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Literary Fiction
Jan 23rd - Jan 29th
Marijana Jankovic & Natasa Lekic
March 04, 2025
Bluesky Alert
Cole Lanahan at The Seymour Agency and MSWL.
The Official #MSWL Day will be happening on BlueSky on February 12th. I'll have a special post (or 2 or 3!) for that day, but in the meantime, I have just updated my #MSWL page. www.manuscriptwishlist.com/mswl-post/li... #kidlit #BookSky #BookTok
— Liz Nealon (@liznealon.bsky.social) 2025-01-24T18:10:20.738Z
Liz Nealon at Great Dog Literary.
Agent Transfer Alert
Leila Campoli has joined as principal agent. Campoli was previously with Stonesong
“She works with writers of science, business, economics, lifestyle, current events, pop culture, and literary and upmarket fiction...In fiction, she looks for speculative, genre-bending literary, and upmarket fiction, weird fiction leaning into horror or satire and stories set in extreme environments.”
Deal Alert
Andrea Somberg sold Fiction: Sci-Fi/Fantasy | NYT bestselling author of THE SPELLSHOP Sarah Beth Durst's SEA OF CHARMS
“My list is diverse and I love it that way. I represent almost all types of fiction and nonfiction, as well as young adult and middle grade … For fiction, regardless of whether it’s literary, upmarket book club fiction, speculative or horror, fantasy, science fiction, mysteries, thrillers, ya or middle grade, I am looking for a narrative voice that resonates with me. Books that particularly make me sit up and take notice these days are: …
Novels that explore cultural heritage…
YA or Adult novels that are based on a true story from the 20th century…
Magical realism for the adult, YA or MG market.
Adult, MG or YA novels that feature diverse protagonists…
Any novel with great characters and a compelling storyline…”
Agency, Personal site, Twitter and MSWL.
Elyse Cheney sold Fiction: General/Other | Author of LOSING EARTH, SECOND NATURE, and ODDS AGAINST TOMORROW Nathaniel Rich's CLOUDTHIEF
“My fiction interests range from the literary to upmarket commercial ... and am increasingly interested in commercial fiction, thrillers and women’s fiction.
GENRES & SPECIALTIES
Fiction Genres:
Commercial Fiction, Upmarket
Family Saga
Historical Fiction
Literary Fiction
Short Story
Suspense
Women’s, Upmarket.”
David McCormick sold Fiction: Debut | Stegner fellow and Michener grad Mark Hitz's THE NAME OF THE DOG
‘‘David McCormick has been a literary agent since 1998, first at IMG Literary and then as co-founder of his own agency. He was previously an editor at The New Yorker and Texas Monthly. He is a co-editor of The Ultimate Golf Book.’’
“Recent titles:
The Sorrows of Others by Ada Zhang
The Brother Years by Shannon Burke
Barn 8 by Deb Olin Unferth.”
Darlene Chan sold Digital: Fiction: Mystery/Crime | Screenwriter, playwright, video game writer, and author of THE SPY WHO HATED ME Haris Orkin's FROM LOMPOC WITH LOVE
“Darlene is interested in stories by and about BIPOC, women’sfiction, literary fiction, chick lit/rom-com, crime fiction, pop culture, narrative non-fiction and non-fiction books on film and the entertainment industry.”
John Talbot sold Digital: Fiction: Thriller | Agatha Award-nominated authors LynDee Walker and Bruce Robert Coffin's next two books in the TURNER AND MOSLEY FILES series
“MSWL update for John:
Literary fiction that can be described as quirky and enchanting, something heartland and funny and sad, with a memorable voice and that takes a deep dive into character. I'm thinking of titles such as Jean Kyoung Frazier's Pizza Girl, Julia Langbein's American Mermaid, Tom Perrotta's Tracy Flick Can't Win, Karen Russel's Swamplandia!, J. Ryan Stradal's The Lager Queen of Minnesota, Jonathan Tropper's The Book of Joe, and Kevin Wilson's Now is Not the Time to Panic.”
Annie Bomke sold Fiction: Mystery/Crime | Author of HALL OF MIRRORS John Copenhaver and publisher and EIC of Bywater Books Salem West, eds.'s CRIME INK: ICONIC
“I represent adult and YA fiction and nonfiction, including commercial and literary fiction, upmarket fiction, contemporary fiction…
More specifically for fiction (YA and adult), I like books with diverse characters (especially #OwnVoices), familiar stories told from a different perspective (like Wide Sargasso Sea)… I love funny books and serious books.”
