Mackenzie began her career in publishing in 2010 and spent 10 years at Stuart Krichevsky Literary Agency before it merged with DeFiore & Co in 2026. Her clients have appeared on the New York Times Bestseller List, and frequently win or are finalists for some of publishing’s highest honors, such as the Pulitzer Prize, the National Book Award, the NBCC Award, ALA Carnegie Medal, various PEN awards, and the J. Anthony Lukas Book Prize.

She is actively looking for compelling, deeply researched narrative non-fiction that guides readers toward a better understanding of the societal forces and systems that shape their lives, whether it takes the form of "big idea" books, literary journalism, feminist history, science, or cultural criticism. 

On the fiction side, she is interested in stories that are deeply rooted in place (especially if that place is Maine), examine the formative relationships (romantic or platonic) of youth or the lives we could’ve led. She’s also hungry for literary mystery, a juicy love triangle, and anything that can make her laugh. 

In addition to being an agent, she is also a Founding Board Member of the 501(c)(3) non-profit INKLUDED, whose mission is to make the publishing industry more accessible and inclusive.

Please send your query letter and either your full proposal (for non-fiction) or 20 pages of your manuscript (for fiction/poetry) in the body of an email addressed to mbwquery@skagency.com. Please also disclose the nature of any AI use in your initial query. Mackenzie aims to read all queries within two weeks. If at any point you receive an offer of representation, please let Mackenzie know. Unfortunately, due to the volume of queries she receives, she will be in touch only if she’s interested in reading more material.

SEPARATE ACCOUNTS

I AM ENHEDUANNA

OPTIMIST ECONOMY

MEN TOO

THERE IS ENOUGH

Mackenzie Brady Watson

Laurie Abkemeier started her career in publishing more than thirty years ago and has been a literary agent with DeFiore and Company since 2003. Previously she was a senior editor at Hyperion, where she acquired and edited dozens of nonfiction books, including five New York Times bestsellers and many national bestsellers. As a former editor with extensive experience in what goes on behind publishers’ doors, she works closely with her authors to develop their ideas, polish their proposals, and guide them from deal to publication. She has represented more than a dozen New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestsellers. 

Laurie strives to maintain an eclectic list that spans history, science (physical, biological, and psychological), nature, sports, adventure and the outdoors, health and wellness, self-improvement, investigative journalism, big ideas, women’s studies, pop culture, food, technology (digital and analog), the traditional past and speculative future, and the offbeat. She is very interested in working with people of color and those from historically marginalized communities who are writing on these topics. 

Laurie also represents a select group of artists (see list below). 

Laurie is always open to queries. More than half of her authors have come to her via an unsolicited email query, and many have had no previous writing credits. Something they all have in common is the talent and desire not just to write a book but to be an author. Please see her query instructions below. 

A native of Northern California, Laurie made her way east to attend college and now lives in Northern New Jersey where she enjoys hiking, cooking, walking her dogs, sending her grown children funny comics, and finding the best Taylor ham, egg, and cheese sandwich. 

Narrative Nonfiction and Memoir Highlights:

Jennifer Keishin Armstrong’s SEINFELDIA (Simon & Schuster), PARKS AND REC (Dutton), and WHEN WOMEN INVENTED TELEVISION (Harper)

Saul Austerlitz’s JUST A SHOT AWAY (Thomas Dunne Books), GENERATION FRIENDS, and KIND OF A BIG DEAL (Dutton)

John Grogan's MARLEY & ME and THE LONGEST TRIP HOME (William Morrow)

Nathalia Holt's RISE OF THE ROCKET GIRLS (Little, Brown) and THE BEAST IN THE CLOUDS (One Signal)

Rachel Lance’s IN THE WAVES and CHAMBER DIVERS (Dutton)

Anne Gardiner Perkins' YALE NEEDS WOMEN (Sourcebooks)

Melissa L. Sevigny’s BRAVE THE WILD RIVER (W.W. Norton)

Jean Kennedy Smith's THE NINE OF US (Harper)

Rebecca Boyle’s OUR MOON (Random House)

Peter Brannen’s THE ENDS OF THE WORLD (Ecco) and THE STORY OF CO2 IS THE STORY OF EVERYTHING (Ecco)

