction; quirky, heartfelt family stories; nuanced psychological mysteries; and rich, atmospheric historical projects with a touch of magical realism. On the nonfiction side, she’s interested in narratives and collections that illuminate some aspect of our society or culture — especially reported narratives in the areas of race, class, gender, and politics. A fierce advocate of authors from marginalized communities, Sonali is keen to represent a diversity of voices. She earned her degree in English and Narrative Studies from the University of Southern California and began her career in publishing at Kaya, an independent press dedicated to publishing authors from the Asian diaspora.

WHAT I'M LOOKING FOR

Literary and upmarket fiction and narrative nonfiction. In both fiction and nonfiction, I look for character-driven stories with a strong, distinctive voice.

SAMPLE TITLES OR AUTHORS

Masuma Ahuja
Julie Rodgers
Kathleen Basi

Specializes In

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

NONFICTION: Cultural/Social Issues, Current Affairs, GLBT, Investigative Journalism, Multi-Cultural, Narrative, Women's Concerns

Considers

FICTION: Crime, GLBT, Historical Fiction, Short Story Collections

NONFICTION: History, Memoir, Politics, True Crime

Posted by GrubStreet in Literary Agent

Lauren Scovel

LAUREN SCOVEL

A woman with short, sandy-blonde hair and a blue turtleneck

 

 

Lauren Scovel grew up outside of Seattle and graduated from Emerson College with a degree in Writing, Literature, and Publishing as well as Theatre Studies. She began her publishing career as an editorial intern at Zachary Shuster Harmsworth (now Aevitas Creative Management). Lauren’s editorial work can be seen at The Millions and Pangyrus. She also worked as an indie bookseller for several years.

WHAT I'M LOOKING FOR

Lauren is looking to amplify underrepresented stories and voices, and is especially interested in fiction, narrative nonfiction, and select children's books with a timely, distinctive story and a diverse cast of characters.

SAMPLE AUTHORS OR TITLES

DEAD WEIGHT, Randall Horton
LORD THE ONE YOU LOVE IS SICK, Kasey Thornton
JUST LIZZIE, Karen Wilfrid (forthcoming Fall 2023)

Specializes In

FICTION: LGBTQIA+, Literary Fiction, Middle Grade, Multicultural/Global Fiction, Young Adult

NONFICTION: Cultural/Social Issues, Investigative Journalism, LGBTQIA+, Multicultural/Global Perspectives, Narrative, True Crime, Women's Concerns

Considers

FICTION: Commercial Fiction, Family Saga

NONFICTION: Memoir

Posted by GrubStreet in Literary Agent

Sandy Lu

SANDY LU

Sandy Lu

Sandy Lu founded Book Wyrm Literary Agency in 2020 after working as a literary agent for a decade at other boutique agencies. Her client list includes Kindle bestsellers, Stoker Award and Hammett Prize nominees, Goodreads Choice Awards finalists, and New York Times Best of the Year recipient.

Born and raised in Taiwan, Sandy immigrated to the United States in her teens and has lived in New York ever since. She holds BAs in psychology and sociology from Queens College, with minors in music, business, and Japanese. Prior to becoming an agent, she worked as a business/operations manager in the theater industry.

Sandy’s areas of study and work experience greatly inform her interest in submissions. In fiction, she is seeking stories that will draw her in with a unique voice, make her miss her bedtime with a thrilling plot, and characters that will stay with her long after she turns the last page. Bonus points if you can make her laugh out loud or unable to hold back tears in public. Sandy especially loves historical fiction and anything dark, twisted, or with a supernatural bent.

In nonfiction, she’s looking for projects that can make connections about different topics in an unexpected way, explicate complex research for a general audience, introduce the reader to cutting-edge science or previously little known historical facts and figures, teach us new ways to think or clever skills that can improve our daily life, and expand our knowledge and understanding of the world—past, present, and future.

WHAT I'M LOOKING FOR

Fiction: Literary and commercial fiction, mystery, thriller, suspense, horror, science fiction, fantasy, historical fiction, family saga, upmarket women’s fiction, and YA.

Nonfiction: Narrative nonfiction, history, biography, science, business, psychology, pop culture, and food writing.

Not Looking For: Picture books, graphic novels, religions/spirituality, politics/current affairs, sports, parenting, poetry, or screenplays.

SAMPLE TITLES OR AUTHORS

Walking Through Needles, Heather Levy
One of Us is Dead, Jeneva Rose
The Deepest Black, Randall Silvis

Specializes In

FICTION: Commercial Fiction, Crime, Family Saga, Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Horror, Multi-Cultural, Mystery, Thrillers/Suspense, Upmarket Women's Fiction, Young Adult

NONFICTION: Food & Lifestyle, History, Investigative Journalism, Music, Narrative, Pop Culture, Psychology, Science

Considers

FICTION: Chick Lit, GLBT, Humor/Satire, Literary Fiction, Middle Grade, Romance, Science Fiction

NONFICTION: Adventure/True Story, Cultural/Social Issues, GLBT, Gift Books, Health & Fitness, Humor, Medical, Memoir, Men's Concerns, Multi-Cultural, Nature/Ecology, Pets, Self-Help, Technology, Travel, True Crime, Women's Concerns

Posted by GrubStreet in Literary Agent

Kiana (Kiki) Nguyen

KIANA (KIKI) NGUYEN

A light-skinned Vietnamese/Black 31 year old woman, with long black hair clipped by two butterfly clips.

 

 

 

Kiana (Kiki) Nguyen is a literary agent at Donald Maass Literary Agency.

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

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

WHAT I'M LOOKING FOR

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

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

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

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

MSWL here:
https://www.kiananguyen.com/mswl

SAMPLE TITLES OR AUTHORS

Hannah Abigail Clarke: THE SCAPEGRACERS (queer, chaotic, dark witchiness)
Ruby Barrett: THE FRIENDSHIP STUDY (queer male love interest, adults navigating making new friendships/connections, sexy)
Anna Gracia: BOYS I KNOW (coming of age teen girl crash coursing lessons on love through the shitty boys she dates)

Specializes In

FICTION: Family Saga, Fantasy, LGBTQIA+, Horror, Romance, Science Fiction, Thrillers/Suspense, Young Adult, Mystery

Considers

FICTION: Family Saga, Fantasy, LGBTQIA+, Horror, Romance, Science Fiction, Thrillers/Suspense, Young Adult, Mystery

Posted by GrubStreet in Literary Agent