Saturday, May 30, 2020

Seven agents at Irene Goodman Literary seek authors ~ Everything from picture books to adult fiction and nonfiction


Irene Goodman Literary Agency
27 W 24th St
# 700B
New York, NY 10010

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Irene Goodman and her agency has been around the publishing world for more than 30 years. Seven of the eight agents at the agency are open to new authors, including Irene herself (though I suspect she doesn’t take on as many new authors as she used to).

Pam Gruber recently joined Irene Goodman Literary Agency as a literary agent, representing adult, young adult, and middle grade fiction, graphic novels, and select narrative nonfiction. She was previously editorial director at Rebel Girls. Like all new agents, Pam needs authors.
Pam began her career in publishing as an editor, working for over ten years at Hachette Book Group with a number of acclaimed authors and illustrators. From there, she went on to serve as the Editorial Director at children’s media start-up Rebel Girls, where she saw first-hand how a great book can expand into other entertainment mediums.
Originally from Philadelphia and raised by two artists, Pam knew she wanted to work in publishing from a young age. She brings an eye for detail to every book she gets her hands on, and her experience at a publishing house gives her insight into how editors think, and what they’re looking for.
Pam looks for work that is gripping from page one, whether it makes her break out in a smile or gives her goosebumps (from excitement, not fear!). She loves complicated female protagonists, innovative twists on old tropes, and getting swept away by fully realized worlds – be they portraits of the next town over or an imagined universe unlike our own.
Specifically Pam represents adult, young adult, and middle grade fiction with literary voices and commercial hooks. She is particularly interested in layered fantasy, speculative fiction, fantastical realism, rom-coms, and coming-of-age stories with a twist.
She is also open to middle grade and YA graphic novels, as well as select narrative non-fiction on lesser-known subjects.
Pam would not be the best fit for prescriptive nonfiction, anthologies, potty humor, paranormal, or erotica.
For fiction, please include a query letter and the first ten sample pages of your manuscript in the body of your email. For nonfiction, simply send a polished query letter.

Maggie Kane was born and raised in northern Michigan and received her BA in English and Humanistic Studies from Saint Mary's College in 2016. She then moved to New York to pursue a career in publishing. Maggie has since interned with Gelfman Schneider and ICM Partners as well as Inkwell Management before arriving at IGLA. She's currently interested in middle grade, young adult, and character-driven fiction. She can't resist a twist of the fantastical in unexpected places, and her reading interests are varied, from magical realism and fantasy/science fiction to idiosyncratic family sagas and literary suspense. She'll happily follow a compelling voice wherever it leads.
For fiction, please include a query letter and the first ten sample pages of your manuscript in the body of your email. For nonfiction, simply send a polished query letter.

Whitney Ross joined Irene Goodman in 2018. Before that she worked as an editor at Macmillan for nearly a decade, culminating in her role as a senior editor for Tor Teen, Tor, and Forge. Over the course of her career, Whitney has had the pleasure of editing many talented authors, including Susan Dennard, Cora Carmack, Eric Van Lustbader, Steven Erikson, Katie McGarry, Ann Aguirre, Dan Wells, and Stacey Kade.
Whitney represents middle grade, young adult, and adult fiction across all genres, with an emphasis on historical, science fiction & fantasy, romance, and contemporary fiction. She is also open to nonfiction submissions in the areas of design, cooking, and fashion.
Whitney loves to read novels set in unusual time periods and locations, whether that involves a fantastical element or not. She is rarely able to resist the trickster king motif, and has a weakness for read-between-the-lines subtle romances. And she can’t wait to be surprised by tropes turned upside down, and unusual takes on old favorites. Yet she's constantly surprised by books not on her "wish list," and is always open to stories with compelling characters and emotionally involving plotlines.
Whitney earned her B.A. in English Literature, a B.S. in Entrepreneurship, and an M.S. in Publishing. In her spare time, she enjoys competitive sports such as skiing and shopping, and tasting wines with her winemaker husband.
For fiction, please include a query letter and the first ten sample pages of your manuscript in the body of your email. For nonfiction, simply send a polished query letter.

Kim Perel began her career at Forbes magazine working in an editorial capacity and later worked as an advertising copywriter. For over five years, Kim was an agent at Wendy Sherman Associates where she conceptualized, sold, and even authored numerous books for major publishers. She is passionate about powerful writing and delicious sentences. She holds an MFA degree in Creative Writing from The New School where she studied with world-renowned professional writers in the areas of fiction and nonfiction. She also received her undergraduate Bachelor's degree in Journalism from the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University. In her spare time, she co-curates the popular H.I.P. Lit event series.
Kim is actively looking for engaging, voice-driven literary fiction with a strong plot (from quirky family sagas to an ensemble casts of characters), beachy reads, rom-coms with a twist, and commercial fiction that's impossible to put down. 
She is also interested in nonfiction from established experts and influencers alike in the areas of lifestyle, wellness, memoir, politics and reportage and research-driven narrative nonfiction.
For fiction, please include a query letter and the first ten sample pages of your manuscript in the body of your email. For nonfiction, simply send a polished query letter.

Barbara Poelle began her publishing career as a freelance copywriter and editor before joining the Goodman Agency in 2007, but feels as if she truly prepared for the industry during her brief stint as a stand-up comic in Los Angeles. Barbara is also the author of Funny You Should Ask: Mostly Serious Answers to Mostly Serious Questions About the Publishing Industry (Jan, 2020) based on her Writer's Digest column of the same name.
Barbara has found success placing thrillers, literary suspense, Young Adult and upmarket fiction and is actively seeking her next great client in those genres, but is passionate about anything with a unique voice.
Barbara is looking for high octane thrillers, edgy mysteries, literary and upmarket fiction and YA. “If your critique partner has ever said your work reminds them of either Jordan Peele or Tina Fey,” says Barbara, “now would be the time to leap into my queries inbox.” 
For fiction, please include a query letter and the first ten sample pages of your manuscript in the body of your email. For nonfiction, simply send a polished query letter.