Daniel Chamovitz, PhD's WHAT A PLANT KNOWS (FSG)

Lisa Cron's WIRED FOR STORY and STORY GENIUS (Ten Speed Press)

Shaun Gallagher's EXPERIMENTING WITH BABIES and EXPERIMENTING WITH KIDS (TarcherPerigee)

Keith Houston’s SHADY CHARACTERS, THE BOOK, and EMPIRE OF THE SUM (W.W. Norton) 

Kimberly Potts’ IT’S (ALMOST) ALWAYS SUNNY IN PHILADELPHIA (Gallery)

Jessica Lahey’s THE GIFT OF FAILURE and THE ADDICTION INOCULATION (Harper)

Steve Magness’ DO HARD THINGS and WIN THE INSIDE GAME (HarperOne)

Deirdre Mask’s THE ADDRESS BOOK (St. Martin’s Press)

Cal Newport’s SLOW PRODUCTIVITY and DIGITAL MINIMALISM (Portfolio) and DEEP WORK (Grand Central)

Mary-Frances O’Connor’s THE GRIEVING BRAIN and THE GRIEVING BODY (HarperOne)

Brad Stulberg’s THE PRACTICE OF GROUNDEDNESS (Portfolio), MASTER OF CHANGE, and THE WAY OF EXCELLENCE (HarperOne)

Scott Young's ULTRALEARNING and GET BETTER AT ANYTHING (HarperBusiness)

Meg Adams: WHY ARE YOU LIKE THIS? (Andrews McMeel)

Siyu Cao: A PLACE OF MY OWN  (forthcoming from Andrews McMeel)

Lee Crutchley: THE NOCTURNAL JOURNAL and GET LOST! (TarcherPerigee)

Rachel Dougherty: SECRET ENGINEER (Roaring Brook) and A RACCOON AT THE WHITE HOUSE (Simon Spotlight)

Jorey Hurley: NEST, FETCH, HOP, BEEHIVE et al (Paula Wiseman/S&S Books for Young Readers)

Nicole Kelner: QUIETEST PLACES IN NEW YORK CITY (Rizzoli USA)

Andrew Kolb: EDMUND UNRAVELS (Nancy Paulsen Books), PEACE: A CARD GAME (Chronicle), NEVERLAND, OZ, and WONDERLAND (Andrews McMeel), and the ALL ABOARD! series (Abrams Appleseed)

Meera Lee Patel: START WHERE YOU ARE, CREATE YOUR OWN CALM, GO YOUR OWN WAY et al (TarcherPerigee)

Yumi Sakugawa: THE LITTLE BOOK OF LIFE HACKS (St. Martin’s Press) and COSMIC COMFORT (Clarkson Potter)

Becky Simpson: I’D RATHER BE SHORT (Plume) and THE ROOMMATE BOOK (Andrews McMeel)

Beth Spencer: UNTITLED DRAWING GUIDE (forthcoming from Simon Element)

Debbie Tung: QUIET GIRL IN A NOISY WORLD and BOOK LOVE (Andrews McMeel)

Katie Vaz: MY LIFE IN PLANTS, MAKE YOURSELF COZY and DON'T WORRY EAT CAKE (Andrews McMeel)

Laurie accepts only email queries. Send a brief email describing you and your project to Laurie@defliterary.com Please include the word “query” and your book title in the subject line. Attachments will not be opened unless requested. Submissions do not need to be exclusive, and response time is generally no more than two weeks. If you have not received a response within four weeks, please check that the defliterary.com domain name is on your email server whitelist; the response might have been rejected by your server. Please note that Laurie does not consider fiction queries of any kind.

Laurie Abkemeier

Matthew Elblonk joined DeFiore and Company in 2010. He currently represents writers in the world of music, pop culture, narrative non-fiction, food, young adult, literary fiction and humor. Interests also include science and any authors with great ideas and an equally strong platform. He tends to have a soft spot for all Beatle related projects. He is currently not considering any poetry or genre fiction.

