THE SIREN by Tiffany Reisz

Hi!

I am the Associate Literary Agent at Nelson Literary Agency. Yes, I am actively and enthusiastically acquiring new clients! This means I am reading queries, sample pages and full manuscripts as quickly as possible and attending as many conferences as my schedule allows.

Our agency specializes in representing young adult and middle grade fiction, science fiction and fantasy, romance (all genres except category or inspirational), commercial fiction, women's fiction (including chick lit) and high concept literary fiction. Kristin Nelson founded the agency in 2002 and represents such bestsellers as Ally Carter, Jamie Ford, Simone Elkeles and Gail Carriger. I've been with the agency since 2006 and was promoted to Associate Literary Agent in 2009. As an agent, I tend to be pretty chatty with my clients - I email them once a week with updates on submissions, offers, sales numbers, subsidiary rights, marketing ideas, contract negotiations, etc. I believe in setting clear expectations about the publishing process and communicating as thoroughly as possible.

The majority of submissions recently have been in the young adult genre. Hurray! This branch of publishing feels especially vibrant and exciting right now. I seem to be drawn to contemporary YA novels - stories set in the real world, preferably with a multicultural or historical aspect (THE DUFF by Kody Keplinger is one of my all-time favorite books) Recently, I fell head over heels in love with KEEPING THE CASTLE by Patrice Kindl because it was so smart and so funny. In addition, I love fantasy, paranormal and science fiction young adult novels - especially if they are dark and spooky. I loved DAUGHTER OF SMOKE AND BONE by Laini Taylor and UNRAVELING by Elizabeth Norris and would love to see more submissions like these!

Personally, I want to work on more science fiction and fantasy books for adults. I love complex world building that is tightly woven with intense characters and an exciting story. I loved John Scalzi's OLD MAN'S WAR, AMONG THIEVES by Douglas Hulick, KOP by Warren Hammond and THE HUNDRED THOUSAND KINGDOMS by NK Jemisin as well as anything by Robin McKinley, Carrie Vaughn, Carol Berg, Scott Lynch and Naomi Novik. If you want to submit an sf/f novel, I'm your woman! Be aware that the number one reason I end up passing on these books is that writers tend to put too much info-dump in the first 30 pages. So, do a thorough reread for this common mistake before submitting.

In terms of romance, I love super sexy and intelligent books. Pamela Clare and Sherry Thomas are two of my favorite authors (Sherry was, in fact, my first slush pile find when I started working for Kristin). I am an avid romance fan - paranormal, historical, contemporary - I read it all. My favorite books recently have been LIKE NO OTHER LOVER by Julie Anne Long, THE IRON DUKE by Meljean Brook and NAKED by Megan Hart.

Sincerely,
Sara

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For more information about the Nelson Literary Agency, please feel free to see our website (www.nelsonagency.com) or check in on Kristin's blog at PubRants

In 2012, I plan to attend the following conferences:
RWA National Conference, Anaheim, CA - July 25-28, 2012
DragonCon, Atlanta, GA - Aug 31-Sept 3, 2012

Also, for more information about me, here is a recent interview at the YA Highway blog where I talk about young adult novels with my fabulous author Miranda Kenneally: YA Highway Interview

And, a guest blog posting on being a feminist and a romance reader: Reader, I Created Him Blog

The Nelson Literary Agency is a Member of:

Association of Authors' Representatives (AAR)
Romance Writers of America (RWA)
Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA)
Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators (SCBWI)

