We are pleased to announce that the following editors and agents will be taking pitches at the 15th Annual Liberty States Fiction Writers Conference. Pitches will be both in-person and via Zoom. We strive to place every conference attendee who wants to pitch with their first choice whenever possible.
To request a pitch session, please carefully review the information for each of the editors and/or agents in order to request the right individual for the work you wish to pitch. Once you do so, please proceed to the bottom of this page for the link to the pitch session request form.
Editors
KATIE MCGUIRE – ALCOVE PRESS
Katie McGuire is an editor at Alcove Press/Crooked Lane Books. She has previously acquired and edited projects at Pegasus Books, Tapas Entertainment, and the Quarto Group. She holds an MFA in Popular Fiction Writing and Publishing from Emerson College. She lives in Queens, NY.
My list is entirely adult fiction (no YA or kidlit, please!). My primary focus is Alcove Press, for which I’m seeking romance, romantasy, science fiction, and fantasy, though I’m also looking for horror and select crime fiction projects for Crooked Lane. I love a genre blend, and would be especially excited to see a paranormal (or paranormal investigators) rom-com, fairy tale tropes and archetypes in new and/or updated settings, and some kind of campy, nostalgic horror. Regardless of genre, I tend to lean more into the spooky, quirky, or weird side of things (think authors like Grady Hendrix, Kate Folk, and Seanan McGuire). You can learn more about me and my interests at my MSWL page.
AUSTIN ROSS – SENIOR EDITOR HARPER COLLINS
Austin Ross is a novelist, screenwriter, and essayist. He is the author of the novel Gloria Patri and is a senior editor with HarperCollins, where he acquires and develops a wide variety of fiction and nonfiction titles. His fiction and essays have been featured in Publishers Weekly, Literary Hub, and elsewhere. He co-wrote the adaptation of his story “The Man for the Job,” the short film version of which has recently been completed. He is a frequent speaker at writers’ conferences around the country and is an alumnus of the Bread Loaf Writers’ Conference. Austin lives near Washington, D.C., with his wife and children. You can follow him on Twitter @austintross.
I am drawn first and foremost to story. I read widely across genres, but I will always be drawn to narrative. Tell me a fascinating and compelling story.
Activism, BIPOC, Biography, Biography & Memoir, Book Club, Commercial adult fiction, Commercial and Literary, Crime & Thriller, Crime Fiction, Domestic Suspense, Domestic Suspense/Thriller, Educational, Film & Theater & TV, Film/TV, Health and Wellness, Historical Fiction, History, Immigrant Experiences, Immigrant Voices, Inspirational, Investigative Journalism, LGBTQ+, Literary Fiction, Literary Noir, Literary Thriller, Minority Voices, Multiple POV, Mysteries, Narrative Nonfiction, Nature, Noir, POC, Parenting, Personal Development, Pop Culture, Pop History, Pop Science, Psychological Suspense, Psychological Thrillers, Thriller, True Crime, Upmarket Commercial Fiction, Upmarket Fiction, WWI, WWII, diverse and own voices, literary suspense, memoir, nonfiction.
LYDIA SHARP – ENTANGLED PUBLISHING
Hello! I am a senior editor at a traditional, mid-size publisher. I’ve been with Entangled Publishing since 2013, with experience editing on all of Entangled’s imprints and working with a variety of different authors, from debuts to bestsellers.
CALL FOR ADULT AND YA ROMCOMS:
In addition to the below general wishes, I am seeking more contemporary romcoms in the adult and YA spaces.
IN GENERAL:
I am acquiring commercial genre fiction with a strong romantic element, in YA or adult, in the genres of fantasy, paranormal, sci-fi, historical, and romcom. A high-concept plot, brisk pacing, and strong voice are a must.
I am always interested in stories that feature characters with diverse cultural and ethnic backgrounds, and characters across the spectrum of sexual orientation and gender identity.
Regardless of plot or genre, I am always in search of characters who jump off the page–make me love them, hate them, or love to hate them.
Selectively, I will consider thrillers. No romance required.
Can’t wait to read your book!
