Today I’m thrilled to have agent Mara Cobb here. She’s an agent at Lighthouse Literary.
Hi Mara! Thanks so much for joining us.
About Mara:
1. Tell us how you became an agent, how long you’ve been one, and what you’ve been doing as an agent.
Hi! Excited to chat about all things agenting! I’ve been an agent since September 2023. Before that, I interned for a year and a half under a senior literary agent, learning the ropes of research, proposal creation, and contracts.
About the Agency:
2. Share a bit about your agency and what it offers to its authors.
Lighthouse Literary represents both children’s and adult fiction and nonfiction. We represent Christian works and secular works as long as the content doesn’t conflict with Christian values.
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 currently represent kidlit—picture books, MG, and YA (all genres except horror), adult nonfiction, and adult fiction (contemporary, historical fiction, clean romance, and Christian fiction).
4. Is there anything you would be especially excited to seeing in the genres you are interested in?
No matter the genre, I’m continually drawn to well-developed characters. I love main characters that I feel a strong connection to, and I love antagonists that make me inwardly groan or roll my eyes (I have a special love for antagonists that have a believable turning point within the story). Plot-wise, I’m excited by high-stakes climaxes and conclusions that feel well-developed instead of abrupt.
What She Isn’t Looking For:
5. What types of submissions are you not interested in?
I’m not currently accepting picture book or middle grade submissions except through referrals or conference pitches. I am currently interested in YA, adult nonfiction, and adult fiction across genres, though I’m not interested in horror, fantasy (light fantasy or magical realism is fine), and open-door romance. I’m also not a good fit for books with excessive swearing or violence.
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 view the agent/author relationship as a partnership, and I am always excited by authors that view the relationship the same way. Writing and agenting is a continuous process of growth and discovery, and I appreciate when authors remain curious and continue to hone their skills through mentorships, workshops, continued reading in their genre, etc. I want to represent books that bring the “light” to “Lighthouse Literary”—books that serve as a beacon of hope or encouragement or offer a literary escape from our daily lives.
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 consider myself to be very editorial. When I go into “the call” with an author, I usually go in with some edits already in mind. When an author signs, we will begin editing together, and we go through multiple editing rounds as needed. I typically offer both content edits and line edit suggestions. My belief, though, is that in the end the finished product is the work of the author—I never force authors to implement any idea. Again—it’s a partnership! 🙂
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?
I accept queries via QueryManager, which is here: https://QueryTracker.net/query/3041
The form asks for basic information about the author, a query letter, a synopsis, and the first ten pages of the work. In the query letter, I typically want to know the most important aspects of the work, and I’m looking for more information about the author too—who are they? What works have they previously completed or published? What are their writing goals in general? I think of the query as a sort of speed-date. I want to quickly get to know the author and the manuscript.
9. Do you have any specific dislikes in query letters or the first pages submitted to you?
In general, I feel that prologues slow a story down. They typically distract from the true opening of the story and they make it hard for me, as an agent, to get a feel for the story if the prologue is in the way. While there are some stories that do need a prologue, most don’t. I encourage authors to take out the prologue and see if their first chapter can stand on its own. If there are key pieces of info in the prologue, they can generally be incorporated into the opening chapters.
Response Time:
10. What’s your response time to queries and requests for more pages of a manuscript?
My response time to queries averages 8-12 weeks. Full requests or partial requests definitely take longer, up to 4-5 months depending on the time of year and the status of my current clients’ projects. While I would love to be able to respond to queries or full requests quicker, I’m only one person who can only read so much each day, and I always prioritize my current authors. If we’re in the middle of preparing a project for submission, that will take priority.
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 typically don’t go out on submission with a manuscript that’s already been published. But if an author has been self-published or published by a small press, and they query with a brand new project, I’m fine with that. It shows that they take their craft seriously enough to be proactive on their own.
Clients:
12. Who are some of the authors you represent?
I love all of my authors and consider them friends, so it’s hard to name just a few. I currently represent Sharon Chriscoe, author of the Race Car Dreams series, Susan Johnston Taylor, author of the forthcoming book If Pets Wrote Poems, and Laura L. Zimmerman, author of the Banshee Song series.
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.
Here is a link to a blog post I wrote last year, where I share query letter tips: https://goteenwriters.com/2024/01/24/five-tips-for-writing-a-successful-query-letter-to-an-agent/
Links and Contact Info:
14. Please share how writers should contact you to submit a query and your links on the Web.
My QueryManager link is here: https://QueryTracker.net/query/3041
Personal website: https://maracobbwrites.wordpress.com/
You can also find me on Twitter/X: @MaraCobbWrites
Additional Advice:
15. Is there any other advice you’d like to share with aspiring authors that we haven’t covered?
The journey to publication can be long and full of ups and downs, so don’t hesitate to lean on your community. If you don’t have a writing community, I encourage you to start connecting with other writers, whether you’re joining a national writing organization or meeting up with fellow authors at your local library.
Thanks for sharing all your advice, Mara.
Mara
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 November 29th. If you do not want to enter the contest, that’s okay. Just
let me know in the comments. If I do not have your email (I can no
longer get it from your Google Profile), you must leave it in the comments to
enter the contest. Please be sure I have your email address.
If you follow me on Twitter or Bluesky 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
Sunday, November 16th, I’m participating in the In All Things Give Thanks Giveaway Hop
Monday, November 17th, I have a guest post by Mike Steel and a giveaway of his MG Not Lucille
Wednesday, November 19th, I have an agent spotlight interview with Carter Hasegawa and a query critique giveaway
Monday, November 24th, I have a guest post by R.M. Romero and a giveaway of her MG The Tear Collector
Monday, December 1st, I’m participating in the Holly Jolly Giveaway Hop
Wednesday, December 3rd, I have a guest post by Leigh Madrid and a giveaway of her YA My Lips, Her Voice, and my IWSG post
Monday, December 7th, I have an interview with Sarvenaz Tash and a giveaway of The Treasure of Ocean Parkway
I hope to see you on Monday!
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