Month: February 2021

Get to Know an Agent in Attendance: Barb Roose of Books & Such Literary

Barb Roose is a literary agent with Books & Such Literary.

Barb represents nonfiction and adult fiction exclusively to Christian publishers. She loves partnering with authors to achieve their publishing career goals. With experience as an author, award-winning pharmaceutical sales representative and executive leader in the megachurch environment, Barb embraces the challenges and opportunities that agenting in Christian publishing offers.

Barb began writing books as a child because she fell in love with the characters and stories created by her favorite author, Beverly Cleary. Yet, as a little brown-skinned girl with pop-bottle glasses, Barb never dreamed that becoming an author was a real possibility for someone who looked like her.

After a multiple-award career in pharmaceutical sales and non-profit management, Barb spent 14 years on staff at her local church as part of the executive leadership and teaching teams. During that time, Barb attended her first writers conference and received her first writing contract. The dream she hadn’t dared entertain as a child became reality.

In 2016, Barb transitioned from her duties at church to full-time speaking and writing. Her goal is leading and teaching people to overcome their fears so they can live strong, courageous lives and experience God’s great adventure of faith for them. She speaks at conferences and events in the U.S. and abroad, including on multiple national platforms.

Barb became a part of Books & Such in 2014 as a client represented by Rachelle Gardner. Barb saw herself as an author who didn’t know anything about the publishing industry other than being thrilled someone wanted to publish her book. Fast forward several years and a growing library of books with her name on the cover. Barb now wants to help other writers achieve their publishing dreams. The thrill of partnering with authors compelled Barb to say “yes” to joining the Books & Such Literary Management agent team in 2020. Her desire is to come alongside hopeful and established authors to create the most marketable, appealing manuscripts that will build lasting careers and influence readers.

Get to Know an Agent in Attendance: Jacqui Lipton of The Tobias Literary Agency

Jacqui Lipton is a Senior Literary Agent at The Tobias Literary Agency and head of the Adult Department, although she selectively represents children’s books, particularly middle grade and young adult novels and nonfiction.

Jacqui is open to pretty much anything but has a soft spot for genre fiction (mystery/thriller, romance, selective science fiction). Jacqui is not the best fit for high fantasy (think Game of Thrones) or books with animal protagonists. Jacqui is open to unique takes on nonfiction but is not seeking memoir currently.

Jacqui holds an MFA from Vermont College of Fine Arts, is the author of Law and Authors: A Legal Handbook for Writers (UC Press, 2020) and Our Data, Ourselves: A Personal Guide to Digital Privacy (UC Press, 2022).

Get to Know an Agent in Attendance: Jennifer Wills of The Seymour Agency

Jennifer Wills is a literary agent with The Seymour Agency.

Jennifer has 5 years’ experience in some of the publishing industry’s leading literary agencies. She worked with publishers around the world as an assistant in Trident Media Group’s huge foreign rights department and with domestic publishers as an assistant at Writers House (where, incidentally, she began her career as an intern).

She joined the Seymour Agency in April 2016, where she has quickly moved up the ranks to Literary Agent. Jennifer has always loved helping fledgling authors become NYT bestsellers, and she’s ready to be a relentless champion for her own clients’ work.

Jennifer is particularly interested in a wide range of picture books and cookbooks, with a soft spot for author/illustrators of sweet and wacky picture books, and cookbooks with mouth-watering recipes of the health-conscious, budget-friendly, or celebrity chef variety.

For fiction, she’s also interested in middle grade and YA with a sci-fi/fantasy, horror/suspense, or contemporary bent, and upmarket women’s fiction with a sense of humor.

On the nonfiction side, narrative nonfiction and memoir are also welcome. If your manuscript has a great hook, a distinct voice, and can make her laugh out loud or ugly cry (or even better, both), she’d love to see it.