Agent Spotlight: Rachel Stout

This week's Agent Spotlight features Rachel Stout of Dystel & Goderich Literary Management.
Status: 6/2/2020 Ms. Rachel is no longer a literary agent. She offers editing services at her website, Rachel Stout. 
About: “Rachel Stout joined Dystel and Goderich after graduating with a degree in English from Fordham University. Her interest in publishing began early in her college career as she sought to figure out where exactly she wanted her life to head, career-wise (and to ward off the all too common assumptions that just because she studied English, she inevitably wanted to become a teacher). An internship with LJK Literary Management solidified and strengthened her determination and introduced her to the agenting side of the publishing world. Rachel hopes that DGLM will further foster these inclinations and is looking forward to the time ahead. After growing up on the South Jersey shore, Rachel now lives in Brooklyn and is interested in literary fiction, narrative non-fiction, and believable and thought-provoking YA as well as magical realism.” (Link)
About the Agency:
“Dystel & Goderich Literary Management was founded in 1994 by Jane Dystel, who has been a respected figure in publishing for over 30 years — first as an editor, then as a publisher, and finally as a savvy and successful agent. The agency is the product of her innovative vision of author representation as a full-service enterprise.
“DGLM was launched with a quickly growing roster of Pulitzer Prize winning journalists, celebrated experts in fields as diverse as parenting, women’s health, and cooking, acclaimed literary and commercial fiction writers, and an eclectic and exciting list of titles. The primary goal of the agency was and is to offer not just financial and contractual advice to its clients, but also editorial guidance and support.
“Being involved in every stage of putting together a non-fiction book proposal, offering substantial editing on fiction manuscripts, and coming up with book ideas for authors looking for their next project is as much a part of our work as selling, negotiating contracts, and collecting monies for our clients. We follow a book from its inception through its sale to a publisher, its publication, and beyond. Our commitment to our writers does not, by any means, end when we have collected our commission. This is one of the many things that makes us unique in a very competitive business.” (Link)
Web Presence:
DGLM website.
Twitter @rachelestout.
DGLM blog.
DGLM Twitter.
DGLM Facebook.
QueryTracker.
What She's Looking For:
Genres / Specialties:
Literary fiction, narrative non-fiction, magical realism, and believable, thought-provoking young adult.
From a Blog Post (9/2011):
“I really, really would love to see a great historical fiction. YA, literary, commercial—I don’t really care as much about that as I do about the story itself. I’m not even going to limit it to particular eras (though you can always get me with a really good Edwardian or WWII story)…
“I’m also a sucker for a good eerie story—paranormal in a human way. Witches, ghosts, mind reading. In a similar vein, magical realism in a subtle way can be really beautiful—I’m thinking similar to Aimee Bender’s The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake or The Monsters of Templeton by Lauren Groff. Any writer who can insert the tiniest elements of the wondrous unreal into what is otherwise a very normal world and make it work is a writer whose books I want to read.” (Link)
What She Isn't Looking For:
“I’m not the girl you want if you have an amazing business book or a brilliantly crafted horror story or thriller…” (Link)
Plays, screenplays, poetry. (Link)
Editorial Agent?
The agency is editorial as a whole and at least one client has mentioned doing revisions with Ms. Stout.
Clients:
A list of Dystel & Goderich clients is available on the website.
Ms. Stout’s clients include: Stephanie Hayes and Tamara Linse, among others.
Query Methods:
E-mail: Yes (preferred).
Snail-Mail: Yes.
Online-Form: No.
Submission Guidelines (always verify):
“Enclose a cover letter, outline or brief synopsis of the work (with word count if possible), a sample chapter, and a stamped, self-addressed envelope for our response. Please type all of your correspondence and double space everything other than the cover letter. E-mail queries are fine, but keep them brief and make sure your cover letter is in the body of the e-mail. We won’t open attachments if they come with a blank e-mail. Please be sure to query only one agent at this agency. We will not review queries sent to more than one of us.”
See the DGLM website for complete, up-to-date submission guidelines.
Response Times:
The agency's stated response time for queries is 6-8 weeks and 8 weeks for requested material. If you do not hear back within the stated timeframe, feel free to resend. (Link) Stats available appear consistent with these numbers.
What's the Buzz?
Rachel Stout joined DGLM as an assistant in October of 2010. I’m not aware of any sales yet, but her list is small and developing.
I recommend following her on Twitter @rachelestout and reading through her posts on the DGLM blog for further insight.
Worth Your Time:
Interviews:
A Word With Literary Agent Rachel Stout at All the Write Stuff (01/2012).
Around the Web:
Dystel & Goderich Literary Management on P&E ($, Highly Recommended).
Dystel & Goderich Literary Management thread at AbsoluteWrite.
Before querying, I recommend reading all the pages on the DGLM website, including a great FAQ and What’s New section.
Ms. Stout’s personal essay on the DGLM website.
Ms. Stout’s posts on the DGLM blog, categorized here.
Current and past DGLM newsletters are available here.
Rachel Stout and DGLM in the 2014 Guide to Literary Agents via Google Books.
Rachel Stout and DGLM in the 2013 Guide to Literary Agents via Google Books.
Author Essay Feature: Tamara Linse - How I Got My Dream Agent at All ‘Lit’ Up (01/2012).
Contact:
Please see the Dystel & Goderich Literary Management website for additional contact and query information.
Profile Details:
Last Updated: 6/2/2020.
Last Reviewed By Agent? 9/12/13.
Comment: 6/2/2020 Updated to confirm that Ms. Stout is no longer an agent. I noted this and deleted all links within the agent spotlight.
***
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/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.

