March 27th, 2009
Editors Agents and Blogs oh my! is happy to welcome Jessica Regel
Jessica has been at the Jean V. Naggar Literary Agency for six years, the Agency has been around for over thirty years. They represent a range of authors, including: Jean Auel, Mary McGarry Morris, Lily Prior, Phillip Margolin, David Levy, Carl Safina, Cecilia Galante, Ellen Potter, Nancy Springer, and Roger Duvoisin.
Jessica received her BA degree in English Literature from Hunter College. A few of her authors include: Rayo Casablanca, Cecilia Galante, Jillian Cantor, John Michael Cummings, Pamela Wells, Victoria Strauss, and Lesley Livingston.
Below is a list of the genres she's looking to represent and a comparative title in those genres-- that she wish she had worked on!
Memoir & Narrative Non-fiction (THE
Women's Fiction (TIME TRAVELER'S WIFE)
Modern Romances (MAYNARD AND JENNICA)
Literary Fiction (CASE HISTORIES)
Edgy Fiction (THE END OF MR. Y)
Multicultural: (FREE FOOD FOR MILLIONAIRES)
Middle Grade (BLUBBER)
Young Adult (STORY OF A GIRL)
BEGIN INTERVIEW
As an agent, what types of stories are you looking for at this time?
Right now I'm looking to be entertained! I'm looking for humor writers (either in fiction or nonfiction), modern love stories (like Maynard & Jennica or The Time Traveler's Wife), pop culture, and narrative nonfiction. I want unique voices and settings.
I also handle a lot of young adult and middle grade writers. For my children's books I like reality based fantasy and science fiction with big themes or contemporary novels with a lot of heart.
What have you seen too much of lately, if anything?
I've been getting a lot of chic-lit, memoirs about the writer's year abroad, and, in young adult, I always see a lot of portal stories, or stories about teens with powers (especially VAMPIRES!)
I like humor and I like travel, but the chic-lit and abroad memoirs are incredibly hard to sell, which means that the plot and the voice needs to stand out EVEN MORE.
For the young adult vampire/portal stories, I need to see a lot of originality in order for me to request to read more.
What is your favorite part of being an agent? Least favorite?
Oh, that's easy, the best part is finding a book/author that I absolutely fall in love with. Something that gets me so excited that I want to tell EVERYONE.
My least favorite part is when I'm not able to find a publisher for the above mentioned book.
Describe your dream author? And of course....the author from Hades?
My dream author is: an optimist (you need to be in this industry!), a go-getter, a team-player... and someone who can intelligently talk about their book(s). In terms of their writing style, I'm looking for authors who have distinct voices-- you can read any page of their book and know immediately who the author is.
An author from Hades would be someone who doesn't trust the people they work with, feels they can do & should do everything on their own, isn't interested in improving their craft or feels that their "capital L literature" is perfect, and is snarky. Snarky writers need not apply!
What do you read for pleasure? Name three of your all time favorite books or
authors.
My reading habits have really changed over the years. When I worked in a library (shout out to the Charles City Public Library!) I would read anything that caught my attention-- from Clive Barker to Karleen Koen to Lois Lowry-- but almost all fiction. Now, working in publishing, I have little time for personal reading. There are certain "buzz" that I have to read and then there are books that editors give me that I need to read in order to grasp their taste in books. So, those books get priority and I have very little time to "browse". But, when I do read I like general fiction with unique plots and voices. When I went on my last vacation I picked up: Beat the Reaper by Josh Bazell, The Bastard of Istanbul by Elif Shafak, and The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins.
The "three favorites question" is always a hard one and the answer will change depending on how I'm feeling in the moment I answer the question... here's my attempt right now (on Friday at 10 a.m.):
Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger
The Neverending Story by Michael Ende and Ralph Manheim
The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls
And, I'm adding two more (see, I can't do this!): The End of Mr. Y by Scarlett Thomas and Revolutionary Road by Richard Yates.
Tell us about a few titles you have coming out you are excited about.
Jillian Cantor's book THE SEPTEMBER SISTERS (HarperTeen), which is a beautifully written sister story (I'm a sucker for sister stories!) If you read this, you should have a box of Kleenex with you!
