Melissa Sarver White
Director of International Rights
What I love most about being an agent is finding new voices that can express something in a fresh way or learning about a new subject matter that makes me view the world differently. As a literary agent and the Director of International Rights at Folio, I enjoy working on a great variety of projects – everything from YA and MG novels to adult books on cooking, business, self-help, health/wellness, and more. The constant exposure to a wide variety of topics is thrilling. I am humbled to play a part ushering innovative projects into the world. After a brief stint in magazine editorial, I have been working in NY book publishing for over a decade.
A few of the authors I represent...
In the YA category, my interests are broad: I like contemporary, fantasy, sci-fi, historical, magical realism, thrillers, and issue books. I love quirky, humorous writing in contemporary YA, and am always looking for something with a strong hook. I will always get excited about strong sense of voice and writing that packs an emotional punch; but I also enjoy lighter fare with strong romance. As for MG and Chapter Books, I look for contemporary stories that have a classic, evergreen feel to them. I’m not the right agent for your animal-narrated or adventure MG.