All of the following editors and agents will take pitch appointments during the conference. The cost is $10 for a ten-minute slot. Appointments are assigned when the request is received. Once you receive your appointment, you will receive an invoice from Faith, Hope, and Love via PayPal. Each attendee may request one appointment. On September 5th, a chance for a 2nd sign-up becomes available if there are any openings. There will be an announcement. The pitches are first-come according to your reservation with Pamela Tracy at [email protected]. So don’t wait if you want one!
Editors
Shana Asaro
Shana Asaro is an Editor for Love Inspired, an imprint of Harlequin, and has been with the company for sixteen years. Some of the authors she edits include Jessica R. Patch, Lee Tobin McClain, Jill Lynn, Jill Kemerer and Dana Mentink. Shana graduated from Kent State University with a degree in journalism and worked at a literary agency before coming to Harlequin. When she’s not reading or editing, Shana spends her time with her husband and daughter. She also likes to travel, bake, watch movies, discuss the merits of Gilmore Girls and drink Starbucks lattes. You can find her on the site formerly known as Twitter at @shana_asaro. Shana acquires category-length (55,000 words) inspirational contemporary romance and romantic suspense for Love Inspired and Love Inspired Suspense as well as longer trade paperback fiction (80,000-100,000 words) in a variety of genres for Love Inspired Trade. In general, Love Inspired Trade publishes contemporary fiction, women’s fiction, suspense/thrillers, historical fiction and historical romance. We are not currently seeking Amish fiction and would be highly selective when it comes to contemporary romance.
Specifically, she would love to see the following for Love Inspired Trade: historical mystery, contemporary mystery with humor (something like Only Murders in the Building or Finlay Donovan is Killing It), speculative romance/fiction (things like Cassandra in Reverse, In Five Years, or the TV show Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist), layered commercial/women’s fiction and select high-concept rom coms. She would also love suspense/thrillers, but they would have to be distinctly different from the books they currently have on their list.
Jessica Sharpe
Jessica Sharpe is a fiction acquisitions editor at Bethany House Publishers, a division of Baker Publishing Group. She has been editing fiction for almost twenty years and has worked with several best-selling and award-winning authors. Life has taken her from the Great Plains to the Rocky Mountains to Asia to New York, but she’s now based in the Twin Cities. She is looking for romantic suspense, suspense, and mystery; unique historical novels; beach fiction, Southern fiction, romance that doesn’t involve the heroine returning to her small hometown to start over; fiction with light speculative/fantastical elements (no high fantasy, sci-fi, or spiritual warfare). No Amish, YA, or children’s fiction.
Agents
Lynette Eason (via Zoom)
Lynette Eason is an agent for the Steve Laube Agency and has made sales to such publishers as Revell and Tyndale. She is also the best-selling, award-winning author of over sixty-five books with more than 3,000,000 copies sold. Her novels have appeared on the USA Today, Publisher’s Weekly, CBA, ECPA, and Parable bestseller lists. She has won numerous awards including the Carol Award, the Selah, the Golden Scroll and more. In 2018, her novel, Her Stolen Past was made into a movie for the Lifetime Movie Network. Lynette teaches and speaks at writing conferences all over the country. She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW), Mystery Writers of America (MWA), International Thriller Writers (ITW), Advanced Writers and Speakers Association (AWSA) and Faith, Hope, and Love. Lynette resides in Greenville, SC with her husband. They have two grown children and a terribly spoiled American Eskimo pup. Lynette can be found online at www.lynetteeason.com and www.facebook.com/lynette.eason and @lynetteeason on Twitter and Instagram.
She is interested in representing authors of all types of Christian fiction including, but not limited to: romantic suspense, thrillers, mysteries, speculative fiction, historical, women’s contemporary, YA and writers targeting the Love Inspired suspense lines. She is also interested in YA nonfiction and may be interested in some adult nonfiction, depending on the topic. She is am not looking for children’s books.
Rachel McMillan (via Zoom)
Rachel McMillan is the author of over 20 works of fiction and non-fiction including the bestselling The London Restoration and The Mozart Code. Her upcoming novels include The Liberty Scarf and Operation Scarlet (Harper Collins) as well as a biography of architect Sir Christopher Wren for UK publisher Pen and Sword.
With over 20 years of publishing experience, Rachel worked in corporate educational publishing for 12 years before leaving to pursue agenting. After 5 years as Senior Associate Agent for William K Jensen Literary, Rachel has been independent for just over a year. She currently represents 30 clients in both the CBA and the General marketplace. Her clients include Elizabeth Camden, Toni Shiloh and Pepper Basham.
A sought-after tastemaker and consultant, Rachel is a popular conference speaker especially on queries and comp titles.
Rachel is looking for authors who invest in building the book community online and are interested in long-term publishing careers. She is also especially attentive to books that would appeal to the crossover market of both Christian and non-Christian readers. Rachel does not represent: Childrens, Middle Grade, YA, Biblical, Memoir, Fantasy, Sci Fi, Speculative, Amish. A strong indication of a newsletter or social media presence is helpful.