Get to Know an Agent in Attendance: Trinica Sampson-Vera of New Leaf Literary & Media

Trinica Sampson-Vera is a literary agent with New Leaf Literary & Media.

Trinica is accepting children’s and adult fiction and nonfiction. Across age groups, she loves adventurous, character-driven stories with largely emotional stakes. Trinica is passionate about championing diverse and marginalized voices.

She is seeking:

  • Speculative fiction (especially horror, cozy-to-high fantasy, hopepunk, and near future science fiction)
  • Romance and romcoms (especially featuring sapphic/queer relationships)
  • NA campus stories (especially dark academia)
  • Caribbean (especially Trinidad & Tobago) characters/settings
  • Reality TV premises
  • Unreliable narrators
  • Stories that support women’s wrongs
  • Found family (give me the intensity of the Fast & the Furious franchise)
  • Messy, doomed, heartbreakingly passionate tragic romances featuring people who make each other worse (I want the intensity of the relationship between Will/Hannibal, iykyk)
  • Retellings – I prefer retellings that are “inspired by” rather than faithful retellings. I love to be surprised by a twist or a new way of imagining an old story.

Fun facts about me:

  • I play online Survivor (like the CBS show!) and have won twice.
  • My name comes from Trinidad and California, where each of my parents was born.
  • I’ve cooked my way through two cookbooks and am always looking for new recipes to try!

Trinica graduated from Antioch College with a degree in Creative Writing and French. After several editorial internships during college, she moved to Austin and found an unexpected home in social services, where she worked for five years as a case manager to those experiencing chronic homelessness. Prior to beginning at New Leaf, she worked as an independent editor with Salt & Sage Books and Writing Diversely.

Get to Know an Agent in Attendance: Laurie Dennison of Creative Media Agency

Laurie Dennison is a literary agent with Creative Media Agency.

After earning her master’s degree from the University of Florida, Laurie Dennison began her career as an English teacher. She then spent over ten years working as a freelance writer and editor in desktop publishing, including serving as a Pitch Wars mentor for five years. In 2022 she attended the Denver Publishing Institute, leading to an internship at Creative Media Agency, Inc. before stepping into her role as an associate agent and internship coordinator at CMA.

In adult books, Laurie seeks:

  • Romance
  • Contemporary
  • Light fantasy/paranormal grounded in the real world
  • Book Club Fiction
  • Women’s Fiction
  • Domestic Suspense
  • Commercial Mystery/Thriller
  • Nonfiction
  • Memoir
  • Narrative
  • Women’s Issues
  • young adult/children’s

In Young Adult books, she seeks:

  • Contemporary
  • Suspense/Thriller/Mystery
  • Light Fantasy/Paranormal
  • Light Science Fiction
  • Nonfiction

I especially love upmarket writing, complex characters, and immersive settings. I enjoy upbeat, positive stories but don’t shy away from darker themes. Complicated relationships and family dynamics are a particular interest of mine, and I appreciate character development that is directly and organically integrated with the plot. In nonfiction, I’m interested in authors who are specialists in their fields, have strong platforms, and can help me see the world in a new light.

We live in a diverse world, and I want to see diversity of all types authentically represented in all genres; I’d love to champion minority voices as I build my list.

I’m not looking for picture books, middle grade, military or political thrillers, adult high fantasy or science fiction, horror, dystopian, or business books.

I love books that keep me engaged and turning pages late into the night. I want stories and characters that make me feel something, with concepts that are familiar enough to be relatable but unique enough to offer a fresh perspective. In nonfiction I’m inspired by timely work that helps me see the world in a new way.

I always knew my dream job would involve reading, and now I get to do it every day! I love the moment when a story completely captures my attention and I lose track of time. I am so grateful for the opportunity to partner with authors, help them realize their vision for a project, and place their work to reach readers, all while working collaboratively in a community that loves books as much as I do.

Get to Know an Agent in Attendance: Vicky Weber of Creative Media Agency

Vicky Weber is a literary agent with Creative Media Agency.

I’m a former elementary school teacher turned children’s book author and literary agent. I represent commercial fiction – board books through adult – but specialize in children’s literature.

In all manuscripts, I want intensity in the writing. (Give me all the feels!) I want to be dropped into the moment and experience the story alongside the characters. Character development and emotional arcs go hand-in-hand with the plot. If a book is high-concept, commercial fiction with beautiful, literary-leaning prose, it’s probably up my alley.

In adult and young adult fiction, she seeks: horror, psychological suspense, thrillers, commercial, upmarket, historical, women’s fiction, romance, fantasy (dark/high/epic), magical realism, speculative, and paranormal/supernatural. In middle grade and picture books, she seeks highly giftable, commercial fiction with a strong voice—stories that feel like they always should have been on the shelf