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  • Agent Spotlights & Interviews have been updated through the letter "K" as of 3/28/2024 and many have been reviewed by the agents. Look for more information as I find the time to update more agent spotlights.

Agent Spotlight: Peter Rubie

This week's Agent Spotlight features Peter Rubie of FinePrint Literary Management.
Status: Open to submissions.
Peter-Rubie_newAbout: “Peter Rubie specializes in a broad range of high-quality fiction and non-fiction. In non-fiction he specializes in narrative non-fiction, popular science, spirituality, history, biography, pop culture, business and technology, parenting, health, self help, music, and food. He is a “sucker” for outstanding writing. In fiction he represents literate thrillers, crime fiction, science fiction and fantasy, military fiction and literary fiction, middle grade and young adult fiction.
"Rubie is a former BBC Radio and Fleet Street journalist and for several years was the director of the publishing section of the New York University Summer Publishing Institute. He was a member of the NYU faculty for 10 years, and taught the only university-level course in the country on how to become a literary agent.
"Prior to becoming an agent he was a publishing house editor for nearly six years, whose authors won prizes and critical acclaim. He has also been the editor-in-chief of a Manhattan local newspaper, and a freelance editor and book doctor for major publishers. He was a regular reviewer for the international trade magazine Publishers Weekly, and is a published author of both fiction and non-fiction. He is a member of AAR, and regularly lectures and writes on publishing and the craft of writing. He is the author of two published novels and close to ten non-fiction books ranging in subject matter from publishing and writing to music and Shakespeare. One thing about Peter that is not well known is that he is also a professional jazz musician and from time to time can still be found playing in various jazz venues around New York City and London.” (Link)
About the Agency:
“FinePrint was launched in September 2007 as the merger of the Peter Rubie Literary Agency and the Imprint Agency. It offers representation and management for new and established writers. Our expertise covers book publishing and subsidiary rights (foreign translation, audio, TV, and film)." (Link)
Web Presence:
FinePrint Literary website.
FinePrint Publisher’s Marketplace page.
Twitter @PeterRubie.
AAR profile.
AgentQuery.
QueryTracker.
LSB Editorial.
What He’s Looking For:
Genres/Specialties:
Fiction: Middle grade, YA, thrillers, crime fiction, sci-fi, fantasy, military fiction, and literary fiction.
Non-Fiction: Narrative, popular science, spirituality, history, biography, pop culture, business/technology, parenting, health, self help, music, and food.
What He Isn't Looking For:
Romance, screenplays, or stage plays (Link)
Editorial Agent?
Yes.
Clients:
There is a list of FinePrint clients on the website.
Mr. Rubie’s clients include: Patrick Carman, P.W. Catanese, Marisha Chamberlain, Nora Charles, Christine Goff, K.W. Jeter, Louise Marley, Luke McCallin, Chandler McGrew, Bill Milkowski, Aimee and David Thurlo, Lissa Warren, Bill Wurtzel, Mirah Bolender, Christopher de Vinck, among others.
Query Methods:
E-mail: Yes.
Snail-Mail: No.
Online-Form: No.
Submission Guidelines (always verify):
Send a query letter, synopsis, bio, and the first two chapters of your manuscript as a Word doc or PDF attachment when requested.
See the FinePrint Literary website for complete, up-to-date submissions guidelines.
Query Tips:
"Here's the thing about a query letter -- it does many jobs at once. Yes, it tells me about who you are, what you've done, what you areas of expertise are, what you've published (if anything) and so forth. But HOW you write the query letter is really important. More than anything, the query letter gives me a glimpse into the mind of the writer behind the query. I'm looking first and foremost for good writers. The one thing almost all good writers have in common, is that whether it's about scaling Mt Everest or doing the laundry, they find an intriguing, often seductive way to write about their subject that keeps me turning the page. What they are writing, to a degree, is less important initially. If you can write, what you are writing can be something, potentially, we can work on together." (Link)Response Times:
Mr. Rubie tries to respond with rejections to all queries. However he WILL definitely respond if interested.
What's the Buzz?
Peter Rubie is a veteran of the industry and highly respected. At present, Mr. Rubie is CEO of FinePrint Literary, Founding Partner of Lincoln Square Books, and an author of several fiction and nonfiction titles. 
Previously, he was the director of the publishing section of New York University's Summer Publishing Institute, a member of NYU's faculty, an editor, book doctor, and reviewer.
He is open to submissions.
See the “Conferences” page on the FinePrint website for conferences Mr. Rubie is attending and the “New Deals” page for recent deals.
Worth Your Time:
Interviews and Posts:
Interview with Agent Peter Rubie at Author Salon (Date Unknown)What Does Literary Agent Peter Rubie Really Want? at litvote (Date Unknown)
5 Literary Agents Reveal the 9 Pitching Mistakes Authors Make at C.S. Lakin (04/2020)
Agent Interview: Peter Rubie at Duotrope (03/2020)
Agent Alert: Peter Rubie at Writer's Digest (07/2019)
7 Questions for Literary Agent Peter Rubie at Middle Grade Ninja (07/2013)
How to Land an Agent in an Indie World Podcast at Jeff Rivera (04/2013)
Contact:
Please see FinePrint Literary website for contact information.
Profile Details:
Last updated: 5/26/2020.
Agent Contacted for Review? Yes
Last Reviewed By Agent? 5//26/2020.
***
Have any experience with this agent? See something that needs updating? Please leave a comment or e-mail me at natalieiaguirre7(at)gmail(dot)com

Note: These agent profiles presently focus on agents who accept children's fiction. They are not interviews. Please take the time to verify anything you might use here before querying an agent. The information found herein is subject to change.






























































9 comments:

mshatch said...

I've submitted to Peter Rubie before and thank you for reminding me about him because I just may submit to him again :)

Rachna Chhabria said...

Its cool that Peter Rubie accepts Middle Grade Fiction, will add him to my agent list.

Hong said...

I attended a writer's conference where I met Peter last month and I can confirm that he's an editorial agent. He was a writer for many years.

Gina Gao said...

This is a really cool agent!

www.modernworld4.blogspot.com

Leigh Covington said...

Always love to see posts like this and learn more about these agents. :) Thanks for the info. Sounds very cool.

Sarah Hipple said...

I don't always comment on your spotlights, but I always appreciate them. Thanks for some more great research!

Crystal Collier said...

He sounds like a catch. ;)

Unknown said...

Twenty years ago I submitted to Peter, and he was kind enough to send me a half page handwritten review comparing my work to King and Koontz but informing me sadly that horror was not selling. Ten years and five agents later I received the first of two six figure two book deals through another agent. Finally four years ago I believe it was I managed to convince Peter to take me on and I have never been happier. Peter is not only a bulldog for his clients he gives more editorial support than some of my editors at Random House ever did. If you can catch his eye you will really have done something for yourself and your career.

Casey McCormick said...

Chandler, thank you for sharing your experience with Peter. He sounds like a truly fantastic agent, and I'm glad he finally took you on. Best to you both!