Mariah Stovall sold Non-fiction: Memoir | Assistant professor of English at the University of North Dakota Courtney Kersten's FOLLOW THE SIGNS
“She represents adult literary and upmarket fiction, narrative nonfiction and essay collections, all by writers with strong voices and interdisciplinary perspectives. She is not currently seeking memoirs.
Across genres, she gravitates toward outsiders and stylish, inventive storytelling. She's primarily interested in how subcultures, social movements, and complex individuals intersect with pop culture and the arts, history, STEM, linguistics, sports, and philosophy. She has a hands-on, collaborative approach to editing and loves helping writers shape their projects for publication. She's especially passionate about advocating for authors from underrepresented and marginalized and minoritized groups (including writers without MFAs).”
Sarah Burnes sold Fiction: Debut | Columbia University MFA graduate Cay Kim's THE FUTURE PERFECT
“As an editor, she acquired and edited literary fiction and non-fiction, and as an agent, she has added children's fiction to her list.”
“Recent titles:
Our Long Marvelous Dying by Anna DeForest
Shit Cassandra Saw by Gwen Kirby
We Do What We Do in the Dark by Michelle Hart.”
Margaret Riley King sold Fiction: Debut | NYT bestselling author, podcaster, and content creator Tinx's HOTTER IN THE HAMPTONS
“She represents both literary and commercial fiction...She is drawn to books and stories that move her deeply, offer a new perspective and make her feel something. She is on the lookout for new voices and storytellers and is deeply committed to growing, nurturing and guiding literary careers long-term.”
Alexa Stark sold Fiction: Literary | PEN/Faulkner nominee and author of POOR DEER Claire Oshetsky's EVIL GENIUS
“She [Alexa] represents a range of literary and upmarket fiction and select nonfiction. On the fiction side, she is particularly drawn to literary debuts with a unique voice and perspective, stories about dysfunctional friendships and families, novels that engage with social issues, underrepresented voices, and fiction that delves into the surreal or plays with genre in fresh or subversive ways.”
Katie Grimm sold Fiction: Debut | Stacy Hackney's THE PRIMROSE MURDER SOCIETY
‘‘Most generally, I focus on adult literary and upmarket fiction, narrative and creative non-fiction, and literary fiction for young adult and middle grade audiences. Across all genres and ages, I’ll always be interested in the darker and weirder side of the human condition, stories that can be classified as tragicomic, and previously under- or misrepresented experiences and voices.
In adult fiction, I look for unique voices and plot that evokes a strong emotion and necessitates a conversation–including contemporary, historical, mysterious and speculative. I always want books with a heartbeat, and I’m delighted when an unusual structure or form functions at a higher level.’’
Agency, Twitter, Publisher's Marketplace and MSWL.
Jim McCarthy sold Fiction: Mystery/Crime | Saundra Mitchell's THIS SIDE OF GONE
“As an avid fiction reader, his interests encompass both literary and commercial works in the adult, young adult, and middle grade categories. He is particularly interested in literary fiction, underrepresented voices … anything unusual or unexpected, and any book that makes him cry or laugh out loud.”
Kate McKean sold Children's: Middle Grade Fiction | Author of THE WORLD DIVIDED BY PIPER Caela Carter's RUTH AT THE EDGE
“She is primarily interested in fiction for adults, young adults and middle grade readers in the areas of contemporary fiction, literary fiction, historical fiction set in the 20th Century, LGBTQ issues, fantasy, magical realism, and science fiction.”
Agency, Personal site, Twitter and MSWL.
Jenni Ferrari-Adler sold Fiction: Literary | Author of LECH and DOLL PALACE Sara Lippmann's HIDDEN RIVER
‘‘In addition to literary and commercial novels, I represent award-winning young adult and middle grade novels, short story collections, graphic memoirs, narrative non-fiction, and cookbooks.’’
Agency, Personal site and Twitter.
Mary Krienke sold Non-fiction: Memoir | Professional gambler Gina Fiore's MISS BROWN'S EDUCATION
‘‘Mary represents literary and upmarket fiction, narrative nonfiction, and select memoir, prescriptive, and illustrated projects. Whether in fiction or nonfiction, Mary gravitates toward work that is fierce, sharp, nuanced, and uncompromising. In fiction, she is looking for work that is inventive and strange, brave and honest, with humor and heart. She especially loves fiction that employs genre elements—whether evocatively surreal or supernatural—to speak about a world that is always in flux and difficult to perceive and render.’’
