2025 Agent / Editor Manuscript Critiques
“Having an opportunity to get feedback from someone who knows the industry is just amazing.”
We know how important seeing the right agent, editor, or publisher can be, and that’s why we give you ample opportunity to meet them at network dinners, lunches, social gatherings, and classroom sessions. We also work within the changing schedules of agents, editors, and publishers. We have made every effort to give everyone their specific choices of Agent / Editor / Publisher Critiques, but have sometimes had to make changes in time slots or agents, editors, or publishers to accommodate logistics. Should you have a problem with any pairing, please contact us at contact@killernashville.com and we will make every effort to move you to a new time slot if space is available. Our goal is for you to reach your goals.
Killer Nashville offers manuscript critiques to its registered attendees for the low additional charge of $89 per critique.
A manuscript critique offers a specialized one-on-one meeting with a professional writer or literary agent who will read a section of your manuscript and then offer you a face-to-face analysis of what works and what does not in your submission. It is a unique opportunity and one of the features that makes The Killer Nashville Writers’ Conference such an indispensable tool for writers. If you want to see how your work appeals to the professionals, choose an agent or editor. If you prefer a more detailed craft analysis, you may prefer to choose an author for your critique.
TYPES OF CRITIQUES AVAILABLE
Fiction Critique: A published author or agent will read and critique the first ten pages (or to the end of the chapter) of your novel. All manuscripts should be double-spaced, 12-point Times New Roman or other “reasonable” font.
Non-Fiction Critique: An publisher or agent will read and critique the first ten pages (or to the end of the chapter) of your non-fiction book or article. Your manuscript should be double-spaced, 12-point Times New Roman or other “reasonable” font.
Short Story Critique: A published author or agent will read and critique your short story (up to ten pages). All manuscripts should be double-spaced, 12-point Times New Roman or other “reasonable” font.
Query Critique: An agent, published author, or the leader of a query-writing workshop will read and critique your query letter. The query letter should be no more than one page long, in standard query format and in 12-point Times New Roman or other “reasonable font.”
“Thank you so much for the helpful feedback on my work in progress. I appreciate the review, as well as the source recommendations.”
Elizabeth Copps / Literary Agent
In the summer of 2010, Elizabeth Copps did what any starry-eyed word nerd would do: she used her savings to move from Florida to New York City with the goal of doing something—anything—related to books.
When she was offered an internship with Maria Carvainis Agency, Inc., she discovered her passion for publishing. She founded Copps Literary Services, LLC in 2021 and is thrilled to continue building the agency and her list of award-winning and eclectic clients from her current home of Denver, Colorado.
For the past fourteen years, Elizabeth has dedicated herself to the care and management of author careers. Her business philosophy is simple: to foster relationships across the industry that are equitable, transparent, and long-lasting.
Elizabeth is drawn to fresh takes on timeless plots, and stories that are thought provoking and discussion spurring. She loves complex, voice-driven characters who are brimming with personality and burst off the page. She specializes in humorous and heartfelt contemporary novels, horror, and historical fiction for middle grade, YA, and adult audiences. She is also partial to gut-busting romantic comedies. In nonfiction, she loves platform-driven memoir and biography, as well as policy-driven, narrative nonfiction.
She is not seeking cozy mysteries, political thrillers, hard sci-fi, epic fantasy, short story collections, or poetry.
To learn more, please visit www.coppsliterary.com, connect with her on Instagram or Twitter @elizcopps, or visit her Manuscript Wish List.
Elizabeth is looking for:
Fiction: Commercial, Family Saga, General, Historical, Horror, Literary, Middle Grade, Romance, Women’s Fiction
Non-Fiction: Biography, Journalism, Memoir
Favorite sub-genres: Dark Humor, Fairytale Retellings, Hauntings, Literary Noir, Narrative Nonfiction, Psychological Horror, Southern Gothic, Speculative Fiction, historical mystery, historical romance, non-Western historical fiction
John DeDakis / Independent Editor
Novelist, writing coach, and manuscript editor John DeDakis is a former editor on CNN’s “The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer.” DeDakis is the author of five mystery-suspense novels. His fourth novel, Bullet in the Chamber, is the winner of Reviewers Choice, Foreword INDIES, and Feathered Quill book awards. In his most recent novel, Fake, protagonist Lark Chadwick is a White House correspondent dealing with “fake news” in the era of #MeToo. Fake earned Honorable Mention for the Reviewers Choice Award and was a Finalist for Killer Nashville’s Silver Falchion, and for CIBA’s CLUE Award. DeDakis is also the host of the video podcast “One-to-One with John DeDakis” on YouTube.