Allison Rushby
www.allisonrushby.com

Ashlyn Macnamara
www.ashlynmacnamara.net

Betsy Dornbusch
www.betsydornbusch.com

Dave Lowry

Elysia Whisler
www.elysiawhisler.com

Jane Kindred
www.janekindred.com

Jason Hough
www.jasonhough.com

Jennifer Shaw Wolf
www.jennifershawwolf.com

Kat Brauer
www.katbrauer.com

L.J. Boldyrev
www.ljboldyrev.com

Michael Haspil
www.apocprod.com

Michael J. Martinez
www.michaeljmartinez.net

Michael R. Underwood
geektheory.wordpress

Miranda Kenneally
www.mirandakenneally.com

Natalie Bahm
www.nataliebahm.com

Roni Loren
www.roniloren.com

Sarah Skilton
www.sarahskilton.com

Stefan Bachmann
scathingjellyfish.blogspot.com

Steve Vera
www.stevewvera.com

Tiffany Reisz
www.tiffanyreisz.com

May 15, 2012
Fiction: Women's/Romance
National Bestselling Author Roni Loren's NOT UNTIL YOU, the next in her Loving on the Edge series, to Kate Seaver at Berkley Heat, for publication in 2013, by Sara Megibow at Nelson Literary Agency (World English). Translation: wlee@fieldingagency.com

May 3, 2012
Fiction: Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Betsy Dornbusch's epic fantasy EXILE, to Jeremy Lassen at Night Shade Books, in a two-book deal, for publication in early 2013, by Sara Megibow of Nelson Literary Agency (World English).
Translation: wlee@fieldingagency.com

March 6, 2012
Fiction: Sci-Fi/ Fantasy
Michael Underwood's GEEKOMANCY, discovered at the Book Country website and pitched as Buffy The Vampire Slayer meets Clerks, to Adam Wilson at Pocket Star, in a two-book deal, in a nice deal, for publication in 2012, by Sara Megibow of Nelson Literary Agency (World).

February 16, 2012
Fiction: General
THE CONNOISSEUR'S GUIDE TO SUSHI Dave Lowry's first humorous novel TUCKER'S RULES, about a sarcastic and overly confident young man who, after being kicked out of college, gets caught up with a beautiful hitchhiker and a diamond heist while working as a chef in a Chinese restaurant, to Johnathan Wilber at Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, in a nice deal, by Sara Megibow at Nelson Literary Agency (NA).
Foreign: wlee@fieldingagency.com
Film: The Gotham Group

February 14, 2012
Children's: Young Adult
Author of BREAKING BEAUTIFUL Jennifer Shaw Wolf's next dark young adult mystery, SHARDS OF GLASS, about the mystery surrounding the death of a teenage girl and the message she left for her best friend, to Mary Kate Castellani at Walker, in a nice deal, by Sara Megibow at Nelson Literary Agency.

March 15, 2012
Film rights
Miranda Kenneally's debut CATCHING JORDAN, about a young woman who is captain and quarterback of her high school football team when a talented and very good looking rival quarterback comes to town, to Nick Wechsler, recently the producer of THE ROAD and THE HOST, by Steve Fisher of APA Talent & Literary Agency on behalf of Sara Megibow at Nelson Literary Agency and Leah Hultenschmidt of Sourcebooks Fire.

Nelson Literary Agency 2006-present

Graduate of Northwestern University

Foreign Rights: Whitney Lee of The Fielding Agency and Jenny Meyer of Jenny Meyer Literary Agency

Dramatic/Film Rights: We work with a variety of co-agents depending on the project including Steve Fisher of APA Talent & Literary, Kassie Evashevski of United Talent Agency, Jon Cassir of Creative Artists Agency, Amy Schiffman of Intellectual Property Group, and Eddie Gamarra of The Gotham Group.

Kristin Nelson, President and Senior Literary Agent
Adrienne Sparks, Marketing Director
Lori Bennett, Digital Liaison
Angie Rasmussen, Contracts and Royalties Manager
Anita Mumm, Literary Assistant

Please visit our website www.nelsonagency.com for submission guidelines, sample query letters, recommended resources and FAQs (all located on the "Submit Manuscript" page).

Query by email only (no attachments, headshots, sample pages or synopses please). We do not accept snail mail queries or submissions or queries by phone or in person. Please send email to query@nelsonagency.com. You are encouraged to include the link to your author website in your query letter.