Ms. Jessica Regel

Helm Literary

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Closed to Unsolicited Queries
General

Jessica Regel

Helm Literary

New York, NY
Website:
helmliterary.com
Twitter (X):
@jessregel
AALA Member:
Yes (Visit Site)
Query Methods
Accepts queries via...
QueryManager [Go To Form]
Submit Query
Closed to Unsolicited Queries
Genres
This agent is seeking the following genres:

Fiction

Book Club

Non-Fiction

none
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Known Clients (current & past)
Rayo Casablaca
Emily Danforth
Heather Demetrios
Shea Ernshaw
Cecilia Galante
I.W. Gregorio
Adrienne Kress
Christina Li
Lesley Livingston
Karina Manta
Amber Smith
Author Comments
Comments by authors about this agent.
DeannaRoy
12/11/2023 09:11 AM
I signed with Jessica Regel in April 2021, and it has been an amazing experience.

To date, we have sold one two-book deal and a second one-book deal. She has listened to my concerns about contracts and fought for every detail. Whenever I have worried I was asking for too much/too different, she has supported me 100%.

When the first book didn't sell after two rounds of submissions, and my next book wasn't on her preferred genre list, she represented it anyway, and we have now sold three of them. She is a career agent, and there is no worry if you don't sell right away -- she's ready to cheer you on as your career progresses.

When I wrote a clunker, she let me know what I could do to improve it. It was my choice to fix it or let it go. She was fine with either choice. (I let that one go for the meantime.)

When I couldn't decide between two ideas for my next book, she let me know which one she was more excited about.

I had more than one offer of representation and chose her for her enthusiasm, her kindness, and her brilliant editorial judgment.

If you would like to see my winning query letter, I've posted it below (with a few personal-to-me sentences redacted). I queried 30 agents for this project, and once one agent was interested (Jess was not the original offer), I ended up in conversations with 9 agents.

Know that this was my sixth book to query. Overall, I've had 280 rejects over 25 years.
This was hard won, y'all. I signed at age 51.
---

Dear Jessica Regel,

I’ve written a new young adult contemporary romance similar in scope to Nicola Yoon (Everything Everything) and Cohn/Levithan (Dash & Lily, Nick & Norah). After watching you champion books I enjoyed for vastly different reasons -- The Way I Used to Be and The Code for Love and Heartbreak, I believe you are the perfect person to help shepherd this book.

Five First Kisses is complete at 63,000 words. It is told in dual point of view.

Ava and Tucker first meet beneath the colored lights of the disco room in an epilepsy unit. When Ava collapses within minutes of their introduction, Tucker learns her seizures cause amnesia. Despite the risk that she will forget him, Tucker locates Ava in her hospital room to try again.

The pair finds ways to meet despite Ava’s overprotective mother. But when Tucker is arrested for sneaking into their house, Ava’s mother moves to another town, awaiting the reset that will erase Tucker from Ava’s memory. As the couple fights to escape the clutches of Ava’s mother while restarting their relationship again and again, Tucker’s unfailing love for Ava teaches her that even when memory fails, the heart will remember.

Epilepsy is a personal subject in our family, and the disco room at our local children’s hospital is absolutely magical (though I confirmed last week that there have been no love matches there -- so far!)

I have copied the first five pages at the bottom of this email, per your agency’s web site.

Thank you for your time.
Berkvase
11/14/2023 11:40 AM
QM 10/30/2023

Form rejection 11/14/2023

99K upmarket
Profile Update

Patrick (Admin)
11/07/2023 10:56 AM
Profile Update: Closed to queries.
Berkvase
10/30/2023 03:45 PM
From the website: Helm is currently ONLY open to unsolicited queries for adult bookclub fiction.
gengelcox
10/15/2023 09:18 AM
Website indicates Helm is currently closed for unsolicited submissions.
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Profile History
Last Update:
11/07/2023 - Closed to queries.
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