So, many authors of color toil at their laptops and spill their hearts over their keys in hopes of producing something mildly readable. Sometimes we succeed and then the hard part is finding someone to pimp your lovely work of art out to the highest bidder. That person is an agent. You must respect your agent, you must connect with your agent and sometimes your work may benefit from having a representative with whom you share a similar background. For example, as a writer who places all her stories in the South I love to see that a prospective agent lives below the Mason-Dixon line. That agent goes to the top of my list. So, the same applies to agents of color.
While my list is small it may help someone out there, even if it is just to highlight disproportionality within the publishing industry. If you know of someone to add to the list, let me know.
Also, just because these folks may be of color does not mean they will fall in love with your work. Pay attention to their submission guidelines and preferences.
Ayanna Coleman at Quill Shift Literary-Quill Shift Literary Agency LLC is a boutique agency representing the intellectual property rights of authors who create quality books for children and young adults. Our clients receive dedicated care to ensure long-term careers.
Regina Brooks at Serendipity Lit - Ms. Regina Brooks is the founder and president of Serendipity Literary Agency LLC, in New York, New York. Her agency is the largest African American owned agency in the country and has represented and established a diverse base of award-winning clients in adult and young adult fiction, nonfiction, and children's literature.
Kemi Fedarin - Kemi Faderin joined DGLM as an intern while pursuing her M.S. in Publishing at NYU. She grew up in Ellicott City, Maryland where she went to college and received her B.A. in English. Shortly after graduation, Kemi moved to New York in early 2015. An internship at Liza Dawson Associates solidified her interest in a career in the publishing industry, especially the
agenting side of it.
Folade Bell at Serendipity Lit - Foladé Bell began her career in publishing shortly after graduating from Howard University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications. She brings a multifaceted background to Serendipity. Having worked within several fields, she brings a diverse background in various aspects of media, new media and publishing. A creative activist, Foladé cultivated her sales, negotiation and client management skills within positions at Reed Elsevier, Business Wire and Radio & Records. Since joining Serendipity Literary Agency, she is focused on unearthing the raw potential of new authors ready to enter the collaborative process as well as assisting existing authors advance their careers.
Georgia McBride at Georgia McBride Media Group - Georgia McBride is founder of Georgia McBride Media Group, home of Month9Books, Swoon Romance, and Tantrum Books. She develops content for film and TV, and is also a speculative fiction writer. Georgia founded the #YAlitchat hashtag and weekly chat on Twitter in 2009.
Monica Odom- Monica Odom joined Bradford Literary Agency in 2015. Prior to joining Team Bradford, she worked for five years managing finance, subrights and social media at Liza Dawson Associates, and became an associate agent there in 2013. Monica earned her Masters in Publishing: Digital & Print Media from New York University in 2014, and has a B.A. in English from Montclair State University.
Selena James at Kensington Books - Selena James, Executive Editor, Dafina Books: African-American fiction (street lit, romance, women’s fiction, and historical fiction) and nonfiction. Fiction (contemporary romance, historical romance, erotic romance, mainstream fiction, multicultural fiction, and women’s fiction).
Janell Walden Ageyman at Marie Brown and Associates - Janell is a literary agent with Marie Brown Associates literary services. Since 1992, when her first book deal was published, she has represented fiction and non-fiction books for children and adults.
Tricia Skinner at Fuse Literary - Tricia Skinner is an Assistant Agent working with Laurie McLean. Raised in Detroit, Tricia obtained her undergraduate degree from the nationally acclaimed Journalism Institute for Media Diversity at Wayne State University. She earned her graduate degree from Southern Methodist University.
Amber Oliver at Dey Street Books - Amber is an editorial assistant at Dey Street Books and William Morrow, an imprint of Harper Collins. She is open to fiction and non-fiction, specifically in these genres: literary fiction, psychological suspense (especially those written by people of color), thriller/mystery/detective fiction, cultural heritage,speculative fiction, upmarket women's fiction (with complex characters), books about LGTBQ, as well as other underrepresented perspectives. I also have the opportunity to work with Non-fiction. As for this, she's interested in lifestyle (fashion, beauty), music, humor, cultural history, and smart narrative non-fiction.
Queressa Robinson at St. Martin's Press - Queressa is an editor at St. Martin's Press. She's worked in publishing since 2012 and has an interest in commercial fiction - romance, fantasy/science fiction, supernatural/paranormal, women's fiction, and erotica. She also offers private editorial services on her website.
Latoya C. Smith at L. Perkins Agency - Latoya is seeking romance, erotica, erotic fiction, women’s fiction, women’s thriller, LGBTQ romance and erotic fiction, along with advice/how-to/memoir submissions. She also offers editing services at her personal company here.
Stacey Barney at Penguin Books. Stacey is an editor at Penguin books. She has fourteen years experience and does not usually accept unsolicited manuscripts, but may be a good resource once you become agented.
Todd Hunter at Atria Books - Todd Hunter began his career at Atria Books in 2008. He graduated from Temple University with a BA in Journalism and has a MS in Publication Management from Drexel University. He is known for easy-going spirit and “gets it” most of the time. A native of the Washington, DC area, he now lives in Brooklyn, NY.