Agent Spotlight: John Rudolph

This week's Agent Spotlight features John Rudolph of Dystel & Goderich Literary Management.
Status: Open to submissions.
About: “John Rudolph joined DG&B in 2010 after twelve years as an acquiring children’s book editor. He began his career at Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers as an Editorial Assistant and then moved to the G. P. Putnam’s Sons imprint of the Penguin Young Readers Group, where he eventually served as Executive Editor on a wide range of young adult, middle-grade, nonfiction, and picture book titles. He graduated from Amherst College with a double major in Classics and Music. While John’s list started out as mostly children’s books, it has evolved to the point where it is now half adult, half children’s authors —and he’s looking to maintain that balance. On the children’s side, John is keenly interested in middle-grade and young adult fiction and would love to find the next great picture book author/illustrator. For adults, he is actively looking for narrative nonfiction, especially in music, sports, history, popular science, “big think”, performing arts, health, business, memoir, military history, and humor. He is also interested in commercial fiction, but is very selective in what he takes on. (Link)
About the Agency:
"Dystel, Goderich & Bourret LLC is a dynamic literary agency boasting an impressive client list and a sterling reputation. Led by Jane Dystel, who founded the company in 1994, our agents are smart, hardworking, compassionate, and focused on their authors’ success. We are a full-service enterprise known for our business savvy and integrity.
"We don’t just sell books. We build careers." (Link)
Web Presence:
DGLM website.
Twitter.
#mswl on Twitter.
QueryTracker.

What He's Looking For:
Genres/Specialties:
Fiction - Action/Adventure, Children's (author/illustrators), Middle Grade, Young Adult, Commercial Fiction, Literary Fiction.
Non-Fiction - Celebrity, Pop Culture, Narrative, Music, Film & Entertainment, Current Affairs & Politics, Humor & Gift Books, Sports. (Link)
From His Bio Page:
He wants to see more middle grade.
"To be honest, I wasn’t much of a reader as a kid. While I devoured comic books, especially Tintin and Asterix, pretty much the only books I read outside of school were John D. Fitzgerald’s Great Brain series—and why a New York City kid in the early 1980s would be so fascinated by the stories of two conniving brothers set in 1890s Utah is still a mystery to me (and my parents).
"However, it does make sense that when I properly fell in love with reading later on, I found a home in children’s literature and discovered all the wonderful books I had missed the first time around. Better yet, as an acquiring editor I was fortunate enough to add some truly brilliant authors and illustrators to that literature, all of whose work shed new light on the childhood and teen experience.
"Since I switched to agenting in the fall of 2010, I’ve had the pleasure of continuing to contribute to children’s books, yet I’ve also been blown away by the opportunity to represent adult authors, too—it’s such a thrill to be able to work with good writers, regardless of genre or category.
"For middle-grade and YA fiction, I’m on the lookout for authentic kids’ voices and rousing, high concept stories—I love a good “what-if” scenario, though I prefer realistic settings and sci-fi to fantasy. At a younger level, I’m very eager to find the next great illustrator who can also write—we’ve developed a nice stable of illustrators here at DG&B, and I’d love to expand the list further. For adults, I’ve found a home in narrative nonfiction for areas like music, sports, history, popular science, health, business, military history, and memoir. And while my adult fiction list is small, I do like good commercial and literary fiction, particularly anything plot-driven and fast-paced."What He Isn't Looking For:
Plays, screenplays, poetry. (Link)
Editorial Agent?
"Yes, often to a fault—it’s a holdover from my days as an editor that I’m still trying to rein in." (Link)
Clients:
A list of Dystel & Goderich clients is available on the website.
Mr. Rudolph’s clients include: Rachele Alpine, Steven Cordero, Ericka Blount Danois, Stephen Duncan, Bryan Gilmer, Paul Gude, Craig Heimbuch, Shandy Lawson, Adam Lazarus, August McLaughlin, Joe Oestreich, Adrienne Sylver, among others.
Query Methods:
E-mail: Yes (preferred).
Snail-Mail: Yes.
Online-Form: No.
Submission Guidelines (always verify):
E-mail: Query only; Paste 25 pages of your manuscript in your query. No attachments. Only query one agent at a time.See the agency website for complete, up-to-date submission guidelines.
Response Times:
The agency's stated response time for queries is 8 weeks. If you do not hear back within the stated time frame, feel free to resend (Link). Mr. Rudolph’s response times range from hours to a couple months on queries and days to a month or so on requested material.
Worth Your Time:
Interviews:
Evaluating Literary Agents Podcast at Middle Grade Ninja (07/2019)
What a Literary Agent Is Looking for Podcast at Middle Grade Ninja (07/2019)
Literary Agent John Rudolph Podcast at Middle Grade Ninja (05/2019)
Agent of the Month: John Rudolph Part 1 and Part 2 at Writing and Illustrating (09/2018)
7 Questions For: Literary Agent John Rudolph at Middle Grade Ninja (11/2010).
New Agent Interview: John Rudolph, Dystel & Goderich Literary Management at SCBWI: The Blog (10/2010).
Contact:
Please see the Dystel & Goderich Literary Management website for contact and query information.
Profile Details:
Last updated: 5/26/2020.
Agent Contacted For Review? Yes.
Last Reviewed By Agent? 5/27/2020.
***
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.

