Cate Hart is a literary agent with Harvey Klinger Literary Agency.

She is seeking:

“I specialize in Historical, whether in Middle Grade and Young Adult, Women’s Fiction and Romance, or narrative nonfiction. I am particularly drawn to oft-forgotten stories of the past and underrepresented voices, and especially personal to me is unexplored Southern history and culture.

“I also love high-concept fantasy in YA and Adult fiction. As well, I am always looking for fun or feel good RomComs, Contemporary YA, or a bit darker psychological thrillers and classic feel mysteries. I do prefer stories with strong romantic elements, or even better, a heart-pounding romance. I’ll still be looking for stand-out Science Fiction and Fantasy as well as psychological thriller and classic-feeling mysteries.

Unique aspects she likes:

• Time Slips or dual points of view connecting and converging over a single thread, event or object.
• Middle Grade, or even YA, adventure, something that reminds me of the Sandlot, Stand By Me, the Explorers or Goonies. Still love anything with a Stranger Things feel. Something that’s not only the adventure of a lifetime but about the balance and dynamics of friendship and growing up. Give me girls gangs!
• Fantasy YA and Romance with amazing, unique world-building in the vein of Leigh Bardugo, Victoria Aveyard, CJ Redwine, Sarah J Maas or Julie Kagawa.
• Magical Realism from diverse voices.
• Elements of the Fantastic in YA or WF. Something as lovely as The Secret History of Witches that explores the relationship between mothers and daughters wrapped in magic.
• In Historical Romance, I am particularly drawn to Scotland and France. Victorian England and The Gilded Age of America. The American and French Revolutions.
• I’d really love a Gilded Age Knickerbocker or Tycoon hero. Or the historical equivalent to a Navy SEAL, think Peelers or the Pinkertons.
• I love classic retellings. Shakespeare, Poe, Austen, Dickens, Grimm. Something unique with a vibrant voice.
• LGBTQ MG, YA, Adult Romance or RomCom. Bonus points for historical fantasy or mystery.
• As always I welcome Diverse and #OwnVoices

What she is NOT looking for:

Picture Books or Early Readers
New Adult
Poetry
Screenplays
Anthologies or Novellas
BDSM or Erotica
Political or Environmental Thrillers
Hardboiled Detectives or Police Procedurals
Dystopian

“I’m a true Nashville native, born and raised in the Music City. I’m a firm believer that there’s something magical about the mid south. That storytelling is in our blood, or maybe the water, from the First Nations peoples to inhabit this area to country music songwriters like Dolly and Johnny to the many, many NYT bestselling authors right here in Nashville.

“I’ve been writing fantastical stories since elementary school. My first was about a vampire and witch in the Fourth Grade. It wasn’t until college that I began to take my first serious writing steps when I thought I could write epic historical romance like Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander because I couldn’t wait two years for Dragonfly in Amber. It was several more years, two babies later and after reading Twilight (hush, I said what I said) that I took the next serious step: writing, actually finishing and revising my first novel, a YA paranormal, and sought representation for publication. I was represented for that novel, and while learning all I could about the business of publishing, the desire to become an agent was born. While that first ever manuscript didn’t sell, I’ve become an agent full time while also writing in the spare time and I’ve returned to my first love historical but with fantasy and magic.

“In 2013, I joined the Corvisiero Literary Agency as an intern and started taking clients in early 2014. I sold my first project in 2015 and have continued to help clients realize their publishing dreams. The past five years have taught me so much. In 2019, I decided to take another leap of faith and change. In 2019, I joined Harvey Klinger, Inc. where I will specialize in Historical, whether in Middle Grade or Young Adult, Women’s Fiction or Romance, and nonfiction.  I am beyond excited to start this new chapter with this amazing agency.

“My favorite part of being an agent is discovering a project that just sucks me in. Where I forget the time or that the kids need clean clothes and lunch. I love watching a client’s project take shape in development and finding a home with the perfect editor.”