Amanda Luedeke is joining MacGregor Literary as an agent. This is a big step for us, and we're very excited.
Amanda is a 2006 graduate of Taylor University’s Professional Writing program, headed by Dennis E. Hensley. She's got a long background in books and words, and this is a step she's been moving toward for the past year.
Since her college graduation, Amanda has made her living as a full-time writer, freelancing for newspapers and marketing agencies as well as operating her own writing business. Her current full-time job is with a marketing group in Fort Wayne, Indiana, where she writes and assists in the marketing strategy for clients such as Vera Bradley, Peg Perego and Baekgaard. Like both Chip and Sandra, Amanda understands what it takes to make a living as a writer.
Amanda came on board with us a year ago as Chip’s assistant, and she's been going through the slush pile, helping out with research, and taking care of other odds and ends. We’ve really enjoyed her help here, but now that she’s gotten the hang of things, we’re excited to move her on to the next step – so she's becoming a literary agent.
Amanda will be working with childrens, YA, speculative, and post-college-aged fiction and nonfiction. This is great for us, because we currently don’t have "specialists" in these areas. Bringing Amanda on will help expand our knowledge of the industry and allow us to take on more authors with differing interests. She's just getting started, and will focus her time on a handful of clients as she gets her feet wet. Amanda will also be helping us with our foreign deals -- an area we've been wanting to expand in order to help authors maximize their income potential.
She's going to be attending the ACFW conference with us in Indianapolis this summer, so if you write children's books (for either CBA or the general market), YA books (ditto), speculative fiction, or books aimed specifically at the twenty-something market, we're going to be open to seeing proposals. Amanda may be contacted at amanda (at) MacGregor Literary (dot) com. Please join me in welcoming Amanda to our team!
Welcome Amanda. How exciting. Maybe I'll bump into you at ACFW in Sept.
~ Wendy
Posted by: Wendy | June 07, 2010 at 04:39 AM
Welcome Amanda--and what a vital arena of publishing you represent. According to our public librarian--"there's so much trash out there for children to read." Blessings!
Posted by: Bobbe Brooks-Fischle | June 07, 2010 at 05:20 AM
What! This is great news!
As I read your feed in my blog list, I said to myself, "Self, wouldn't it be great if MacGregor is announcing that the agency now represents writers of children's lit?"
Amanda, WELCOME! How soon may I query?
Because of Christ,
Sharon
http://writersharonkirkclifton.blogspot.com/
Posted by: Sharon Kirk Clifton | June 07, 2010 at 06:09 AM
Congratulations, Amanda. I'm pretty pumped you will be representing children's/YA lit. Chip and Sandra are awesome agents and this agency has always been my top target once I am ready for representation.
Posted by: Kirk | June 07, 2010 at 06:22 AM
Welcome, Amanda! Can't wait to meet you in Indianapolis.
Posted by: Carla Stewart | June 07, 2010 at 06:48 AM
Congrats, Amanda! That's awesome news!
Posted by: Jodie | June 07, 2010 at 07:11 AM
Awesome news. Thanks for sharing. And good luck, Amanda.
Posted by: Buffy Andrews | June 07, 2010 at 07:23 AM
Awesome news! Will ACFW add her to the list of possible agents for an appointment?
Posted by: Teri Dawn Smith | June 07, 2010 at 07:38 AM
Welcome Amanda!
Posted by: Brandt Dodson | June 07, 2010 at 07:43 AM
Welcome, Amanda! It is great to see that children's books will now be represented, thank you!
Posted by: Joyce A. Anthony | June 07, 2010 at 07:48 AM
Congratulations to all. Amanda, May is looking forward to meeting you when the timing is right. :)
We've heard the same about the trash in children's literature (with a few notable exceptions). May your journey be blessed as you make positive changes!
KC and May
www.MaytheK9Spy.com
Posted by: KC Frantzen | June 07, 2010 at 07:54 AM
Big news indeed.
Congratulations Chip on the expansion and congratulations Amanda on the new job!
Expect to hear from me regarding my YA suspense in the future now that you have someone in that area.
Posted by: Daniel Smith | June 07, 2010 at 08:37 AM
Welcome Amanda!! God Bless MacGregor Literary!!!
Stevie Rey
Author of The Hillbilly Bible
Posted by: Stevie Rey | June 07, 2010 at 08:55 AM
Welcome and good luck! I hope you enjoy your work as an agent.
Posted by: Carla | June 07, 2010 at 09:38 AM
Congratulations, Amanda! That's awesome!
Posted by: Jenny B. Jones | June 07, 2010 at 10:40 AM
Greetings, Amanda! Thanks for coming on board to represent us children's writers. There aren't too many agents out there to champion us. God bless your efforts!
Posted by: Pam Halter | June 07, 2010 at 11:38 AM
Miss Amanda Ludeckey, I am have written book very good about boy with magic better than Harry Poter, and you can be the first to see this much excited project. I know I will be first big sell for you, and God will bless you in this book, and look forwards to our hear from you.
Posted by: Word Wangle | June 07, 2010 at 12:47 PM
Move over Word Wangle, God told me she's going to be much more interested in seeing the 78th revision of my masterpiece "Zen Words from Arch Angels and Other Ways to Expel Stickiness"
And if she doesn't send a check along with the contract for representation God will make sure she's never a success as an Agent.