Agent Spotlight: Jim McCarthy

This week's Agent Spotlight features Jim McCarthy of Dystel, Goderich & Bourret LLC.
Status: Open to submissions.

About: "Jim McCarthy interned for Dystel, Goderich & Bourret while studying urban design at New York University. Upon graduating, Jim realized he would much rather continue working with books than make the jump (as he had originally intended) to the field of city planning. Eighteen years later, he remains at DG&B as a VP and agent. As an avid fiction reader, his interests encompass both literary and commercial works in the adult, young adult, and middle grade categories. He is particularly interested in literary fiction, underrepresented voices, fantasy, mysteries, romance, anything unusual or unexpected, and any book that makes him cry or laugh out loud. In addition to fiction he is also interested in narrative nonfiction whether it be memoir, historical, science, pop culture, or just a darn good polemic." (Link)
About the Agency:
"Dystel, Goderich & Bourret LLC is a dynamic literary agency boasting an impressive client list and a sterling reputation. Led by Jane Dystel, who founded the company in 1994, our agents are smart, hardworking, compassionate, and focused on their authors’ success. We are a full-service enterprise known for our business savvy and integrity.
"We don’t just sell books. We build careers." (Link)
Web Presence:
DGLM website.
DGLM Facebook.
QueryTracker.
AgentQuery.
What He's Looking For:
Genres/Specialties:
Middle grade, young adult, literary fiction, commercial fiction, literary women’s fiction, underrepresented voices, mysteries, romance, paranormal fiction, anything unusual or unexpected, narrative nonfiction, memoir, and paranormal nonfiction. (Link defunct)
Additional genres listed on his  QueryTracker profile.
From the agency website:
Children's Nonfiction: "Jim says...On Saturdays when I was growing up, my family would pile into the station wagon and head off to the library. One of my earliest memories is of my oldest sister sitting in the kids’ section and reading Babar to me. Our quest, as a family, was always to find our new favorite books. I have never really stopped that search. No matter how many good, or great books I read, I always have faith that I’ll come across something that I like as much or more than my current favorite.
"Those moments of discovery are what have kept me reading as much as I always have. Whether it was the time a teacher gave me a copy of The Hunchback of Notre Dame as a gift, when I happened across a copy of Bee Season, or when I began reading The House of Leaves, these somewhat revelatory instances are among my most cherished memories.
"For me, the most exciting aspect of working at DG&B is the chance that I may have another one of these moments, and that this time I can help in some way to get that book published."From 
From His Manuscript Wish List:

"I'm always looking for fresh voices--whether that means authors from underrepresented communities, new takes on old tropes, something that hasn't been seen before, or all of the above. I love a great humorous novel, but I'm also not afraid of anything that's extremely dark. I'm always on the lookout for great fiction of any stripe but do gravitate towards YA and the fantastical--still, that doesn't mean I'm not very open to realistic adult fiction and anything in between.

