Writing Away Virtual Pitch Retreat

Eric Smith is a literary agent at P.S. Literary with a love for young adult books, literary fiction, sci-fi, fantasy, and non-fiction. He’s worked on award-winning and New York Times bestselling titles, and began his publishing career at Quirk Books. A frequent blogger, his ramblings about books and the publishing industry regularly appear on Book Riot, Paste Magazine, and Publishing Crawl. He also occasionally writes books when he finds the time, like his latest, Don’t Read the Comments (Inkyard Press)

Andie Smith is a Junior Agent at The Booker Albert Literary Agency where she started out as a Literary Intern in 2022. She is also a writer and editor of multiple genres. Andie has previously served as a writer and editor for several local newspapers and magazines in Central Florida and is currently pursuing her Master’s in Public Administration. When she’s not agenting, she’s spending time with her husband and two kitties or hanging out at Disney World.

Andie is currently looking for Young Adult or Adult genres including but not limited to contemporary, romance, thriller, speculative, dystopian, issue-driven, fantasy, eco-fiction, and sci-fi.

After five years of literary scholarship, Maggie Sadler is motivated to apply her knowledge of
literature and craft to the industry as an Associate Agent at Corvisiero Literary Agency.
Maggie earned her joint degree in Comparative Literature and English in 2016 from the
University of St Andrews, a historical university tucked away in a tiny windswept Scottish
town along the North Sea. A sea sprite at heart, Maggie returned to the North Atlantic coast
to earn her Master’s in Literary Studies at Memorial University of Newfoundland in 2019.
The intricate, vivid, and deep-rooted folk traditions Maggie encountered in both Scotland
and Newfoundland further enriched her literary interest in folklore, mainly the seafaring lore
intrinsic to small North Atlantic communities.
After these unexpected adventures, Maggie now calls rural Michigan home, where she
daydreams amongst the wildflowers with her rascally horse. She is currently working on a
novel of her own, full of wild coasts, mysterious sea chests, and feral girls with monstrous
secrets.

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Maggie's Wishlist and Reading Preferences:

Maggie will evaluate every manuscript with sensitivity and a desire to uplift up-and-coming
writers. However, she is especially interested in finding unorthodox narrative voices that
possess subtle, yet insightful perspectives.
In adult fiction, Maggie enjoys:
● Nuanced, entrancing Magical Realism that forces the reader to reconsider what
"real" truly means.
● Folklore retellings of ambitious, perhaps even monstrous, women who are willing to
sacrifice love for power.
● Genre-bending literary fiction with an unexpected and intelligent use of language.
● Pre-1900 historical fiction, particularly any untold stories of boundary-pushing
women and women from traditionally underrepresented communities.
● Themes of femininity and the natural world, cultural identity, family legacy, rebellion
against tradition.
In new adult and young adult fiction, Maggie seeks:
● Endearing, cozy fantasies that strike the same notes as Howl's Moving Castle or The
Hobbit, yet with heroines that are equal parts gentle and resilient. I'm especially
interested in meeting the next Anne Shirley, Winnie Foster, or Sophie Hatter in an
immersive world freckled with soft magic.
● #OwnVoices Magical Realism that is strongly rooted in history and non-Western
folklore.

● Maritime fiction that evokes the spirit of nineteenth-century adventure fiction,
particularly with fierce, feminine pirate queens à la Elizabeth Swann and Eleanor
Guthrie.
● Dark academia literary fiction helmed by sharp, charming anti-heroes.
● Themes of cultural identity, self-actualization, bravery in the smallest (literally and
figuratively) of people, and setting as character.
In middle grade fiction, Maggie is very selective, looking primarily for that sparkling,
intelligent, and authentic voice. Maggie hopes to find:
● Nostalgic adventure romps featuring a rag-tag band of endearing and witty misfits.
I'm especially hoping to find the next The Goonies or Stranger Things, in novel form!
● Subtly articulated and tactfully negotiated literary fiction that explores themes of
loneliness, multiculturalism, unique family dynamics, or differing abilities (i.e.
intellectual, emotional, and/or physical).
● Animal stories that reach across generations with sensitivity and grace, whose
protagonists gently welcome the reader in for a cup of tea and a bit of cake.
An experienced traveler, Maggie also welcomes travelogues depicting remote locations and
thought-provoking encounters in a raw, authentic, and intentional narrative voice that blurs
the boundaries between the literary and the nonfiction.
Maggie is not a good fit for:
● High fantasy
● Science fiction; no space exploration or aliens, please
● Thrillers, especially stories inspired by true crime
● Military or political fiction
● Humor or satire
● Commercial romance
● Graphic novels​
● Casts of paranormal creatures (fairies, ghosts, werewolves, and vampires)
● MG narratives in the vein of Captain Underpants, Diary of a Wimpy Kid, or The Fairly
OddParents
● Intense depictions of animal abuse, murder, sexual abuse, sexual trauma, or torture

From a young age, Dorian Maffei knew she wanted to work in the world of books. Her ambitions led her to get a degree in Creative Writing, and she later became a bookseller and a bookstore events coordinator before finding her way to Kimberley Cameron & Associates. Starting as an intern, she realized there was nothing more special than falling in love with a manuscript from a potential debut author. From there, she became KC&A’s Office Manager and later was given the opportunity to start signing her own clients as a literary agent. In 2021, she became a member of the Association of American Literary Agents.

Dorian is actively building her list in a variety of genres in both YA and adult. While she appreciates most fiction that blends genre lines, she is especially interested in speculative fiction, literary science fiction, upmarket book club fiction, thrillers, reimagined fairy tales, magical realism, unique voices, contemporary novels with a dash of mystery, horror and suspense, and innovative storytelling that sometimes veers on the weird. She's a sucker for anything that can be described as both haunting and beautiful, and would love to find something in these genres that has twists and turns, lyrical writing, and keeps her up past her bedtime.

She values work that provokes a deep-rooted connection after the last page and explores the peculiar within the mundane. She is always open to submissions with diverse experiences and characters, and welcomes underrepresented and marginalized voices. She hopes to find work that features these experiences as the norm.

Dorian does not take unsolicited submissions in nonfiction, picture books, and middle grade at this time, nor does she represent poetry, self-published or previously published books, or screenplays.

Maria Vicente is a Senior Literary Agent and Advisor at P.S. Literary Agency representing innovative and beautifully written (and often illustrated) books for readers of all ages. With a decade of experience in the industry, Maria connects her clients with the very best publishing partners to bring their stories to readers across the globe. She has launched the careers of many bestselling, award winning, and critically acclaimed authors and illustrators. Maria is a member of the Professional Association of Canadian Literary Agents (PACLA) and the Association of American Literary Agents (AALA). She lives in New Brunswick, Canada, reading and selling books from the Atlantic Ocean shore.