Agents confirmed for Pitchfest

Currently looking for:

Jordy is looking for fun, witty young adult contemporary, particularly sci-fi, and fantasy (romance is a plus). She's also looking for smart, sexy contemporary and historical romance (Jordy definitely has a soft spot for Regency). She’s drawn to strong, intelligent characters, and well-developed friendships. Please note that while it isn’t necessarily a deal breaker, she tends to shy away from novels with trigger topics, such as suicide and any type of abuse. Jordy is NOT accepting picture books, non-fiction or screenplays at this time.

About Jordy:

Jordy Albert is a Literary Agent and co-founder of The Booker Albert Literary Agency. She holds a B.A. in English from Pennsylvania State University, and a M.A. from Millersville University of Pennsylvania. She has worked with Marisa Corvisiero during her time at the L. Perkins Agency and the Corvisiero Literary Agency.

Learn more about Jordy and the Booker Albert Agency!

Currently looking for: (Always looking for own voices, diversity, and LGBTQ+!!!)

In adult fiction: thrillers, psychological suspense, horror, contemporary romance, romantic comedy, and mysteries (traditional, amateur sleuth, and cozy).

In young adult fiction: thrillers, psychological suspense, horror, contemporary, mysteries, fantasy, and sci-fi.

In middle grade fiction: contemporary, horror, fantasy, sci-fi, action/adventure, mystery, and humor.

In children’s fiction: picture books (non-rhyming preferred).

In graphic novels: chapter books, early readers, MG, and YA.

About Lynnette:

Lynnette Novak is an agent at The Seymour Agency and is currently building her client list.

Prior to joining The Seymour Agency, Lynnette spent seventeen years freelance editing. She worked with new writers, advanced writers, as well as New York Times and USA Today bestselling authors. Lynnette earned a bachelor of education degree from the University of Manitoba, where she specialized in English and French. She excelled in Advanced Creative Writing in university and studied writing for children and teens through the Institute of Children’s Literature. She was a Pitch Wars mentor in 2015 and 2016. Both her mentees acquired an agent. Lynnette has since closed her editing business and is excited to bring her passion for the written word to agenting.

Although Lynnette was born and raised Manitoba, Canada, she now lives in Minnesota with her husband, twin girls, and many pets. Her personal interests include reading, writing, exercising at the gym (okay, that’s a love/hate relationship), working on an assortment of crafts, all things having to do with animals (if she could own a farm, zoo, and animal shelter, she would), and enjoying time with family and friends.

She loves dark and suspenseful, mysterious twists, unique worlds, light and funny, a good love story, and lots of voice.

Learn more about Lynnette and the Seymour Agency!

Currently looking for: picture book, middle grade, and young adult genre fiction

About Karly:

Associate Agent Karly Dizon was born in the Philippines and immigrated to Northern California as a child. She obtained her Business Marketing degree and has been a Freelance Graphic Designer for over 10 years. Professionally, Karly began her career in the publishing industry as a reader for Tricia Skinner at Fuse Literary. Her responsibilities quickly grew and she was promoted to Literary Assistant, a role that also included a spot on the production team of Short Fuse. Karly has a deep love for characters with a strong voice and seeks out stories she can get lost in. Diversity in genre fiction is a major bonus. She specializes in picture book, middle grade, and young adult genre fiction.

Learn more about Karly and Fuse Literary!

Currently looking for:

• First and foremost, I'm building an inclusive list with a variety of voices and genres.
• I love working on #OwnVoices stories, and I'm looking for BIPOC voices, queer voices, and generally, voices from diverse and underrepresented backgrounds, regardless of genre.
• I focus on picture books, middle grade, and young adult, as well as a select adult genres (fantasy and women’s fiction).

About Hannah:

Hannah’s life is consumed by all things bookish, and when she’s not working on books, she can usually be found curled up with a good cup of coffee or a glass of wine. She earned her BA at the University of Michigan and holds MA degrees from Tel Aviv University and the University of Chicago. In addition to agenting, Hannah owns a freelance editing business. Hannah has worked various bookish jobs including a stint as a bookseller at Barnes & Noble, a freelance editor for scholarly and academic essays and journals, and most recently as the acquiring editor at a young adult imprint with HarperCollins Publishing. Hannah loves working closely with authors and coming alongside them to make their vision come to life on page. She lives in West Michigan with her partner, two German Shepherds, and two cats.

Learn more about Hannah and the Belcastro Agency!

Currently looking for: Amish Romance, Rom-Com, Romantic Suspense, Historical Romance, Inspirational Romance, Cozy Mystery, Suspense, Mystery, Middle Grade Reader Mysteries, True Crime, Picture books, & Cookbooks.

About Dawn:

Dawn Dowdle began Blue Ridge Literary Agency, LLC (www.blueridgeagency.com) 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. Her agency is a boutique agency representing mysteries, romances, and picture books.

Learn more about Dawn and Blue Ridge Literary Agency!

I am currently building a diverse list of authors and illustrators.

I represent picture books, chapter books, middle grade, young adult, and select adult genre fiction. No matter the genre or age group, I am looking for books that make me feel (whether it’s laugh or cry or both!), distinctive voices, and character-driven stories that revolve around tough issues.

Picture Book: heartfelt, funny, whimsical picture books that can revolve around big kid issues such as grief, bullying, being different, friends, etc. I especially love clever or new concepts or fresh twists on classics and STEAM concepts in a contemporary or fantasy world.