"At this exact moment, I would particularly love to find fantasy or sci-fi in non-Western settings, sagas of family or friendship in the vein of Mary McCarthy's THE GROUP or J. Courtney Sullivan's MAINE, queer stories of any kind (particularly if yours has an asexual, non-binary, or intersex lead), and a super fun mystery.

"I'm probably not your go-to for political or medical thrillers or police procedurals or stories involving time travel (with very rare exceptions). And while I love YA fantasy, I have a strange aversion to stories about fae/faeries."

What He's Not Looking For:
Plays, screenplays, poetry, picture books. (Link)
Editorial Agent?
“I tell people that I would never sign on a project that I wouldn’t be willing to send wide as is, but at the same time, I have never sent a project out as is. I love the editorial stage, and I want to make sure that material is in its best possible shape before editors have a chance to consider.” (Link)
His Advice to Writers:
"If you think you can give up writing, then give it up. If you can't ... if you know that no matter how much stress or rejection or frustration you face, that you can never stop writing? In that case, never give up. Publishing is too hard to face if you aren't in it for the right reasons. But it's not too hard to break into if it's what you need to do." (Link Defunct)
Clients:
A list of his clients is available on the website.
Mr. McCarthy's clients include:
Abigail Savitch-Lew, Adrienne Tooley, Bassey Ikpi, Cam Montgomery, Caroline Richmond, Christine Virnig, Claire Booth, Cliff Burke, Cristin Terrill, Daniel Black, Diana Urban, Emma Clancey, Eric Gansworth, Fonda Lee, Gae Polisner, Ismee Williams, Jake Arlow, Jessica Spotswood, Joy McCullough, Juliet Blackwell, Katrina Kwan, Kosoko Jackson, Laura Creedle, Laura Silverman, Lauren Spieller, Libby Cudmore, Livia Blackburne, Loan Le, Mar Romasco Moore, Michael Arceneaux, Michelle Rowen/Morgan Rhodes, Nicole Melleby, Olivia Abtahi, Rasheed Newson, Rebecca Mix, Remy Lai, Richelle Mead, Robin Talley, Saundra Mitchell, Shawntelle Madison, Tanya Boteju, Tehlor Kay Mejia, Tess Sharpe, and Victoria Laurie among others.

Query Methods:
E-mail: Yes.
Snail-Mail: No.
Online-Form: Yes, https://querytracker.net/query/JimMcCarthy.
Submission Guidelines (always verify):
Query Tracker: Fill out the online form with a query letter; Paste 20 pages of your manuscript in your query. No attachments. Only query one agent at a time.
See the agency website for complete, up-to-date submission guidelines.
Response Times:
The agency's stated response time for queries is 8 weeks. If you do not hear back within the stated timeframe, feel free to resend (Link). Mr. McCarthy has very quick response times ranging from hours to a couple weeks for queries and just days to a month or so for requested material. 
What's the Buzz?
Mr. McCarthy is top notch. He has fabulous clients and sales, a great work ethic, fast response times, a terrific sense of humor, and his clients really seem to love him.  I've heard nothing but good about him and Dystel, Goderich & Bourret LLC..
Worth Your Time:
Interviews and Guest Post: 

Agent of the Month Part 1 and Part 2 at Writing and Illustrating (01/2021)
Podcast Interview with Jim McCarthy at Middle Grade Ninja (9/2020).

Literary Agents Answer Your Burning Questions, Part 3 at The Nasiona (06/2019).
Jim McCarthy and Remy Lai Guest Post at Literary Rambles (05/2019).
7 Questions for Literary Agent Jim McCarthy at Middle Grade Ninja (09/2017).
Interview with Literary Agent Jim McCarthy at Amy Newman (08/2014).
Contact:
Please see the Dystel, Goderich & Bourret LLC website for additional contact and query information.
Profile Details:
Last Updated: 12/31/2024.
Agent Contacted for Review? Yes.
Last Reviewed By Agent? 1/21/2025.
***
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/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.

