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Our Submission Process
Thank you for your interest in Martin Literary Management. We are a full service literary and media management agency representing adult fiction and nonfiction, children's books, including picture books, middle grade, and young adult fiction and nonfiction. We do not accept poetry, short stories or screenplays.
Please keep in mind the following guidelines when you send a query:
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We are a green agency and only accept email submissions
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In the "Subject" line of your email, please write "QUERY" followed by the title of your work.
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In your email, provide the text of your query letter (pitch/synopsis + short bio).
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Kindly query only ONE of our representatives at MLM that you feel best suits your work.
Once you receive a response, you are welcome to query a different MLM agent.
Your query letter should include publisher submission history and previous publishing credits, if applicable. If you receive an offer of representation from another agent, please let us know immediately.
We make every effort to review every query in a timely manner. If we are interested in seeing more of your work, we will reach out to you.
Sharlene Martin, President, Literary Manager/Producer
accepts Adult Nonfiction queries only.
Please send your queries to Sharlene@MartinLit.com
Sharlene is interested in acquiring highly commercial nonfiction including true crime and pop culture. She also likes breaking news, issue-oriented, and celebrity-driven books. She is particularly interested in works that are adaptable to the screen. Please do not include your manuscript or proposal in your nonfiction query. Sharlene will request those items from you if she is interested.
Jen Newens, Vice President, Senior Literary Manager
Adult Nonfiction, Select Adult Fiction and Children’s Literature
At different phases of her publishing career, Jen has been an author, editor, and publisher, giving her experience in all sides of the business. She is the former publishing director at West Margin Press, an Ingram Content Group company. There, she acquired a wide range of different genres
In her role as Vice President and Senior Literary Manager, Jen applies her 360-view of the publishing business to MLM, seeking out fresh, original voices and developing exciting new talent. Jen is keen to find original takes on popular topics, books that reveal a riveting personal story, and books with a health and wellness slant.
A subject matter expert in food and drink titles, Jen spent two decades as a cookbook editor and writer (she even went to culinary school!). She’s experienced in working with celebrity chefs, business owners, cooking brands, and food bloggers, as well as accomplished home cooks.
The following are on Jen’s current wishlist. If you’re in doubt about subject matter in the adult nonfiction space, feel free to query Jen and ask about her interest. She’s always open to new ideas.
Adult Nonfiction
• Cooking
-New takes on current trends
-Book by chefs, especially historically underrepresented groups
-Food bloggers with unique stories, platforms, and/or engaged communities
-Culturally relevant
• Drinks
-Fresh takes on wine and cocktails
-Mocktails and the NA lifestyle
• Health, wellness, diet, and chronic illness
• Lifestyle topics
• Self-help
• Mind, body, and spirituality (nontraditional is preferred)
• Alternative medicine
• Memoir, provided a platform/engaged community is attached, with wider implications beyond the author, and the
writer is uniquely suited to write the story
• Underrepresented voices in all forms
Adult Fiction
Jen takes on occasional adult fiction for her existing clients or via referrals.
Children’s Literature
Jen represents select children’s literature (picture books, middle grade, YA, and graphic novels). She is only taking on clients in special circumstances at this time.
Please submit queries here: http://QueryManager.com/JenNewens
Follow her on Instagram/Threads @JenNewens and X @JenNewens
Kristen Terrette, Senior Literary Manager
Kristen is a senior literary manager excited to build her list featuring titles in young adult, new adult, fantasy, thrillers/mysteries/suspense, romance, women's fiction, horror, literary fiction, historical fiction, contemporary, non-fiction, all faith-based books, and she is also looking for more illustrators.
She has a BA in Early Childhood Education and MA in Theology and Religious Studies which led her into children’s ministry for many years. Eventually, her lifelong love of books and authors drew her back to her original dream of entering the publishing world. Kristen is a multi-published, award-winning author and freelance writer. She’s held such positions as the Blog Manager for a national women’s ministry and the Social Media Manager for a publishing house. All these components landed her a spot in the coveted Writers House Intern Program. There, she received valuable hands-on agenting and publishing experience which she brings into her position. She was also named an ECPA Emerging Leader in 2023 and went through a precious mentorship during 2024 to further her understanding of the Christian Publishing landscape.