Curtis Armstrong - REVENGE OF THE NERD: Or...The Singular Adventures Of The Man Who Would Be Booger (Thomas Dunne Books)

Paul Brannigan and Ian Winwood - BIRTH SCHOOL METALLICA DEATH (Da Capo)

Rex Brown - OFFICIAL TRUTH, 101 PROOF: The Inside Story of Pantera (Da Capo)

Leslie Bruce - YOU ARE A F*CKING AWESOME MOM (Seal Press)

Jason Feifer - BUILD FOR TOMORROW (Harmony)

Peter Hook - UNKNOWN PLEASURES: Inside Joy Division (It Books); THE HACIENDA (It Books); SUBSTANCE: Inside New Order (Dey Street Books)

Allan Kozinn and Adrian Sinclair - MCCARTNEY LEGACY VOL. 1 (Dey Street Books)

Holly Madison - DOWN THE RABBIT HOLE (Dey Street Books); THE VEGAS DIARIES (Dey Street Books)

Ralph Macchio - WAXING ON: The Karate Kid and Me (Dutton)

Matthew McConaughey - GREENLIGHTS: Your Journal, Your Journey (Clarkson Potter)

John Pring and Rob Thomas - VISUALIZING THE BEATLES (Dey Street Books)

Paul Rees - ROBERT PLANT: A LIFE (It Books)

Rob Sheffield - HEARTBREAK IS THE NATIONAL ANTHEM (Dey Street Books)

Alison Sweeney - THE STAR ATTRACTION (Hachette Books); SCARED SCRIPTLESS (Hachette Books); OPPORTUNITY KNOCKS (Hachette Books)

Bryan & Michael Voltaggio, VOLT INK. (Olive Press) and HOME, by Brian Voltaggio (Little, Brown)

Kenneth Womack - MAL EVANS BIOGRAPHY (Dey Street Books); MAL EVANS ARCHIVE (Dey Street Books)

Katie Alender - BAD GIRLS DON’T DIE Series (Hyperion); MARIE ANTOINETTE, SERIAL KILLER (Scholastic); THE DEAD GIRLS OF HYSTERIA HALL (Scholastic); THE COMPANION (G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers)

Lauren Conrad - LA CANDY Series (HarperCollins); THE FAME GAME Series (HarperCollins); Lauren Conrad STYLE (HarperCollins); Lauren Conrad BEAUTY (HarperCollins); Lauren Conrad CELEBRATE (HarperCollins)

Hena Khan - AMINA’S VOICE (Salaam Reads); AMINA'S SONG (Salaam Reads); ZARA'S RULES FOR RECORD-BREAKING FUN (Salaam Reads); UNDER MY HIJAB (Lee & Low Books); THE MAIN EVENT (Little Brown Books for Young Readers)

Matthew McConaughey - JUST BECAUSE (Viking Books for Young Readers)

Jeffrey Michael Ruby - PENELOPE MARCH IS MELTING (Delacorte Books for Young Readers)

Lauren Shippen - THE INFINITE NOISE (Tor Teen); A NEON DARKNESS (Tor Teen); SOME FARAWAY PLACE (Tor Teen)

Bella Thorne - AUTUMN FALLS Series (Ember)

Kristina Webb - COLOR ME CREATIVE: Unlock Your Imagination (HarperCollins); COLOR ME INSPIRED (HarperCollins)

Matthew Elblonk

Laura Usselman represents narrative and idea-driven nonfiction and select literary fiction. Her clients include national bestsellers, Pulitzer finalists, and winners of the Whiting, Gerald Loeb and National Magazine Awards. 

Laura’s favorite novels are written in distinctive prose and have memorable characters at their heart. She is forever on the hunt for fiction that broadens or deepens her understanding of what it means to be a person, and she relishes a place or a character that will remain real to her for a long time. Some of her favorite novelists working today include Kate Atkinson, Hernan Diaz, Rachel Kushner, Chang-Rae Lee, Marilynne Robinson, Junot Diaz, and Jesmyn Ward. 

In nonfiction, she is particularly on the hunt for striking and original literary nonfiction; deeply reported journalism, especially from the worlds of tech and business; immersive narrative history that illuminates our present moment; and smart cultural criticism that provides a new perspective on film, music, art, or sports. She is always drawn to writers who have an obsession with their subject and a love of language. 