Agent Spotlight: Michael Bourret

This week's Agent Spotlight features Michael Bourret of Dystel, Goderich & Bourret LLC.
Status: Open to submissions.
About: "Michael Bourret began his career as an intern at the agency while studying film and television production at New York University, joined full-time in 2000, opened the West Coast office in 2009, and became a partner in 2016. He represents a wide range of genres and age groups; his children’s list is broad, spanning from picture books to young adult, while on the adult side he represents narrative nonfiction, memoir, and commercial and literary fiction. Across the board, he has a special affinity for offbeat projects that break the mold, and a particular interest in queer and BIPOC literature and writers. His diverse and critically acclaimed authors include several New York Times bestsellers, as well as winners of the National Book Award, the LA Times Book Prize, the Michael L. Printz Award, the Margaret A. Edwards Award, the William C. Morris Award, the Lambda Literary Award, the Boston Globe-Horn Book Award, the Stonewall Book Award, and finalists for many others. His clients’ works have been translated into over fifty languages and adapted into major motion pictures." (From the agency website)
About the Agency: 
"Dystel, Goderich & Bourret LLC is a dynamic literary agency boasting an impressive client list and a sterling reputation. Led by Jane Dystel, who founded the company in 1994, our agents are smart, hardworking, compassionate, and focused on their authors’ success. We are a full-service enterprise known for our business savvy and integrity. We don’t just sell books. We build careers."
(From the agency website)
Web Presence:
DG&B website.
Twitter @MichaelBourret.
Manuscript Wish List.
Instagram.
DG&B Facebook.
QueryTracker.
AgentQuery.
What He's Looking For:
Genres / Specialties:
Fiction, African-American, Gay + Lesbian, Historical, Horror, Mystery, Thrillers, Women's Literature, Non-Fiction, Biography, Memoir, Business, Investment, Crafts, Hobbies, DIY, Health, Diet, History, Politics, Current Affairs, Pop Culture, Entertainment, Science, Technology, Picture Books, Early Readers, Middle grade, Young adult. (Link)
"He specializes in children's books, from picture books through young adult. He is actively seeking children's books of all kinds, but especially commercially-minded (though not necessarily commercial) young adult and books for boys." (Link)

Also see Mr. Bourrett's Manuscript Wish List detailed information about what he is looking for.
From an Interview (03/2013):
“I'd love to see anything that's new, original, daring, different, out-of-the-ordinary, that pushes boundaries, that's uncompromising. I'm actively looking for both MG and YA, and I like a challenge. If you've written a book that breaks the mold, that doesn't sound like other things on the market, please be in touch. It can be realistic or fantasy, but it can't be familiar.” (Link)
What He Isn't Looking For:
Christian Literature, Erotica, Poetry, Puzzles, Games, Romance, Textbooks, Dramatic Works
Editorial Agent?
Yes.
Clients:
A list of clients is available on the website.
Marcy Beller Paul, Emma Carlson Berne, Bryan Bliss, Z Brewer, Preeti Chhibber, Gayle Forman, James Hankins, Dave Holmes, Rhoda Janzen, A.S. King, Stephanie Kuehn, Malinda Lo, Lisa McMann, Carrie Mesrobian, Emily X.R. Pan, Jewell Parker Rhodes, James Riley, Francesco Sedita, Suzanne Selfors, N. H. Senzai, Bernadette Shustak, Andrew Smith, Nova Ren Suma, Molly Wizenberg, Sara Zarr, among others.
Query Methods: E-mail: No.Snail-Mail: No.
Online Form: Yes.
Submission Guidelines:
Send a query and the first 20 pages of your manuscript. No attachments. Query only one agent at the agency. 
See the DG&B website for complete, up-to-date submission guidelines and tips on how to query them.
Query Tips:
"I hate when my name is spelled wrong, I hate typos in the first sentence, I hate being queried by writers who haven’t done their research.  But in the end, none of that really matters if the query is compelling.  As I’ve mentioned on our blog, the details aren’t the most important thing, the idea, the narrative, the storytelling – that’s what hooks me." (Link)
Response Times:
The agency's stated response time for queries is 8 weeks. If you do not hear back within the stated timeframe, feel free to resend if referencing the original query. (From the agency website)
What’s the buzz?
Michael Bourret has been with DG&B since 2010 and has a very impressive list of authors and sales. He is regularly a Top Dealmaker on Publisher’s Marketplace and his clients are very loyal, suggesting happy partnerships all around. For what it’s worth, Bourret makes my personal list of tip-top agents.
I recommend following him on Twitter @MichaelBourret for further insight.
Worth Your Time:
Interviews and Posts:

Michael Bourret Podcast at Sara Zarr’s THIS CREATIVE LIFE (12/2022)
Michael Bourret Podcast Interview at Inside the Writer's Head (01/2019)
Interview with Agent Michael Bourret at All the Write Notes (03/2013)
Around the Web:
Before querying, I recommend reading all the pages on the DG&B website, including a great FAQ section and his Manuscript Wish List.
Contact:
Please see the Dystel, Goderich & Bourret LLC website for additional contact and query information.
Profile Details:
Last Updated: 1/7/2023.
Agent Contacted for Review? Yes.
Last Reviewed By Agent? 2/8/2023.
***
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/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.