Nalini Akolekar is a literary agent and president of SpencerHill Associates.

Nalini joined Spencerhill Associates after a lengthy editorial career and several years in advertising sales. Working as an agent has provided the perfect opportunity to combine her editorial instincts with her sales, marketing, and business experience. Nalini loves nothing more than discovering and nurturing talented authors. She likes to build strong, long-term relationships with her clients and keep open lines of communication.

Nalini primarily represents commercial fiction. She is always interested in seeing new women’s fiction, romance, historical fiction, thrillers and horror. Nalini maintains a diverse client list and loves to find exciting new voices that utilize elements of different genres to tell their story.

Nalini has two adult children and lives among a pack of very poorly behaved dogs who love to interrupt her when she is on the phone and a beautiful cat named Jakk who delights in winding them up.

Kathy Palokoff is a literary agent with Savvy Literary.

The agency’s fiction genres of interest include: adventure, fantasy, historical, humor, multicultural, mystery, paranormal, suspense/thriller, upmarket women’s Fiction, young adult, and select literary fiction.

The agency’s nonfiction categories of interest include: advice/relationship, biography, business, diet, health, history, politics, current affairs, how-to, humor, lifestyle, memoir, narrative nonfiction, parenting, religion/spirituality, and true crime.

Kathy apprenticed under Leticia Gomez, the founder of the firm and one of the top ranking literary agents in the United States. Kathy has a long career as a storyteller and promoter of storytellers. Her specialty is working with changemakers who want to inspire others and find a broader platform. She is particularly interested in helping authors whose books represent diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Writer, editor, content developer, brand builder, and marketer, her greatest joy is working directly with authors and watching a book come to life. Her clients describe her as highly empathic while being direct and focused on their success.

She is the co-author of Firestarters: How Innovators, Instigators, and Initiators Can Inspire Your Own Life and Dismissed: Tackling the Biases That Undermine Our Health Care, a March 2023 release by Kensington Publishing. Kathy has written numerous book proposals that have received publisher offers such as: Brilliance Beyond Borders, More Alike Than Different, and Transforming Your Life Through Self Care.

She has acted as the ghostwriter or editor for multiple authors in memoirs, self-help, business books and novels such as Black Sheep: A Blue-Eyed Negro Speaks of Abandonment, Belonging, Racism and Redemption; Overcoming the Darkness: Shining Light on Mental Illness, Trauma and Suicide in Law Enforcement; People Economics: Defining and Measuring the True Value of Human Capital; You’re Already a Wealth Heiress; It’s Always Your Move: Purposeful Progress for Corporate Career Women; The Amazing Adventures of Anything Boy; and Amazing Grace: How My Father Taught Me to Rejoice in the Word of Our Father.

An active writer and editor for decades, Kathy holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from West Virginia University, a master’s in public administration from SUNY at Brockport, and has completed all doctorate courses from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in technical writing and rhetoric. She is currently writing her own first novel, Traveling Fat, and a new business book entitled Customers are Dogs: The Care and Feeding of Your Company’s Best Friend.

Kaitlyn Katsoupis (ORLANDO ONLY) is a literary agent with Belcastro Agency.

After receiving a BA in Writing, Literature, and Publishing from Emerson College, Kaitlyn refused to leave the concept of nightly homework behind. A literary agent for Belcastro Literary Agency, she is also a freelance editor at her own company, Strictly Textual. Kaitlyn started her literary journey as a copyeditor for academic publisher codeMantra, a YA editor for Accent Press, a Conference Assistant for GrubStreet, Boston, and has been agenting since 2016. She has written various articles for Writer’s Digest and has had a flash fiction story published in the anthology A Box of Stars Beneath the Bed.

Some of Kaitlyn’s favorite books: Cornelia Funke (Inkheart series); Michael Buckley (Undertow series); John Green (more Looking for Alaska, less An Abundance of Katherines); Gayle Forman (Just One Year and Just One Day); Lois Lowry (The Giver series); Scott O’Dell (Island of the Blue Dolphins). Her favorite tv shows are Doctor Who, Buffy, Supernatural, Firefly, basically the nerdier the fandom the better.