Before becoming an agent, Laura earned her MFA in Fiction at Virginia Tech and worked at Cambridge University Press. She enjoys native plant gardening, cooking, and being outdoors. A native of Atlanta and an alum of the University of Georgia, she lives with her spouse and her three daughters in Decatur, Georgia.

Please send a query letter and the first ten pages of your manuscript or proposal, pasted into the body of the email, to laura.query@defliterary.com. No attachments please. I generally read all queries within two weeks of receipt. I regret that due to the volume of queries received, I will respond only if I am interested in seeing more material.

Please let me know if you’ve used any AI tools in the research or organization of your manuscript or proposal. If you use AI for writing or editing, I respectfully ask that you query another agent.

THE HOUSEWIVES UNDERGROUND: The Untold Story of the Women Who Made the JFK Assassination Our Most Enduring Mystery

THE SERPENT AND THE SOUTH

YOU CAN’T SEE ME

THE IMMORTAL WOMB

SHELTER

Laura Usselman

Tanusri represents writers in the children’s and adult spaces across fiction and nonfiction. In the YA and middle-grade spaces, she’s drawn to contemporary coming-of-age stories, charming and relatable romances, ambitious world-building fantasies, and well-plotted, voice-driven suspense. She’s a fan of stories set in schools or interesting neighborhoods, told from fresh viewpoints. For picture books, Tanusri’s list includes meaningful and lyrical stories as well as books that bring alive the wonder and complexity of our world with humor and heart. She’s also interested in select nonfiction that excites the imagination and curiosity of young readers. In adult fiction, she’s drawn to literary suspense and multi-generational family sagas. Diverse perspectives, contexts, and storytelling styles are always welcome. She also looks for select accessible and wide-reaching nonfiction that helps make sense of our times. Originally from India, Tanusri lived in London for a few years before putting down roots in NYC. She is a graduate of the National Law School of India, holds an LLM from Harvard Law School and a PhD from Oxford University.

Huda Al-Marashi - HAIL MARIAM (Kokila, Penguin)

Deepa Iyer - WE ARE THE BUILDERS (S&S BFYR)

Natasha Khan Kazi - MOON’S RAMADAN, SUN’S EID (forthcoming Versify, Harper); BELA AND LILY (Kokila, Penguin)

Hope Lim - MOMMY’S HOMETOWN, I AM A BIRD, AT THE WINDOW (Candlewick); SOURGRASS (Beachlane, S&S)

Qasim Rashid - HANNAH AND THE RAMADAN GIFT (Viking, Penguin)

Anitha Rao-Robinson- SARI SISTERS, illustrated by Anoosha Syed, MUSIC OF THE BELLS, illustrated by Chaaya Prabhat (Viking, Penguin)

Simran Jeet Singh - FAUJA SINGH KEEPS GOING, A VAISAKHI TO REMEMBER, WE BELONG TO THE WORLD (forthcoming) (Viking, Penguin)

Kevin Christopher Snipes - MILO AND MARCOS AT THE END OF THE WORLD, DON’T LET ME GO (Harper Teen)

Deepa Iyer – SOCIAL CHANGE NOW (Skinner Press)

Meghana Mysore – LET ALL OUR GHOSTS DEPART (Forthcoming WVU Press)

Simran Jeet Singh -THE LIGHT WE GIVE: The Power of Sikh Wisdom to Transform our Life (Riverhead, Penguin); DAILY WONDERS: Finding Grace, Solace, and Joy in Everyday Moments (forthcoming Riverhead, Penguin); SIKHS AND SIKHISM (forthcoming OUP); REMEMBERING GURU NANAK (forthcoming Princeton Univ. Press)

You can query Tanusri at tpsubmissions@defliterary.com. For adult fiction and YA/MG projects, please provide a concise pitch, bio, and short synopsis, and include the first 5 pages of the manuscript in the body of the email. For picture books, please include the entire text in the body of your email, and for an illustrated project, please attach sample illustrations in pdf format and links to your portfolio.  

Tanusri Prasanna

Aemilia Phillips is a literary agent representing a range of fiction and non-fiction writers, including a National Book Award nominee, PEN America finalist, Pulitzer winning journalist, and more.