Miriam Kriss, Vice President of the Irene Goodman Literary Agency, has been a literary agent since 2004 with a focus on commercial fiction. She doesn't look for specific stories; rather, she looks for a voice she can fall in love with and champion. This strategy of taking on only clients she's passionate about has led to six-figure deals for first-time authors and numerous client appearances on the USA Today and New York Times bestseller lists.
Miriam is open to all genres of commercial fiction, from picture books through adult. She's especially on the hunt for female-driven epic fantasy and thrillers, diverse voices in young adult and middle grade, and any novel that pulls her in and makes her forget she's reading. Basically, if it's fun to read she probably represents it.
She's incredibly selective in her nonfiction projects but has been known to jump on the right one.
For fiction, please include a query letter and the first ten sample pages of your manuscript in the body of your email. For nonfiction, simply send a polished query letter.

Irene Goodman has been a leading member of the publishing community for over 30 years and still loves every minute of it. She has sold over 1,500 books and counting. Her clients are regulars on the New York Times, USA Today, Publishers Weekly, and Bookscan bestseller lists. Her list includes current affairs, pop culture, food, Jewish interest, Francophilia, lifestyle, upmarket fiction, middle grade, young adult, thrillers, historical fiction, and mysteries. 
Originally from the Midwest and still trying to lose the accent, Irene has a B.A. and a master's degree from the University of Michigan. She and her husband divide their time between New York and the Berkshires, and have two grown children.
Irene is particularly interested in fiction that hits the sweet spot between literary and commercial – it’s a captivating story, it has something important to say, it's not hard to read, and it's beautifully structured and written. It can be women's fiction, an intelligent thriller, a fun mystery, historical fiction, or middle grade or young adult fiction.
She is avidly interested in nonfiction focusing on pop culture, music, science, Francophilia, Judaica, and lifestyle. Nonfiction can be for adults, young adults, or middle grade.
Irene prefers a particular format to queries. First, paste in the first ten pages of the manuscript. After that, include the synopsis. And finally, at the bottom, include the query letter.

Scholastic Books executive editor
Anne Shone
If you’re interested in meeting an agent and in getting puiblished, don’t miss our upcoming How to Get Published workshops Saturday, Oct 3, in Toronto with Evan Brown of Transatlantic Literary Agency (see here) and Saturday, Oct 24, in Guelph with Paige Sisley of the CookeMcdermid agency  (see here).

And if you’re specifically interested in writing and publishing Kid Lit, don’t miss Writing for Children and for Young Adults, with Anne Shone, Executive Editor, Scholastic Books, Saturday, September 12, local to be determined. Details here.

In the meanwhile, though, the best way of upping your game as a writer may be with a weekly course. This summer, Brian Henry’s offering an Introductory course and two Intensive courses online and accessible anywhere in the world:
Online: Exploring Creative Writing, Wednesday afternoons, July 8 – August 19.   Details here.
Online: Intensive Creative Writing, Tuesday afternoons, July 7 – Aug 25. First reading emailed June 30. Details here.
Online: Intensive Creative Writing, Wednesday evenings, July 8 – Aug 26. First reading emailed July 1. Details here.

Beyond that, Brian’s post-lockdown workshop schedule continues to take shape:

July 
Algonquin Park Writing RetreatJoin me for a magical weekend at Arowhon Pines Resort, an outpost of luxury in the middle of the wilderness, for a writing retreat. Thursday, July 9 – Sunday, July 12. Details here.
Burlington: Raising the Stakes: How to increase your story's tension, Saturday, July 18. Details here.
Southampton Art School: Join me in this lovely beach town on Lake Huron for two workshops: How to Build Your Story, Saturday, July 25 (see here) and How to Write Great Characters, Sunday, July 26 (see here).

August
Oakville: "You can write great dialogue," Saturday, Aug 8. Details here.  
Collingwood: "You can write great dialogue," Saturday, Aug 15.  Details here.
St. Catharines: How to Make Yourself Write," Saturday, Aug 22.  Details here.

September
Alliston: Writing for Children and for Young Adults with Anne Shone, Executive Editor, Scholastic Books, Saturday, September 12. Details here.

October
Toronto: How to Get Published with Evan Brown of Transatlantic Literary Agency, Saturday, Oct 3. Details here.
Guelph: How to Get Published with literary agent Paige Sisley of CookeMcDermid, Saturday, Oct 24. Details here.
London: How to Write Great Characters, Saturday, October 31. Treats for everyone in costume.  Details here.

November
Jackson's Point: Writing Retreat at the Briar's Resort on Lake Simcoe, Friday, Nov 13 – Monday, Nov 16. Details to come.

See Brian’s complete current schedule hereincluding writing workshops, weekly writing classes, and weekend retreats in Algonquin Park, Alliston, Bolton, Barrie, Brampton, Burlington, Caledon, Collingwood, Georgetown, Georgina, Guelph, Hamilton, Jackson’s Point, Kitchener-Waterloo, London, Midland, Mississauga, New Tecumseth, Oakville, Ottawa, Peterborough, St. Catharines, Sudbury, Toronto, Windsor, Woodstock, Halton, Muskoka, Peel, Simcoe, York Region, the GTA, Ontario and beyond.

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