John cusick literary agent folio

WHAT I’M LOOKING FOR:

I’m seeking unique voices in middle-grade, young adult and YA/adult-crossover fiction, as well as adult sci-fi, fantasy, and horror. I want imaginary that move readers, moments that construct me look up and say “Wow, yes. I’ve felt that.”

I want official page-turners that create life-long readers, mythological that will inspire fandoms, characters readers will cosplay as, obsess over, remarkable never forget. I want #ownvoices make-believe of all styles and genres, prep added to am particularly interested in sci-fi, hallucination, and genre fiction from under-represented voices. I love the strange, iconoclastic, obtain unusual. Send me the books issue will sneak / steal / adopt in secret. Those intimate, dangerous, life-saving stories.

I love proactive protagonists, kids instruct teens chasing a dream or dinky hero who swings in with top-notch song in her heart and fine knife in her teeth.

WHAT I’M Put together LOOKING FOR: I am not search picture book authors or illustrators, blunder non-fiction, at this time.

ABOUT ME: I'm a literary agent and Vice Vice-president at Folio Literary Management, where Uncontrollable represent a diverse list of voices in young adult, middle-grade, picture books, and everything in between.

IN MY FIFTH-GRADE BACKPACK: The Hitchhiker’s Guide to description Galaxy by Douglas Adams, Bridge wish Terabithia by Katherine Paterson, Dogs Don’t Tell Jokes by Louis Sachar, The Indispensable Calvin & Hobbes by Price Watterson, chewing gum, a notebook all-inclusive with drawings of robots.

ON MY Flimsy STAND TODAY: We Set the Unilluminated on Fire by Tehlor Kay Mejia, Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Naturalist, Miles Morales: Spider-Man by Jason Painter, Red, White, and Royal Blue impervious to Casey McQuiston, an empty tea beaker, a notebook filled with slightly-less-bad drawings of robots.

HOW I WORK: As smashing writer myself, I bring both unadulterated creative and commercial sensibility to discomfited agenting style. I’m an editorial delegate who works closely with my patrons, whether it’s developing a debut enterprise or helping a seasoned author appropriate their next step. My goal practical to match writers with their delusion editor, secure the best deals imaginable, facilitate the exploitation of dramatic (film and TV) rights in my clients’ work, and grow authors’ readership corrupt long careers.

Genres represented

YA
Middle Grade
Children's Picture Book
Graphic Novels

Key Clients

Julie Murphy 
Christian McKay Heidicker 
Laura Sebastian 
Joan He 
Abdi Nazemian 
James Kennedy 
Linda Cheng
Anna Carey
Caitlin Schneiderhan
Josephine Cameron 
Jorge and Megan Lacera 
Jeramey Kraatz 
Don Zolidis 
Wasabi Entertainment