An Exceptional Literary Agency
A visionary perspective on industry trends. Comprehensive client services. Hands-on management. Since 1996 The Knight Agency (TKA) has utilized these principles to guide countless writers from query letter to published book, in the process developing a powerhouse roster of bestselling authors.
Our team has placed well over 6,000 titles across the entire spectrum of New York publishers, as well as at independent houses throughout the world. Though we have represented clients in virtually all genres, our areas of fiction expertise include women’s, romance, young adult, literary, mystery, fantasy, and science fiction, as well as multicultural and inspirational/religious fiction. Our agents have also placed narrative nonfiction, self-help, health, memoirs, and financial/business titles.
The agency focuses on a broad range of client services, addressing all aspects of our clients’ careers. TKA agents bring to bear their extensive experience and knowledge of subsidiary rights management in the areas of foreign, motion picture and television, audio, merchandising, and electronic rights. Additionally, our marketing and publicity department offers wide-ranging support in the areas of book promotion and branding.
In the continually evolving world of publishing, The Knight Agency remains committed to providing cutting-edge services and scouting for fresh, unique voices to bring to the forefront. Yet what truly sets our company apart are the lasting relationships between our authors and our team; ultimately, for us, it’s all about people.
Latest News
CNN Style did a piece on N.K. Jemisin about the dystopian New York City depicted in Keep Reading
RED SKY OVER HAWAII by Sara Ackerman was featured in the June 22 issue of Woman’s World magazine. Sara also
AN ILLUSION OF THIEVES by Cate Glass won the Colorado Book Award for Science Fiction/Fantasy.
TWEET CUTE by Emma Lord was featured in Northern Virginia Magazine’s summer reads article.
9 Books for Those of Us Missing Libraries and Bookstores, a list featured on Book Riot, included
TWO ROGUES MAKE A RIGHT by Cat Sebastian received a starred review from Library Journal.
Young Adult Books Central gave Kate McLaughlin’s WHAT UNBREAKABLE LOOKS LIKE a very nice review.
T.J. Klune’s THE HOUSE IN THE CERULEAN SEA made the USA TodayKeep Reading
Nalini Singh’s debut thriller, A MADNESS OF SUNSHINE, made the longlist for the Ngaio Marsh
The 34 Best Horror Books of All Time according to Oprah Magazine included ALICE by Christina Henry. Goodreads also featured
Publishers Weekly’s Best Books of 2020 included HOW TO CATCH A QUEEN by Alyssa Cole and Keep Reading
ARCHANGEL’S SUN by Nalini Singh, her third title to be placed on a monthly list via library staff votes, moved
N.K. Jemisin was one of the 2020 MacArthur’s 21 “Genius” Grant winners, while three of her titles made TIME’s list
Insider named CONVENTIONALLY YOURS by Annabeth Albert and ALPHA NIGHT by Nalini Singh as two
The International Latino Book Awards finalists include INTO THE TALL, TALL GRASS by Loriel Ryon.
SONGS FROM THE DEEP by Kelly Powell was shortlisted for the Canadian Children’s Book Centre
Agents
CLICK PHOTOS FOR WISH LISTS
Deidre Knight, Senior Agent and President
I'm eagerly seeking diverse voices in every area, and would love to find more projects by queer authors of color. I have an affinity for all LGBTQ fiction and nonfiction, both YA and adult. Some recent examples of favorite queer reads on the YA side would include RED, WHITE AND ROYAL BLUE and AUTOBOYOGRAPHY. Some of my representative clients in this area include: TJ Klune, Rachel Reid, Annabeth Albert, Cat Sebastian, MA Grant, Jenn Burke, and Tibby Armstrong.
In fiction, I am hungry for voice-driven novels, as I love emotionally resonant novels like ELEANOR OLIPHANT IS COMPLETELY FINE or THE TIME TRAVELER’S WIFE. Always on the hunt for a wonderful YA romance in the vein of Stephanie Perkins or Jenny Han. I would love to find more authors like TJ Klune (THE EXTRAORDINARIES) and Emma Lord (TWEET CUTE).
Elaine Spencer, Vice President of Operations/Agent
I’m looking for historical fiction focused on lesser-known women who made big waves with lasting impacts in their relationships and circles. I also loved fictionalized accounts of very specific moments in history. Fiona Davis, Chanel Cleeton, and Ariel Lawhon are all wonderful examples of this type of storytelling. I would also love to find new diverse, millennial voices in romance, women’s fiction and cozy mysteries. And I’m always open to platform-driven nonfiction content in a wide range of categories across the lifestyle, wellness, and business space.
• I would love to see more historical women’s fiction exploring unique moments in history with a strong sense of place. Fiona Davis, Chanel Cleeton, and Ariel Lawhon are all wonderful examples of the type of story that will grab my attention.
• On the contemporary side of the women’s fiction spectrum I want stories that will speak to readers personally, characters who will get in your head and cause reason for personal reflection. I love contemporary Suburban Dramadies (think Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty or even the modern classic Little Children by Perrotta). I’m also always interested in sweeping family dramas that bridge over into the commercial space such as Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng or All We Ever Wanted by Emily Giffin. I loved The Immortalists by Chloe Benjamin, Did You Ever Have a Family by Bill Clegg, and This is How It Always Is by Laurie Frankel.
