Raleigh Writing Workshop:
March 8, 2025
In-Person Writers Conference 

PITCH YOUR BOOK TO A LITERARY AGENT:

Eric Smith is a literary agent at Neighborhood Literary, with a love for young adult books, literary fiction, science fiction, fantasy, and nonfiction. Eric is eagerly acquiring fiction and nonfiction projects. He’s actively seeking out new, diverse voices in young adult (particularly sci-fi and fantasy), middle grade, and literary and commercial fiction (again, loves sci-fi and fantasy, but also thrillers and mysteries). In terms of nonfiction, he’s interested in cookbooks, pop culture, humor, middle grade, essay collections, and blog-to-book ideas. Learn more about Eric here.

Jessica Felleman is a literary agent with Jennifer Lyons Literary Agency. Jessica represents a range of creators, loves fresh stories about magic, and looks for commercial and literary fiction featuring underserved voices, unforgettable places, and complicated families. She is especially looking for fiction that balances on the edge of genre—particularly science fiction and fantasy, or blends genres in a surprising way. Jessica has a soft spot for stories set in Los Angeles and New England, the weird and strange, and characters who make mistakes, even if they can’t fix them. Jessica specializes in pop culture nonfiction and prescriptive titles that offer realistic advice or new perspectives to help readers better understand themselves and the world, as well as and narrative nonfiction about science, history, and psychology that engages with contemporary conversations. Learn more about Jessica here.

Zach Honey is a literary agent at FinePrint Literary Management. Zach is primarily seeking thrillers and adult fiction, especially those set in rural places, mountainous regions, or other hard-to-reach corners of the world. His other interests include hiking, skiing, music, board games, golf, and other outdoor activities, and he is open to non-fiction pitches in these categories. He is not looking to represent fantasy or sci-fi at this time. He would like to support underrepresented authors, especially those in the American indigenous community. Above all, he enjoys strong writing with fascinating settings, memorable characters, and stories that are impossible to put down. Learn more about Zach here.

Andrea Hurst [SOLD OUT OF PITCH APPOINTMENTS] is a literary agent and the founder of Andrea Hurst Literary Management. She is seeking: Women’s Fiction: Upmarket/Book Club, Romance, Historical, Contemporary, Thriller/Suspense/Mystery/Crime, Prescriptive Nonfiction/Memoir, Adult Science Fiction/Fantasy (Space Opera, Military Science Fiction, LitRPG), Cookbooks. “We are always on the lookout for #OwnVoices authors, writing about their own experiences.” Learn more about Andrea here.

Jess Regel [SOLD OUT OF PITCH APPOINTMENTS] is a literary agent and founder of Helm Literary. Jess represents novels for all age groups (adult, young adult, and middle grade), but with a focus on upmarket fiction with characters who jump off the page and thought-provoking storylines. She wants books that are conversation starters. She represents books for a general commercial audience, but she loves a genre twist. LGBTQIA+ and #OwnVoices very much welcome. She’s usually closed to unsolicited queries, but for the 2025 Carolina Writing Workshop she is open! Learn more about Jess here.

Katie Grimm [SOLD OUT OF PITCH APPOINTMENTS] is a literary agent with Curtis, Brown. She represents and is seeking plot-driven literary and upmarket fiction, narrative and creative nonfiction, and literary fiction for young adult and middle grade audiences. “In adult, I look for unique voices and topics that evoke a strong emotion and necessitate a conversation, and in children’s, I’m looking for fantasy with a classic feeling and/or engages with tropes in fun ways. Across all genres and ages, I’ll always be interested in the darker and weirder side of the human condition, stories that can be classified as tragicomic, and previously under- or misrepresented experiences and voices.” Learn more about Katie here.

Lydia Caudill [SOLD OUT OF PITCH APPOINTMENTS] is a literary agent with Andrea Hurst & Associates. Lydia is primarily looking for YA and Adult contemporary fiction, YA and Adult fantasy (she can appreciate both an urban setting or an immersive new world, and bonus points if there’s a romantic element, but the plot must shine regardless), light and cozy science fiction, mysteries with a strong and innovative protagonist, domestic suspense, and historical fiction that is not war-based or rooted in medical/medicinal history. As a hopeless romantic at her core, Lydia holds the romance genre close to her heart and is always on the lookout for raw and intimate depictions of love—all kinds by all voices. She also appreciates rom-coms with a good trope or two, and any period piece that provides a much-needed escape from reality. Learn more about Lydia here.

