Tuesday, September 24, 2013

Welcome Beth Phelan to TBA!!!


You guys, I'm so excited to announce that the fabulous, amazing Beth Phelan has joined our agency!   Beth is formerly of Waxman Leavell Literary and Howard Morhaim Literary and you can read all about her on our website here.  She is going to be a tremendous asset to our team and we are thrilled to have her on board.  And now, for a word from Beth...
Jenny


Hello readers,

I’m absolutely delighted to be joining the Bent Agency and can’t wait to add some more authors to their already stellar roster.  I’ve gotten a head start looking at some tempting submissions and am eager to see more in my slush. You can read a little about me here and brush up on TBA submission guidelines over here, but for a taste of what I’m looking for:

When it comes to YA and MG:
-       I want quirky, cute but dramatic and all-consuming contemporary YA romance.
-       With contemporary, I also want to see more stories about everyday issues that are super relatable.
-       Although it’s saturating the market a bit, I still love a strong YA urban fantasy with high stakes but not paranormal of the witches/werewolves/vampires kind.
-       I like serious middle-grade tempered with lots of fun and adventure.
-       I’m also interested in finding some lovely New Adult fiction with an unforgettable voice.
-       Above all, I need it to be funny. Even if it’s a generally serious book, I love to see humor woven throughout.

When we’re talking about adult:
-       I’m interested in literary fiction but obviously I don’t want the writing to be too flowery and distracting.  
-       Suspense, mysteries and thrillers that are complicated and surprising, not cheesy or derivative.
-       Humorous women’s fiction beyond the typical “Mr. Right/Back-to-my-country-roots” iterations.
-       Well-written family sagas and other general fiction.

As for nonfiction:
-       As a home cook, I’d love to see some unique cookbook ideas with interesting perspectives on new and old recipes.
-       I’ll consider humor/pop culture book projects with strong platforms.
-       I’m a huge animal lover, so any pet-related submissions are welcome.

I can’t wait to dive into the slush pile! You can query me at phelanqueries@thebentagency.com if you have a project that you think I’ll like. You can also follow me on twitter at @beth_phelan for live wish list updates and more on what I’m looking for in my queries.

I look forward to reading your work and appreciate you sharing it with me!

Beth 

4 comments:

  1. Okay, I love that you have a beagle :)

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  2. Congratulations! Putting you on my list for future queries, Beth ;) But don't worry, I won't pop up until the manuscript is ready.

    http://kaylatherivera.blogspot.com/

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  3. Read your latest blog post. I hope agents NEVER go away. I long for one. Self-publishing can be like flying in the wind. When you have an agent, you have someone who GETS publishing and can guide you to improve your work. Getting an agent means you have a good product. No wonder there are so many books out there that aren't worth reading. I hope you all don't go away and I hope one of you helps me publish a book someday. Beth Havey

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