Rachel Beck is a literary agent of Liza Dawson Associates.
Rachel joined Liza Dawson Associates in 2020 after working at a boutique literary agency for four years. She has been in the publishing industry since 2009 and worked at Harlequin editing romance novels for nearly six years before transitioning her skills to the agent world in order to be an advocate and champion for authors. She lives outside of Pittsburgh with her husband, three young children, and an endlessly entertaining cat. Rachel is looking for:
- Upmarket/book club women’s fiction: Books that remind us how difficult it is to be a modern woman, but also how rich and rewarding—controversial or morally gray topics welcome
- Smart contemporary romance/romcoms: Beach reads, but with plenty of heart and heft; books that make you go from laughing to crying in an instant—think Kristan Higgins or Emily Henry
- Historical fiction this side of World War II: Dual timelines welcome
- Sweeping, multigenerational family sagas like Memphis or Malibu Rising
- Speculative fiction
- Thrillers/domestic suspense: Character-driven, psychologically intense reads; love a good classic antihero
- Contemporary YA: Especially LGBTQIA+ stories and “issue” books on what teens face today, from climate change to mass shootings to social media pressures
- Select nonfiction: Narrative, gifty/pop culture, cultural criticism, politics, career/personal growth, self-help, health/wellness, sports, parenting