Waxman Literary Agency, 80 Fifth Avenue, New York City
About the AgencyOur BooksRightsSubmissionsContact the AgencyHome
About the Waxman Literary Agency - Agent Biographies

Scott Waxman

“What I enjoy most about being a literary agent is helping authors turn their promising ideas into great books. I believe that everyone has a story to tell, and working with authors to find the right hook, structure or theme that will resonate with the reader is immensely satisfying. In particular I like character-driven stories and strong writing, books that have a ready audience and that relate to what is happening around the world. Many of the ideas for our authors’ books come from the agents in this office, as we try to combine their interests with ideas that have potential in the marketplace. I believe our authors appreciate our hands-on approach and consider us partners in their success.”

Scott Waxman founded the Waxman Literary Agency in 1997. Known for a hands-on approach to book development and a passion for great storytelling, he has represented numerous New York Times bestselling books and other national bestsellers. Scott began his career as an editor with HarperCollins Publishers in 1990, before moving to the agent side in 1994.

Some of my recent or upcoming books include:

The Illustrious Dead: The Terrifying Story Of How Typhus Killed Napoleon’s Greatest Army, by Stephan Talty (Crown)

Hunting Eichmann: How a Band of Survivors and a Young Spy Agency Chased Down the World's Most Notorious Nazi, by Neal Bascomb (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt)

Blood In The Cage: Mixed Martial Arts, Pat Miletich, and the Furious Rise of the UFC, by L. Jon Wertheim (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt)

Odd Man Out: A Year on the Mound with a Minor League Misfit, by Matt McCarthy (Viking)

The Gorgeously Green Diet: How to Live Lean and Green, by Sophie Uliano (Dutton)

The Art Of Making Money: The Story of a Master Counterfeiter, by Jason Kersten (Gotham)

Go Like Hell: Ford, Ferrari, and Their Battle for Speed and Glory at Le Mans, by A.J. Baime (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt)

Publishers Marketplace profile
Twitter
Waxman Agency Blog

Farley Chase

“I joined the Waxman Literary Agency in 2004. Previously, I worked at Graywolf Press, the New Yorker magazine, the New Press, and Miramax Books.

The nonfiction I specialize in ranges across many subjects. I’ve got a strong interest in narratives to do with food, cooking, memoir, journalism, pop culture, sports, humor, popular science, business or biography. In these categories I’m drawn to content that is voice-driven and written by an author with an expertise in their field and a passion for conveying what is new, interesting and/or entertaining about their subject matter.

I’m interested in photo, graphic, and otherwise illustrated books.

I'm interested in books that can be adapted out of blogs or websites.

And I’m also interested in straightforward practical nonfiction, especially when an author has an established platform from which to share their expertise.

My fiction list is selective and I concentrate on plot driven novels for adults and young adults with a strong sense of voice, place and character. I do not represent romance, mysteries, thrillers, or science fiction.

A list of my deals and clients are available on http://www.publishersmarketplace.com/members/farleychase.”

Publishers Marketplace profile

Byrd Leavell

“My goal as a literary agent is to work with authors to create books that establish a new bar. Rather than chasing after what is currently hot, I like to work with clients that have a book idea or novel that can stand solely on its own. And more than anything else I enjoy working with writers that have demonstrated the ability to utilize the remarkable tools available today on the Internet to generate a legitimate fan base. I love writing that makes an impact and the work I represent covers a broad spectrum, from Pete Sampras’ upcoming Mind of a Champion, to podcasting extraordinaire Scott Sigler’s novel Infected, to books that make you laugh like Bob Power’s brilliant Happy Cruelty Day and Tucker Max’s I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell."

A graduate of the University of Virginia and the Radcliffe Publishing Program, Byrd Leavell began his career at Carlisle & Company and then served as an agent at InkWell Management and Venture Literary. His clients include Clay Travis, Scott Sigler, Mark Frauenfelder, and Thomas Kohnstamm.

Publishers Marketplace profile
Twitter

Holly Root

Holly Root began her publishing career as an editor in Christian publishing in Nashville, TN before coming to New York and joining the William Morris Agency’s agent trainee program. She then moved to Trident Media Group, where she sold audio rights for the agency’s clients, including a number of New York Times bestselling authors, before joining The Waxman Literary Agency in 2007 to sell audio rights and represent her own list of authors.

Recently published titles include Leo Babauta's The Power Of Less (Hyperion); Carrie Borzillo-Vrenna's Cherry Bomb (Simon Spotlight Entertainment); Kate Perry's Marked By Passion (Grand Central); Misa Ramirez's Living The Vida Lola (St. Martin's Press); Serena Robar's Giving Up The V (Simon Pulse); and Libby Malin's Fire Me (Sourcebooks). She is actively seeking upmarket and commercial fiction, including women's fiction, mystery, urban fantasy, romance, and YA, and voice-driven nonfiction projects, with particular areas of interest in narrative nonfiction, lifestyle, psychology, self-help/relationships, science, and practical spirituality and religion.

Twitter
 


  © Waxman Literary Agency
80 Fifth Avenue, Suite 1101 • New York, New York 10011
Our Books: Recently Published | Our Books: Forthcoming | Our Books: NYT Bestsellers
About the Agency | Rights | Latest Deals
Submissions | Contact Us | Home