Agents confirmed for Pitchfest

Currently looking for: nonfiction and fiction.

NONFICTION: Intersectional feminist narratives, memoir by female/nonbinary/LGBTQIA+ folx, millennial self-care, millennial business, pop culture/humor

FICTION: New and underrepresented POVs/characters, YA

About Agnes:

Agnes Carlowicz joined the Carol Mann Agency as assistant to Carol Mann in late 2017. She previously worked at the David Black Agency as Joy Tutela’s assistant, while completing her English B.A. with a Creative Writing concentration from Barnard College of Columbia University in New York. As an agent, her interests primarily include non-fiction and some fiction, with a special passion for literature that amplifies underrepresented voices and subverts the status quo. Among others, she enjoys: intersectional feminism, millennial self-care, female-driven memoir, and humorous pop culture. When she isn’t reading or writing, she can be found training for ballroom dance competitions and gluing rhinestones to her costumes, dog-walking across the five boroughs of NYC, or staying up way too late listening to the My Favorite Murder podcast on repeat.

Learn more about Agnes and the Carol Mann 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, mysteries, sci-fi, fantasy, and contemporary.

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

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

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: fiction and nonfiction.

NONFICTION:

• Narrative
• History
• Film/TV/Theatre
• Pop Culture
• Music

FICTION:

• Historical
• Commercial
• Women’s fiction
• Romance
• Fantasy
• Mystery
• Psychological Thriller
• Middle Grade
• Young Adult

About Cate:

Cate joined Harvey Klinger Literary Agency in 2019 after 5 years with a New York agency where she represented Middle Grade to Adult fiction. She specializes in Historical, whether in Young Adult, Women’s Fiction and Romance, or narrative nonfiction. She is particularly drawn to oft forgotten stories of the past and underrepresented voices, and especially personal to her is unexplored Southern history and culture. She also loves high-concept fantasy in YA and Adult fiction. A graduate of the University of Tennessee, studying Theatre and History, Cate currently lives in Nashville with her children.

Learn more about Cate and the Harvey Klinger Agency!

Currently looking for: I am seeking diverse Adult Spring/Summer Romances and Holiday Romances (G-Rated, 75,000+ words). Diverse Romantic Suspense (any heat level, 50,000+ words).

About Erica:

Erica Christensen has been in the publishing industry since 2014, holding various positions. She was born and raised in the Heartland of America and now resides near the beautiful Emerald Coast with her family of five and her sassy, spunky lab-pit mix named Kali. Query Erica here: www.querymanager.com/EricaChristensen

Learn more about Erica and the Metamorphosis Literary Agency!

Currently looking for: Jill Marsal is looking for commercial fiction, women’s fiction, historical fiction, family stories, and interesting relationships. She also loves mysteries, psychological suspense, cozies, suspense, and thrillers. She welcomes dramatic storylines and compelling characters in interesting situations or relationships. On the non-fiction side, Jill is looking for business, health, self-help, mind/body/spirit, relationships, psychology, parenting, history, science, and narrative non-fiction.

About Jill:

Jill Marsal is a founding partner of the Marsal Lyon Literary Agency and has been in the publishing industry for almost 20 years. Previously, she worked as a Literary Agent with the Sandra Dijkstra Literary Agency for eight years and at Dorchester Publications and Tudor Publishing, editing women's fiction and suspense/thrillers. She has helped guide the careers of many New York Times, Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Amazon Charts and other bestselling authors. Jill also has a strong legal background and holds a J.D. from Harvard Law School.

Learn more about Jill and Marsal Lyon Literary Agency!

Currently looking for: Adult fiction — Mysteries, Thrillers/Suspense, Science Fiction, Fantasy, General Fiction

We love fiction with superb writing and a voice that jumps off the page. A twisted or colorful plot that compels us to keep reading is a must.

We look for a unique voice and a strong protagonist that a reader can relate to whether it be commercial or literary. We like dark and intense, but we won’t turn away something that’s a little on the lighter side. We enjoy a touch of humor when the genre demands it. Profound young adult with a strong male or female protagonist is a must. A thought-provoking read, big writing, an entertaining story line, and a fast pace will get our attention.

Within Mystery, we are particular interested in cozy mysteries, domestic suspense, private investigators, trillers within series potential and stories featuring women sleuths and police procedure. As for Romance, we are looking for fresh takes on romance tropes, strong, savvy heroines, witty dialogue, stories with series potential, romantic comedies and rural, small town settings. Tule is always seeking diverse stories that feature diverse characters written by diverse authors.

***We use Query Manager. Use my Submit a Story button and that will take you to the query form. Thank you.

About Ella Marie:

Ella Marie has been a literary agent since 2008. She was drawn to helping authors achieve their dreams after she studied English at Youngstown State University. She realized her biggest joy was recommending new books to fellow college students. She turned her dream into a career when she became a junior agent with the Belcastro Agency. As an agent, Ella Marie has discovered many new authors and she soon became a senior agent. She continues her hunt for new manuscripts with a voice that jumps off the page and a colorful plot. Her main goal is nurturing a collaborative relationship that will lead to publication and long lasting writing careers.