• I love stories with strong southern themes. To me this means an overwhelming sense of another time (even if its in a contemporary novel); stories about a place steeped in ancient traditions and family expectations, unique cultural oddities and loveliness
Lucienne Diver, Agent
My list is incredibly full at the moment. Still, I can’t bring myself to stop reading anything with a unique premise, particularly involving concepts that are relevant to the sociopolitical challenges of today and particularly with diverse voices.
Most wanted for me: a novel that keeps me on the edge of my seat with characters I care about deeply. I enjoy fresh perspectives and surprising turns. I don’t want to feel as though I’ve heard it before or can anticipate where the novel is going before it even gets there.
Nephele Tempest, Agent
I’m currently submissions in the following genres: women’s contemporary or historical fiction; contemporary or historical single-title romance; magical realism; secondary-world fantasy; science fiction; young adult and middle grade fiction of all sorts.
In general, I want voice- and character-driven fiction told with strong pacing and engaging plot twists, and stories that make me think. More specifically, I’d love to see any of the following:
Melissa Jeglinski, Agent
- I would really love to find a project that captures my attention immediately. For me, this means a strong opening chapter, wonderfully engaging characters, unexpected twists and turns, and a very satisfying ending. No projects over 100k words, please.
- Contemporary Romance which is lighter in tone, has a sense of humor and a premise that is out of the box. Diverse characters welcome.
- Historical Fiction set in periods other than WWII. Also looking for contemporary and historical intertwined timelines. Prefer strong female protagonists.
- Cozy Mysteries with a unique premise but no paranormal edge. Planned series a plus.
- Middle Grade fiction with a heartwarming message or just pure entertainment. Fun and flawed realistic characters. Contemporary and historical settings but no paranormal or fantasy.
Travis Pennington, Media and Marketing Director, Associate Agent
Right now, I’m open to queries from ownvoices and diverse authors in the following genres:
• I’m always looking for YA and MG with amazing voices and unique concepts.
• I’m also interested in thrillers and suspense with female protagonists.
• I don’t usually like high fantasy, but I’d love to find something in the sci-fi area that’s really high concept and well-written.
• I’ll take a look at any genre if the story takes place in unique locations that the author has first-hand experience with, particularly Asia and Africa.
Kristy Hunter, Associate Agent
• I’m actively building my list and searching for projects that surprise me with their uniqueness. I often find that it’s the story I least expect that pulls me in and doesn’t let go. It all comes down to the voice and a strong hook!
• I’m always looking for OwnVoices projects and projects featuring a diverse cast of characters across all genres.
In adult fiction, Im looking for:
• High concept women’s fiction such as ELEANOR OLIPHANT IS COMPLETELY FINE by Gail Honeyman and THE HUSBAND’S SECRET by Liane Moriarty. As well, as stories that are literary but with commercial appeal such as LITTLE FIRES EVERYWHERE by Celeste Ng and LILY AND THE OCTOPUS by Steven Rowley. I especially love projects that capture the complicated nature of family.
• Rom-coms set in wonderful urban settings such as THE HATING GAME by Sally Thorne and CRAZY RICH ASIANS by Kevin Kwan
Janna Bonikowski, Associate Agent
- I’m eager to find well-crafted, inclusive stories with tight pacing, authentic characters, distinctive voices, and—above all—imaginative, fresh concepts. I love books that make me laugh out loud or take me down dark and twisted paths; books centered around family, friendship, or strong women; and stories that hook me from the start and don’t let go. If a story is sassy and bold, memorable and unique, or sparks conversation, I want to read it. More than anything, I want to be surprised.
Jackie Williams, Associate Agent
Fiction
I'm interested in all types of science-fiction, fantasy, mystery, thriller, and suspense in YA and Adult.
Novels that span generations similar to Cixin Liu’s THREE-BODY PROBLEM, Justin Cronin’s THE PASSAGE, and Netflix’s Dark. Wildly imaginative magic systems like N.K. Jemisin's THE FIFTH SEASON and Samantha Shannon's THE BONE SEASON. Or, magical realism and surrealism books like THE MEXICAN GOTHIC and Haruki Murakami's work.
I also love novels with light-hearted magic such as THE EMPEROR's SOUL, the SHADOWSHAPER CYPHER series, and THE WAYWARD CHILDREN's series. Geeky books that inspire nostalgia like Stranger Things and READY PLAYER ONE. And, science-fiction and fantasy mixed with romance like DARK MATTER and THE NIGHT CIRCUS.
Our Books
In 1996, Deidre Knight founded The Knight Agency. Since that time, The Knight Agency has become
one of the most successful agencies in the country with a multitude of titles appearing on the
New York Times and USA Today bestseller lists every year. Collectively, the Knight Agency team has sold
more than 2,500 titles to a broad spectrum of houses.
As an agency, we believe the reason for our success is our ability to foster strong relationships
with our clients in a partnership that is committed to seeing their career grow and prosper in today’s
rapidly evolving marketplace. The Knight Agency offers a comprehensive range of services, including editorial
refinement, branding consultation and strategy, in-house subsidiary rights and publicity support.
We specialize in narrative nonfiction, memoirs, young adult, literary, mystery, fantasy, science fiction,
multicultural and inspirational fiction, self-help, health, financial/business titles, women’s fiction,
romance and more.
