Oregon Christian Writers is pleased to introduce the talented agents joining us for the 2021 Summer Conference. Pay particular attention to types/genres agents are interested in representing to find the best match for your work. The Agent Panel will be live Monday August 16 at 3:30 p.m. PDT.
See the Manuscript Submission page for general submission guidelines and information on how to submit mini proposals to agents and editors. Submissions open June 1 and must be received by July 10. Agents have quotas and will be available on a first-come, first-served basis.[divider style=”solid” top=”20″ bottom=”20″]
Sally Apokedak – www.sally-apokedak.com
Agent Panel (Monday)
Nite Owl: “Refine Your Pitch” First-Page Small-Group Critique (Monday)
Writing Center
Sally Apokedak is the owner of the Apokedak Literary Agency, a boutique agency specializing in children’s books. She represents a small number of clients but is open to adding other talented writers to her list. Sally also owns Paraklesis Press, which publishes books that lean to the right of center politically, socially, and religiously.
Sally is looking for:
Fiction for children and young adults to age 18:
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- Picture Books (by author/illustrators, particularly trained artists)
- Middle Grade
- Young Adult
- Fantasy/Sci-Fi
- Mystery
- Adventure
Note: most interested in books written from a Christian worldview aimed at the general market but will also look at MG and YA novels aimed at the Christian market.
Christian Nonfiction for all ages.
Sally is not looking for:
Poetry books, issue/preachy books with overt lessons, supernatural books with angels/demons, werewolves, vampires, zombies, etc. (though she does like fantasy—think orcs, hobbits, dragons), rhyming picture books where all rhyming words are one or two syllables.
Sally will not be participating in the Manuscript Submission Program.
Sally will be available for cold pitch appointments.
Blythe Daniel – www.theblythedanielagency.com
Agent Panel (Monday)
Writing Center
Blythe Daniel has been involved in publishing for more than 20 years. She’s a marketer, author, and literary agent. Her agency represents authors to publishers for contracts and to consumers through marketing campaigns: blogs, podcasts, branding, and social networking. She and her mother, Dr. Helen McIntosh, wrote Mended: Restoring the Hearts of Mothers and Daughters and the upcoming book, I Love You, Mom.
Blythe is looking for:
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- Christian Living
- Spiritual Growth
- Current Events, Business/Leadership
- Church Leadership, Prophecy
- Marriage, Parenting
- Social Issues
- Women’s Issues, Men’s Issues
- Devotionals
- DIY/Craft, Gift Books
- Specialty (lifestyle, home, wellness, sustainable living, hospitality, inspirational prayers, comfort and encouragement, family, friendships, travel/outdoors)
Blythe is NOT looking for:
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- Fiction
- Poetry
- Short Stories
Blythe will be available for cold pitch appointments. One sheets are welcome.
Mary DeMuth – https://www.booksandsuch.com
Agent Panel (Monday)
Marketing Panel (Monday)
Nite Owl: “Nonfiction Book” First-Page Small-Group Critique (Monday)
Pep Talk: Wednesday
Writing Center
Mary DeMuth can’t remember when she didn’t write. From journals to letters to poems, she wrote her way through life. She loves Jesus and writes, speaks, and podcasts about how He transformed and re-storied her life. Mary has written more than 40 books—both fiction and nonfiction—and spoken all over the world, helping writers hone their message, write powerfully, and get noticed. Her podcast, “Pray Every Day,” has surpassed a million downloads and has been listened to in more than 150 countries.
Mary is looking for:
Fiction:
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- Contemporary
- Thriller
- Fast-Paced Literary
- Split-Time
Nonfiction:
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- Christian Living, particularly those with a bent toward spiritual growth, discipleship, and the global church
- Church Burnout
- Habits, Self-Improvement, Business, Productivity Hacks
- Creativity (art, interior design, cookbooks, etc.)
- Compelling Biographies about the Global Church
- Cultural Analysis, Sociology (like Malcolm Gladwell, Adam Grant, Cal Newport)
- Theological (accessible like N.T. Wright)
- True Crime
- The Philip Yancey or Eugene Peterson for a new generation
Mary is NOT looking for:
Fiction:
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- Young Adult
- Children’s
- Speculative
- Amish
- Historical
- Romance
Nonfiction:
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- Books on bravery, fear
- Devotionals
- Bible Studies
- Parenting
- Marriage
Mary will be available for cold pitch appointments.
