Laura Rennert

Andrea Brown Literary Agency

I’ve been with the Andrea Brown Literary Agency since 1998. I have a Ph.D. in English Literature and in my prior life was a faculty member in the English departments of the University of Virginia, Osaka University of Foreign Studies, and Santa Clara University, until I found my calling as an agent. I am something of a literary omnivore, with wide-ranging tastes. I specialize in all categories of children's books, from picture books to young adult/crossover. On the adult side, I represent literary-commercial fiction, thrillers, horror, sci-fi/fantasy, speculative fiction, and select historical fiction. As an editorial agent, I work with my clients at every step of the process—from the spark of an idea to the post-publication marketing efforts. I help my clients figure out and refine their career priorities, and together we devise a strategy for reaching both short-term and long-term goals. I keep my list small precisely so that I can be directly in contact with and fully invested in my work with each of them. My sweet spot in the market combines literary voice with commercial conception. Although my list is diverse, all of my projects have common threads: an original, unexpected point of view; a fresh, compelling voice; a strong commercial hook; rich, immersive world building; and conflicted characters who win your heart (sometimes, against your will) Authenticity is a calling card for me – whether of trade-craft, investigative technique, historical/geographical setting, culture, or psychology. I'm fascinated with hidden worlds and secret knowledge. I love works that play with commercial tropes, but give them unexpected emotional depth. Across all categories, I’m drawn to works that are gorgeously written and tell an emotionally compelling story in a fresh, idiosyncratic way.

Submissions Open

Subject Focus

Fiction: Debut
Fiction: Horror
Fiction: Mystery/Crime
Fiction: Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Fiction: Thriller
Fiction: General/Other Fiction
Fiction: Literary
Children’s: Graphic Novel
Children’s: Middle Grade Fiction
Children’s: Middle Grade Non-Fiction
Children’s: Picture Book
Children’s: Young Adult Fiction
Children’s: Young Adult Non-Fiction
Children’s: General
Children's: Fantasy

Experience

25

Years of Industry Experience

2019

Member Since

Submission Requirements

How to successfully present your work

Our agency uses Query Manager for submissions. Click on the QueryManager link in the agent's bio, follow the prompts, and complete all required fields to be considered: A short query letter with a description of your work Previous publishing credentials (if any) A short author bio A contact phone number and email address A sample of your work: For novels: first 10 pages of text​. For picture books, text only: full text manuscript. For picture book, text and illustrations: the full dummy (in pdf format) that includes 1-2 color samples, and provide an online portfolio link. For graphic novels, art and text: 10-20 sample page spreads in jpg or pdf format, as well as a summary/synopsis. For graphic novels, text only: first 10 pages of script. For nonfiction: a proposal and sample chapter. You will receive a confirmation of receipt upon submission. ​ If you receive an offer from another agency, please let us know immediately, and we ask that you give us 2 weeks to review your submission once you've notified us of your offer. RESPONSE TIME We appreciate the effort that goes into sending your work to us. If we are interested in your work, we will follow up by email or by phone. ​ If you have not heard from us within 10-12 weeks, please assume we are passing on your project. We wish we had time to respond personally with feedback to each submission. Unfortunately, this is not a business reality given the amount of material we receive.