Kristen has long been a voice for diversity. She’s written extensively on topics of racial reconciliation and unity and has been a facilitator of groups around these topics in her church. In all her focused genres, she welcomes books with BIPOC or disabled main characters and diverse friendships. She believes books change people in all the best ways and that every child should see themselves in the pages.
Kristen's Accepts these genres:
Young Adult (All subgenres except Sci-fi): My background in writing YA and extensive reading in this genre has given me a great love and understanding of it. Grab my attention within the first couple of pages. Send me books with first loves, unique friendships, interesting and/or challenging family dynamics, and hard-hitting subject matter (race relations, suicide, abuse, divorce, etc.) but leave me with a satisfying (not necessarily happy!) ending.
I, generally, like friends-lovers tropes, am a little tired of most contemporary YA stories (so it better be fresh!), and I like witches or dark, rogue magic and characters over Fae and court intrigue. I will always love dragons, but would need a new take here, and do you have a unicorn story? I'm game to see it!
Thrillers/Suspense/Mystery: Send me the smart, tough, and brave lady crime solvers. I love serial killers. I love small towns and big cities. I love relatable and quirky characters. If I can’t figure out what’s going to happen next or what the ending will be, you’ve gotten my attention. (Note: I am less into straight police/procedural fiction unless there's a strong hook.)
Horror: Creep me out. Make me scared to read the story at night. Give me a book that explores death- the process of, grim reaper, death personified... If folk-horror is a thing that sounds like it could fit your book, send it. Have a ghost story? I'd rather it be like 'The Ghost Whisperer' versus a romance with one. Vampires? Werewolves? Great! But it better be fresh! No slasher-film style stories please- these don't read well for me. Is your story a thriller with a touch of horror/speculative elements? Send it.
Contemporary: Voice will be what gets me here. Also, everyday life stories that aren't set in the US or England.
Romance: I am currently open to all subgenres of this category. Surprise me.
New Adult: I love college stories! And humorous young twenties. Send me these!
Women's Fiction: I am picky in my tastes here. I tend to lean to lyrical stories here, but I'm open to all. I LOVE diverse stories here too! I love new structures, interesting and surprising POVs. Send me all and I'll take a look.
Historical Fiction: I'm interested in the Civil War to present day time periods, little known parts of WWII that haven't been explored, the Viking era, and Native stories from around the world.
Literary Fiction: I'm picky here... But I'll give anything a shot. Surprise me.
Faith-Based/Inspirational Fiction and Nonfiction: I love a good redemption or forgiveness story, a historically accurate saga, a clean and beautiful, yet realistic love story, or a memoir that has me crying and laughing within the span of a few pages. Surprise me with the beauty of God’s grace. I also want to see more bible studies and devotionals. :)
True Crime (Nonfiction): I'm obsessed with true crime. If you've got a story, tell me about it...
Illustrators: I am open to seeing your artwork! Query me with your portfolio!
Fantasy: My tastes definitely lean toward romance here (Romantsy). And while I do love some Lord of the Rings (the soundtrack was played at my wedding!), I'm currently not looking for high fantasy. Like my tastes in YA fantasy, I'm tired of the court intrigue storyline, or princess needing to save the realm.
Non-fiction: Send me memoirs, culture, celebrity, parenting, and psychology books. If you have an interesting idea, send it. My tastes vary greatly here. (Please have a strong platform and/or authority to speak on the subject if you are sending me a NF submission.)
What I'm taking a break on:
Middle Grade (All subgenres except Sci-fi): I heart Middle Grade! But, I need to take a break on MG submissions for now. I will look at Middle Grade projects at conferences or as referrals.
Picture Books: Picture books are an important part of establishing a love for literature at an early age. However, I need to take a break on PBs for the moment. I will look at Picture Book projects at conferences or as referrals.
Overall Preferences: Settings I'd love to see: Reservations, underpopulated areas in the US, anywhere other than the US or England... I love books with unique structures or retellings, time lapses, dual POVS when warranted, industry-standard word counts (!), and hooks/stakes shown within the first 5-8 pages.