Learn more about John here.
Brenna English-Loeb / Literary Agent
Brenna English-Loeb joined Transatlantic in 2019 after working for several years at Janklow & Nesbit Associates and Writers House, where she had the pleasure of working with New York Times bestselling and award-winning authors across multiple genres. Brenna grew up in beautiful Upstate New York and studied English and Theatre at Bucknell University.
Brenna is also the owner of BEL Tower Editorial, where she works with authors as a developmental editor on such big-picture issues as world-building, plot and character development, pacing and theme, among other areas of concern, such as query and synopsis critiques.
For nonfiction: Brenna is looking for serious, groundbreaking sociological work that holds our culture up to the magnifying glass. She also loves accounts of historical events and people that deserve to be better known, as well as unusual and influential object histories.
For fiction: Brenna has always gravitated to unique stories with a strong point of view. She is specifically looking for works of adult and select YA science fiction, fantasy, mystery, romcom and gothic horror. She’s interested in crime and suspense that does not center the police, military or state intelligence agencies and Westerns from a queer and/or BIPOC POV.
She loves character-driven space operas, rare myth and fairy tale retellings, nature survival stories, epistolary novels, and heists. She also has a soft spot for stories that blend multiple genres and she is always looking for works by underrepresented groups and identities.
Aspects of a work that are sure to catch her eye include: sports, pilgrimages, bog bodies, gothic and evocative atmospheres, relationship-driven plots, a sense of adventure, and narratives that reveal a deep knowledge of a particular subject. She also loves old tropes made new again, unreliable narrators, the age of sail and power imbalances.
Kallista Foote / Independent Editor
Kallista Foote is a certified Story Grid editor and Author Accelerator coach. She also works with The Write Practice to help struggling writers finish their first draft. As a developmental editor, she specializes in taking stories that don’t work and turning them into tales others will enjoy. https://www.kallistannediting.com/
Kathleen Foxx / Literary Agent
Kathleen Foxx is a literary agent at The Rights Factory in Toronto, Ontario, representing clients from anywhere in the world. She’s also a fiction editor at Foxx Editorial, host of the #badasswriters podcast, audio editor for The Shit No One Tells You About Writing podcast, and a founder/organizer/host of #MoodPitch. She’s heavily engaged with the writing community on Twitter and Instagram and also writes thrillers and supernatural horror. She’s a member of Editors Canada, CWC, SinC, and ITW. She’s building her list of exceptionally talented writers!
In adult and YA commercial and upmarket fiction, Kat is looking for domestic/psychological thrillers and suspense, supernatural horror, historical fiction, historical fantasy (witches, time travel, past lives/reincarnation, etc.), and some light speculative fiction. She has a very specific nonfiction wish list available on her website. Kat is NOT interested in picture books, middle grade, political or legal thrillers, space operas, graphic novels, poetry, novellas, short story collections, epic fantasies (kings/queens/kingdoms/wars/mythical creatures/epic journeys), hardcore sci-fi, religion, politics, academia, sports, erotica, gore/body horror, extreme violence, or anything generated by AI.
Learn more about Kat’s MSWL here and her editing services here.
Kathleen is interested in: Thrillers, Suspense, Historical Fiction, Historical Fantasy, Gothic Horror, Supernatural, Romance, Romcom, Memoir, select nonfiction. Looking for Adult, YA.
Ronald Gerber / Literary Agent
Ronald Gerber has been a literary agent at Lowenstein Associates since 2019. Recent titles from his clients include OLIVE BLACKWOOD TAKES ACTION! by Sonja Thomas (Aladdin/Simon & Schuster, 2024) and FIRST TO THE FRONT by Lorissa Rinehart (St. Martin’s Press, 2023). Ronald is always on the lookout for cinematic stories with strong hooks and relatable characters. He lives in Queens, New York.