Middle Grade: high concept MG with a great hook. While I love adventurous, smart, out-of-the-box characters with schemes, friends, family, living and processing through a life crisis, I am also drawn to quiet characters and quiet topics like a first crush, friend breakups, frenemies, or enemies.

• Contemporary
• Paranormal/Fantasy – ghosts, witches, fresh mythology, superheroes
• Horror
• Mystery
• Graphic Novels

Young Adult: unique concepts or a fresh twist on classic tropes or tales. High concept YA with a strong hook.

• Feel-good contemporaries or contemporaries that represent real-world issues
• Contemporary romance (love tropes!)
• Paranormal or fantasy (not high fantasy) with solid world building. I especially love mythologies that haven’t been explored. Give me a twist on ghosts, witches, vamps, shifters, or superheroes.
• Snort-worthy romantic comedy
• Mystery
• Horror – prefer scary versus bloody
• Graphic novels

Adult Fiction: out-of-the-ordinary plots with engaging and realistic characters trying to navigate the adult world.

• Romance with a fresh twist on trope-driven plots. Sweet to spicy.
• I am open to contemporary, paranormal, and fantasy romance.)
• Gut-busting RomCom
• Women’s Fiction
• Fresh cozy mysteries (think outside-the-box amateur sleuths)

About Jennifer:

Jennifer started her career on the editorial side of publishing with Kensington Books Publishing’s Lyrical Press imprint and an internship with Entangled Publishing. She’s also worked as a freelance editor for independent authors. After an internship at a New York agency, she joined the Harvey Klinger Agency in 2020. Jennifer is currently building her list and is interested in representing picture books, chapter books, middle grade, YA, and adult fiction. She’s especially open to marginalized voices in the mentioned categories. Jennifer lives in Ontario, Canada, with her husband, three sons, and two dogs.

About the Harvey Klinger Agency:

HARVEY KLINGER LITERARY AGENCY represents high quality writers of adult fiction, nonfiction, young adult and middle grade books.

With an eye for spotting talent, we pride ourselves on our strong editorial skills, unparalleled relations with all major publishers, and a unique collaborative work environment. We adopt a hands-on, personal approach with every author we take on, focusing not just on their books, but on their careers.

Compelling new ideas, well-crafted stories, and great writing always excite and inspire us. We are passionate about bringing both professionally successful and brand new voices to American and international book markets while aggressively selling film, TV and foreign rights for our clients, working with the top film and sub agents in the business. Learn more about Jennifer and Harvey Klinger!

Analieze is currently looking for stories in YA and Adult Fiction. She specializes in Sci-Fi, Romance, Thriller, Suspense, and Mystery. She is especially open to BIPOC and LGBTQ voices in the mentioned categories.

As an Agent for the Harvey Klinger Literary Agency. I am looking for character-driven books that grip me from the first page until the very end. I want fantastic world-building, a clear plot, and want to know your main character's desire by the time I get to page ten. Time shouldn't exist when I read your manuscript. I want to be hooked and pulled into your world. Great writing is awesome, but your characters matter most to me. I want books that make me cry, laugh, and to feel connected to your main character. For thrillers, I want to be on the edge of my seat and have no clue on how your book is going to end. I want to vouch for your main character and cheer them on by the end of your story.

I am currently building my own list and looking for stories in YA and Adult Fiction. I specialize in Sci-Fi, Romance, Thriller, Suspense, and Mystery. I am especially open to BIPOC and LGBTQ voices in the mentioned categories.

About Analieze and Harvey Klinger

Analieze is a graduate from Cal State San Bernardino where she studied English: Creative Writing along with a minor in Screenwriting. She has also worked as an Editorial Freelancer for Independent Authors. She started her career as an intern at a New York Literary Agency and was mentored by Saritza Hernandez. She then joined the Harvey Klinger Literary Agency in 2020. She currently resides in Southern California with her five dogs.Learn more about Analieze and Harvey Klinger!

Currently looking for: Picture book through young adult.

Kortney specializes in books for children. Among the list here, she is currently looking for all the wonderfully spooky, pumpkin spice books we love to read in the fall season.

In picture books, early readers, and chapter books Kortney is drawn to sweet family stories, holiday stories, humor, and diverse representation.

In middle grade Kortney is desperately looking for adventure and survival stories, mysteries, science fiction, historical, and contemporary novels. Graphic novels are also one of her favorite mediums.

In young adult Kortney is looking for her perfectly “dark and stormy” stories. Magical realism, psychological thrillers, steampunk, historical, paranormal and science fiction are favorites of hers. Outside of these, she loves sweet and humorous “geeky” or “artsy” romances.

In nonfiction Kortney is looking for “How to” books for kids such as cooking, art, science, computers, mindfulness, handiness skills, wilderness skills, etc. I’m looking for a unique take on these kinds of books, especially one that evokes the imagination in some way.

Books for girls (or boys!) featuring body image, body changes, lifestyle, stress management/mindfulness or health

Picture books that introduce readers to new concepts such as baking, music, yoga, mindfulness, dance, etc.

About Kortney:

Kortney graduated with a B.A. in English from Greenville University in 2014. Since then she has interned  with several prominent literary agencies and worked as an agency assistant and associate at several leading kid lit agencies. She found her home with Raven Quill in January of 2020 and is building up her list of wonderfully talented authors. Kortney specializes in books for children from picture books through young adult with an eye for all things dark and spooky to light and fluffy. To connect and learn more about Kortney, check out her  Twitter,  Pinterest, or  MSWL page.

Learn more about Kortney and Ravenquill Literary Agency!