I am not a good fit for Science Fiction (even in YA), books with any political agenda, extremely foul-mouthed characters, sick-lit or cancer books, books over 100k words, and books with gratuitous sex scenes.
To see Kristen's listing on #MSWL, click here.
To see Kristen's website, click here.
If your manuscript is ready, please submit to Kristen via Query Manager here.
Rob Broder, Literary Manager
Picture Books, Early Chapter Books, Middle Grade, Juvenile & MG Graphic Novels, Adult Nonfiction Graphic Novels and Graphic Memoirs
While selling chocolate in New England, Rob had the idea of starting a children’s picture book publishing company. Learning everything from the ground up, he founded Ripple Grove Press, which went on to publish award-winning and starred reviewed books. After reading hundreds of picture books and thousands of submissions, Rob began writing his own stories. His work has been published by Simon & Schuster, Sasquatch / Little Bigfoot, and Blue Star Press, and he has collaborated with Patagonia on their first two picture books as both author and developmental editor.
Rob served on the Board of the Independent Book Publishers Association and has a Certificate of Public Librarianship from the Vermont Department of Libraries. He is a picture book consultant and has ghostwritten picture books that went onto publishing success. Rob has given lectures on publishing and has been on discussion panels with SCBWI. He facilitates a workshop titled “Naturally Distracted,” about ADHD and creative writing. He is an Editor-at-Large at Wayfarer Magazine and was honored to serve as Poet Laureate of Shelburne, Vermont, the town he calls home.
Wishlist*:
• Anything picture books. Especially something different and unique–from writers and/or illustrators. Rob
gravitates toward a story that captures a moment more than a moral. But if something is written well, and it
speaks to him, he will certainly consider it.
• Early readers, early chapter books and middle grade.
• Juvenile & MG graphic novels, graphic memoirs.
*Please read the genre you write.
Please submit queries here: https://QueryTracker.net/query/rbrtbrdr
Rob’s personal website is here: RobertBroder.com
Connect on Linkedin
Lindsey Aduskevich, Literary Manager
Picture Books, Middle Grade, Young Adult, New Adult
Lindsey is excited to build her list with passionate, kind, and hard-working authors. As an avid reader, she is open to a wide variety of genres, including picture book, middle grade, young adult, and new adult.
After graduating with a B.A. in English from the University of Connecticut, where she developed a love for books that inspire empathy and foster a deeper understanding of the world in which we live, Lindsey became determined to carve a career in the publishing industry. She attended her first SCBWI conference in 2019, and later joined several critique groups, became a member of Julie Hedlund’s 12 x 12 Picture Book Challenge, and a member of Inked Voices. She interned with Senior Literary Manager Kristen Terrette before starting her career as an agent.
As an agented kidlit writer herself, Lindsey is familiar with the ups and downs of the query trenches and submission process and hopes to emulate the same compassion and quick communication she found in several agents who helped guide her own writing journey.
Residing in Southington, CT with her husband and two girls, Lindsey enjoys borrowing unusually tall stacks of picture books from the local library, snakeboarding in the basement with her family, hiking in the summer, skiing in the winter, and celebrating all the “wins” with her favorite critique partners.
Lindsey is looking for the following genres:
Picture Books: I am open to all kinds of picture books, both fiction and non-fiction, from authors and author/illustrators. I love humor with heart (but the heart has to be big), dark humor, spooky stories, commercial fiction, lyrical texts, and hard topics.
Middle Grade: Send me fantasy, thriller, mystery, adventure, contemporary, and anything in between.
Young Adult: I want romcom, fantasy, horror, thriller, historical fiction, contemporary romance, and hard topics that make my heart ache.
New Adult: I am open here but would prefer college or just starting out with a little bit of romance or humor.
With all genres, I am looking for fresh, unique concepts, phenomenal voices, high-stakes, and emotionally driven stories that speak to current issues and leave the reader with something to think about. Make me cry or laugh (or both) and you will have my heart.
