Writing Away Refuge Zoom Pitch Retreat

Carleen Geisler, Associate Agent

ArtHouse Literary Agency​​

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I’m an associate agent actively building my list of both adult fiction and nonfiction. While I am always open to adult fiction across contemporary genres, I am also very actively looking for fun nonfiction projects at the moment.

In fiction, I tend to gravitate toward a more upmarket or literary voice, though I will also look at commercial stories! My tastes span widely from very quiet, everyday stories to odd or unsettling atmospheres, and everything between. Some of my favorite books to see comp’d to in my inbox are: BUNNY by Mona Awad, SUNDIAL by Catriona Ward, THE ARC by Tory Henwood Hoen, A NOVEL OBSESSION by Cailtin Barasch, SMILE AND LOOK PRETTY by Amanda Pellegrino, and GOOD RICH PEOPLE by Eliza Jane Brazier.

In nonfiction, my aim is to find very niche topics that appeal to a wide audience. Authors with clear knowledge of their subject, and a talent for connecting their topic to the human nature of others is appreciated. That said, I also welcome being surprised by nonfiction in spaces I haven’t thought about before. If you can make me care about a topic I’ve previously never given much thought to, I want to hear from you!

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To view Carleen's complete manuscript wishlist, follow this link:

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Carleen Geisler – The Official Manuscript Wish List Website

Katie Reed, Agent

Andrea Hurst and Associates

(KATIE'S PITCH SLOTS ARE NOW FULL)

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​Katie Reed began her career in publishing with Andrea Hurst Literary Management while pursuing her B.A. in English at Sacramento State University and has worked in the publishing field for over a decade. Katie, a senior literary agent and skilled developmental editor, is actively building her client list, working with authors to shape and strengthen their stories for publication. She lives in Lewiston, Idaho with her husband, three children, a Bichon Frise, a Golden Retriever, and two obstinate cats. In the summer you can find her on the beach upriver in Hells Canyon, preferably with a good book.

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Follow the link to view Katie's full manuscript wishlist:

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Andrea Hurst & Associates, LLC | Boutique Literary Agency​

Tommy Dean, Agent

Rosecliff Literary Agency

(TOMMY'S PITCH SLOTS ARE NOW FULL!)

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Tommy Dean, an agent with Rosecliff Literary, a writer, teacher, and editor. He has an MFA from Queens University of Charlotte and loves to connect with the writing community. He is currently building his list and he’s excited to find authors who are passionate about their stories. He’s always interested in clear stakes, surprise endings, and stories that make him forget the outside world. Plus points for supercharged sensory experiences, characters yearning to understand their pasts and find a glimmer of hope. Give him your characters with secrets, past loves, past crimes, and past mistakes that lead to unique stories. As an educator and teacher, his participation in the literary community has taught him that we all have a story to tell, and he wants to help you connect with a passionate and excited audience.

Tommy is a new literary agent and is actively building his client list! He is focused on adult fiction, primarily crime, mystery, thrillers, and suspense novels. 

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Elisa Houot, Agent

The Seymour Agency

(ELISA'S PITCH SLOTS ARE NOW FULL!)

Elisa Houot is a literary agent at The Seymour Agency and head of the French office. Elisa represents authors writing from Picture Books to Adult literature and is the French foreign rights agent for The Seymour Agency. 

Enthusiastic about discovering new voices, Elisa lives in France with her adorable and barking companion, Muffin. Beyond anything, she thrives on helping authors build their careers. She is always on the lookout for new voices in kid-lit and in romance.

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See Elisa's complete manuscript wishlist here:

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Elisa Houot | MsWishList

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Hailey Stephens, Associate Agent

ArtHouse Literary Agency

(HAILEY'S PITCH SLOTS ARE NOW FULL!)

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Hailey Stephens is an avid reader, writer, and editor with a bachelor's degree in English-Writing from Illinois Wesleyan University, as well as a master's in Writing and Publishing from DePaul University. She is especially interested in uplifting diverse artists from rural communities that may be overlooked by such a metropolis-based industry.

While Hailey's reading tastes include almost everything (she currently favors romance, literary fiction, and creative memoirs), her writing is focused on both creative nonfiction and psychological/supernatural horror. When not reading or writing, Hailey enjoys exploring her many hobbies. She's a baker, hiker, puzzler, gamer (board games, card games, D&D, video games-she's open to it all!), cross-stitcher, and so much more.

 

MSWL: 

In general, Hailey is only looking for Adult novels, but she will selectively take on Middle Grade books if the manuscript will inspire a passion for reading the way books like FABLEHAVEN by Brandon Mull, PERCY JACKSON by Rick Riordan, SKELETON CREEK by Patrick Carman, and PRINCESS ACADEMY by Shannon Hale did for young Hailey. She would also love to champion authors from rural areas, especially authors from BIPOC, LGBTQ+, neurodivergent, and/or any other community that tends to be overlooked in rural areas. (This doesn't mean the manuscript itself has to be based in a rural setting, although she always appreciates a good rural horror.)

For Literary, Upmarket, and Contemporary fiction, Hailey wants vivid stories that pull the reader in right away, immersing them in the work the author has created. The voice should be earnest and make readers feel intertwined with the characters. She would love to champion works that are as devastatingly honest and impactful as ROOTLESS by Krystle Zara Appiah, THE BLUEST EYE by Toni Morrison, and THE WEDDING PEOPLE by Alison Espach all are.

For thriller and horror, she wants stories that linger in the corners of the mind, with characters that feel like they're in the room with the reader (for better or worse). Hailey is always chasing the high left behind from reading HOUSE OF LEAVES by Mark Z. Danielewski. She aspires to feel as involved in the narrative as she did while reading Mary Shelley's FRANKENSTEIN. She wants manuscripts that get hearts and minds racing, but they should not ever include gratuitous violence or gore.

Hailey will also selectively take on Adult Romance, and is hopeful there are still love story tropes out there that can be discovered or re-explored in a way that redefines the genre.

In nonfiction, she is looking for both trade and literary proposals. She is especially interested in memoirs that play with the concept of time and structure like THE FACE series published by Restless Books, EVIDENCE OF V by Sheila O’Connor, and DEAR MEMORY by Victoria Chang. She would also be very interested in cookbooks of all kinds.

Hailey is always looking for a great love (in any sense of the word) story, but what she really needs in a manuscript is content that changes the minds and lives of its readers in unexpected ways. While the stories she represents do not necessarily need to have a happy ending, she is focused on finding manuscripts that inspire positive community and discussion for years to come. (In other words, a book with strong potential to cultivate a thriving fandom!)

What she doesn’t want: Poetry, Picture Books, Children's Books, Erotica/Romances where being "spicy" is one of the main draws, Historical Fiction, YA Fiction, Legal Procedurals, Fantasy

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Ashley Lopez, Agent

Waxman Literary Agency

(ASHLEY'S PITCH SLOTS ARE NOW FULL!)

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Ashley Lopez is an agent at Waxman Literary Agency. She received her MFA in Fiction from Sarah Lawrence College and is a founder of Pigeon Pages Literary Journal. She has worked on international and New York Times bestsellers and brings a global perspective to the team as the rights manager. 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.

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See Ashley's Manuscript Wishlist is here:

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Ashley Lopez – The Official Manuscript Wish List Website

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