Areas of Interest: African American Fiction and Nonfiction, Commercial Mystery and Suspense, Sports, Narrative Memoir. He also, does not accept unsolicited manuscripts.
All descriptions are pulled from their respective websites. Again, if you know of anyone else I should add to the list let me know.
Ayanna Coleman at Quill Shift Literary-Quill Shift Literary Agency LLC is a boutique agency representing the intellectual property rights of authors who create quality books for children and young adults. Our clients receive dedicated care to ensure long-term careers.
Regina Brooks at Serendipity Lit - Ms. Regina Brooks is the founder and president of Serendipity Literary Agency LLC, in New York, New York. Her agency is the largest African American owned agency in the country and has represented and established a diverse base of award-winning clients in adult and young adult fiction, nonfiction, and children's literature.
Kemi Fedarin - Kemi Faderin joined DGLM as an intern while pursuing her M.S. in Publishing at NYU. She grew up in Ellicott City, Maryland where she went to college and received her B.A. in English. Shortly after graduation, Kemi moved to New York in early 2015. An internship at Liza Dawson Associates solidified her interest in a career in the publishing industry, especially the
agenting side of it.
Folade Bell at Serendipity Lit - Foladé Bell began her career in publishing shortly after graduating from Howard University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications. She brings a multifaceted background to Serendipity. Having worked within several fields, she brings a diverse background in various aspects of media, new media and publishing. A creative activist, Foladé cultivated her sales, negotiation and client management skills within positions at Reed Elsevier, Business Wire and Radio & Records. Since joining Serendipity Literary Agency, she is focused on unearthing the raw potential of new authors ready to enter the collaborative process as well as assisting existing authors advance their careers.
Georgia McBride at Georgia McBride Media Group - Georgia McBride is founder of Georgia McBride Media Group, home of Month9Books, Swoon Romance, and Tantrum Books. She develops content for film and TV, and is also a speculative fiction writer. Georgia founded the #YAlitchat hashtag and weekly chat on Twitter in 2009.
Monica Odom- Monica Odom joined Bradford Literary Agency in 2015. Prior to joining Team Bradford, she worked for five years managing finance, subrights and social media at Liza Dawson Associates, and became an associate agent there in 2013. Monica earned her Masters in Publishing: Digital & Print Media from New York University in 2014, and has a B.A. in English from Montclair State University.
Selena James at Kensington Books - Selena James, Executive Editor, Dafina Books: African-American fiction (street lit, romance, women’s fiction, and historical fiction) and nonfiction. Fiction (contemporary romance, historical romance, erotic romance, mainstream fiction, multicultural fiction, and women’s fiction).
Janell Walden Ageyman at Marie Brown and Associates - Janell is a literary agent with Marie Brown Associates literary services. Since 1992, when her first book deal was published, she has represented fiction and non-fiction books for children and adults.
Tricia Skinner at Fuse Literary - Tricia Skinner is an Assistant Agent working with Laurie McLean. Raised in Detroit, Tricia obtained her undergraduate degree from the nationally acclaimed Journalism Institute for Media Diversity at Wayne State University. She earned her graduate degree from Southern Methodist University.
Amber Oliver at Dey Street Books - Amber is an editorial assistant at Dey Street Books and William Morrow, an imprint of Harper Collins. She is open to fiction and non-fiction, specifically in these genres: literary fiction, psychological suspense (especially those written by people of color), thriller/mystery/detective fiction, cultural heritage,speculative fiction, upmarket women's fiction (with complex characters), books about LGTBQ, as well as other underrepresented perspectives. I also have the opportunity to work with Non-fiction. As for this, she's interested in lifestyle (fashion, beauty), music, humor, cultural history, and smart narrative non-fiction.
Queressa Robinson at St. Martin's Press - Queressa is an editor at St. Martin's Press. She's worked in publishing since 2012 and has an interest in commercial fiction - romance, fantasy/science fiction, supernatural/paranormal, women's fiction, and erotica. She also offers private editorial services on her website.
Latoya C. Smith at L. Perkins Agency - Latoya is seeking romance, erotica, erotic fiction, women’s fiction, women’s thriller, LGBTQ romance and erotic fiction, along with advice/how-to/memoir submissions. She also offers editing services at her personal company here.
Stacey Barney at Penguin Books. Stacey is an editor at Penguin books. She has fourteen years experience and does not usually accept unsolicited manuscripts, but may be a good resource once you become agented.
Todd Hunter at Atria Books - Todd Hunter began his career at Atria Books in 2008. He graduated from Temple University with a BA in Journalism and has a MS in Publication Management from Drexel University. He is known for easy-going spirit and “gets it” most of the time. A native of the Washington, DC area, he now lives in Brooklyn, NY.
Areas of Interest: African American Fiction and Nonfiction, Commercial Mystery and Suspense, Sports, Narrative Memoir. He also, does not accept unsolicited manuscripts.
All descriptions are pulled from their respective websites. Again, if you know of anyone else I should add to the list let me know.
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