Meet the Agents
Chris Kepner
I’ve been working in the publishing industry since 2008. As a literary agent and director of international rights, I’ve negotiated hundreds of book licenses all over the world, and I couldn't be more excited about building this agency. All of the agents you see to the right are just brimming with talent.
If you're an author seeking representation, please review our query guidelines. My personal focus at the moment is adult non-fiction.
I live with my amazing wife, daughter, and two cats in New Jersey, a half-hour west of Manhattan. I’m originally from the lovely Buffalo area and still visit family and friends there at least twice a year. I’m a lifelong Bills fan, but I promise you don’t have to pretend to be one in your query to get my attention!
I studied English and business at Notre Dame, and I’ve been in love with music and skiing for as long as I can remember. My daughter and I play tennis and climb ropes courses together, and I rarely turn down a golf invitation.
Our lives may seem meaningless when you take a broad space-time perspective, but this world we all share... it's pretty special. Let's cherish it, and one another, while we can.
Be at ease. Be confident in who you are. Be mindful that everyone else is their own universe of thought and feeling, and be forgiving.
chris@kepneragency.com
Alyssa Santoleri
Alyssa Santoleri worked in the editorial department at Dumbo Press, an indie publisher of experimental literature, where she handled a diverse range of genres, voices, and styles. She studied English and CW (Publishing), Theatre, and Media Management at the University of Iowa.
When she’s not hunched over her computer reading, you can find her hiking a mountain she never intended to with her phone on 15%, checking flights for nonexistant travel plans, and more than likely, anxiously baking a loaf of bread she still thinks won’t rise (sourdough scares her).
As far as what she’d love to see in her inbox? Send what you have! She’s often surprised by the kinds of books she can’t put down. Specifically, she loves stories where tangible and flawed characters drive the plot. Strong narrative voices and well written, realistic dialogue are a huge plus. She has a soft spot for any genre fiction including (but not limited to) fantasy, soft sci-fi, historical fiction, and contemporary fiction, and is always looking for something with romance. She’s not a good choice for any faith-based or Christian stories, or books with a plot that centers a sentient AI system.
alyssa@kepneragency.com
Erin Gray
Erin Gray is an English and Creative Writing (Publishing) graduate of the University of Iowa. Living in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, she works as the Advancement Communications Coordinator for Coe College, in addition to her role as Associate Literary Agent. She is originally from Illinois.
When not writing alumni newsletters or diving into the latest batch of queries, Erin spends her time reading (most often literary fiction, twentieth-century short stories, or nonfiction about the Romanov dynasty), writing her own fiction, assembling puzzles (500- or 1000-piece), and hosting PowerPoint Nights with her friends.
Erin is interested in your adult literary, upmarket, and historical fiction, family sagas, Westerns, mystery/crime/thrillers, narrative nonfiction, novellas, and short story collections. She's been known to enjoy grounded science fiction, fantasy, and horror, too. If your book has complex characters, a setting that functions as a character, and/or engaging pacing, send it her way. Erin's favorite books include The Nix by Nathan Hill, The Birthday Party by Laurent Mauvignier, and Table for Two by Amor Towles, and she's always looking to find their successors.
erin@kepneragency.com
Claire Lee
Claire Lee is a graduate of The George Washington University and is currently pursuing her MFA at Brown University. She resides in Providence, RI, but originally hails from Long Island, NY.
She enjoys big dogs, cold brew, dark lagers, and tulips. One of her greatest aspirations is to attempt to pick up a pigeon and succeed. While she loves all things art, reading, and writing, Claire holds three things especially close to her heart: poetry, tabletop RPGs, and Richard Linklater films.
Claire is most interested in character-driven literary and upmarket novels, novellas, and short story collections. Though interested in any good story, she is partial to road-trip novels and Westerns, grounded sci-fi and speculative fiction, magical realism, or anything with a particularly humorous, surreal, or even absurd note. She is also open to compelling memoir. In a sentence, she is always looking for writing with something to say. Some of her recent favorite reads include Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders, The Vegetarian by Han Kang, and Detransition, Baby by Torrey Peters.
claire@kepneragency.com
Ella Miller
Ella Miller graduated from Emerson College with a BFA in Creative Writing and a minor in Publishing. She lives in upstate New York, where she spends her free time getting decent at playing guitar, writing fiction, strength training, and reading pretty much everything she can get her hands on.
She is interested in manuscripts in the following genres––literary fiction, upmarket/book club/women’s lit, grounded genre fiction (like Project Hail Mary or Sea of Tranquility), contemporary romance (literary leaning, like Normal People), and humor/satire––but is open to any manuscript with an exciting plot and a strong voice.
ella@kepneragency.com