Andrea Hurst Literary Management

Updated November 5, 2009

Who we are . . . Andrea Hurst Literary Management provides professional literary management for authors of compelling, insightful, engaging works that appeal to a broad audience of readers.

We’re a boutique agency with big-city connections. Our agents are caring, accessible advocates for the authors we represent. We stay in touch. We don’t charge reading fees. And we get paid only when you do.
What we do for our authors. . .

Simply put: if you write an excellent, marketable book, and agree to work hard on promoting it, we’ll provide editorial savvy, access to top publishers, and the contract negotiation skills you need to further your successful writing career.
Who we represent . . .

Established, published experts with substantial platforms, as well as brilliant, emerging authors who have something important to say. If you’d like to query us regarding your project, please review our submission guidelines.

We represent:

    NONFICTION:
  • Parenting,Relationships,Women’s Issues,Personal Growth
  • Health & Wellness,Science,Business,True Crime,Cookbooks
  • Gift Books,Animals,Pop Culture,Humor,Spirituality & Religion
  • Psychology,Christian

FICTION:

  • Women’s Fiction,Young Adult Fiction,Christian Fiction

We do not represent:

Submission Guidelines

How to Submit Your Work for ConsiderationSUBMIT QUERIES BY EMAIL ONLY!!!

There is never a fee for reviewing your work. We do ask authors to follow these submission guidelines:


FIRST : Review genres we acceptEach of our agents represents different types of authors in a very specialized, yet eclectic variety of genres.

Genres We Accept
SECOND: Pick an agent

IF we represent your genre, please submit by agent.

Please query one agent only.
Review our agent profiles below:

Andrea Hurst

Judy Mikalonis

Amberly Finarelli

Drew Perez

Gordon Warnock

THIRD: Query via e-mail by agent

Step 1: EMAIL your query to the agent representing your genre.

  • PLEASE include your query in the body of the email–no attachments.
  • Do not send proposals, sample chapters or manuscripts unless specifically requested by an agent. They will not be opened or returned.
  • Please indicate if you are simultaneously submitting to other agents.
  • Give us some time to respond—in busy periods this may take several weeks.

Step 2: We will contact you if we are interested in seeing more

  • Please follow the submission directions given to you by the agent who contacts you via email.
  • If we are interested in seeing more of your work, we will request a synopsis, author bio, sample chapters, and, for non-fiction books, a proposal.
  • Fiction MUST be complete to be considered.
  • Non-fiction does NOT have to be complete to be considered for representation.
  • Please send only your very best, most ruthlessly edited work. HINT: If you just finished your novel recently, chances are it is not yet ready for scrutiny.
    _________________________

In the event we ask you to mail additional material, we discourage sending material that you want to have returned. Due to the volume of work we process, we only return hard copies of queries, manuscripts, press kits, proposals, etc. when the CORRECT amount of postage with an SASE (or appropriate packaging) has been included. All materials are all eventually recycled.

Proposal Tips
WRITE A WINNING NONFICTION BOOK PROPOSAL!
An excellent book proposal is the most important tool you will need to get your nonfiction book represented and sold. Below are a few general tips for writing your proposal. For additional information, visit our Resources For Writers section.

COVER LETTER

  • Be concise and professional. One page only.
  • Clearly state your genre, word count and title/subtitle.
  • Answer the question: What is the premise of this book and what makes it unique? Why are you the best person to write it?

COVER SHEET

Include title, subtitle, authors name, (agents name), address, phone, fax, and e-mail, properly formatted.

PROPOSAL TABLE OF CONTENTS

The contents of your proposal, including page numbers

OVERVIEW
The future of your project rests in the strength of the overview you write. Be thorough, yet succinct and to the point.

Tell publishers why you are the perfect person to write this book, and why nobody else could do a better job than you, and back it up with evidence.

Let them know the length of the book and any special features.

Focus your overview on:

  • The genre of your book, the premise of the book and what it covers–keep in mind that the broader and more focused audience you can reach, the better your chances for publishing.
  • Why will your book sell, what will people take away from your book that they can’t get elsewhere?
  • What need will your book fill, how will it benefit the readers?
  • What makes your book unique or timely, and why are you the authority? If this is a series or has the potential for spin-offs, list that here.

MARKETING

Research the target market of this book:  Who will want and need to buy this book, and why?

Give statistics and be specific and thorough. (i.e.: there are X diabetics in the United States, and only X books, therefore they NEED this book.) These statistics can often be found in the World Almanac, or www.internetstats.com and other library and online resources, such as trade associations. 

NONFICTION authors: Platform is everything

  • What proof do you have that you are already in front of this target market on a regular basis? Publishers want to know not so much what you plan to do, but what you are doing now.
  • List any speaking engagements, media appearances, professional associations, websites, blogs or other evidence of platform already in progress.
  • Include press kit information if you have it available, and list any contacts you have that will help publicize your book.
  • Mention how many books you will buy per quarter or per year.
  • Will you hire a publicist? Will you match the publisher’s marketing budget up to a certain amount? What newspapers and magazines focus on your area of expertise?
  • Will you put together your own press packet, make a video or audio, go into schools, give talks or run ads? Give details.

COMPETITIVE / COMPLEMENTARY BOOKS

  • Do your homework. Research other books similar to yours, and discuss how yours is similar (in terms of the likelihood for success) and different (in terms of being unique or bringing something new to the conversation.)
  • Know your genre. Go to bookstores and find out where on the shelf your book would fit, and then acquaint yourself with the books in that area.   Go on-line to www.amazon.com and www.bn.com and find out what they have that is similar.
  • Look in Books In Print for forthcoming titles. On your list of other books include, publisher, price, year released, number of pages and ranking. Then tell how your book is new and better. How does your book differ from the rest?

AUTHOR BIO

  • List what your background and experience is and evidence of your expertise in the subject matter/what makes you an authority.
  • List your education, relevant work and life experience, credentials and professional memberships. Include a resume or CV if it supports your book.
  • Include a small digital photo if you have one.

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Do a complete table of contents with sub-headings. This can be combined with your chapter-by-chapter outline.

CHAPTER-BY-CHAPTER SUMMARY

Write a brief paragraph summarizing each chapter

SAMPLE CHAPTERS

Include your first chapter, and your best chapter. You may include a third chapter if you think if will help sell your book.
If possible, make the last chapter included end with a cliffhanger that will leave them wanting more.

ATTACHMENTS

Include anything you believe will enhance your credibility, or help illustrate the importance and need for your book. (Articles, photographs, graphs)

 

AUTHORS!   If you have a submission:
Please review submission guidelines first!

QUERY VIA EMAIL ONLY:

Andrea Hurst

andrea@andreahurst.com

Judy Mikalonis

judy@andreahurst.com

Amberly Finarelli

amberly@andreahurst.com

If you are a PUBLISHER sending a contract or payment,
OR an author responding to a specific request to mail
from Andrea Hurst, please use this address:

Andrea Hurst
Andrea Hurst Literary Management
PO Box 19010
Sacramento, CA  95819

andrea@andreahurst.com

If you are an author responding to a specific request
to mail from Judy Mikalonis please use this address:

Judy Mikalonis
Andrea Hurst Literary Management
5050 Laguna Blvd Ste 112-330
Elk Grove, CA 95758

judy@andreahurst.com

PLEASE DO NOT SUBMIT QUERIES BY MAIL–EMAIL ONLY!

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