Rachelle Gardner – www.rachellegardner.com
Agent Panel (Monday)
Marketing Panel (Monday) host
Writing Center
Rachelle Gardner has been an agent for 13 years and founded Gardner Literary in January 2021. She has worked with more than 200 authors to bring their books to publication and build their careers. Prior to becoming an agent, Rachelle worked at two publishing companies, in both editorial and marketing. She represents diverse authors at the crossroads of faith and culture, partnering with writers of both fiction and nonfiction in a customized approach to a rewarding publishing journey.
Rachelle is looking for mainstream commercial projects for both the Christian and general markets.
Fiction (75k to 100k words):
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- Suspense
- Romantic Suspense
- Historical
- Romance
- Historical Romance
Nonfiction:
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- Progressive Christianity (exploring the intersections of faith and culture, asking hard questions about faith, and deeper spirituality and prayer)
- Animal conservation, animal sanctuaries, animals that help people
- Business/Career
- Family
- Practical Self-Improvement
- Books by BIPOC
Note: debut fiction authors must have a complete manuscript to be considered. Nonfiction authors should be working on a book proposal. Rachelle likes to look at a few pages of your manuscript and/or proposal during a meeting and a one sheet if you have one. She appreciates authors who have a good understanding of platform and social media and expects nonfiction authors to have established a following.
Rachelle will participate in the Manuscript Submission Program.
Nick Harrison – wordserveliterary.com
Agent Panel (Monday)
Writing Center
Nick Harrison is a literary agent and the author of more than a dozen books, including Magnificent Prayer, Power in the Promises, and five books in the One-Minute® Prayer series. Nick served as senior editor at Harvest House Publishers for 15 years, acquiring both fiction and nonfiction, working with authors such as Dr. Tony Evans, Sheila Walsh, Thomas Kinkade, B.J. Hoff, and Gayle Roper. Nick has a long history of championing new, unpublished writers. His website is http://nickharrisonbooks.com/.
Nick is looking for:
Fiction:
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- Well-crafted novels for adults in all genres
Nonfiction:
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- Spiritual Growth
- Prayer
- Biographies of famous Christians
Nick is NOT looking for:
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- Poetry
- Gift Books
- Children’s
- Speculative Fiction
- Apologetics
- End Times
- Personal Experience (unless you can promote the book and reach a wide audience)
Nick will participate in the Manuscript Submission Program.
Jim Hart – www.hartlineagency.com
Agent Panel (Monday)
Writing Center
Devotional: “Peace in the Literary Storm” (Thursday)
Jim Hart works with both veteran and debut authors and represents a mix of nonfiction and fiction clients. Jim serves both the Christian and general markets. He is also a singer/songwriter/worship leader and a credentialed minister with the Assemblies of God. Currently, Jim is most interested in nonfiction on the topics of Christian living, including the exploration of a deeper relationship with Jesus, thoughtful/reflective work, and theology for the layman.
Jim is looking for:
Fiction:
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- Suspense/Thriller/Mystery
- Romance (contemporary, historical, suspense, Amish)
- Women’s Fiction
- Cozy Mystery
- Speculative/ Sci-Fi
Fiction writers should possess a strong and growing platform.
Nonfiction:
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- Christian Living
- Church Growth
- Social Issues
- Parenting
- Leadership and some Self-Help
Nonfiction writers will need to show a strong platform in their area of expertise.
Jim is NOT looking for:
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- Children’s
- Middle Grade Fiction
Jim will participate in the Manuscript Submission Program and will be available for cold pitch appointments.
Bob Hostetler – www.stevelaube.com
Workshop: “Hooks That Won’t Let Go”
Agent Panel (Monday)
Marketing Panel (Monday)
Writing Center
Bob Hostetler (bobhostetler.com) is an award-winning author, literary agent, and international speaker from Nevada. His more than 50 books, which include the award-winning Don’t Check Your Brains at the Door (co-authored with Josh McDowell) and The Bard and the Bible: A Shakespeare Devotional, have sold millions of copies. Bob is also the executive director of the Christian Writers Institute (christianwritersinstitute.com). He was also the founding pastor of Cobblestone Community Church in Oxford, Ohio, and served that church from 2000–2010.
