We’re excited that you’re here to get to know senior literary agent Moe Ferrara as we begin to close out our meet-the-agent summer! We hope you’ve been having fun!
What is your agenting superpower?
I think all my clients would say “contracts.” I love them. No, really, I do. Ask anyone here at BookEnds and they’ll tell you the same thing (along with, maybe, some questioning of my sanity…) I’m a law school graduate from Pace Law — and contracts were just one of those things that I could do well and my skills with my legal background help me every day on the job here!
What what would people be surprised to know about you?
So it’s no secret that I am a massive theatre person. It also is no secret that I play the violin (and, now, viola. Thanks pandemic!) — but what they may be surprised to learn is just how many shows I’ve played over the years. My first show was Fiddler on the Roof back in 1999. Since then, I have played for 120 different productions between different musicals and weekend theatrical concerts. (73 alone have been at the Erie Playhouse since 2000!). Of all of them, my favorite was playing for the Equity production of Chicago when it came through Erie. As a bonus, if you ever want to hear me play, I contributed to a couple tracks for D’Illusion: The Harry Houdini Musical — a concept cast recording put together during the pandemic. My One Way Ticket (link goes to Spotify!) was probably my favorite song on the album — and yes, that’s me on violin!
What are 5 songs on your playlist (that represent you, that you always recommend, that you listen to on repeat, etc.)?
Is anyone shocked that it’s going to be broadway? (I know, you’re all stunned. It’s okay, you can admit it.) Rather than do individual songs, let’s do 5 shows instead.
Merrily We Roll Along — I will try to only list ONE Sondheim show (but really it’d be Merrily, Sunday in the Park With George, Company, Assassins, and Into the Woods that I rotate through the most. Also The Frogs and you get bonus points with me if you’ve actually heard of The Frogs before now. So these other recs don’t count right? Right.)
Falsettos — if you want a queer musical set during the AIDS epidemic that will rip your heart out, go listen to this one and grab the tissues.
The Secret Garden — I love a lot of musical adaptations of books (Jane Eyre, Jekyll & Hyde, and Ragtime are high up on my faves list), but there’s just something about Mandy Patinkin that is ::chef’s kiss::
Legally Blonde — does this one really need explaining? (Also, see: Christian Borle.)
RENT — Yes, I realize this makes me that theatre person. No I will not be taking questions at this time.
What would you like querying authors to know about you?
That I love being surprised by what I didn’t know I wanted in my inbox. I don’t mean to say you should send me super upmarket literary fiction. (Because that is not in my wheelhouse and I will never be the person who reads that genre.) We all have our wishlists. I’m still dying for some really good and creepy MG Horror. I always want more queer YA rom-coms. I want MG kiddos having their first queer crush. I know things I want to find — but there’s times I don’t even know what I’m missing. Take, for example, Miss Rita Mystery Reader. It never occurred to me that I’d want a drag queen picture book, but the moment I saw it in my inbox I knew I had to have it!
Thanks so much for coming to the blog. Please don’t forget to like and share this post. We value feedback and questions from readers, so feel free to leave a comment below! Lastly, subscribe to our YouTube channel for even more publishing insights and advice, and follow us on our socials to see what we’re up to. Twitter | Instagram | Illustrator Instagram | Facebook | TikTok
We’re excited that you’re here to get to know senior literary agent Moe Ferrara as we begin to close out our meet-the-agent summer! We hope you’ve been having fun!
What is your agenting superpower?
I think all my clients would say “contracts.” I love them. No, really, I do. Ask anyone here at BookEnds and they’ll tell you the same thing (along with, maybe, some questioning of my sanity…) I’m a law school graduate from Pace Law — and contracts were just one of those things that I could do well and my skills with my legal background help me every day on the job here!
What what would people be surprised to know about you?
So it’s no secret that I am a massive theatre person. It also is no secret that I play the violin (and, now, viola. Thanks pandemic!) — but what they may be surprised to learn is just how many shows I’ve played over the years. My first show was Fiddler on the Roof back in 1999. Since then, I have played for 120 different productions between different musicals and weekend theatrical concerts. (73 alone have been at the Erie Playhouse since 2000!). Of all of them, my favorite was playing for the Equity production of Chicago when it came through Erie. As a bonus, if you ever want to hear me play, I contributed to a couple tracks for D’Illusion: The Harry Houdini Musical — a concept cast recording put together during the pandemic. My One Way Ticket (link goes to Spotify!) was probably my favorite song on the album — and yes, that’s me on violin!
What are 5 songs on your playlist (that represent you, that you always recommend, that you listen to on repeat, etc.)?
Is anyone shocked that it’s going to be broadway? (I know, you’re all stunned. It’s okay, you can admit it.) Rather than do individual songs, let’s do 5 shows instead.
What would you like querying authors to know about you?
That I love being surprised by what I didn’t know I wanted in my inbox. I don’t mean to say you should send me super upmarket literary fiction. (Because that is not in my wheelhouse and I will never be the person who reads that genre.) We all have our wishlists. I’m still dying for some really good and creepy MG Horror. I always want more queer YA rom-coms. I want MG kiddos having their first queer crush. I know things I want to find — but there’s times I don’t even know what I’m missing. Take, for example, Miss Rita Mystery Reader. It never occurred to me that I’d want a drag queen picture book, but the moment I saw it in my inbox I knew I had to have it!
Thanks so much for coming to the blog. Please don’t forget to like and share this post. We value feedback and questions from readers, so feel free to leave a comment below! Lastly, subscribe to our YouTube channel for even more publishing insights and advice, and follow us on our socials to see what we’re up to.
Twitter | Instagram | Illustrator Instagram | Facebook | TikTok
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