Overview
I've loved the publishing industry since my internship at Zoetrope: All-Story, a literary magazine founded by Francis Ford Coppola. Now as a literary agent, I still love helping new writers find their place in the publishing world. Some of the books I've worked on include Dodging and Burning by John Copenhaver (winner of the Macavity Award for Best First Novel, and nominated for the Anthony Award, Lammy Award, Strand Critics Award and Barry Award), and the Barnes and Noble bestselling cozy mystery series by Libby Klein. Authors have called me the pH test for good writing, and a bedrock for literary quality control.I would be happy to assist you with projects falling into any of the following genres: adult and YA fiction and nonfiction, commercial and literary fiction, upmarket fiction, mysteries (from hilarious cozies to gritty police procedurals and everything in between), historical fiction, magical realism, women’s fiction, psychological thrillers/suspense, literary/psychological horror, self-help, business, health/diet, cookbooks, memoir, relationships, current events, true crime, psychology, prescriptive nonfiction, and narrative nonfiction.
Services
Non-Fiction
Business & Management
Self-Help & Self-Improvement
Fiction
Historical Fiction
Literary Fiction
Mystery & Crime
Languages
English (US)
Work experience
Self-employed
Sep, 2011 —
Present
• Operated as clients’ sole representative for all editorial, contract, royalty and sales needs. Guided authors through the publishing process – from the inkling of an idea to the finished book, and beyond to foreign sales and promotion.
• Edited manuscripts and proposals on grammatical and structural levels, and guided authors in the development of argument, tone, characters, and message.
• Wrote dynamic pitch letters to spark interest from editors on publishing projects.
Margret McBride Literary Agency
Mar, 2003 —
Sep, 2010
(over 7 years)
• Edited 59% of manuscripts and proposals that we represented, drafted pitch letters for them, and assisted authors with style, structure, continuity, voice, and character development.
• Managed a list of over 30 titles in the foreign market. Reinstated active role in foreign rights for the agency and sold books in 37 languages. Facilitated reprint permission requests (both academic and commercial), reversion of rights requests, and domestic rights amendments, such as downloadable audio and E-Book rights. Negotiated with publishers to secure rights sales. Acted as a liaison between authors and publishers for sub-rights.
• Wrote a foreign rights catalog from scratch, and regularly updated it. Networked and pitched books to foreign agents, editors, and literary scouts at the BEA (Book Expo of America).
• Communicated regularly with authors and editors on editorial, sub-rights, and royalty matters.
• Read and evaluated query letters, proposals, and manuscripts for possible representation by agency.
• Met with prospective authors. Participated in discussions with authors to maximize marketing opportunities, especially relating to internet marketing.
• Processed royalties and distributed statements to authors. Instituted weekly royalty reports.
• Reviewed domestic and foreign book contracts, film option contracts and theatrical option contracts, and requested alterations.
• Participated in strategic and editorial meetings for agency.
• Performed office duties – answered phones, logged in and tracked submissions, filed paperwork, scheduled appointments and phone calls for President, trained and interviewed new interns.
Zoetrope: All-Story
Mar, 2002 —
Dec, 2002
(9 months)
• Processed incoming manuscripts and conscientiously communicated with prospective authors via letters and email. Read manuscripts for possible publication at various stages of review. Wrote polite rejection letters when necessary.
• Performed office duties - researched sponsors for company events, processed credit cards, entered data, filled subscriptions, mailed packages, faxed memos, transcribed texts. Trained and directed new interns and readers in company procedures. Drafted various circulation and editorial letters; worded promotional advertisements.
• Managed over 1500 submissions and collected over $20,000 in funds for the short story contest.
