Interview with Katie Reed

Today we have a new agent from Andrea Hurst & Associates--Katie Reed.
She has a Facebook page you can go stalk.
Feel free to ask any questions you might have for this agent in the comments.

What was your first favorite book ever and why?

One of my earliest memories is of reading The Boxcar Children at a young age, and those books are the first ones I can remember reading. But I think the first book I ever really fell in love with has to be Lord of the Rings.

I remember the Boxcar Children! And what's not to love about Tolkien? 

What is your current favorite book and why?

Hmmm...tough question! My favorite series will always be Harry Potter. Those books simply can't be topped in my heart. As far as current goes, I am currently reading Allegiant and really enjoying it.

If you could only eat one dessert for the rest of your life what would it be?

Tillamook Rocky Road Ice Cream.

If you were not a literary agent, what would you be?

I would be a career writer. I guess anyone who loves to write is a writer, but if I could pick I would be able to pay the bills as a writer. :)

Lots of us would like to pick this one! ;)

What kind of book(s) (themes, genres) are you hoping to find in the next few months?

I am particularly interested in YA fiction right now. What I really want is something I pick up and can't put down. Something I get really excited about. I love anything that inspires me or makes me view my own world in a new light. I'm a sucker for fantasy or anything magical and can't resist a good love story with tension and characters with compelling voices.

Please tell us a bit about your agent style, how you prefer to be queried and why you love your agency.

I am so blessed to have the opportunity to be a part of Andrea Hurst Literary. Andrea has a wealth of experience and knowledge, and she is very generous with it. I am learning a lot from her.

As far as queries go, the shorter, the better. If you can hook me in the traditional 3 paragraph format, chances are good I will request it. Agents get a massive amount of queries daily, so the ones that are brief and concise are preferable to the ones that are long and packed with information.

Style...style...I will say that (besides my interest in the book itself) the person behind the book is very important to me. Publishing is a long process, and I want to make sure I am working with someone who is enjoyable and someone who is a good fit.

Will you be open to queries over the holiday season or taking time off?

I will be spending time with my family over the holidays. In this (convenient) age of smart phones and tablets, my work is always at my fingertips, so I think it is really important to set some limits when it comes to time off.

I think you are very smart on this point. Enjoy your fun time so that work stays enjoyable too. 

About Katie from the agent website:

Katie Reed can’t resist a good story. One of her greatest joys is opening a book and being held captive by it till the last page, often staying up all night because the riveting plot and brilliant characters won’t let her put it down. Katie obtained her Bachelor’s in English from California State University, Sacramento, but the most enlightening part of her college career was her internship with Andrea Hurst Literary Management. There she discovered her passion for being part of the process that connects compelling stories with book-hungry readers.

Katie has worked as a freelance editor and enjoys helping writers develop their novels in preparation for pitching and publication. She understands how challenging the writing process can be and strives to help her clients through it. Katie resides in the small town of Durham, California with her incredible husband, her joyful son, and Snoodles, her loyal cat. Besides her addiction to reading, she is also a diehard Miami Heat fan and obsessed with all things Disney.

Katie is looking for stories that demand to be read, having characters that transcend the page and remain in her thoughts long after the book has been closed. She represents all areas of young adult and adult fiction and nonfiction, with a special interest in YA and fantasy.

Katie’s Wishlist:

All areas of YA fiction, particularly:

• Commercial, with a compelling hook and a protagonist who battles real life teen issues
• Science fiction (soft)
• Fantasy

Commercial and Literary Adult Fiction in the following genres:

• Book Club Women’s Fiction
• Science Fiction (soft)
• Fantasy
• Suspense/Thriller
• Contemporary Romance

Nonfiction in the following genres:

• Memoir/Biography with a strong platform
• Self-help
• Crafts/How-to
• Inspirational
• True Crime (I would prefer to avoid this unless it is high profile and current)
• Parenting

Books I Love:
If I were stranded on an island and could only bring one book with me, I would cheat and bring one large book containing the entire Harry Potter series. My runner up list would feature The Hunger Games trilogy, Mercy Thompson series, Divergent trilogy, The Fault in our Stars, The Time Travelers Wife, Water for Elephants, The Shack, The Five People You Meet in Heaven, Thirteen Reasons Why, P.S. I Love You, The Red Tent, A Song of Fire and Ice series, The Lord of the Rings trilogy, and anything by C.S. Lewis or Jodi Picoult.