Acquiring in: Action/Adventure, Commercial, Contemporary, Domestic Thriller, Family Saga, Fantasy, Historical, Humor, LGBTQ, Mystery, New Adult, Psychological Thriller, Romance, Romcom, Science Fiction, Thriller, Women’s Fiction, Young Adult
KATHRYN LYE – HARLEQUIN HEARTWARMING, Senior Editor – taking pitches with Natalie Castano, Editorial Assistant
https://harlequin.submittable.com/submit
Kathryn Lye is the Senior Editor for Harlequin Heartwarming, though she acquires for all Harlequin series and imprints. Her love of books and reading comes from her parents and the high humidity of Toronto summers. Growing up in her neighborhood, the only place with AC within walking distance was the library. She received her BA in History and Philosophy from the University of Toronto (Trinity College) and began her working life in educational publishing. Then in 1997, Kathryn found her HEA with Harlequin Books.
NATALIE CASTANO – HARLEQUIN HEARTWARMING –taking pitches with Kathryn Lye
Editorial Assistant
Natalia Castano is an Editorial Assistant for Harlequin Heartwarming. Before joining Harlequin, she developed her editorial skills as an editorial assistant with educational publisher Vista Higher Learning and completed the Publishing program at Centennial College. Natalia lives in Toronto and, as a newcomer, she loves exploring the city, reading new and authentic authors, and trying all the coffee shops she can find. She is passionate about reading diverse and original romances that celebrate true love and feature strong characters!
Agents
RONALD GERBER – LOWENSTEIN ASSOCIATES
Ronald Gerber is President at Lowenstein Associates, where he has been a literary agent since 2019. His clients include: Daniel Kenitz, whose debut thriller THE PERFECT HOME was published by Scribner in 2025; Sonja Thomas, author of the acclaimed children’s books SIR FIG NEWTON & THE SCIENCE OF PERSISTENCE and OLIVE BLACKWOOD TAKES ACTION! With Aladdin/Simon & Schuster; and Lorissa Rinehart, author of feminist biographies FIRST TO THE FRONT and WINNING THE EARTHQUAKE with St. Martin’s Press. Ronald is focused on cinematic stories with strong hooks and relatable characters, and is always looking for projects from queer, BIPOC, and other underrepresented authors. He is a proud graduate of Bard College at Simon’s Rock and Clark University. He resides in Queens, New York with his wife and too many books to count.
Genres I’m looking for: thriller/mystery/crime, literary fiction, book club fiction, romance, romantic comedy, historical fiction, grounded sci-fi, true crime, memoir, biography, narrative nonfiction, history, pop culture books, and contemporary middle grade.
Genres I’m not the best fit for: fantasy, hard sci-fi/space opera, thrillers centered around religious, military, or government conspiracies, YA, picture books, erotica, prescriptive nonfiction (i.e., parenting, self-help, how-to), and poetry.
CIARA SMITH – SPENCERHILL ASSOCIATES
Before joining Spencerhill Associates, Ciara worked at a boutique literary agency for two years. Ciara holds a BA in Creative Writing and has always enjoyed creating captivating worlds with misunderstood heroines. She is a freelance editor and beta reader. After getting their degree, they worked as an editorial volunteer for Tiger Lily Publishing, Co and well as Wild Ink Publishing. She is disabled, ND, and LGBTQIA+, and strives to put more characters in the world like her who she never saw in the books she loved growing up. Ciara has a wide range of interests, in young adult and adult, from fantasy and science fiction, to romance and horror. Above all, they wish to champion underrepresented voices and have strived to have a diverse list from the very beginning. When not reading, she raises two beautiful girls and two ornery dogs, and other hobbies include knitting, crocheting, baking, and reading tarot and astrology charts.
Ciara is looking for a wide range of genres across young adult, new adult, and adult. Currently, she is seeking romantasy only in young adult. In all ages, she’d love to see science fiction, fantasy, ancient historical, horror, thrillers, and romance. She’s particularly seeking space operas, aliens, new twists on paranormal, workplace or professional rivals to lovers, body horror, and thrillers that made you scared of the human mind. Above all, Ciara champions underrepresented voices, especially neurodivergent and disabled like herself. In all genres, though, she is open to being surprised and loves the creative genre-blends that get sent her way.
Request a Pitch Session
To request a pitch session, please click here or complete the form at https://www.libertystatesfictionwriters.com/agent-editor-pitch-session-request/.
If you have any questions please contact our Editor/Agent Chair Linda Parisi.