Please submit to Lindsey via Query Manager here.To see Lindsey's website, click here. Follow her on X @Laduskevich, Bluesky @Laduskevich.bsky.social, and Insta @Lindsey_Aduskevich.
Jeanne De Vita, Literary Manager
While working in acquisitions and as a developmental editor for traditional publishers and freelance clients, Jeanne has edited hundreds of aspiring and established authors, including NYT, USA Today, Wall Street Journal, and Amazon bestsellers. After more than a decade working with stories at various stages of the publishing cycle, including teaching both writing and editing at the college level, Jeanne brings a strong editorial vision and passion for the publishing industry to her clients. She is excited by strong voices and compelling stories across the sub-genres of fiction, with a specific interest in romance, fantasy, thrillers/mysteries/suspense, horror, and speculative fiction.
She has MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Notre Dame and a BA in English from Iowa State University. Jeanne’s love for happy-ever-afters started in childhood, as her mother was a traditionally published romance author who wrote across the genres over her two-decades long career in publishing. Jeanne is committed to developing diverse voices and has run pro bono mentorships for underrepresented authors. Jeanne has volunteered extensively with medically fragile children, the arts, and survivors of gender-based violence. Jeanne is excited to discover new talent and to work with established authors searching for a caring, informed, and supportive advocate.
Jeanne’s current wish list includes the following:
Romance: Romance of all subgenres is my happy place. Give me everything from contemporary small-town romance to epic romantasy, dystopian, horror, and just about every variation.
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All heat levels (low spice to five chili-pepper open door)
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Every niche from holiday to space opera to monster to dark
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Diverse cultures and traditions welcome
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LGBTQIA+ romance is always welcome in every sub-genre/heat level
Romantasy: Since this term is used widely, I’m including a separate definition of what I’m looking for here. If you’re writing a no-technology universe with magic, monsters, or mythology, I’d love to see it. I also love paranormal romance or urban fantasy with contemporary settings and present-day technology. Pirates, mermaids, orcs, aliens, fairy tale retellings… I’d love to see it all!
Thrillers/Suspense/Mystery: Thrillers might just tie with romance for my go-to comfort reads. I love a strong cast of characters, a premise that keeps me guessing, and well-developed pacing that keeps me turning the pages. A lot of sub-genres fall under the umbrella of thrillers/suspense/mystery, so I’d love to see:
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Paranormal thriller
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Cozy mystery
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Psychological suspense
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Domestic thriller
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Just about any others
Please make sure your law enforcement/legal/medical research is strong before you submit.
Horror: Send me your scary! I am not a good fit for demonic/possession stories, but all other horror including Gothic, paranormal, slasher, crime, ghosts, zombies, haunted places—send my way.
Women's Fiction: I am very selective about women’s fiction, but feel free to surprise me. What I’m looking for here is depth. Is the voice compelling? Setting immersive and someplace that comes to life? What truth is revealed or experience made real for the reader? Give me un-put-downable characters, themes, and places.
Fantasy, Sci-Fi, Dystopian/Post-Apoc: My interest in these genres is broad (space opera, LitRPG, soft sci-fi and fantasy, steampunk, etc.), but execution is key. I’m looking for readable voice, propulsive pacing, deep stakes, and relatable characters.
Non-fiction: I love non-fiction, but I’m very selective about non-fiction at this time. I’m open to character-driven memoirs that read like novels (please no entire life stories) and work from experts who have something highly marketable to share with a defined audience. If you have expertise in a niche and have a book that makes your passion more accessible to others, I’d love to see it.
What I'm not reviewing at this time:
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Faith-Based/Inspirational fiction and non-fiction, including memoirs
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Illustrators
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Middle Grade
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Picture Books
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Graphic Novels
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Grimdark
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Wellness, health, and lifestyle nonfiction
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Military or hard sci-fi/fantasy
To see Jeanne’s listing on #MSWL, click here: https://www.manuscriptwishlist.com/mswl-post/jeanne-de-vita/
To see Jeanne’s website, click here: jeannedevita.com
If your manuscript is ready, please submit to Jeanne via Query Manager here: https://QueryTracker.net/query/4097