SHE IS SEEKING:

Historical Fiction:

• All ages
• Not a huge fan of Henry VIII, Shakespeare, roman/greek legends and retellings
• Would love non-Western world setting and situations
• Would love some with a humor bend but open to the dark and decadent as well

Horror:

• All ages
• Less gore, more psychological/haunting
• LOVE ghosts
• Would love lesser known creatures/legends (think vast stretch of shows like Grimm)
• Horror Media I love: Sinister, The Conjuring, Cabin in the Woods, Yellowjackets, A Quiet Place, Hereditary, Oculus, Haunting of Hill House, Midnight Mass
• For MG, would love Goosebumps vibe; also enjoy feels like Beetlejuice, Hocus Pocus, Coraline, Corpse Bride, The Pagemaster. The Curse of Bridge Hollow

Contemporary:

• All ages
• Dark, light, fun, sad, gimme!
• Love to find LGBTQ+ storylines
• Interested in mental health angles
• Enjoy romance, though it doesn’t need to be central
• Enemies to lovers, rivals to friends or lovers, sibling rivalry/loyalty stories
• Still looking for an escape room story!

Fantasy:

• All ages (heavier on MG/YA & crossover)
• Very selective at the moment
• Looking for marginalized/BIPOC voices and settings/POVs
• Not a fit for fae/fairies, elves, trolls/ogres/orcs, or most werewolves
• Into vampires (Buffy always!) but need it to be super unique and strong writing

Suspense/Thriller:

• YA & Adult
• Think gothic, spooky, and psychological
• Not into Crime fiction or procedurals
• Craving a locked room concept (whether contemporary, historical, or paranormal!)

Graphic Novel:

• All ages, though hunting for more kid lit
• Interested in mental health stories, humorous MG, queer relationships, quirky casts and found families, and harrowing creatures/survival plots
• Hoping for commercial hooks on MG titles

For all ages, I really want historical that focuses on perspectives and places not in the mainstream. Give me legends, myths, events, battles that aren’t the everyday titles we see all the time. I’m not huge on retellings unless it’s in-depth and really makes me dig to figure out what story we’re rediscovering. I also really want more LGBTQ+ storylines and mental health themes and love stories where the people are just PEOPLE and it doesn’t have to be expressly about an issue.

Kaitlyn is NOT accepting

– Nonfiction
– Chapter or picture books
– Romantic Suspense
– Novellas, poetry, or short story collections
– Storylines heavily dependent on religious motives/events/themes
– Storylines heavily dependent on sexual/physical/drug abuse

Esty Loveing-Downes is a literary agent with Arthouse Literary.

Esty holds a BFA in creative writing from Ringling College of Art + Design and is currently an MFA candidate in fiction at Queens University of Charlotte. Aside from serving as a daily editor for the Southern Review of Books, she joined the teams at Jean V. Naggar Literary Agency and Tobias Literary Agency before joining the ArtHouse Literary Agency team and becoming an Associate Literary Agent. Esty is looking for romance, upmarket fiction, YA, genre-blending sci-fi, picture books, and select nonfiction and literary fiction.

She is seeking:

In romance and YA, Esty is looking for tropes like enemies-to-lovers, fake dating, and grumpy-sunshine like THE FLATSHARE or BEACH READ, or marriage-of-convenience stories like THE UNHONEYMOONERS. She’d love to see a fresh take on PRIDE & PREJUDICE, EMMA, or ANNE OF GREEN GABLES. If you’ve got contemporary stories with dual POVs and impossible love like THE SUN IS ALSO A STAR, or a classic retellings like THESE VIOLENT DELIGHTS that include high stakes, plot tension, and compelling soulmate vibes—send those her way, too.

In upmarket, Esty is looking for titles with women in STEM like LESSONS IN CHEMISTRY, updated classics like Ann Napolitano’s Little Women retelling, HELLO, BEAUTIFUL, and wlw knockouts with queer representation like THE SEVEN HUSBANDS OF EVELYN HUGO.

She’s also looking for genre-blending sci-fi or speculative fiction like THE NIGHT CIRCUS, magical realism like Carmen Maria Machado’s HER BODY AND OTHER PARTIES, or nonlinear, poetic work like THIS IS HOW YOU LOSE THE TIME WAR. She’d also love to see “romantasy” with strong leads like A COURT OF THORNS AND ROSES and CHILDREN OF BLOOD AND BONE, fae stories with romance tropes like THE CRUEL PRINCE, character-driven journeys like THE INVISIBLE LIFE OF ADDIE LARUE, or the fairy tale vibes of SPINNING SILVER.

