Agent Looking for Clients – Andrea Morrison – Writer’s House

PLEASE NOTE: Andrea is been away and is coming back on Monday, and is happy to consider projects then. Thanks!

Andrea Morrison started in Writer’s House California office in 2009 as an intern to Steve Malk, and has been in love with publishing ever since. In NYC, She first learned under Brianne Johnson, and then went on to assist Rebecca Sherman and Geri Thoma. She had the opportunity to work closely with a variety of bestselling and award-winning authors and illustrators, in genres ranging from picture books to middle grade and YA, to adult literary fiction and nonfiction. Andrea is actively building her own list of clients.

She studied Literature & Writing at University of California, San Diego and earned her MFA in Fiction from Columbia University—not only does she understand the revision process from an agent’s point of view, She also understands it from a writer’s perspective. She loves editorial work, and is hands-on when it comes to helping authors revise and build projects.

Below you’ll find detailed information about the types of projects Andrea is looking for:

FICTION:
She’s excited about literary and upmarket commercial fiction that blends gorgeous sentence-level writing with stories featuring younger protagonists, eg. Janet Fitch’s WHITE OLEANDER is one of her favorite books ever, Celeste Ng’s EVERYTHING I NEVER TOLD YOU, and Elissa Schappell’s BLUEPRINTS FOR BUILDING BETTER GIRLS. She’s a total sucker for vivid descriptions of California, and appreciate true-to-life fiction, but she is also intrigued by fiction with magical elements or books that take place in worlds slightly different than our own. For example, I fell in love with Leslie Parry’s CHURCH OF MARVELS. She’s game for beautifully constructed short story collections, literary thrillers and mysteries, novels told in stories, illustrated adult books, books that take place in a variety of locales. Recent favorites: THE GIRLS FROM CORONA DEL MAR by Rufi Thorpe and GOLD FAME CITRUS by Claire Vaye Watkins. On my reading list right now: THE STAR SIDE OF BIRD HILL by Naomi Jackson and MR. SPLITFOOT by Samantha Hunt.

NONFICTION:
Andrea is selective when it comes to nonfiction, but she’s interested in narrative work—memoirs, essay collections, etc. She’s a fan of Leslie Jamison, Meghan Daum and Alex Mar. She’s curious about stories that take place close to home and in other countries, that explore little known ways of life as well as work that illuminates experiences we all have. In this category, she gravitates toward work that makes her laugh or cry or both, all in a few pages. She’s drawn toward work that’s elegant and toward work that’s provocative. She also loves nonfiction that helps her understand, that makes her want to highlight sentences and write quotes in my notebook. She’s a fan of work that defies genre lines. One title she read recently and loved: Nadja Spiegelman’s I’M SUPPOSED TO PROTECT YOU FROM ALL THIS: A MEMIOR. Next on her nonfiction list: Molly Crabapple’s DRAWING BLOOD.

YOUNG ADULT:
Andrea has a soft spot for literary YA. She likes both true-to-life books and novels that include magical elements (she loves low fantasy and magical realism, but she’s not the right match for high fantasy novels). She’s interested in stories about love, friendship, family dynamics, and mixtures of all of the above. Mysteries are great here, too. She really likes edgy Young Adult work, stories involving artwork, books that take place in a variety of locations, and novels that explore rarely discussed topics. A few YA titles she loves: WE WERE LIARS by E. Lockhart, BONE GAP by Laura Ruby, BEFORE I FALL by Lauren Oliver, I’LL GIVE YOU THE SUN by Jandy Nelson. Next on her reading list: INFANDOUS by Elana K. Arnold.

MIDDLE GRADE:
Andrea loves Middle Grade novels about friendships, and those that reveal intricacies of family relationships. She also loves adventure stories, and when magical elements reveal truths about our world. She’s definitely a fan of the quirky, whimsical, and laugh-out-loud funny in this category. Voice is extra important. Illustrated middle grade works and graphic novels are great, and as in all categories, books that challenge traditional forms. For example, FLORA AND ULYSSES by Kate DiCamillo and K.G. Campbell is one of her favorites. Other favorites: WILDWOOD CHRONICLES by Colin Meloy and Carson Ellis, WONDER by R.J. Palacio, TIMMY FAILURE by Stephan Pastis and THE INVENTION OF HUGO CABRET by Brian Selznick. On her reading list: LOST IN THE SUN by Lisa Graff, ECHO by Pam Muñoz Ryan, and WATCH THE SKY by Kirsten Hubbard.

PICTURE BOOKS:
Andrea’s looking for quirky and humorous picture books filled with heart, and stories that help kids learn more about environments they know well, and other ways of life they’re less familiar with. She’s passionate about working with writers and illustrators who have stories they can’t help but tell, and who are excited about sharing tales that children will remember in their teens, in their thirties, in their sixties…stories they’ll want to pass on to their own children and grandchildren. Andrea remembers reading MARTHA SPEAKS and A BARGAIN FOR FRANCES countless times as a kid, and she’s looking for books that will also be read multiple times, with characters who are what Martha and Frances were to me. She’s extra selective when it comes to picture book text: She is a fan of sparse text in general, and she not the best match for rhyming text. She’s particularly excited about working with illustrators and author/illustrators—some illustrators whose work I admire: Dana Wulfekotte, Scott Campbell, Diana Sudyka, Matt Phelan, and Birgitta Sif…just to name a few! (The list could really be SO, so long.)

Talk tomorrow,

Kathy