Becoming a literary agent was fitting for the girl who, as a small child, begged her dad to buy her a book simply because “it has a hard cover.” Growing up, she had a hard time finding YA books outside of Christopher Pike and R. L. Stine, and instead tackled Tom Clancy or her mom’s romance novels. Though her career path zigzagged a bit—she attended college as a music major, earned a JD from Pace Law School, then worked various jobs throughout the publishing industry—Moe was thrilled to join the BookEnds team in May of 2015 as a literary agent and the subsidiary rights director.
2. Are you an editorial agent?
Most definitely. As I said in another interview recently, if you want the agent who can tell you where a comma goes or to take out a semi-colon, I’m not the agent for you. I’m much more into big picture things — what most people would call a developmental editor. I watch for plot, for characters, the overarching issues. I’m great for brainstorming and for figuring out how to make a stuck plot point work. I’ve always been the person my friends come to when they couldn’t figure their way around a plot! So that’s what I bring to the table. I’m hands-on and wanting to work with my clients to have the best possible and super-shiny manuscript!
3. Character, world, or plot?
4. What do you like to do for fun?
5. Coffee, tea, wine, chocolate, or any other vices?
Coffee. Oh GOD do I have a coffee problem. First thing I do when I get up is shuffle to my keurig and wait the 20 seconds for it to heat up and brew my coffee. I at least can wait until 5:00 PM before cracking open a bottle of wine. My current faves are either the Apothic brand or Stark Raving brand. Both are relatively inexpensive, but very good. Y’know… if you’re old enough to be drinking. [insert very stern glare here]
6. Which is more crucial: emotional connection or current marketability?
I think there’s a need for both. I want to feel connected to a book and I feel like you can pitch it better if it’s something you love and are passionate about. But you also need to have an idea for what’s hot right now and what editors are looking for. Even if you love the dystopian vampire novel — if editors aren’t looking for it, it’s going to be a near impossible sell. So I firmly believe in loving the works you represent, but it does have to be tempered with what’s currently marketable too!
