Monday, April 18, 2011

Secret Agent Unveiled: VICTORIA MARINI



Hefty handclapping and sincere thanks to Victoria Marini of Gelfman Schneider for being our Secret Agent this month.

Victoria's bio:

I began my career in publishing as an agent’s assistant at Sterling Lord Literistic where I worked with Middle Grade and Young Adult authors. I joined Gelfman Schneider Literary Agents Inc. as an agent assistant in late 2008, and I’m currently an Associate Agent and Audio Rights Manager.

I began taking on clients in 2010 and I am actively building my list. I’m looking for any and all kinds of YA (especially thriller, noir, horror, and sci S fi/fantasy) some memoir, pop-culture non-fiction, and women’s commercial fiction (edgy contemporary or urban fantasy, with a romantic element).

I believe in the future of publishing. I believe that authors’ should have an online presence, a strong brand, and a positive attitude. I assist Gelfman Schneider clients in exploiting digital rights, transmedia opportunities, and branding initiatives. As such, I’m active online. Authors can find me on twitter, at the Gelfman Schneider Literary Agents Inc. website and on my blog, Rapid-Progressive, where I write about the life of a neo-agent on a (semi) regular basis.

Outside of the office, I am a love of music, baked goods, animals, travel shows, exercise, food and beer. I’m a positive thinker and a dogged optimist, by choice.

Victoria's Wish List:

In YA I tend to go for the darker/edgier stuff. I love fast-paced, high-tension contemporary YA and I’m always on the lookout for Contemporary YA with a great commercial hook. I’d love a tale spooky enough to have me digging out that old night light. I want a great southern gothic YA. I’d love high school noir, and I’m desperately seeking a gritty contemporary YA mystery. I want a tricky game of cat and mouse, a dystopian with an interesting hook, tension (of all varieties), a re-imagined fairy tale, and another world so real I could live there. I also enjoy a bit of magic every now and then.

Please note, that while I have my wish list, some of my favorite books (both published and unpublished) were ones that came by surprise. What you really need to remember is this: I just want to read something so compelling it has me from the first moment and never lets go.

ON THE FLIP SIDE, I am a lover of music, baked goods, animals, travel shows, exercise, food and beer. I’m a positive thinker and a dogged optimist, by choice.

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Winners to be announced!

8 comments:

  1. Victoria, I copy this to you after emailing Authoress with this comment:
    I just wanted to let you know, and whoever the agent was, what wonderfully generous comments she/he posted on EACH entry.   The comments were ALL amazingly constructive, with points to work on and strengths included, and I can fully appreciate the investment it took to cover that gamut.  Seemed to me this person went well beyond the call of duty – very generous with their time!!  
    I certainly wish mine had been ready, but for those who were, I’m sure they were all overwhelmed by the generosity.  I’ll be watching carefully to see who it was, and I’ll certainly be looking out for the next secret agent.
    Now of course I know who the secret agent is, and having read your 'wish list', you will now most certainly be on mine.
    All the best,
    Linda

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  2. I agree with Linda, Victoria really gave everyone great feedback! Thanks so much for being here...

    And thanks to Authoress for hosting the contest!

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  3. The feedback was definitely great and very helpful. Much appreciated!

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  4. I won't repeat everything Linda said, but you really did give EVERYONE incredible, thoughtful feedback. Thank you for all the time you spent and the care you took giving advice to all of us!

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  5. All of the comments were amazing! I re-read each entry and then went back to Victoria's comments to see it from an agent's perspective, and they were all really helpful. I learned something from each one, including my own.
    Thank you, Victoria!

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  6. Thank you so much for the time and effort Victoria, your comments were invaluable, even to those of us not taking part.

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  7. Just wanted to echo everyone else's comments and send my HUGE thanks as well - as Heidi mentioned there was something to learn for each entry! Sooooooooo helpful! :-)

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  8. Thank you so much for the time and effort Victoria, your comments were invaluable, even to those of us not taking part.

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