Saba has just reopened to queries and is seeking a whole lotta awesomeness: up-market, literary and commercial fiction, romance, psychological thrillers, memoir, young adult, middle grade, and nonfiction humor. Check out more about her tastes and guidelines here and here, and follow her on Twitter @AgentSaba. Her answers are below in bold.
Saba on Agenting- When writers query me, I really wish they would do their research and make sure I’m acquiring the kind of book they’ve written.
- My favorite part about being an agent is ... I’m going to cheat and include three: 1) reading critically for a living 2) making my clients’ dreams come true, and 3) having independence and flexibility.
- Rules and trends aside, what I really look for in a story are compelling, multidimensional, characters with quirks and vulnerabilities, complex relationships, and gray morality.
- Whenever I make a book deal, I feel happy, relieved, and motivated to make more!
- I really wish I saw more fully-developed non-stereotypical marginalized main characters with agency and personality in the slush. Bonus points if they’re POC.
Saba On Clients
- My ideal client would be honest, kind, and have a great work ethic (because talent is a given, right?).
- What I love most about my current clientele is that they’re all honest, kind, and have a great work ethic (aside from being incredibly talented!).
- What I want most for any client is their happiness and contentment, in whatever forms they may take.
Saba On Life
- If I weren't an agent, I'd probably be in academia, harboring not-so-secret hopes of being a professional singer.
- My favorite (non-client) books are most recently (because there are WAY too many otherwise) I loved INSIDE OUT AND BACK AGAIN by Thannha Lai (MG in verse), THE HATING GAME by Sally Thorne (romance), and ALL THE UGLY AND WONDERFUL THINGS by Bryn Greenwood (adult literary).
- Secretly, I'm terrified of my safety and that of other marginalized people.
- My secret boyfriend is ...only one? c’mon — I rotate between Idris Elba, Rahul Khanna, and Fawad Khan.
- Sometimes, when no one is around, I should probably nap but instead I eat an obscene amount of cake in bed and catch up on Bollywood gossip.
- My favorite drink is a vanilla milkshake.
