Reiko Davis joined DeFiore in 2016. Before that, she was at Miriam Altshuler Literary Agency for four years. She grew up in Kansas City, received her BA in Comparative Literature and Art History from Brown University, and is a graduate of the Columbia Publishing Course.
She represents both adult and children's books.
On the adult side, she's seeking literary and upmarket fiction as well as narrative non-fiction.
For adult fiction, she loves:
- Historical and contemporary novels set both in the U.S. and internationally
- Ambitious, multigenerational family sagas
- Novels that rewrite what it means to be an American today
- Stories set in our world with speculative or magical elements
- Offbeat novels with troubled but loveable protagonists
- Mystery, crime, and suspense novels with a literary edge to the writing
- Coming-of-age stories, especially later in life
- Linked story collections
For adult non-fiction, she loves immersive, investigative works of journalism, history that fills a gap on the bookshelf, and cultural criticism. She's drawn to compelling narratives that read like fiction or that use an intimate personal story as a lens for a larger issue or analysis. This especially includes works that explore social justice, the history and experiences of women and people of color, and contemporary culture. She is also on the lookout for true crime projects that shed light on larger societal issues. She does the very occasional book on writing craft.
For children's literature, Reiko is actively looking for middle grade projects that aren't afraid to tackle big questions or important emotional truths, and do so through remarkable storytelling, humor, and heart. In addition to MG novels, she has a soft spot for MG non-fiction in the areas of mental health, science, political activism, environmentalism, and narrative history. She loves works that empower kids to make a difference in their communities.
Reiko is not currently looking for YA or picture books. She does not represent genre category SFF, horror, or romance. Nor is she the best agent for practical non-fiction with a prescriptive bent.
Fiction Highlights:
Lucy Jane Bledsoe A THIN BRIGHT LINE; THE EVOLUTION OF LOVE; LAVA FALLS; TELL THE REST
Joey Falco BLOOD ON THE VINE (forthcoming from Crooked Lane)
Mary Annaïse Heglar TROUBLED WATERS; HALLOWED GROUND (forthcoming from Harper Muse)
Devi S. Laskar THE ATLAS OF REDS AND BLUES; CIRCA; MIDNIGHT, AT THE WAR (forthcoming from Mariner)
Joseph Moldover TO THE END OF RECKONING (forthcoming from Mysterious Press)
Genevieve Plunkett PREPARE HER; IN THE LOBBY OF THE DREAM HOTEL
Shannon Sanders COMPANY; THE GREAT WHEREVER (forthcoming from Holt)
Children's Highlights:
Lucy Jane Bledsoe RUNNING WILD; NO STOPPING US NOW
Andrea Debbink THE WILD WORLD HANDBOOK: Habitats; THE WILD WORLD HANDBOOK: Creatures; SYLVIE AND THE WOLF; IF THE RIVERS RUN FREE; I WITNESSED: THE GREAT TRAIN ROBBERY (forthcoming from Harper Alley)
Dawn Cusick THE ASTROCHIMPS: America's First Astronauts
Brittany Geragotelis STEALING GREENWICH, GOING WILD, and NO ADMISSIONS (THE INFAMOUS FRANKIE LORDE series)
Lindsey Klingele THE MARKED GIRL; THE BROKEN WORLD; THE TRUTH LIES HERE
MinuteEarth HOW NOT TO GO EXTINCT: THE WILD WAYS EARTH’S MOST RESILIENT SPECIES SURVIVE (forthcoming from Bloomsbury Children's)
Sean O'Brien WHITE HOUSE CLUBHOUSE; WHITE HOUSE ON FIRE!; WHITE HOUSE UNDERCOVER (forthcoming from Norton Young Readers)
Stephanie Seales JODIE DOESN'T LOVE DOGS (forthcoming from Candlewick Press)
Kristina Wong, Dr. Theodore Chao, Jenessa Joffe, and Anna Michelle Wang AUNTIE KRISTINA'S GUIDE TO ASIAN AMERICAN ACTIVISM (forthcoming from Beaming Books)
Nonfiction Highlights:
Andrea Debbink THRIVE WHERE YOU'RE PLANTED: A Guided Journal to Help You Connect with the Natural Wonders in Your Neighborhood; FLOWER FINDING: Delight in the Splendor of Wild Blooms; BIRD WATCHING (forthcoming from Chronicle)
Freda Epum THE GLOOMY GIRL VARIETY SHOW: A Memoir
Alan Gelb HAVING THE LAST SAY: Capturing Your Legacy in One Small Story; CONQUERING THE COLLEGE ADMISSIONS ESSAY IN TEN STEPS; SEVEN STEPS TO CONFIDENT WRITING
Mary Annaïse Heglar 'TIL HEAVEN AND EARTH RING (forthcoming from Pantheon)
Nancy A. Nichols WOMEN BEHIND THE WHEEL: An Unexpected and Personal History of the Car
Alison Owings MAYOR OF THE TENDERLOIN: Del Seymour's Journey from Living on the Streets to Fighting Homelessness in San Francisco
Katie Simon TELL ME WHAT YOU LIKE: An Honest Discussion of Sex and Intimacy After Sexual Assault (forthcoming from Citadel/Kensington)
Dennis James Sweeney HOW TO SUBMIT: Getting Your Writing Published with Literary Magazines and Small Presses
Brittany Wagner NEXT CHANCE YOU: Tools, Tips, and Tough Love for Bringing Your A-Game to Life
Mallory Weggemann LIMITLESS: The Power of Hope and Resilience to Overcome Circumstance
How to Submit to Reiko Davis:
Please email her at reiko@defliterary.com with "Query" and the title of the project in the subject line as well as the following:
- A brief description of your project
- A brief, relevant bio
- For fiction, please include the first twenty pages of your manuscript pasted in the body of your email.
- No attachments, please.
