Agent Spotlight: Analieze Cervantes Interview and Query Critique Giveaway

Today I’m thrilled to have agent Analieze Cervantes here. She is an associate literary agent at Harvey Klinger Literary Agency.

Update on 9/14/2024: Analieze is now at Rees Literary Agency and is currently closed to submissions. Please check the agency website to find out when she reopens to submissions and for her submission guidelines.

Hi Analieze! Thanks so much for joining us.

About Analieze: 

1. Tell us how you became an agent, how long you’ve been one, and what you’ve been doing as an agent.

Great question—I knew I wanted to be a part of the publishing industry whether if it was to be an editor, literary agent or writer (which is a goal sometime in the future), but I didn’t know everything I know now. So when I attended a WD conference in NY for the first time after graduating from college, the idea of being part of the publishing industry solidified because it was just a magical place with people who shared the same passion. So the question was…how do I get there? After so many applications to different jobs and receiving nothing, I became an intern at a NYC Literary Agency. I was there for a year before joining The Harvey Klinger Literary Agency.

About the Agency:

2. Share a bit about your agency and what it offers to its authors.

The Harvey Klinger Literary Agency has been representing quality fiction and non fiction since 1977 from MG all the way to Adult. The agency has an eye for spotting talent, we pride ourselves on our strong editorial skills, unparalleled relations with all major publishers, and a unique collaborative work environment. We adopt a hands-on, personal approach with every author we take on, focusing not just on their books, but on their careers.

What She’s Looking For:

3. What age groups do you represent—picture books, MG, and/or YA? What genres do you represent and what are you looking for in submissions for these genres?

I am looking to represent Picture Books, Graphic Novels (just recently opened), MG, YA, and Adult fiction. The genres include: Contemporary, Romance, Sci-fi, Mystery, Suspense, Thriller (I’m craving a great thriller and mystery book), Crime Fiction, and looking for illustrators too! I’m especially looking for BIPOC and LGBTQ voices.

4.  Is there anything you would be especially excited to seeing in the genres you are interested in?

Mystery and Thrillers! I haven’t been getting a lot of in those genres and would love to see more! The more, the merrier :)

What She Isn’t Looking For:

5. What types of submissions are you not interested in?

•           Fantasy

•           Short story collections

•           Inspirational works including religious overtones

•           Erotica

•           Non-Fiction

•           Memoir

•           Horror (please nothing with Zombies)

•           Westerns

•           Novellas

•           Anything Political

•           Poetry

•           Screenplays

 

Agent Philosophy:

6. What is your philosophy as an agent both in terms of the authors you want to work with and the books you want to represent?

First and foremost, the books I’m looking to represent are books that connect with me on a deeper level. Am I still thinking about those books even after turning the last page? Characters that I remember and keep me glued to the pages since the very beginning. Time shouldn’t exist when I read a manuscript.

As far as authors, I am looking for clients who are professional on and off social media, their passion, knowing that they are writing other books and are learning the industry along side me. A collaborative partnership that will last for the years to come. I’m here to build my career alongside theirs.

Editorial Agent:

7. Are you an editorial agent? If so, what is your process like when you’re working with your authors before submitting to editors?

Yes, I am an editorial agent. I usually go through three rounds of edits, focusing on the character development, pacing, etc. and whether or not the overall story comes together prior to submitting a project. In some cases, the process takes longer just depending on the amount of edits.

Query Methods and Submission Guidelines: (Always verify before submitting)

8. How should authors query you and what do you want to see with the query letter?

They should query me through my QM link on the agency website. I want to see three things: the hook (pitch), the book (what it’s about), and the cook (about the author and not necessarily their publications unless they have some). I want to see why they are specifically querying me and the person they are.

9.  Do you have any specific dislikes in query letters or the first pages submitted to you?

One of the things, I dislike in letters is when the author doesn’t address me and tells me about why we would be a good fit, but not telling anything about the book. On occasion, I get authors who talk about multiple books in one submission which shows me that they didn’t follow the submission guidelines.

Response Time:

10. What’s your response time to queries and requests for more pages of a manuscript?

Queries are given a response time of a week. Partials are requested within a month/few weeks and are given a response time of a week from requesting. However, if I am still considering the project then it takes me a month or two to decide or request the full. As far as fulls, I do take about 2-3 months if not more to respond back.

Self-Published and Small Press Authors:

11.  Are you open to representing authors who have self-published or been published by smaller presses? What advice do you have for them if they want to try to find an agent to represent them?

Yes I am. However, sometimes they need to show us that they have sold a number of books if they’ve been published by a small press. My advice is to keep trying and never give up. Let the agent know that you want to go off into bigger and better things—that you’re ready.

I am not open to authors who are querying an already self-published book though.

12. With all the changes in publishing—self-publishing, hybrid authors, more small publishers—do you see the role of agents changing at all? Why?

I think we will have a lot of avenues to help our clients. Our role is going to be a lot more challenging because we’d need to keep learning and make sure we are successful as agents.

Clients:

13. Who are some of the authors you represent?

Authors include: Dylan Wiseman, Kami Bratten, Jenna Grinstead, Jenissa Michelle, Clint Hanthorn, Sofia Pileggi, Kerisa Greene and Amanda Badillo/Jesse Chen (co-agenting with my colleague Jennifer Herrington).

Illustrators include: Amanda Morrow, Kerisa Greene, and Devika Oza.

Interviews and Guest Posts:

14. Please share the links to any interviews and guest posts you think would be helpful to writers interested in querying you.

https://www.manuscriptwishlist.com/mswl-post/analieze-cervantes/

https://kathytemean.wordpress.com/2021/02/05/january-agent-of-the-month-analieze-cervantes/

https://analiezecervantes.com

Update 1/18/2023:

Interview at Writers Digest (12/2021)

Publishers Marketplace

Links and Contact Info:

15. Please share how writers should contact you to submit a query and your links on the Web.

https://www.harveyklinger.com

https://querymanager.com/query/AnaliezeCervantes

Additional Advice:

16. Is there any other advice you’d like to share with aspiring authors that we haven’t covered?

My advice to you: don't give up, ask questions, learn the industry, attend conferences, join support groups and really understand the business in the best way you can. There are so many people who are willing to help you.

Thanks for sharing all your advice, Analieze.

Analieze is generously offering a query critique to one lucky winner. To enter, all you need to do is be a follower (via the follower gadget, email, or bloglovin’ on the right sidebar) and leave a comment through July 31st.  If your e-mail is not on your Google Profile, you must leave it in the comments to enter the contest. If you do not want to enter the contest, that's okay. Just let me know in the comments.

If you mention this contest on Twitter, Facebook, or your blog, mention this in the comments and I'll give you an extra entry. This is an international giveaway.

Profile Details:
Last Updated: 1/18/2023
Agent Contacted for Review? Yes
Last Reviewed By Agent? 7/14/2021

Have any experience with this agent? See something that needs updating? Please leave a comment or e-mail me at natalieiaguirre7@gmail.com

Note: These agent profiles and interviews presently focus on agents who accept children's fiction. Please take the time to verify anything you might use here before querying an agent. The information found here is subject to change.