Agent Spotlight: Adriann Ranta Zurhellen

This week's Agent Spotlight features Adriann Ranta Zurhellen of Foundry Literary + Media.
Status: Accepting submissions.
About: "Adriann represents New York Times bestselling and award-winning authors, journalists, illustrators, and graphic novelists, as well as cultural commentators, stuntwomen, makeup artists, and many other pioneering creative thinkers and leaders in their fields. She is actively seeking projects in all genres and for all age groups, but has a penchant for edgy, dark, unusual voices, unique settings, and everyman stories told with a new spin. She loves gritty, realistic, true-to-life narratives with conflicts based in the real world; women’s fiction and nonfiction; accessible, pop nonfiction in science, history, and craft; and smart, fresh, genre-bending works for children.
"A magna cum laude graduate of the University of Arizona, Adriann’s first introduction to publishing was at The Editorial Department, a freelance editorial firm based in Tucson, AZ. After making the move to New York, Adriann spent two years at Anderson Literary Management and six years at Wolf Literary Services before moving to Foundry in 2015."" (Link)
About the Agency:
“Foundry is a full-service literary agency and media development company dedicated to providing the most positive and profitable publishing experience for our clients, from the American book market to foreign publishing, film and TV, merchandise, online media and beyond.
"Rooted in the tradition of representing writers and other talent in the book trade, the Foundry team is relentless in finding new and diverse ways for our clients to reach wider audiences.
"It all begins with the book. Whether you are a first time novelist or a veteran author, a comedy writer slugging it out in the trenches, or an established film or television personality, we take your book seriously. We roll up our sleeves and make sure that nothing lands on an editor’s desk that isn’t the best that it can be, and then guide you through the entire process of getting published, in the US and abroad.” (Link)Web Presence:
Foundry Literary + Media website.
Publisher's Marketplace page.
Twitter.
QueryTracker.
What She's Looking For:
Genres/Specialties:
Children's picture books, chapter books, middle grade, and young adult. Adult fiction and non-fiction.
From Ms. Ranta Zurhellen's Manuscript Wish List:
"Fiction: Action/Adventure, Children's, Crime, Family Saga, General, Graphic Novel, Historical, Literary, Middle Grade, Mystery, Women’s Fiction, Young Adult
"Non-Fiction: Crafts/DIY, History, Humor, Illustrated, Journalism, Memoir, Pop Culture, Psychology, Science, True Crime
Favorite sub-genres: Contemporary YA, Domestic Suspense, Fantasy YA, Feminism, Literary Middle Grade, Psychological Thrillers, Speculative Fiction, diverse voices, narrative non-fiction, upmarket genre fiction"
From an Interview (04/2011):
“I love dark, quirky projects that approach classic themes in new, fresh ways. Like, say, witches, only funny and with cheerleaders. I love ghost stories à la ANNA DRESSED IN BLOOD, cool sci-fi/steampunk projects like CINDER, I adore smart boy books like OKAY FOR NOW or anything by David Almond. While I’m always looking out for YA and MG, and the occasional author/illustrator for picture books, I also represent adult fiction and non-fiction and I’d love more narrative non-fiction on quirky subjects.” (Link)
From an Interview (04/2011):
“I’d love a great ghost story, a fresh YA romance, a reimagining of a classic boy’s adventure story, some quality kid’s nonfiction… but am open to pleasant surprises too!” (Link)
What She Isn't Looking For:
"Fantasies on weird planets featuring characters with unpronounceable names are a little too much for me—ditto to faeries, ‘chosen ones,’ or sci-fi in general. I'm sick to death of vampires, angels, zombies, and werewolves. I'm open to picture books, but not ones about Jesus. " (Link –broken)
Her Advice to Writers:
"Read, read, read, read, read! No matter what happens with ebooks, iphone apps, hardcover editions, self-publishing, print-on-demand, or Google, write because you can't live without reading." (Link –broken)
"The representation process is very subjective, which makes personalization and research incredibly important. Sending a manuscript to an agent that pointedly doesn’t represent your genre is a waste of everyone’s time. Be patient, be persistent, be positive-just like any other professional relationship, sometimes random timing is everything. (That was unintentionally alliterative.)" (Link –broken)
Pet-Peeves:
Things not to say:
“’The book I’ve written defies comparison or genre.’ ‘I’ve invented my own language, in which I’ve written this high fantasy novel. I’ve included a glossary for your convenience.’ ‘Let’s make some money!’
“Also, query letters that go on and on about the lessons and moral underpinnings of the book, without saying what the friggin’ book is about.” (Link)
Editorial Agent?
Given quotes in her interviews and her editorial background, I believe she is editorial as needed. 
Clients:
You can find a list of clients on the agency website. Her clients include Kendare Blake, Peter Hoffmeister, Michelle Krys, Daniella Martin, Mindy McGinnis, among others.
Query Methods:
E-mail: Yes (only).
Snail-Mail: No.  
Online-Form: No.
Submission Guidelines (always verify):
Send a query letter, synopsis, bio and first three chapters of your manuscript. Include your name and project name in the subject line. Chapters, etc. can be pasted in the email or attached.
See the Foundry Literary website for complete, up-to-date submission guidelines.
Response Times:
The agency only responds if interested. However, Ms. Ranta still tries to respond, usually within a month. If you haven't heard anything in eight weeks, she is not interested.
Query Tips:
"Query letters should be limited to one typewritten page—it’s a pitch document, not a synopsis! Beyond title, genre, hook, and pitch, I love a query letter that has a zoomed-out paragraph on what the book is about: themes or conflicts that first inspired the writer to think more deeply about what’s in the book. (I don’t mean “I was inspired by a dream I had,” but rather “The book is about sisterhood and toxic female friendship” or something.)

"I love seeing comps in query letters. They’re helpful to me to better understand the pitch and potential audience, and they also show that the author is well-read in the category in which she’s writing. Remember to compare your book to successful, contemporary (past 5 years or so) titles—a good indication of success without access to Bookscan is the number of reviews on Amazon. One hundred plus is usually a good sign." (Link)
What's the Buzz?
Ms. Ranta Zurhellen indicates on her Manuscript Wish List that she is involved in The Manuscript Academy, an offshoot of the Manuscript Wish List. You may want to check it out.
I recommend following her on Twitter @AdriannRanta where you can get a peak at her personality and see some commentary on queries, manuscripts, and more.
Worth Your Time:
Interviews:
Agent of the Month: Adriann Ranta Zurhellen at Writing and Illustrating (05/2019)
Guest Post with Adriann Ranta Zurhellen and Diane Magras at Literary Rambles (06/2018)
Successful Query: Agent Adriann Ranta at Writer's Digest (11/2016)
Query Questions with Adriann Ranta at Michelle Hauck (01/2014)
Interview with literary agent Adriann Ranta at client Michelle Krys’s site (04/2012).
7 Questions For: Literary Agent Adriann Ranta at Middle Grade Ninja (04/2011).
Please see the Foundry Literary website for contact and query information.
Profile Details:
Last updated: 5/23/2020.
Agent Contacted For Review? Yes.
Last Reviewed By Agent? 3/11/10.
***
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 and/or teen 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.