I met literary agent Sammie Justesen this past year at the PNWA Writing Conference (a fabulous conference by the way), and was really impressed with her down-to-earth approach and commitment to the writers she represents. (Chatty side note: Sammie and I watched the sunset from Robert Dugoni’s family beach cottage on Puget Sound—spectacular!)
Sammie founded Northern Lights Literary Services in 2004. Based in Sandpoint, Idaho, Justesen has ties to editors and publishers across the United States.
Northern Lights represents fiction, including mystery, women’s fiction, romance, and Christian novels. Sammie specializes in nonfiction and is especially interested in self-help, psychology, health, science, cooking, nature, spirituality, women’s topics, and business.
She’s interested in meeting fiction writers with a complete or nearly complete manuscript and nonfiction writers who have at least an outline and sample chapters. Email queries preferred. sammie@northernlightsls.com
Here, she answers a few questions:
1. What do writers most need to know about the state of the publishing industry right now?
Publishers are still buying books, despite the slow economy. But as publishers and booksellers work to stay afloat, writers need to study the business, focus on specific markets, and develop platforms. Be prepared to market your own book as publishing budgets shrink.
2. What are you looking for?
I’m looking for nonfiction books in the self help categories, including business, psychology, women’s issues, parenting, nature, and most other nonfiction topics. I do accept fiction, but I’m extremely picky.
3. Are you open to queries from new writers?
Absolutely! But don’t make amateur mistakes. Learn about the business and what’s expected of you before you start sending queries.
4. What seems to be selling now? Any predictions about the next year or so?
Publishers are requesting proposals for business books, but writers need a strong platform to sell in this genre. Fiction and self-help books are selling. Publishers Weekly says readers are turning to books for comfort (mysteries, cozies, romances, cookbooks) and information during the economic downturn. Future trends: New Age, Christian, environment, and light fiction.
5. What’s your biggest query pet peeve?
Writers who don’t visit my web site to see what type of books I handle.
Mark your calendars: Sammie will be visiting the Editor Unleashed forum Wednesday, December 3, 12:00 EST to chat. She’s also kindly agreed to offer feedback on the first five queries posted. Here’s the link to the forum thread (it’s a password-protected forum and you have to be registered to view and post).
-Maria Schneider
{ 1 comment… read it below or add one }
Maria, the new Guest Agents and Authors section of the forum is a wonderful idea. Thanks for implementing it. Looking forward to Ms. Justesen’s time there, and future pros who make the visit.
~jon