She’s excited to work with writers who push boundaries to address social justice issues. A dual Mexican American citizen with interests in narrative non-fiction, hybrid memoir, commercial and literary fiction, and select poetry and self-help, she looks for diverse writing with an impactful story to tell.

For non-fiction, Aemilia is looking for obsessed writers who challenge the way we think about the world. She loves character driven projects that at first glance appear to be commercial, but that are also smart cultural critiques. She’s fascinated by complex fictional characters who upend preconceptions, and stories with just a touch of magic, magical realism, and speculative elements.

Aemila began her publishing career at Stuart Krichevsky Literary Agency in 2016, and joined DeFiore & Co a decade later in 2026. In addition to her work as an agent, Aemilia is a board member and the Communications Director of La Unidad Latina Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to the advancement of Latinx education. She graduated from Harvard University with honors, and completed the Columbia University Publishing Course. She lives in Manhattan, and is an avid New York sports fan.

Ruben Reyes Jr. (THERE IS A RIO GRANDE IN HEAVEN, Mariner. ARCHIVE OF UNKNOWN UNIVERSES, Mariner.) 

Lizz Huerta (THE LOST DREAMER, FSG Children's)

Sarah Weinman (WITHOUT CONSENT, Ecco. EVIDENCE OF THINGS SEEN, Ecco. 

Prisca Dorcas Mojica Rodríguez (FOR BROWN GIRLS WITH SHARP EDGES AND TENDER HEARTS Seal Press. TIAS AND PRIMAS, Seal Press) 

Christina Wilcox (TAKE CARE OF YOUR TYPE Tiller. TAKE CARE OF YOUR FRIENDS, Andrews McMeel)

Gabriel Dozal (THE BORDER SIMULATOR, One World)

Please send a query letter and the first ten to fifteen pages of your manuscript or proposal, pasted into the body of an email, to aemilia.query@defliterary.com. No attachments will be opened. Please let her know if you’ve used any AI tools in the research or organization of your manuscript. If you use AI for writing or editing, she respectfully asks that you query elsewhere. Due to the number of submissions she receives, Aemilia will be in touch only if she’s interest in reading more material.

Aemilia Phillips

Tamara joined DeFiore and Company in 2022. She started her career with internships at Macmillan and Writers House, then worked at ICM for five years. Tamara represents writer and illustrator clients in both the children’s and adult markets, with a particular focus on talented LGBTQ+ and BIPOC storytellers. She holds a B.A. in Comparative Literature from Princeton University and an M.A. in Middle Eastern Studies from Columbia University. She is a member of the Association of American Literary Agents, and serves on the board of the nonprofit organization Literary Agents of Change, where she co-directs a mentorship program for early career agents from underrepresented backgrounds.

Tamara is actively seeking graphic novels for all ages and across genres; science fiction, fantasy, horror, and speculative fiction for middle grade, YA, and adult readers; upmarket and book club fiction, especially genre-bending stories, and those with an international bent; and adult & YA rom-coms and romance featuring LGBTQ+ characters. She also represents select nonfiction, including illustrated projects. Across all categories, she is passionate about championing marginalized voices and perspectives.

Please submit your query here: querymanager.com/tkawar

Tamara Kawar

Barbara Jones worked as an editor for more than thirty years, first in magazines (Harper’s Magazine, Vogue, More Magazine) then in books (as editorial director at Hyperion Books and executive editor at Henry Holt). Some of the writers she worked in magazines include Jennifer Egan, Elizabeth Gilbert, Christopher Hitchens, Jean Korelitz, Lorrie Moore, Ann Patchett and Francine Prose. As a book editor, she edited and published national and New York Times bestsellers as well as national and international prizewinning titles by authors such as Luvvie Ajayi, Paul Auster, Dan Chaon, Susan Choi, Kelly Corrigan, Chitra Divakaruni, Sebastian Faulks, Lauren Groff, Janice Hadlow, Lillian Li, Julie Lythcott-Haims, Rick Moody, Rachel Khong, Lauren Francis-Sharma and many others.