In picture books, send heartwarming titles with a BIPOC focus like EYES THAT KISS IN THE CORNERS and creative, imagination-friendly projects like DRAGONS LOVE TACOS.

In nonfiction, she’s looking for insightful social commentary like that of Ijeoma Oluo, Brené Brown, and Mikki Kendall.

Esty would also like to see literary fiction with artful realism like THE RABBIT HUTCH and TOMORROW AND TOMORROW AND TOMORROW, the heart wrenching yearning of NORMAL PEOPLE, characters challenging society like OUR MISSING HEARTS, or books like THE INCENDIARIES and SEVERANCE that examine marginalized characters, injustice, or religion. Characters examining systems of oppression through twisty plots in books like THE NICKEL BOYS, SALVAGE THE BONES, and INTERIOR CHINATOWN are welcome, and mythological retellings like Madeline Miller’s CIRCE, especially those set outside of Europe.

This is a home for fresh retellings, fairy tales, and artful, rebellious prose. For a better look at the kind of titles Esty gravitates towards, scroll her Pinterest board here.

What She Doesn’t Want: horror, thrillers, erotica, police/legal procedurals, mysteries, anything ageist/ableist/racist/misogynistic, or anything where queer people die in the end.

 

Sharon Belcastro is a literary agent and founder of The Belcastro Agency.

Sharon was born and raised in Northeastern Ohio. It only took her 37 years to get sick of the snow, cracked fingers and chapped lips before she picked up and moved to the much warmer and sunnier Tampa Bay area. Her love of books goes back to early childhood where some of her fondest memories were spent with Gulliver in Lilliput and Ishmael and his voyage on the Pequod. She has had a book in her hand and her nose in a book ever since. Forced to grow up and face the real world, Sharon earned her Engineering degree from Youngstown State University and her master’s in business from Case Western Reserve University. She spent several years in product development, sales and the development and streamlining of key business processes before she returned to her passion for books attended classes in publishing at NYU and applied her experience to the founding of Belcastro Agency.

Sharon is seeking: Nonfiction for adults by writers with a great platform and clear concept. She also represents young adult fiction in the following YA genres: fantasy, science fiction, action, adventure, contemporary, magical realism, mystery, thriller, and horror. In adult fiction, she seeks: horror, thriller/suspense, paranormal and memoir. She is especially looking for immigrant experiences in all markets and genres.

​Andie Smith is a Literary Agent at The Booker Albert Literary Agency.

She is also a writer and editor of multiple genres. Andie has previously served as an writer and editor for several local newspapers and magazines in Central Florida and is currently pursuing her Master’s in Public Administration. When she’s not agenting, she’s spending time with her husband and two kitties or hanging out at Disney World.
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Andie is currently looking for Young Adult or Adult genres including but not limited to contemporary, romance, thriller, speculative, dystopian, issue-driven, fantasy, eco-fiction, and sci-fi.

​She loves anything that can transport her into a new world and has a habit of getting emotionally attached to strong characters. Her favorite tropes are enemies-to-lovers and fake-to-real relationships. As an autoimmune advocate, Andie would love to see stories with MC’s embracing life through all disabilities, from those that are more obvious to invisible ones.

Andie is not accepting picture books, middle grade, or nonfiction at this time. She is not the best fit for any genres of religion, horror, poetry/prose, or historical fiction. While not a total dealbreaker, Andie tends to shy away from stories with on-the-page cheating, abuse, rape, and reference to self-harm and/or suicide (off-page references are OK).

Sarah N. Fisk is a literary agent with The Tobias Literary Agency.

Sarah is a former mechanical engineer who made the switch to publishing in 2011. They have worked in the publishing industry as an editorial assistant, author’s assistant, publicist, and art director. Sarah is a former Pitch Wars mentor, board member, and Agent Liaison. They host the podcast Queries, Qualms, & Quirks and have a passion for spreadsheets.

They love books that challenge societal norms, especially gender norms. They have a personal interest in stories featuring queer characters or characters with disability, neurodiversity, chronic illness, or mental health challenges. Great or complicated sibling relationships are their kryptonite. They also enjoy intriguing villains, mysteries woven into other genres, characters they can’t get out of their head, and smart heroines.