Never.
Posted by: AimeeLS | June 07, 2010 at 01:08 PM
Welcome, Amanda!
Congrats on your new position! :-)
Posted by: Jill Williamson | June 07, 2010 at 01:33 PM
Congratulations Amanda!!
Posted by: Danica | June 07, 2010 at 02:05 PM
Congrats, Amanda! Can't wait to hear about your first sale!
Posted by: Cindy Thomson | June 07, 2010 at 02:05 PM
LOL at word wangle and Aimee.
Posted by: sally apokedak | June 07, 2010 at 02:33 PM
Wow, thanks for the warm welcome, everyone!
Sharon - if you have something ready, feel free to send it my way.
Teri - not sure yet about taking appointments, but I think it's a possibility. I'm sure we'll post something if that's the case.
Word Wangle and Aimee - brilliant.
Posted by: Amanda Luedeke | June 07, 2010 at 03:20 PM
How exciting!! Love to hear "new-agent-news." Time to send a middle-grade fiction query your way... Much success to you, BJas
Posted by: B Jas | June 07, 2010 at 03:43 PM
Congrats to all of you--how exciting! Be blessed in all that you do.
Posted by: patriciazell | June 07, 2010 at 04:16 PM
Very cool! Congrats to Amanda! :-)
So, being a twenty-something writer with twenty-something characters, I just want to make sure that Amanda is only interested in seeing proposals at the conference right? No querying before an invitation?
I've looked at your website before but sometimes I know agents at the same agencies have diff. rules.
Congrats again!
Posted by: Jessica | June 07, 2010 at 05:23 PM
Well, I'm just getting to this news! It will be fun meeting you at ACFW--congrats on the new position!
Doc's program is top notch, and with your background in writing, and mentoring with MacGregor, I have great respect for you already.
Pretty exciting!
Posted by: Crystal Laine Miller | June 07, 2010 at 05:35 PM
How exciting! Can't wait to meet you at ACFW, Amanda!
Posted by: Cara Putman | June 07, 2010 at 08:21 PM
Welcome Amanda. And congrats to you Chip!
Posted by: Debbie Lynne | June 07, 2010 at 08:53 PM
Congratulations, Miss Amanda! :)
Posted by: Selina R. Gonzalez | June 07, 2010 at 09:31 PM
Welcome Amanda! Or rather, congratulations, since you've been around for a while now. :) Best of luck to you as you take this next step in your career!
Posted by: Alison Strobel | June 07, 2010 at 10:29 PM
Congrats, Amanda! I'm looking forward to meeting you in Indianapolis. I love hearing about agents concentrating on 20-something year-old fiction.
Posted by: Heather Sunseri | June 08, 2010 at 05:05 AM
I'm thrilled by this news! Amanda and I both graduated from Dr. Hensley's program together and are good friends. I couldn't be happier for her! She is an excellent choice for this position.
Posted by: KWaalen | June 08, 2010 at 05:57 AM
How exciting that your agency is expanding and including new genre such as childrens. Congratulations to all of you.
Posted by: Sharon A Lavy | June 08, 2010 at 12:11 PM
Congrats, Amanda! Looking forward to meeting you in person in Indy. Sooz
Posted by: Susan Meissner | June 08, 2010 at 01:52 PM
Very cool. ACFW meets SCBWI. What could be better? Looking forward to learning more about you, Amanda.
Posted by: Angela Meuser | June 08, 2010 at 02:40 PM
Wonderful!
Posted by: Nikole Hahn | June 08, 2010 at 02:58 PM
What wonderful news! Those of us who write for children need someone with your HEART and EXPERIENCE! May the Lord bless your endeavors!
Because of Him,
Sheryl Crawford
Posted by: Sheryl Crawford | June 08, 2010 at 03:53 PM
Congratulations! This is indeed good news (for us both, lol)! You'll be hearing from me soon, Amanda!
Posted by: Bethany | June 08, 2010 at 04:29 PM
Congratulations Amanda! Many blessing on your new position.
Posted by: Debbie Lynne | June 08, 2010 at 06:16 PM
Congrats, Amanda! It's so great that you represent spec fiction and YA. I hope to see you around the ACFW conference. :)
Posted by: Christian Miles | June 08, 2010 at 09:00 PM
Cince the Ahmish vampire catagorry is taken I'm hooping you'll look at my Ahmish vampire chilldren's thyme travel book. It's grate.
Congrats, bye the weigh!
Posted by: Jim Rubart | June 09, 2010 at 07:35 AM
Hi, Amanda, great to hear you've moved into the agent's chair at MacGregor Literary, filling the needs Chip outlined.
My question is the same as Sharon's (except I write fantasy). Since Chip included your email address, I thought that might mean we could query you, but then there's that submissions guideline post on the Web site.
Anyway, welcome to The Friends of Authors Club, also fondly known as agents. ;-)
Posted by: Rebecca LuElla Miller | June 09, 2010 at 12:30 PM
Congratulations! Wishing you the greatest success.
Posted by: shellie | June 09, 2010 at 06:42 PM
Congratulations!! May you sell wonderful works of fiction (and nonfiction).
Posted by: Lynette Sowell | June 10, 2010 at 05:40 PM