As an agent, she represents an eclectic list of literary and upmarket fiction and nonfiction titles, with a special interest in voices from underrepresented communities. In 2021, she joined the Stuart Krichevsky Literary Agency, which merged with Defiore and Company in 2026. Her clients include Mohammed Naseehu Ali, Kate Axelrod, Charles Bock, J.J. Duncan, Elizabeth Ferris, Rafael Frumkin, Tali Gumbiner, Tiffany Hanssen, Julia Harrell, Danielle Lazarin, Lisa Lindsay, Isaac Oliver, The Swans of Harlem and Anastasia Taylor-Lind among others. For more than thirty years, Barbara has also led writing workshops—at New York University, Queens University of Charlotte, Yale University and elsewhere.

CHARLOTTE: A Novel of Jane Eyre, Elizabeth Ferris (Forthcoming -- William Morrow)

THE SWANS OF HARLEM: Five Black Ballerinas Fifty Years of Sisterhood, and the Reclamation of a Groundbreaking History Karen Valby (Pantheon)

MY NAME WAS GERRY SASS, Tiffany Hanssen (Atlantic Crime)

I WILL DO BETTER, A Memoir, Charles Bock (Abrams Books)

CONFIDENCE and BUGSY: And Other Stories, Raf Frumkin (Simon & Schuster)

HOW TO GET ALONG WITHOUT ME, Kate Axelrod (Clash Books)

I have eclectic taste but always appreciate books written with respect for and generosity toward readers, books that reward rereading, and books that hum with a sense that the writer has something urgent—be it marvelous, terrifying or both—to show the reader for the reader's sake. (Even memoirs are not about the memoirist but are for and about the reader.)

Please note: Except for those with whom I have previously spoken about querying, I am closed to queries from August 17-November 15, 2026. 

Please send a query letter that includes, a brief bit of info about your project; a brief, relevant bio, and the first ten pages of your manuscript or proposal (dropped into the body of an email, not as an attachment). If you have used AI in any way to prepare your writing for submission, please disclose that with your query. If you don’t hear anything at all from me within two months, you can assume that I have passed up the opportunity to engage with your work as an agent.

Barbara Jones

Melissa represents a wide-range of Adult fiction and non-fiction titles. In fiction, she gravitates towards high-concept novels with a fresh perspective, energetic writing, deep emotional connection, and an immersive sense of place. Favorite categories include contemporary book club fiction, mystery, crime, psychological thrillers, speculative fiction, horror, and historical novels. She also represents history, science, memoir and idea-driven non-fiction books that are rigorous, emotionally compelling and have something big to say about our world. Across all categories, she is looking for a diversity of voices and projects that are both entertaining and enlightening, the types of books that you can get lost in and then when you finally resurface, want to discuss with others.

THE DEVIL TAKES YOU HOME, Gabino Iglesias (Mulholland/Little Brown)

YOU’RE INVITED, Amanda Jayatissa (Berkley)

GLITTER AND CONCRETE, Elyssa Maxx Goodman (Hanover Square Press)

OLD SCHOOL INDIAN, Aaron John Curtis (Tin House/Zando)

KILLER VIBES, Jack Friday (Minotaur/St. Martin’s Press)

SLIP, Mallary Tenore Tarpley (Simon Element)

To query Melissa, please send an email to Melissa.Query@defliterary.com with the following:

A query letter stating the Word Count and including 10-15 sample pages from the opening of your manuscript or proposal. This must be pasted in the body of the email, and all queries with attachments will automatically be deleted.  

If you have used AI to write any part of your manuscript, I respectfully ask that you don’t submit your project to me. You must disclose the nature of any other AI use in the initial query.

Due to the volume of queries, I am unable to provide feedback, and I will only be in touch if I’m interested in reading more material.

If I have not responded within 6 weeks, you are welcome to submit to another agent.

Melissa Danaczko

Caryn Karmatz Rudy joined DeFiore and Company in the fall of 2010.

Prior to becoming a literary agent, Caryn spent seventeen years as an editor of both fiction and nonfiction for Warner Books/Grand Central Publishing. Her experience on the other side of the publishing desk has armed her with invaluable insight into the hurdles editors face throughout the entire publishing process from the book's initial acquisition to the marketing, publicity and sales vital to ensuring strong sales...and she believes falling shamelessly in love with a book is the ultimate weapon in any agent's arsenal.

Caryn graduated from the University of Pennsylvania and currently sits on the Board of Kelly Writers House.