They are interested in Young Adult fiction of all genres as well as Adult Romance. They especially enjoy anything under the speculative fiction umbrella and high-concept contemporary or historical stories with a strong hook. Hardcore horror is probably not right for them.

Sarah is on the lookout for young adult and middle grade of all genres, adult romance, and adult science fiction, fantasy, and speculative fiction. No hardcore horror.

Particular areas of interest include atmospheric fantasies, speculative mysteries, books that challenge societal norms, especially gender norms. They also have a special interest in stories featuring queer characters and those with disability, neurodiversity, chronic illness, or mental health challenges. Other areas of interest are small or midwestern town settings, and complicated sibling relationships.

Sarah does not represent hardcore horror, stories that center around who gets to rule an empire, stories that center around sexual assault or have on-the-page rape scenes or any adult genres not listed above.

Amy Nielsen is a literary agent with The Purcell Agency.

Amy’s Manuscript Wish List:

Picture Books:

I’ll be looking for hyperbolic, zany storylines that teach a life lesson (even subtle) or ones with laugh-out-loud moments written simply to entertain. Check out the legendary Robert Munsch and Michael Marchenko for what I’m hoping to see in my inbox.

Middle Grade:

I’ll be looking for fast-paced stories mostly set in a contemporary setting that feature characters that think, act, and talk like real middle graders.

Young Adult:

I’ll gravitate toward contemporary issue-driven plots where teens find themselves in situations they aren’t equipped to handle, but eventually figure it out.

Adult Fiction:

I’ll lean into contemporary women’s fiction where the main characters are shattering glass ceilings despite obstacles, and defying stereotypes.

General Wishes:

As the mother of an autistic child, I’d appreciate any story that features characters across the autism spectrum written authentically and free from stereotypes.

I’d swoon over a Gilmore Girls retelling with a paranormal or speculative element, anything that could comp my favorite song of all time, “Never Surrender” by Cory Hart or a story set in a coastal boating town.

I’m also always game for any fairy-tale retelling or re-imagining, especially if pulled into a contemporary setting.

I would love any age range where a dystopian plot mirrors a current social issue. Think Handmaid’s Tale versus the current political landscape of abortion. Or how the political landscape is impacting marginalized communities such as the LGBTQ+ and BIPOC.

In all age ranges and genres, I’m looking for:

• Succinct and simplistic writing.
• Diverse representation from authors to main characters, including but not limited to BIPOC, LGBTQ+, neurodiverse, and persons with disabilities.

I wouldn’t be the best fit for:

• Epic fantasy (if your story features a dragon or fae—probably not for me),
• High-concept sci-fi (if most of your story doesn’t take place on Earth—probably not for me)
• Historical fiction (unless it’s the 80s or 90s then bring it on) I’m fine with dual timelines as long as the majority of the plot is in a contemporary setting.
• Erotica. I’m fine with some on-page-steam, but not if the plot centers around it.
• Literary. If your story isn’t genre fiction, it’s probably not for me.

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Amy spent nearly twenty years sharing her love of books with young readers on the other side of the writing aisle as a youth librarian. Daily immersion in story took root, and she started penning her 2024 YA debut, Worth It, behind her checkout desk.

She left the library after her youngest son was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder and began writing full-time. She also began working with other authors helping them to elevate their craft and go on to pursue publication deals. While she will always enjoy pursuing her own writing goals, helping other authors has become a passion. She is honored to now serve as an associate literary agent at The Purcell Agency.

Amy also has a background in television production and creates book trailers for authors to use as a marketing tool. She started Mayflower Media where she works collaboratively with writers to bring the heart of their stories from the page to the screen.

In addition to her debut, Amy is the author of It Takes a Village: How to Build A Support System for Your Exceptional Needs Family, the picture book, Goldilocks and the Three Bears: Understanding Autism Spectrum Disorder, and Teaching Television Production, Beyond the Morning Newscast. She is the co-author of the upcoming title Navigating the Wild World of Publishing: A Workbook for Indie and Self-Published Authors and the co-host of the Author(ish) podcast.

When not writing or reading she and her family can be found boating in Tampa Bay. You can find Amy at http://www.amynielsenauthor.com.