Ronald is interested in:
Fiction: Action/Adventure, Commercial, Crime, Family Saga, General, Historical, Horror, Humor, LGBTQ, Literary, Middle Grade, Mystery, Romance, Science Fiction, Short Story, Thriller, Women’s Fiction
Non-Fiction: Biography, History, Journalism, LGBTQ, Memoir, Pop Culture, True Crime
Heywood Gould / Publisher / Independent Editor
Heywood Gould is the author of thirteen novels, including Cocktail, Fort Apache, The Bronx, Double Bang and Drafted. Nine screenplays, Cocktail, Fort Apache, the Bronx, Boys From Brazil, Rolling Thunder. His directorial features include One Good Cop, starring Michael Keaton, Trial By Jury with William Hurt, Mistrial starring Bill Pullman, Double Bang with William Baldwin. Read more about Heywood at www.heywoodgould.com and www.tolmitchpress.com.
Stacey Graham / Literary Agent
Stacey Graham loves working with writers at all stages of their careers, representing talented authors and illustrators from around the globe in picture books, middle grade, romance, graphic novels, thrillers, and nonfiction. She is currently looking to add to her list with projects in: romance, mystery, spooky fiction, YA, and graphic novels.
Stacey is interested:
Fiction: romance, graphic novels, mystery, commercial fiction, humor
Nonfiction: humor, pop culture, how-to books, antiques, craft books, cook books, lifestyle, and pets
Amber Meyer / Independent Editor
Amber Meyer is a Story Grid Certified Editor with a passion for murder mysteries. If you long to commit fictional murder, then Amber may be your ideal partner in crime. Amber currently lives in the Midwest with her husband, three crazy kids and four fur-babies. She dreams of living on a beach In Hawaii and becoming the next Agatha Christie. https://www.mysteryeditor.com/
Cyle Young / Literary Agent
Cyle Young is a talented literary agent, award-winning author, and sought-after speaker. With a passion for nurturing writers, Cyle has successfully represented numerous authors across various genres. He's known for his dynamic approach to author development, keen market insight, and a deep commitment to fostering literary excellence.
Cyle is looking for manuscripts in both the Christian and General markets. Trends he’s looking for: HAPA, Own Voices, Non-Caucasian Characters, Christian Non-fiction, African American, Non-European Settings or Societies (Sci-Fi/Fantasy), Non-male protagonist (Sci-fi/Fantasy).
More specifically, Cyle is looking for:
Fiction: Romance (Romantic Suspense, Amish, Historical, Contemporary, Young Adult and New Adult, Romantic Science Fiction, Romantic Fantasy, Regency Romance, Inspirational Romance, Paranormal Romance, Novellas 15K-40K, Novelettes – Under 15K, Romantic Comedy, Time Travel, Western, Holidays, African American, Action Adventure Romance, Clean & Wholesome (non-puritanical), Spicy Monogamy (Married Couple/Not-Erotic), Sports Romance), Horror, Speculative, Action Adventure, Historical, Mystery, Cozies, Suspense (Thriller, Noir, Historical, Crime, Detective), Women’s, Childrens (Picture Books, Early Readers, Chapter Books), Middle Grade, Young Adult, Fantasy (Alternative History, Arthurian, Coming of Age, Dark Fantasy, Epic Fantasy, Historical Fantasy, Humorous Fantasy, Myths and Legends, Urban Fantasy, Paranormal, Romantic Fantasy, Superhero, Sword & Sorcery, LitRPG), Science Fiction (Magical Realism, Military, Space Opera, Dystopian, Steampunk, Time Travel, Alternate History, Contemporary), Horror, Humor, Action Adventure, Historical, Suspense (Thriller, Noir, Historical, Crime, Detective), Women’s, Children’s (Fiction, Nonfiction, Picture Books, Early Readers, Chapter Books, Middle Grade, Animal Characters, Trucks, Cars, Etc. Characters, Retold/Reimagined Fables), Young Adult
Nonfiction: Self-Help (Parenting, Marriage, Depression, Life Issues), How-To, Business Leadership, Memoir, Cookbooks, Biographies, Travel, Food & Wine, Healthy Lifestyle
“I have always received the most insightful critiques through Killer Nashville! They are a huge help in revising my works-in-progress.”
