Agents Like Us - Natalie Lakosil

Agents Like Us asks agents all their deep, dark agenting secrets. This week, Natalie Lakosil of Bradford Literary Agency is here!

She's actively looking for children’s literature (from picture book through teen and New Adult), romance (contemporary and historical), cozy mystery/crime, upmarket women’s/general fiction and select children’s nonfiction. You can find her blogging here, query information there, and tweeting under @Natalie_Lakosil.

Natalie's answers are below in bold. Let us know what makes her like you in the comments!

Natalie on Agenting

• When writers query me, I really wish they'd open with a strong hook. This doesn't mean a question (please, no) and yes, I do want to read if we have a connection first (conference, met me, referral) but with the pitch - keep it simple and hook me in!

• My favorite part about being an agent is loving what I do. From book deals to negotiation to reading to editing to even the challenging moments...I love my job and you can't ask for more than that.

• Rules and trends aside, what I really look for in a story is excitement. I don't care what it is really, but if it gets me so excited I want to skip the polish (I won't, don't worry) and send it out asap just to babble on about how much I love it and then awkwardly gush about it to my husband and at a dinner party (apparently chapter books aren't great dinner conversation with non-writers and agents...who knew)...that's what I want to represent.

• Whenever I make a book deal, I tell the author. Tell my boss. Tell my husband. Tell my cats. Jump up and down. And then think about how I'm going to make it even BETTER. ;) It's as exciting for me as authors...every time! 

• I really wish I saw more adult romance or upmarket fiction in the slush. Everyone sends that to Laura Bradford and I want it too!

Natalie on Clients

• My ideal client would be a prolific bestseller who never becomes entitled or "above" others and trusts, appreciates, and has a fabulous relationship with her editor, publisher, and agent.

• What I love most about my current clientele is the diversity and talent. I adore all of my clients and love their spirit and passion.

• What I want most for any client is to be published well. That doesn't have to mean the biggest advance, or a big 5 publisher, or incredible marketing support; it can (and hopefully does) mean those things, but primarily, it means a steady, solid career with growth and good sales with a house (or houses) that treats both the books and the author well (for editing, marketing, contracts, option works - all of it), direction, and diversity of subsidiary markets and/or genre of books that also has all of the above.

Natalie on Life

• If I weren't an agent, I'd probably be a software engineer. Or a psychologist. I'm fascinated by code and like to think I'm a good listener with emotional intelligence. 

• My favorite (non-client) book is not possible to pin down.

• Secretly, I'm terrified of the dark. And monster hands grabbing me from under the bed. It can totally happen yo.

• My secret boyfriend is David Tennant.

• I have a total girlcrush on Natalie Portman. Except in THOR. Because I couldn't stop staring/drooling at Chris Hemsworth.

• Sometimes, when no one is around, I nap. Read a published book. Watch cat videos. GLORIOUS. 

• My favorite drink is also impossible to pin down. But I'll say a dirty martini as that's my bar go-to.

Don't miss the entire series! 

Read all the agent interviews here. 

Next week: Lucy Carson of The Friedrich Agency.