Vicky Weber [SOLD OUT OF PITCH APPOINTMENTS FOR BOTH CHARLOTTE & RALEIGH] is a literary agent with Creative Media Agency.

I’m a former elementary school teacher turned children’s book author and literary agent. I represent commercial fiction – board books through adult – but specialize in children’s literature.

In all manuscripts, I want intensity in the writing. (Give me all the feels!) I want to be dropped into the moment and experience the story alongside the characters. Character development and emotional arcs go hand-in-hand with the plot. If a book is high-concept, commercial fiction with beautiful, literary-leaning prose, it’s probably up my alley.

In adult and young adult fiction, she seeks: horror, psychological suspense, thrillers, commercial, upmarket, historical, women’s fiction, romance, fantasy (dark/high/epic), magical realism, speculative, and paranormal/supernatural. In middle grade and picture books, she seeks highly giftable, commercial fiction with a strong voice—stories that feel like they always should have been on the shelf

 

Lydia Caudill (RALEIGH EVENT ONLY — SOLD OUT OF PITCH APPOINTMENTS) is a literary agent scout and editorial assistant with Andrea Hurst & Associates.

She started as an editorial intern in 2022 and quickly transitioned into a full-time role as a literary scout and editorial assistant. Now sporting the agent hat, Lydia is excited to build a diverse client list of her own and partner with authors to craft and share meaningful stories that leave a lasting impact on readers. 

Originally from a small town in Eastern Kentucky, Lydia developed a passion for literature early on, seeking any opportunity to read and always keeping a book on her “just in case” there were any free moments. She is a graduate of NC State University, where she earned her B.A. in English with a concentration in Creative Writing. When she’s not editing or reviewing submissions, you can find her supporting live music, stamping her national parks passport, tutoring Spanish, or spending time outdoors with her much-beloved dog, Rocky.

SHE IS SEEKING:

Lydia is looking for the following in Fiction (primarily in the Adult and New Adult spaces at this time):

• Contemporary
• Domestic suspense
• Historical (NOT war-based or rooted in medical/medicinal history)
• Horror/supernatural
• LBGTQ+
• Mainstream/commercial
• Mystery
• Mythic retellings & fairy tales
• Romance
• Romantasy
• Science-fiction (light and cozy only)
• Thriller
• Upmarket/book club

Lydia’s more specific wants include:

• Atmospheric writing
• Emotionally complex characters (think Normal People by Sally Rooney)
• High-stakes conflicts (make her genuinely question how the characters will resolve the situation they’re in)
• Lyrical prose
• Rivals to lovers trope (enemies to lovers is great too, but she loves when the two main characters are really good at the same thing—think Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross)
• Slow-burn trope (her absolute favorite)
• Stories that explore deep and resounding themes (she wants them to linger in her head for days after)
• Stories where travel and food/art/culture are at the forefront (think The Pairing by Casey McQuiston)
• Strong voice-driven narratives (bonus points if there’s a dash of humor…make her laugh even when everything is falling apart—her favorite book she read in 2024 was Seven Days in June by Tia Williams)
• Underrepresented voices
• Witty heroines (but not crossing that line into snarky and jaded)

She would currently love to find:

• Dark romance or romantasy
• Dystopian that touches on real-life issues in a unique way
• Historical that focuses on unique character conflicts within a moment in time, rather than revolving around a specific historical event (think Daisy Jones and the Six by TJR)
• Regency romance that also features a strong emphasis on the bonds between women/female relationships (think The Buccaneers on Apple TV)
• Romantic suspense
• Something that delves into Appalachian folklore and the mysterious legends that lurk in those mountains

Lydia is not accepting stories that feature explicit gore, sexual assault, or animal abuse on the page. These elements can be fine if referenced off the page as character backstory that’s essential to the story arc, but if they are used as devices for shock value, then Lydia is not a right fit.

She is also NOT the best fit for:

• Chapter or picture books
• Epic fantasy without a romantic subplot
• Espionage/military/political/legal thrillers
• Full erotica
• Hard science-fiction
• Memoir
• Middle grade
• Nonfiction
• Overly heavy, sad narratives (please nothing with the MC dying, receiving a diagnosis, or battling illness for the majority of the story—she doesn’t shy away from serious subject matter, but there needs to be an uplifting, hopeful tone somewhere in the story)
• Poetry
• Police procedural
• Plots with terrorism as the main conflict
• Short-story collections
• Stories that feature COVID or reference the pandemic heavily

Young adult (UNLESS it has crossover potential with a fresh plot and a voice that stands out. For Fantasy, think An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir—one of her favorite series)

Andrea Hurst (RALEIGH CONFERENCE ONLY; SOLD OUT OF PITCH APPOINTMENTS) is a literary agent and the founder of Andrea Hurst Literary Management.

She is seeking: Women’s Fiction: Upmarket/Book Club, Romance, Historical, Contemporary, Thriller/Suspense/Mystery/Crime, Prescriptive Nonfiction/Memoir, Adult Science Fiction/Fantasy (Space Opera, Military Science Fiction, LitRPG), Cookbooks. “We are always on the lookout for #OwnVoices authors, writing about their own experiences.”

Andrea works as a literary agent with both bestselling and emerging new authors to help polish their book, obtain publication, increase sales, and build their author brand.

Andrea brings over 25 years experience in the publishing industry, including her work as a literary agent. She is also a developmental book editor for publishers and authors, a bestselling Amazon author, an instructor for the MFA creative writing program at the Northwest Institute of Literary Arts, and a webinar presenter for Writer’s Digest. As a literary agent, she selectively represents high profile adult nonfiction and well-crafted genre fiction.