Literary Agent Interview: Vicky Weber Interview and Query Critique Giveaway

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Today I’m thrilled to have agent Vicky Weber here. She’s an associate literary agent at Creative Media Agency. 

Hi Vicky! Thanks so much for joining us. 

About Vicky: 

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

I began my career as a teacher, then transitioned into writing and publishing picture books. My love for literature and helping authors led me to join The Purcell Agency as an associate agent in 2022, where I was later promoted to literary agent. In May 2024, I joined Creative Media Agency (CMA), where I focus on high-concept, commercial, and upmarket stories across various genres.  
 
About the Agency:
 
2. Share a bit about your agency and what it offers to its authors.
 
Creative Media Agency (CMA) is a full-service literary agency that represents authors across children’s, young adult, and adult genres. CMA is well-known for its dedication to author’s careers through editorial support, rights management, and a strong network within the publishing industry. That’s probably my favorite part—we're not just out to sell manuscripts, CMA agents believe in building up authors.
 
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 represent picture books, middle grade (MG), young adult (YA), and select adult categories. In children's literature, I love picture books with a giftable, commercial appeal, playful language, and fresh twists on familiar themes. For YA, I love horror, fantasy, and dystopian themes—stories with gripping emotional intensity, akin to Shadow and Bone. In adult genres, I’m drawn to fantasy (including dark and high/epic fantasy), horror, and suspense with psychological or supernatural elements. I also accept romance, historical, thriller, and more! Across all categories, I especially value lyrical prose, strong character arcs, and stories with a high emotional impact.
 
4.  Is there anything you would be especially excited to seeing in the genres you are interested in?
 
I’m particularly excited by high-concept, emotionally charged narratives that drop readers directly into the moment, with characters they can feel for and root for. I want depth, messy characters, and layers all threaded together. Honestly though, I see many strong concepts come across my desk but the execution isn’t there. The books I represent pull me in from page one—I couldn’t put them down if I tried!
 
What She Isn’t Looking For:
 
5. What types of submissions are you not interested in?
 
I’m not currently looking for nonfiction or graphic novels, and I tend to avoid political thrillers (but I love psychological thrillers!) hard science fiction, and time-travel in fiction.  
 
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?
 
I want to build close, collaborative relationships with my authors. I see each client as part of my “extended family,” and I approach their careers with intention and care. I aim to work with authors who are passionate, driven, and open to growth.
 
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?
 
I am! First, I sit down with an author, and I ask questions about their concept to get them to dive as deeply into the plot and character arc as possible. After that, the author dives into revisions, works with critique partners, etc. before sending it back my way. Then I prepare an edit letter, the author revises—rinse and repeat until its ready for submission!  
 
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?
 
Authors can query me through QueryManager, and I prefer a concise, compelling pitch that highlights the hook and character stakes. Remember, the world ending won't feel like high stakes unless we’re emotionally invested in the characters and their lives.
 
9.  Do you have any specific dislikes in query letters or the first pages submitted to you?
 
Not really. The only thing that stands out is when it’s clear that the author has put little-to-no effort in. Sometimes, I’ll get query letters that are a single sentence or less than 50 characters long, which set off alarm bells for me.
 
As for first pages, I see a lot of cliches and telling vs. Showing, but I wouldn’t say that’s a dislike. It’s just that the manuscript often needs more work than I’m able to take on. 
 
Response Time:
 
10. What’s your response time to queries and requests for more pages of a manuscript?
 
I’m usually quick at getting to initial queries, passing or requesting more materials within 4-6 weeks or less, but evaluating partials and fulls goes much more slowly. It changes with my workload, but I always welcome nudges from authors!
 
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?
 
Absolutely! Several of my authors started in self-publishing and wanted to transition to traditional with future manuscripts.
 
I generally prefer to receive unpublished manuscripts, as they offer the greatest publication potential in the market. While I’m open to self-published titles, I’m typically looking for those with very strong sales, ideally over 10,000 copies. Without a solid sales track record, it’s challenging to sell a previously published book with traditional publishers. For most authors, querying with an unpublished manuscript is preferred.  
 
Clients:
 
12. Who are some of the authors you represent?
 
I represent everything from picture book authors like Annemarie Riley Guertin and Christine Alemshah, illustrators like Sheyla Noguiera, established authors like Theresa Romain and Vikki Patis, as well as debut authors.
 
Interviews and Guest Posts:
 
13. Please share the links to any interviews, guest posts, and podcasts you think would be helpful to writers interested in querying you.
 
I’d love to point writers to my blog and YouTube channel, At Home Author. I post a ton of content there to help aspiring authors make their journey smoother and less overwhelming. You’ll find everything from tips on writing engaging picture books to insights on navigating the querying process. My goal is to break things down in a way that feels approachable and actionable, especially if you’re new to the publishing world.
 
I also attend conferences regularly and often appear on podcasts, sharing insights into my journey from teacher to author and agent. For instance, I've been a guest on the Get Out of Teaching podcast, where I talk about the transition out of the classroom and into publishing.
 
Links and Contact Info:
 
14. Please share how writers should contact you to submit a query and your links on the Web.
 
Author website: www.vickyweber.com
Advice for writers: www.athomeauthor.com
Query Me: https://querymanager.com/vweber/  
 
Additional Advice:
 
15. Is there any other advice you’d like to share with aspiring authors that we haven’t covered?
 
Absolutely! My advice is to keep exploring what makes you unique as a writer—lean into the perspectives and experiences that only you can bring to the page. In a crowded market, authenticity and passion make stories memorable, so don’t be afraid to let your voice shine through. Also, know that writing is a journey built on continuous learning. Keep honing your skills, stay curious, and keep up with industry trends. And remember, resilience is key; every “no” gets you one step closer to the right “yes.”
 
Thanks for sharing all your advice, Vicky.  And Vicky asked me to mention that Creative Media Agency is hosting their first online picture book conference with live 10-minute pitch sessions on 1/24/2025. 

Giveaway Details 

Vicky 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 January 2nd. If your email 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 follow me on Twitter or 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.
 
Have any experience with this agent? See something that needs updating? Please leave a comment or email 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.

Upcoming Interviews, Guest Posts, and Blog Hops

Monday, December 16th I have a guest post by debut author Vicky Lorencen and a giveaway of her MG The Book of Barf and am participating in the Dashing December Giveaway Hop

Wednesday, January 8th I have an interview with author Mackenzie Reed and a giveaway of her YA The Wilde Trials and my IWSG post

Monday, January 13th I have an agent spotlight interview with Estelle Laure and a query critique giveaway

Wednesday, January 15th I have an agent spotlight interview with Jon Cobb and a query critique giveaway

Monday, January 27th I have an interview with debut author Nicole Hewitt and a giveaway of her MG The Song of Orphan’s Garden

I hope to see you on Monday!