Joshilyn Jackson’s MISSING SISTER, WITH MY LITTLE EYE, MOTHER MAY I, and NEVER HAVE I EVER (William Morrow)

KJ Dell’Antonia’s PLAYING THE WITCH CARD, IN HER BOOTS, and THE CHICKEN SISTERS (Putnam)

Sarah Callender's LUCY IN BETWEEN (Holiday House)

Kathleen Donohoe’s GHOSTS OF THE MISSING (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt) and ASHES OF FIERY WEATHER (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt)

Andy Abramowitz’s DARLING AT THE CAMPSITE, A BEGINNERS GUIDE TO FREE FALL (Lake Union) and THANK YOU, GOODNIGHT (Touchstone/S&S)

Lydia Netzer's SHINE, SHINE, SHINE (St. Martin's Press) and HOW TO TELL TOLEDO FROM THE NIGHT SKY (St. Martin's Press)

Bonnie J. Rough’s BEYOND BIRDS AND BEES: Bringing Home A New Message to Our Kids About Sex, Love, and Equality (Seal Press)

Amy Bloch’s THE POWER OF HEART: When and How to Get Out of Your Brain (St. Martin’s Press)

Ellen Fein and Sherrie Schneider's NOT YOUR MOTHER'S RULES: Dating Secrets for Texting, Booty Calls, and Everything Else! (Grand Central Publishing)

Dallas Shaw, THE WAY SHE WEARS IT (William Morrow)

David Siik's THE ULTIMATE TREADMILL WORKOUT (Adams Media)

Laura Williams' AVAILABLE (Borough Press/HarperCollins)

I gravitate towards fiction with memorable characters, captivating voices, and original plotting, and I relish a great page-turner as much as a literary masterpiece. I am intrigued by a wide range of nonfiction, from narrative to practical, especially focusing on lifestyle, parenting, women's issues, and memoirs that exhibit quirky perspectives. In both fiction and nonfiction, if you can make me laugh, you've won half the battle. I don't work with science fiction, horror, romance, or paranormal novels.

Please email at Caryn@defliterary.com, using the word "Query" and your book's title in the subject line. Please include a brief, compelling description of the book in the email, along with a short bio, and for fiction and memoir, please include the first five pages of the manuscript in the body of the email. Attachments will not be opened unless I have requested them.

Caryn Karmatz Rudy

Chris represents books across a broad spectrum of nonfiction—memoirs, narrative, prescriptive, Christian, and sports—and works with her authors to develop books that are appealing and accessible to a broad audience.

She is passionate about stories that must be told: of an achievement-oriented mother who learns the true worth of every life when her daughter is born with Down syndrome, a medical missionary who puts his life on the line treating patients during the Ebola epidemic, a couple who makes the stunning choice to forgive their daughter’s killer.

Chris is drawn in particular to authors whose faith engages the wider world, such as  American Psychological Association president Dr. Thema Bryant, Bread for the World president and CEO Eugene Cho, The Center for Justice + Renewal founder Christena Cleveland, and the Cave of Adullam Transformational Training Academy (CATTA) director Jason Wilson. 

Her bestselling authors in the sports category include sportscaster Ernie Johnson Jr., Big Ten Network lead studio host Dave Revsine, and New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton. Publishing a book by NFL legend Brett Favre fulfilled Chris’s wedding vows – in which she pledged allegiance to the Green Bay Packers, for better or worse.

Prior to becoming an agent, Chris worked as an editor for several New York publishing houses, including Hachette Book Group and Random House, and helped launch an independent publishing company. Chris has a degree in English from Harvard University.

Amy Julia Becker - TO BE MADE WELL: An Invitation to Wholeness, Healing, and Hope; WHITE PICKET FENCES: Turning Toward Love in a World Divided by Privilege; SMALL TALK: Learning From My Children About What Matters Most; A GOOD AND PERFECT GIFT: Faith, Expectations, and a Little Girl Named Penny

Kent and Amber Brantly - CALLED FOR LIFE: How Loving Our Neighbor Led Us into the Heart of the Ebola Epidemic

Dr. Thema Bryant - MATTERS OF THE HEART: Healing Your Relationship with Yourself and Those You Love; HOMECOMING: Overcome Fear and Trauma to Reclaim Your Whole, Authentic Self; RECLAIM YOURSELF: Take Back Your Life from Stress and Trauma

Curtis Chang - THE AFTER PARTY; THE ANXIETY OPPORTUNITY: How Worry is the Doorway to Your Best Self

Eugene Cho - THOU SHALT NOT BE A JERK; OVERRATED: Are We More in Love with the Idea of Changing the World Than Actually Changing the World? 

