Specializes in cookbooks and food-related titles, but manage a number of health and women's non-fiction topics as well.
agents:
Lisa Elkus, Sia Antunes, Jane Falla
client list:
175 BEST JAMS, JELLIES, MARMALADES & OTHER SOFT SPREADS by Linda J. Amendt, BBQ BASH: The Be-All, End-All Party Guide, from Barefoot to Black Tie by Karen Adler and Judith Fertig, BLUE EGGS AND YELLOW TOMATOES: Recipes from a Modern Kitchen Garden by Jeanne Kelley, BON APPETIT, Y'ALL: Recipes and Stories from Three Generations of Southern Cooking by Virginia Willis, CAKE ART: Simplified Step-by-Step Instructions and Illustrated Techniques for the Home Baker to Create Showstopping Cakes and Cupcakes by The Culinary Institute of America Chefs Kate Cavotti and Alison McLoughlin
email submission information:
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what to send:
Book Proposal
looking for:
Non-Fiction Book
About This Market
Send book proposal. Agency tries to respond within four weeks.
The following are essential components in any non-fiction book proposal:
Title Page: Includes title, subtitle, author name(s), address, phone number, and e-mail address. Upon signing with an agent, you will also include your agent's name and contact information on this page.
Proposal Contents: A "table of contents" page for the proposal (not the book), complete with section names and corresponding page numbers.
Concept/Overview: A written overview of the book with persuasive arguments for why it should be published, including the origin of the idea (basically, the answer to "Why am I writing this book?").
Author Biography: Describes why and how you are qualified to write this book. It should clearly explain your platform (meaning your continuous visibility in the marketplace). You will want to include your background, books and/or publications, as well as any media exposure. If available, press materials, writing samples, and television appearance clips should be included. In some cases, this section may be presented as a separate, complete press kit.
Markets for the Book: All too often, a writer gets so excited about his or her book that he believes everyone will want it and is inclined to make claims about it being "the only book on the market, and like nothing else ever done before." Editors will want to see that you have a clear idea of who is addressed by your book, what will motivate readers to buy the book, and how those readers will benefit from your book.
Promotion Plan: Is there a built-in audience, such as a cooking school or restaurant, to whom the book can be heavily marketed? Do you have especially strong contacts in a particular field that would prove useful? It's no longer sufficient to have a great idea; publishers will want to be convinced that you have a solid, established base of continued visibility in the marketplace, whether it's through published articles or previous books, television or radio appearances, a restaurant, or other venues. As the author, it's critical that you are willing to promote your book as a marketing partner with your publisher. Think seriously about what you can and will do to aid in the success of your book. Consider all of your connections and networks, your schedule and commitments, your ability to travel, local/regional places that would be excellent venues for book signing, potential television appearances, affiliations with organizations, and other creative ways you plan to publicize your book.
Competition: The primary questions answered here are: What other books are available on this subject? And, what sets this book apart from them? This section is not about negating the competition; it should simply explain what your book offers that others do not. In some cases, showing an editor that you are aware of other books on the topics helps validate your idea. A writer is responsible for knowing the competition; this knowledge will help you as a writer to develop your voice and understand what makes your book unique.
Table of Contents: A chapter-by-chapter outline of the proposed book, including any major elements (such as sidebars or fact boxes) within each chapter.
Chapter Summaries: A thorough description of each chapter, typically paragraph summaries. If you are proposing a cookbook, be sure to include the number of recipes you envision in each chapter. This section will be strengthened if you can provide as complete a listing of recipe titles as possible.
Complete Sample Chapter: The most important section of the proposal. It should be fluent and well organized, and must include a strong set of recipes. This single chapter should illustrate the overall concept of the book and should provide clearly demonstrate your writing ability and recipe technique. The key to this section is to "show" rather than "tell." All recipes must be fully tested.
Here are a few additional tips to ensure that your proposal