Portfolio
A hotel clerk prone to panic attacks turns amateur detective in this elegant and atmospheric murder mystery.If you want to spend a night amid the luxury and charm of the early 20th century, book a room at Hotel 1911. You'll find 28-year-old Ivy Nichols behind ... read more
“Some things just don’t keep well inside this house …”The summer of 1966 burned hot across America but nowhere hotter than the cotton fields of Mississippi. Finding herself in a precarious position as a black woman living alone, Bernice accepts her brother Flo... read more
The must-have guide for renters and small-space dwellers.Rental Style, which doubles as a decor piece and handy design guide, shows readers how to decorate and organize small, rented spaces on a budget. The book will cover all home development stages from sear... read more
Why work for someone else when you can call your own shots, pursue your dreams, and find success on your terms by starting your own business? So many people end up bored with their jobs, stuck in the corporate grind, never following their true passions. As wil... read more
If money were about math, none of us would be carrying any debt. The numbers are simple. What’s complicated is what we do with money. We use money to soothe our feelings and buy respect, to show how much we care or how little. We don’t simply earn, save, and s... read more
Imagine a new kind of business model: one where caring for people is your capital investment and the returns redefine your bottom line. REVVED! is the story of Katie Adams, an up-and-coming manager who's struggling to rekindle the enthusiasm and support of her... read more
An expert recognized for his uncovering the hidden, and often secret meaning of words, Kevin Hall now shares his wisdom with us all. In Aspire! he teaches readers to understand what words mean in their purest sense and unlock their importance as they develop a... read more
Flash Foresight offers seven radical principles you need to transform your business today. From internationally renowned technology forecaster Daniel Burrus—a leading consultant to Google, Proctor & Gamble, IBM, and many other Fortune 500 firms—with John David... read more
From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Who Moved My Cheese?, a brilliant new parable that shows readers how to stay calm and successful, even in the most challenging of environments.A young man lives unhappily in a valley. One day he meets an old man... read more
What do you do when your life feels as busy as a three-ring circus? Juggling Elephants tells a simple but profound story about one man with a universal problem. Mark has too much to do, too many priorities, too much stress, and too little time. As he struggles... read more
This life-changing book from White House insider and leadership expert Betsy Myers “is a perfect read for anyone seeking to understand, develop, or unleash his or her genuine leadership potential” (Publishers Weekly).Why is it that some people challenge and mo... read more
#3 New York Times Advice/How-To Bestseller #7 Wall Street Journal Nonfiction Bestseller "This book is game changing in a way I have never seen in a business book. I learned about myself and gained new insights into the work I've been doing for thirty years. It... read more
Combining six decades of clinical experience with cutting-edge research, two acclaimed leaders in the field of psychology have developed a revolutionary approach to happiness—one that’s accessible and practical enough to apply at home, yet powerful enough to c... read more
With their national bestseller The Go-Giver, Bob Burg and John David Mann took the business world by storm, showing that giving is the most fulfilling and effective path to success. That simple, profound story has inspired hundreds of thousands of readers arou... read more
The Builders, Baby Boomers, Generation X, and Millennials—all make up workforces in every type of industry all over the world. The generational gaps are numerous and distinctly different between each age group, and Millennials have gotten a reputation for bein... read more
A key team member behind The Secret and his business partner offer the specific tools and mental strategies to help readers leap ahead in any career or business venture and achieve major financial success. In this visionary work, New York Times bestselling aut... read more
The Red Circle: My Life in the Navy SEAL Sniper Corps and How I Trained America's Deadliest Marksmen "If you want to know what makes up the DNA of a Navy SEAL and have a behind-the-scenes look at the best sniper program in the world, then 'hold 1 right for win... read more
“Most people just laugh when they hear that the secret to success is giving. . . . Then again, most people are nowhere near as successful as they wish they were.” The Go-Giver tells the story of an ambitious young man named Joe who yearns for success. Joe is a... read more
A practical guide to help introverts harness their natural gifts and entrepreneurial spirit Think you have to be loud and brash to be successful in business? Think again. The strengths and traits of the typical introvert lend themselves well to entrepreneurshi... read more
For fortysomething Poppy McAllister, taking a stroll down memory lane in Cape May, New Jersey, isn’t just awkward—it’s deadly. Newly widowed and stuck in a middle-aged funk, Poppy has been running on cookies, infomercials, and one-sided chats with her cat for ... read more
In a small Virginia town still reeling from World War II, a photograph of a beautiful murdered woman propels three young people into the middle of a far-reaching mystery. *Nominated for a 2019 Barry Award and Lambda Literary Award* A lurid crime scene photo of... read more
When her sleepwalking aunt is accused of committing murder, Poppy McAllister finds out there's no rest for the weary . . . Between trying to get her gluten-free baking business off the ground and helping her aunt remodel her old Victorian into the Butterfly Ho... read more
Cape May, New Jersey, is the site of a big culinary competition—and the knives are out . . . Poppy McAllister is happy about opening a Jersey Shore B&B—but working in a professional kitchen has always been her real dream. Now it’s coming true, at least briefly... read more
A stunningly imaginative novel about the Cold War, the Russian space program, and the amazing fraud that pulled the wool over the eyes of the world.It's 1964 in the USSR, and unbeknownst even to Premier Khrushchev himself, the Soviet space program is a sham. W... read more
The last thing gluten-free baker Polly McAllister needs in her life is more drama—or more murder . . . Poppy thought her toughest challenge this winter would be sticking to her Paleo diet and filling all her orders for her gluten-free goodies, but now she has ... read more
Annie has 41 reviews
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Heather R.
Aug, 2026
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Jul, 2026
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Jun, 2026
Anton B.
Sep, 2025
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Dec, 2024
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