Chanel Dokun - LIFE STARTS NOW: How to Create the Life You’ve Been Waiting For

Christena Cleveland - GOD IS A BLACK WOMAN; OUR LADY OF LIBERATION

Audrey Elledge and Elizabeth Moore - LITURGIES FOR WHOLENESS: Sixty Prayers to Encounter the Depth, Creativity, and Friendship of God in Ordinary Moments; LITURGIES FOR HOPE: Sixty Prayers for the Highs, Lows, and Everything in Between

Kate Grosmaire - FORGIVING MY DAUGHTER’S KILLER: A True Story of Loss, Faith, and Unexpected Grace

Sara Harberson - SOUNDBITE: The Admissions Secret that Gets You Into College and Beyond

Sister Lisa Hezmalhalch - A ROME FOR RESTLESS HEARTS: Finding a Spiritual Home in Catholicism

Ernie Johnson, Jr. - UNSCRIPTED: The Unpredictable Moments that Make Life Extraordinary 

Stephanie Landsem - THE FAULT BETWEEN US; CODE NAME EDELWEISS; IN A FAR-OFF LAND

Helen Lee - THE RACE-WISE FAMILY: Ten Postures of Becoming Households of Healing and Hope

Dave Revsine - THE OPENING KICKOFF: The Tumultuous Birth of a Football Nation

Ekemini Uwan, Christina Edmondson, and Michelle Higgins - TRUTH’S TABLE: Black Women’s Musings on Life, Love, and Liberation 

Jason Wilson - THE MAN THE MOMENT DEMANDS: Master the 10 Characteristics of the Comprehensive Man; BATTLE CRY: Waging and Winning the War Within 

Justin Wren - FIGHT FOR THE FORGOTTEN: How a Mixed Martial Artist Stopped Fighting for Himself and Started Fighting for Others

Jocelyn Chung - WHEN LOVE IS MORE THAN WORDS; THE RIVER OF CAREGIVING

Sarah Shin and Shin Maeng - THE GREAT WAKING UP; THE DELIVERER HAS COME

Chris Park

Hannah Schwartz joined DeFiore & Company as the business manager in 2026, as part of the merger with the Stuart Krichevsky Literary Agency. She was the business manager at SKLA for a decade and began her career at InkWell Management, where she worked for four years. A Long Island native, Hannah left New York to earn her degree in English Literature, Writing and Psychology at Washington University in St. Louis. She moved to Brooklyn in 2011 and still lives there with her husband and son.

Hannah Schwartz

Business Manager

Elise represents writers and illustrators of fiction and non-fiction for young and adult readers, and is especially drawn to immersive storytelling, rich world-building, and illumination of landscapes known and unknown, including novels, graphic novels, and picture books. She’s also drawn to eye-opening narrative non-fiction, particularly stories of the natural world, and of people and events previously unknown, overlooked, or marginalized.

Prior to joining DeFiore and Company, Elise was a longtime editor and publisher. Books she edited have won the Newbery Medal twice, the Edgar Allen Poe Award for best juvenile novel twice, and many other awards and honors.

Elise is not looking for adult genre fiction. 

Please note that Elise is currently closed to queries apart from referrals.

Elise Howard

Caroline Livingston graduated from Dartmouth College with High Honors and a BA in English. After working as an editorial intern at DeFiore and Company during her senior year, she joined as a full-time assistant in 2025. Caroline works closely with Laurie Abkemeier on her list and is drawn to incisive, compelling storytellers with prose that jumps off the page. She is particularly interested in up-and-coming Gen Z voices, as well as diverse perspectives across the topics of pop culture, investigative journalism, women’s studies, history, true crime, technology, and self-improvement. Originally from Rhode Island, she now lives in New York City. 