VERY MERCENARY by Rayo Casablanca (Kensington) which is a romp of a novel-- fast-paced and wacky. This is Rayo's second novel (the first, 6 SICK HIPSTERS) and he's only getting started!!
DARKLIGHT by Lesley Livingston (HarperTeen). This book has everything: fantasy, romance, adventure... incredibly interesting Shakespearian and Central Park history... and to top it off Lesley has a great voice! This is the second book in her WONDROUS STRANGE series.
Cecilia Galante has a new middle grade novel coming up from Simon & Schuster titled WILLOWOOD. Her first novel THE PATRON SAINT OF BUTTERFLIES (Bloomsbury) is doing incredibly well and her middle grade novel HERSHEY HERSELF is pitch perfect. She's an excellent example of the type of middle grade author that I'm looking for.
How does one submit to you and do you accept equeries?
Actually starting this year I only accept e-queries. Writers should email me with a description of their book and a bio of themselves, typed within the email. I don't want attachments and I don't want pages pasted into the bottom of the email.
and our new question section- an absolute take off of inside the actors
studio-adapted for books (how's that for a switch)
INSIDE THE AGENTS STUDIO
Tell us your favorite movie
Oh, I'm crazy about movies!! I see everything. I love Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, I thought Slumdog Millionaire was awesome, The Big Lebowski I could watch over and over again, and It's A Wonderful Life (obviously).
Tell us your favorite protagonist-hero or heroine, your choice.
Heroine: Dagny Taggart from Atlas Shrugged. A smart woman who gets things done!
What is your favorite word or phrase?
Doh!
least favorite word or phrase?
No.
And any of its variations, for example: "I loved it, but..."
If you werent an agent, you would be a __________.
Travel writer. I love to travel (my last trip was over Christmas, where I went to India and Dubai.) I have two clients, Karen Schaler and Jeryl Brunner, who write travel pieces and they're always jetting off to the most fabulous destinations. I kind of want to be them.
Also...agents talk of voice. What kind of voice hooks your attention? One
that makes you laugh, cry--in your own words.
Right now I'm looking to be entertained! I'm looking for humor writers (either in fiction or nonfiction), modern love stories (like Maynard & Jennica or The Time Traveler's Wife), pop culture, and narrative nonfiction. I want unique voices and settings.
I also handle a lot of young adult and middle grade writers. For my children's books I like reality based fantasy and science fiction with big themes or contemporary novels with a lot of heart.
What have you seen too much of lately, if anything?
I've been getting a lot of chic-lit, memoirs about the writer's year abroad, and, in young adult, I always see a lot of portal stories, or stories about teens with powers (especially VAMPIRES!)
I like humor and I like travel, but the chic-lit and abroad memoirs are incredibly hard to sell, which means that the plot and the voice needs to stand out EVEN MORE.
For the young adult vampire/portal stories, I need to see a lot of originality in order for me to request to read more.
What is your favorite part of being an agent? Least favorite?
Oh, that's easy, the best part is finding a book/author that I absolutely fall in love with. Something that gets me so excited that I want to tell EVERYONE.
My least favorite part is when I'm not able to find a publisher for the above mentioned book.
Describe your dream author? And of course....the author from Hades?
My dream author is: an optimist (you need to be in this industry!), a go-getter, a team-player... and someone who can intelligently talk about their book(s). In terms of their writing style, I'm looking for authors who have distinct voices-- you can read any page of their book and know immediately who the author is.
An author from Hades would be someone who doesn't trust the people they work with, feels they can do & should do everything on their own, isn't interested in improving their craft or feels that their "capital L literature" is perfect, and is snarky. Snarky writers need not apply!
What do you read for pleasure? Name three of your all time favorite books or
authors.
My reading habits have really changed over the years. When I worked in a library (shout out to the Charles City Public Library!) I would read anything that caught my attention-- from Clive Barker to Karleen Koen to Lois Lowry-- but almost all fiction. Now, working in publishing, I have little time for personal reading. There are certain "buzz" that I have to read and then there are books that editors give me that I need to read in order to grasp their taste in books. So, those books get priority and I have very little time to "browse". But, when I do read I like general fiction with unique plots and voices. When I went on my last vacation I picked up: Beat the Reaper by Josh Bazell, The Bastard of Istanbul by Elif Shafak, and The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins.