Kaylee Zou is a literary agent with Williamson Literary. In nonfiction, Kaylee represents: history, sports, science, environmental, biographies, travel, culture, adventure, educational, motivational (i.e. work that informs or inspires social change or advocates for women and BIPOC). Give thought to your author platform and develop a strong marketing section for your book proposal. In adult fiction, the agency represents:  upmarket, contemporary, literary, and commercial; character-driven women’s fiction, book club fiction, domestic suspense, adventure, international, upbeat, feel-good, dark and dangerous, fiction with fantastical elements or magical realism, poignant social commentaries, humor, satire, new takes on old tropes. Pitch us writing that sings rather than tells, take us on an emotional journey, build vivid scenes for us, craft strong voices and unusual and unforgettable settings (we love stories where place is a character too). Any subject is welcome. Learn more about Kaylee here.

Optional Manuscript Critique Options

Add $69 — for an in-depth, personal critique of your one-page query letter from Chuck Sambuchino, one of the workshop’s former instructors. (This rate is a special event value for Florida Writing Workshops attendees only.) Registrants are encouraged to take advantage of the specially-priced critique, so they can send out their query letter with confidence following the workshop. Also, if you are meeting with an agent at the event, you’re essentially speaking your query letter aloud to them. Wouldn’t it be wise to give that query letter (i.e., your pitch) one great edit before that meeting?

Add $89 — for an in-depth personal critique of the first 10 pages of your novel. Spaces with faculty for these critiques are very limited, and participating attendees will either 1) get an in-person meeting at the workshop, if the faculty member is attending the live event, or 2) get a 10-minute phone call with the faculty member, and have notes passed along via email, if the critiquer is not attending the live event. Options:

• Adult fiction (science fiction, fantasy, contemporary, romantasy, mystery, adventure, and thriller); Young adult fiction (science fiction, fantasy, contemporary, historical, mystery, adventure, horror, romance, thriller); Middle grade fiction (science fiction, fantasy, contemporary, historical, mystery, adventure, horror) (In-person critiques for Raleigh): Faculty member Sean Fletcher, a published novelist, will get your work in advance, critique the first 10 double-spaced pages of your book, meet with you online (Zoom, etc.) or by phone for 15 minutes sometime before the workshop to discuss his thoughts, and pass along written critique notes before or after the meeting.
• Science fiction, fantasy, romance, horror, young adult SFF, urban fantasy (virtual critiques): Faculty member Wesley Chu, a published novelist, will get your work in advance, critique the first 10 double-spaced pages of your book, meet with you online (Zoom, etc.) or by phone for 15 minutes sometime before the workshop to discuss his thoughts, and pass along written critique notes before or after the meeting.
• Women’s fiction, contemporary/mainstream fiction, literary fiction, young adult, and memoir (virtual critiques): Faculty member Kimiko Nakamura, a literary agent and writing coach, will get your work in advance, critique the first 10 double-spaced pages of your book, meet with you online (Zoom, etc.) or by phone for 15 minutes sometime before the workshop to discuss her thoughts, and pass along written critique notes before or after the meeting.
• Fantasy (both YA and adult), fantasy romance, contemporary romance, women’s fiction (virtual critiques): Faculty member Shauna Golden, a former agent, will get your work in advance, critique the first 10 double-spaced pages of your book, talk with you virtually (Zoom/phone) for 15 minutes workshop to discuss her thoughts, and pass along written critique notes.
• All types of adult fiction (except erotica); all types of young adult fiction and middle grade; Christian fiction; screenplays and TV scripts (virtual critiques): Faculty member Jaimie Engle, a screenwriter, will get your work in advance, critique the first 10 double-spaced pages of your book/script, talk with you virtually (Zoom/phone) for 15 minutes workshop to discuss her thoughts, and pass along written critique notes before or after the meeting.
• More critique options possibly forthcoming.