Steven is open to all kinds of subjects and genres, including general fiction, upmarket women’s fiction, BIPOC, novels that explore gender and sexuality / LGBTQ, mysteries and thrillers (less of the hardcore political kind), and some historical fiction.

Rejected me in 25 minutes flat.

EQ: 9/9/21 MG
Request for 50 pages: 9/10/21

Received a request for 50 pages. Rejected by saying MC and writing were not ‘special enough’. Ouch!! Would prefer a form rejection over something that doesn’t really communicate anything other than a ‘no’.

Set an Email August 5 and responded with a request for the first 50 pages in hard copy first, plus additional info. Got a reject about a week later. Very polite and said he liked the story, but the writing wasn't special enough.

82 days -storyline doesn't resonate.

Sent query 7/27 and got an email back on 7/31 requesting to be snail mailed a cover letter, full synopsis, and first 50 pages. I wasn't expecting to hear back so quickly since I had gotten a bounce-back email that he was out of the office until 8/2. Sent in the requested materials and currently waiting on his response with crossed fingers and toes. He seems like a very proactive and helpful agent. Very glad I queried him.

Update 8/17/21 - Kind rejection. Stated that the writing is nice but he "just didn't fall in love enough" to proceed. I admit I'm pretty disappointed, but I do appreciate that he got back to me. I'm still glad I queried him and happy that he took the time to review my work.

88k YA / Historic
1 day to partial request.
10 days from partial to rejection.

Dear Jennifer, thanks for having sent in the portion of your novel. I'm afraid that although the writing is nice, it just didn't have that extra special something I look for, alas, especially for historical YA, which is really challenging these days. So, this will be a pass for me, with regrets. As these things can be so very subjective, I do hope that soon you'll find a more enthusiastic agent for your novel.

EM: 8/4/21 (Only requested a Query Letter)
ER: 8/5/21
Standard but polite rejection
MG Literary 44,000 words

7/27:
Sent a query by email and received an automatic reply that he is away on vacation and will return on August 2. He is closed to queries until his return.

About a two-hour turnaround. Form letter rejection. Probably caught him as a was clearing out email.
YA 65K

06/18/20 - I received a very constructive reject letter on my submission. Mr. Chudney helped me to re-evaluate if I had a Trilogy, as I mentioned in my query letter (with Mr. Chudney stating the books having to be read, and submitted to agents, in order, not out of order) or as a Series (where each book can be read independently of the other). It turns out, I have a Series. I love these little discoveries along the path of creativity. Historical Fiction / Adult / 86k

EQ: 5/24/21 Historical/Quirky/YA
ER: 5/2421

Polite rejection.

EQ: 4/22/21
PR: 4/22/21 (requested snail mail partial within 63 minutes, which I believe is the second or third fastest request I have ever seen...and he asked why my kids are raising nine hamsters....I informed him they are not, but their dad is)
Passed on the novel in its present form but open to an R&R if I can consider bringing the setting from the mid-eighties to the present. Will ask his advice on how I might do so while keeping the integrity of the story, and then decide whether it is viable to R&R.

I emailed him back with my thoughts on the R&R. He suggested we hop on the phone to discuss. So Steven appears to be a highly responsive and interactive agent.

EQ: 4/28
ER: 4/29-storyline doesn't resonate.