Blog Archive

Middle Grade in Verse

Jan 14, 2020

I have been reading a lot of MG contemporary novels in free verse. Kwame Alexander comes to mind.  Tell  us your take on this genre, please and thanks. –A question posted on our Call for Questions. Since I don’t represent children’s books, I don’t have a personal MSWL on middle grade in verse or even […]

James McGowan’s 2020 MSWL

Jan 13, 2020

Happy New Year!  I’ve officially recharged after what was an incredible 2019, and I’m excited to share what’s at the top of my MSWL (manuscript wishlist) for 2020. First, please note that all queries to BookEnds should go through our online QueryManager database. You can find my submittable form at https://querymanager.com/query/jmcgowan, and any of my talented […]

New Client Alert- Jessica Bryant Klagmann

Jan 10, 2020

If you follow me on Twitter, you might remember me tweeting about a submission completely blowing my mind……. I’m really psyched to introduce you to Jessica Bryant Klagmann! Name: Jessica Bryant KlagmannWhat you Write: Literary FictionAgent: James McGowanWhy BookEnds? I was drawn right away by the perfect mix of professionalism and a good sense of […]

Literary Estates, Wills, Trusts, & Getting Your Money

Jan 09, 2020

I’m not a financial expert and I don’t play one on TV. I don’t even pretend to be one. But I am a literary agent, someone who spends a good chunk of every January hunting down missing authors just so I can give them money–money that’s theirs. Updating Records If you’ve ever sold a book […]

10 Things Literary Agents Look For in an Author

Jan 08, 2020

Hey Blog Readers… did you know BookEnds was on YouTube? We are! And we’re going to be helping you out by posting our weekly videos here every Wednesday. Expect more publishing tips, tricks, and advice from Jessica and James. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t subscribe to our channel and set up post notifications. Never miss […]

New Client Alert- Sharisse Steber

Jan 08, 2020

Name: Sharisse SteberWhat you Write/Illustrate: Adventure and nature-based journalingAgent: Jessica Alvarez Why BookEnds? I stumbled across Jessica Faust’s twitter feed and loved her vibrant energy. She connected me to agent Jessica Alvarez and it has been a positive, supportive partnership from the beginning. What book do you wish you had written, and why? Sara Midda’s South of France – […]

What does it mean when an editor or agent says your manuscript is “quiet?”

Jan 07, 2020

It’s not uncommon to hear that a manuscript is too “quiet” in a response from an editor or agent, but what does that really mean – and is that a bad thing or just a subjective taste sort of thing? To me, the answer to that depends on what you’re trying to achieve with your […]

Jan 03, 2020

The Next 20 Years

Dec 20, 2019

As 2019 comes to close so does our celebration of the first 20 years of BookEnds. And as with the end of any year, now is the time to look forward to 2020 and the next 20 years. 20 years ago I had a vision that my business partner didn’t necessarily share. I wanted an […]

New Client Alert- Megan Paasch

Dec 18, 2019

Name: Megan PaaschWhat you Write: YA magical realismAgent: Natascha MorrisWhy BookEnds? I love the BookEnds team atmosphere and how transparent and helpful they are with their blog posts and YouTube videos. You can tell how much everyone at BookEnds loves what they do, and that they truly want you to succeed. And Natascha really understands […]

FIND ME THEIR BONES named a Best Indie Fantasy of 2019!

Dec 16, 2019

We’re so delighted to share that Kirkus included the FIND ME THEIR BONES by Sara Wolf in the Best Indie Science Fiction & Fantasy books of 2019. Kirkus gave the book a starred review earlier this fall and called it: “A seriously fun concoction of tragedy and melodrama.” Congratulations, Sara! We can’t wait to see […]

New Client Alert- David Harrison

Dec 13, 2019

Name: David L. Harrison What do you write? My publications have been in poetry, fiction and nonfiction (all for young people), and education books for classroom teachers. Why BookEnds? BookEnds was recommended to me by another agent who speaks highly of the agency and its agents.  Tell us a bit about your writing process. Where […]