Literary agent Melissa Edwards of Aaron Priest agency seeks new authors: thrillers, female-driven commercial fiction, fantasy and YA.

Melissa Edwards

The Aaron M. Priest Literary Agency

708 3rd Avenue

New York, NY 10017-4201

http://aaronpriest.com/

Founded in 1974, The Aaron M. Priest Literary Agency is a boutique agency representing mainstream and literary fiction, thrillers and narrative nonfiction. Its clients include Erma Bombeck, Phil Caputo, and David Baldacci.

Melissa Edwards is the newest member of the team, and like all new agents, she needs authors. Melissa is a graduate of Washington University in St. Louis and Vanderbilt Law School. She is a member in good standing of the New York State bar. While Melissa began her career as a commercial litigation attorney, she always aspired to work in publishing. At present, Melissa handles foreign rights for Aaron Priest and is actively developing her own list.

Melissa’s taste ranges from classic Victorian literature to hard-boiled crime dramas. She is interested in reading international thrillers with likeable and arresting protagonists, lighthearted women’s fiction and YA, female-driven (possibly small-town) suspense, and completely immersive fantasy. Ultimately, Melissa is looking for a book that will keep her glued to the couch all day and night, and continue to occupy her thoughts for weeks later.

Read an interview with Melissa here.

Query Melissa at: queryedwards@aaronpriest.com

You may paste the first chapter of your manuscript into the query. No attachments. 

Full submission guidelines here.

Kelley Armstrong, a New York Times
#1 bestselling author and one of 
Brian's former students

On Saturday, Nov 29, Brian Henry will host "From the Horse’s Mouth: Strategies for Getting Published" at Ryerson University in Toronto, with literary agent Rachel Letofsky of the Cooke Agency, senior editor Anne Shone of Scholastic Books, and Marketing and Publicity Manager Stephen Myers of Penguin Books (see here).

And Brian will lead a "How to Get Published" workshop in Niagara on the Lake on Sunday, March 1, with literary agent Olga Filina (see here).

Other upcoming workshops, include: “How to Write a Bestseller" with New York Times #1 bestselling author Kelley Armstrong, Saturday, Dec 6, in London (see here),  Secrets of Writing a Page-turner, Saturday, Jan 17, in Toronto (here), "How to Write Great Dialogue," Saturday, Jan 24, in Georgetown (here), and “Revising and Editing,” Saturday, Jan 31 in Oakville (here).

Weekly courses: Whether you're looking for an introduction to creative writing or you're getting your manuscript ready to submit to an agent, your best bet is a weekly course. Starting in the new year, Brian will be offering classes for beginners through advanced writers. See details for all six courses here.

For details of “Welcome to Creative Writing” on Tuesday afternoons in Burlington see here, for “Writing Your Life & Other Personal Stories” on Tuesday mornings in Oakville see here, for “The Next Step in Creative Writing” on Wednesday evenings in Burlington here, on Thursday afternoons in Mississauga here, and on Thursday evenings in Georgetown here, and for “Intensive Creative Writing” on Wednesday afternoons in Burlington here.

For details of any course or workshop or to register, email brianhenry@sympatico.ca

See Brian’s full schedule here, including writing workshops and creative writing courses in Barrie, Brampton, Bolton, Burlington, Caledon, Cambridge, Collingwood, Georgetown, Guelph, Hamilton, Kingston, London, Midland, Mississauga, Newmarket, Niagara on the Lake, Orillia, Oakville, Ottawa, Peterborough, St. Catharines, Stouffville, Sudbury, Toronto, Halton, Kitchener-Waterloo, Muskoka, Peel, Simcoe, York, the GTA, Ontario and beyond.