Currently looking for: 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 middle grade and young adult genre fiction (fantasy, science fiction, and contemporary).

About Karly:

Associate Agent Karly Caserza 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. In addition to designing a wide range of print and web promotional material for clients, Karly creates book covers for Short Fuse and promotional graphics for Fuse authors. 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 is also the Marketing Coordinator of the San Francisco Writers Conference. In her spare time, Karly is an Adobe Technical Trainer, freelance graphic designer, Young Adult author, video game geek, and art noob.

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 with #OwnVoices authors, and I'm looking for voices from diverse and underrepresented backgrounds. I’m looking for all genres of picture books, middle grade, YA, and graphic novels. In the adult space, I love horror, fantasy, romantic comedies, and chick lit.

About Hannah:

Hannah VanVels is a literary agent with Corvisiero Literary Agency, freelance editor, and writer. Before making the jump to agenting and freelancing, she was the acquiring editor at a YA imprint at HarperCollins. Her life is consumed by all things books, and when she’s not working on books, she can usually be found curled up with a good book and a good cup of coffee. She lives in Michigan with her partner, two German shepherds, and two cats.

Learn more about Hannah and Corvisiero Literary Agency!

Currently looking for: Amish Romance, Rom-Com, Romantic Suspense, Historical Romance (esp. Regency, Historical), Inspirational Romance (many subgenres), Cozy Mystery, Suspense, Mystery, Middle Grade Reader Mysteries, True Crime & Cookbooks.

Within Mystery, we are particular interested in cozy mysteries, domestic suspense, private investigators, trillers within series potential and stories featuring women sleuths and police procedure. As for Romance, we are looking for fresh takes on romance tropes, strong, savvy heroines, witty dialogue, stories with series potential, romantic comedies and rural, small town settings. Tule is always seeking diverse stories that feature diverse characters written by diverse authors.

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. Murder at Redwood Cove by Janet Finsilver is a Cozy Mystery she represents that is a USA Today Bestseller. Recent books she represents: Knot My Sister’s Keeper by Mary Marks, A Killing By the Sea by Kathleen Bridge, Liza’s Second Chance by Molly Jebber, Gown With the Wind by Stephanie Blackmoore, One Night With the Army Doc by Traci Douglass, K Street Killing by Colleen Shogan, The Novel Art of Murder by VM Burns, Death Overdue by Alison Brook, and Ditched 4 Murder by JC Eaton. Querying instructions on website. Wish List: Amish Romance, Historical Romance, Rom-Com, Romantic Suspense, Inspirational Romance of all subgenres, Cozy Mystery, Mystery, Suspense, and Middle Reader Mysteries.

Learn more about Dawn and Blue Ridge Literary Agency!

Currently looking for: Tara has a pretty broad wish list in Adult, Young Adult, and Middle Grade. She is especially looking for Contemporary and Romance stories, but also loves Fantasy, Spec-Fic, Horror, and any sub-genre in those categories.

Tara is looking for stories by underrepresented voices, such as, the LGBTQ+, neurodiverse, POC, disabled, etc.

For more information, be sure to check out here MSWL here.

Some of her favorite books/authors include: Maggie Stiefvater, Victoria Schwab, Rick Riordan, C.S. Pacat, STRANGE THE DREAMER by Laini Taylor, SIX OF CROWS by Leigh Bardugo, WOLFSONG by TJ Klune, HARRY POTTER by JK Rowling, RED, WHITE, AND ROYAL BLUE by Casey McQuiston, LEAH ON THE OFFBEAT by Becky Albertalli, A LADY'S GUIDE TO PETTICOATS & PIRACY by Mackenzi Lee, and THEY BOTH DIE AT THE END by Adam Silvera.

- Anything set in space or has aliens.

- High fantasy.

- Political/military/crime thriller novels (only in adult).

- Men in uniform (women/nonbinary I will consider).

- Westerns.

- Time travel.

- Picture books and chapter books (unless you are an illustrator).

- Non-fiction (unless it’s middle grade or a tarot card proposal).

- Romances with infidelity.

- Memoirs.

- Novellas, short story collections, poetry collections, or screenplays.

About Tara:

Tara wants nothing more than to live and breathe literature.

While every other person grew up wanting to be Cinderella, Tara dreamed about being Belle. Not because she wanted a Beast to call her own. No, she wanted to spend her days with her nose stuck in a book and to find a home with a massive library.

Tara interned for Entangled Publishing before coming to the Corvisiero team in the summer of 2018. She enjoys reading broadly and is always finding new books to add to her giant library in-progress.

Learn more about Corvisiero Literary Agency!