Vicky Bijur sold Non-fiction: Food/Beverage | NYT-bestselling author of THE FOOD LAB, THE WOK, and EVERY NIGHT IS PIZZA NIGHT J. Kenji Lopez-Alt's untitled cookbook of recipes and techniques
“Vicky Bijur started her agency in 1988. She represents fiction and non-fiction...”
“What We Are Looking For:
Literary Fiction...”
Wendy Sherman sold Non-fiction: Advice/Relationships/Self-Help | Host of the Feminist Wellness podcast and somatic experiencing practitioner Beatriz Victoria Albina, NP, MPH's END EMOTIONAL OUTSOURCING
‘‘Wendy loves voice and story-driven fiction that hits that sweet spot between literary and mainstream. She has a passion for Southern voices, suspense with a well-developed protagonist, and has a weakness for family secrets, mother-daughter relationships, and realistic love stories.’’
Sarah Fuentes sold Fiction: Literary | Joe Bond's HOPE HOUSE
“Across genres she is looking for sharp and distinct contemporary voices, compelling prose, and singular points of view. In fiction she’s interested in novels that dig into the complicated inner workings of relationships and bring readers deep in the messy minds of their characters, and particularly those that wrestle with class, sexuality, race, and power in all its forms. She also loves a twist of humor, a dark bent, or a speculative or uncanny edge.”
“Recent titles:
A Family Matter by Claire Lynch
This Is Why We Can’t Have Nice Things by Naomi Wood
The Ghost Theatre by Mat Osman.”
Jemiscoe Chambers-Black sold Children's: Young Adult Fiction | Reese's Book Club 2022 LitUp Fellow and author of TIME AND TIME AGAIN and TRY YOUR WORST Chatham Greenfield's LIKE A LADY
“I am currently building a diverse list of authors and illustrators. While I represent a wide range of age groups, I am currently only open to authors writing middle grade, young adult, and adult fiction, illustrators, and author-illustrators. Across the board, and regardless of age group or genre, I am interested in writing that contains authentic emotional resonance--whether it brings on the giggles or tears or both.”
“Adult:
Literary - Beautiful prose with a strong cast of characters.”
Lauren Scovel sold Fiction: Debut | Iowa Writers' Workshop graduate Allie Tagle-Dokus's LUCKY GIRL
“I am looking to amplify underrepresented stories and voices, and am especially interested in literary and upmarket-crossover fiction, narrative nonfiction, and contemporary children’s books (middle grade and young adult) with a timely, distinctive story, propulsive plot, and diverse cast of characters.”
*I will reopen for queries from Monday February 3rd - Friday February 7th.
Colleen Mohyde sold Fiction: Mystery/Crime | Edgar Award-nominated author of A BRILLIANT DEATH and THE SACRIFICE OF LESTER YATES Robin Yocum's THE LAST HITMAN
“She is first and foremost interested in gifted storytelling, whether in literary fiction or narrative non-fiction, and is also interested in biography, business, psychology, health, sports, music, history, and politics.”
Frances Black sold Fiction: Mystery/ Crime | Author of SCHOOLED IN MURDER Victoria Gilbert's DEATH BY DEGREES
“Frances Black loves to read, whether reading at the beach, under an umbrella, or curled up on a couch with green tea; she loves romance-based books, the quirkier the better.
We are ONLY interested in these categories.
Literary and Commercial Fiction...”
Elias Altman sold Non-fiction: Biography | Professor in Arts and the Humanities at Stanford University and author of the NBCC Finalist Fierce Poise Alexander Nemerov's ALL THE RAGE
“Elias Altman specializes in sharp and moving narratives featuring psychological insight, timeless themes, and strong characters whether in reported non-fiction by journalists, popular history by scholars, memoirs by people who’ve really lived, or literary fiction by writers with precision, honesty, and heart.”
Stephanie Rostan sold Fiction: Debut | Recent Stanford graduate and Gen-Z culture writer Malavika Kannan's UNPRECEDENTED TIMES
‘‘Unusual and vivid voices, genre-straddling stories and intense emotion (whether funny, creepy, warm or sad) – the things that make a book stick with you for a long time – are what she finds most appealing. She represents adult, YA and middle grade projects.’’
‘‘Recent titles:
Paper Names by Susie Luo