Bob focuses on representing both fiction and nonfiction for the Christian market.
Bob is especially looking for:
Fiction:
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- Contemporary
- Historical
- Mystery
- Romance
- Suspense/Thriller
Nonfiction:
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- Business and Leadership
- Christian Living
- Gift Books
- Devotionals
- Humor
- Marriage and Family
- Parenting
- Prayer
- Spiritual Growth
- Teens/Young Adult
- Women’s
Bob is NOT interested in:
Fiction:
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- Fantasy
- Horror
- Science Fiction
- Middle Grade
- Young Adult
Nonfiction:
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- Academic
- Autobiography/Biography
- Bible Studies
- Cookbooks
- Doctrinal/Theology
- Issues
- Memoir
- Pastoral helps, sermons
- Poetry
Bob will be available for cold pitch appointments.
Tawny Johnson – www.illuminateliterary.com
Agent Panel (Monday)
Writing Center
Tawny Johnson is a senior literary agent who has learned to trust her professional instincts to recognize books that will have a solid message and win the hearts of readers. Tawny first honed this ability during her years as a bookstore manager, regional manager, product buyer, and marketing manager for a chain of successful Christian bookstores before working for Multnomah Press in the areas of marketing, advertising, children’s media, and international book rights. In 2014, Tawny joined Don Jacobson and Jenni Burke at D.C. Jacobson & Associates. Now, Tawny and Jenni lead Illuminate Literary Agency.
Tawny is seeking strong nonfiction writers who have an established platform and a beautiful way of expressing their unique perspective.
Tawny is looking for:
Nonfiction:
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- Christian Living
- Marriage
- Parenting
- Health/Wellness
- Devotions
- Family and Relationships
- Bible Studies
- Devotionals
- Gift Books
Tawny is NOT looking for:
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- Children’s
- Memoir
- Poetry
- Fiction
- Bible Studies
Tawny will be available for cold pitch appointments.
Amanda Luedeke – www.macgregorandluedeke.com
Writing Center (Tuesday)
Amanda Luedeke is vice president at MacGregor & Luedeke, where she has agented since 2009. She primarily represents authors in the nonfiction category. She also hosts a weekly podcast that offers unique insight into the publishing world: http://www.gatecrasherspodcast.com
Amanda is looking for authors with platforms and unique solutions to life/spiritual problems.
Amanda is looking for:
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- Christian Living
- Prescriptive Self-Help
Amanda is NOT looking for:
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- Memoir
- Narrative Nonfiction
- Children’s
- Fiction
Amanda will be available for cold pitch appointments.
Rachel McMillan –wkjagency.com
Workshop: “Fiction Proposals”
Agent Panel (Monday)
Marketing Panel (Monday)
Nite Owl: “Romance Novels” First-Page Small Group (Monday)
Writing Center
Rachel McMillan is a seasoned publishing professional with more than a decade in sales and marketing for an educational publisher, and she is a sought-out influencer in the Christian book industry. As the author of more than a dozen books, including the upcoming Dream Plan Go (Harvest House) and The London Restoration (HarperCollins/Thomas Nelson), she brings keen insight to her role as a literary agent. Rachel is looking for authors who have a strong social media presence and a passion for the marketplace that would appeal to both Christian fiction and general market readers of both fiction and nonfiction.
Rachel is looking for:
Fiction:
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- Historical
- Women’s
- Contemporary Romance
- Literary
Nonfiction:
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- Gift Books
- Women’s Issues
- Apologetics
- Christian Living
- Biography
- Social Issues
- Missions
Rachel will participate in the Manuscript Submission Program.
Karen Neumair – www.credocommunications.net
Workshop: “Nonfiction Proposals Editors Love”
Pep Talk: “What You Need to Know About 1:1’s”
Agent Panel (Monday)
Writing Center
Karen Neumair is a Senior Literary Agent and the Chief Operating Officer of Credo Communications, where she assists authors with their book proposals and connects them with potential publishers. For more than a decade, she has worked alongside nonfiction authors who write about Christian living and spiritual growth as well as topics geared toward women and families.
Karen is looking for:
Nonfiction:
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- Christian Living
- Spiritual Growth
- Topics geared toward women and families
Karen is not looking for:
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- Fiction
Karen will be available for cold pitch appointments.