The "three favorites question" is always a hard one and the answer will change depending on how I'm feeling in the moment I answer the question... here's my attempt right now (on Friday at 10 a.m.):
Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger
The Neverending Story by Michael Ende and Ralph Manheim
The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls
And, I'm adding two more (see, I can't do this!): The End of Mr. Y by Scarlett Thomas and Revolutionary Road by Richard Yates.
Tell us about a few titles you have coming out you are excited about.
Jillian Cantor's book THE SEPTEMBER SISTERS (HarperTeen), which is a beautifully written sister story (I'm a sucker for sister stories!) If you read this, you should have a box of Kleenex with you!
VERY MERCENARY by Rayo Casablanca (Kensington) which is a romp of a novel-- fast-paced and wacky. This is Rayo's second novel (the first, 6 SICK HIPSTERS) and he's only getting started!!
DARKLIGHT by Lesley Livingston (HarperTeen). This book has everything: fantasy, romance, adventure... incredibly interesting Shakespearian and Central Park history... and to top it off Lesley has a great voice! This is the second book in her WONDROUS STRANGE series.
Cecilia Galante has a new middle grade novel coming up from Simon & Schuster titled WILLOWOOD. Her first novel THE PATRON SAINT OF BUTTERFLIES (Bloomsbury) is doing incredibly well and her middle grade novel HERSHEY HERSELF is pitch perfect. She's an excellent example of the type of middle grade author that I'm looking for.
How does one submit to you and do you accept equeries?
Actually starting this year I only accept e-queries. Writers should email me with a description of their book and a bio of themselves, typed within the email. I don't want attachments and I don't want pages pasted into the bottom of the email.
and our new question section- an absolute take off of inside the actors
studio-adapted for books (how's that for a switch)
INSIDE THE AGENTS STUDIO
Tell us your favorite movie
Oh, I'm crazy about movies!! I see everything. I love Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, I thought Slumdog Millionaire was awesome, The Big Lebowski I could watch over and over again, and It's A Wonderful Life (obviously).
Tell us your favorite protagonist-hero or heroine, your choice.
Heroine: Dagny Taggart from Atlas Shrugged. A smart woman who gets things done!
What is your favorite word or phrase?
Doh!
least favorite word or phrase?
No.
And any of its variations, for example: "I loved it, but..."
If you werent an agent, you would be a __________.
Travel writer. I love to travel (my last trip was over Christmas, where I went to India and Dubai.) I have two clients, Karen Schaler and Jeryl Brunner, who write travel pieces and they're always jetting off to the most fabulous destinations. I kind of want to be them.
Also...agents talk of voice. What kind of voice hooks your attention? One
that makes you laugh, cry--in your own words.
That's exactly it. If an author can make me laugh out loud, cry, or scream at the pages then I'M IN!
Finding your voice is incredibly hard, but you know immediately when you find a writer who has mastered it. From the first page you're hooked.
With the current economy-have deals gone down?
No-- we're still here! We continued to make deals through the end of last year and into this year. What's happening now is that editors don't want to take risks. We've seen our big "brand" authors sell better than ever, but debuts have been harder and harder to place. It's a challenge, but one worth pursuing. It's hard to get published, but talented writers will sell eventually. I don't give up easily!
Do you view small press credits as an asset or a liability?
It depends. If it's a small press I've heard of and respect, then absolutely. If I've never heard of them, it doesn't make much of a difference to me either way. For fiction, the book matters more to me than the bio. For nonfiction, the writer's platform (their bio and connections) is practically the only thing that matters-- I can always set them up with a ghostwriter.
Are you attending any conferences in the next year?
Emerald Coast Writers Conference
BEA Writer's Digest Pitch Slam
Maine Writers & Publishers Alliance Pitch Session
Nebraska Summer Writer's Conference
BEA Writer's Digest Pitch Slam
Maine Writers & Publishers Alliance Pitch Session
Nebraska Summer Writer's Conference
Thanks for participating!
Thanks for having me!
Thanks for having me!
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