Success Story Interview - Katie Sandefur

An Interview with Katie Sandefur (ktsandefur on QT) upon receiving an offer of representation from agent Lexie Krauss of Marsal Lyon Literary Agency, LLC.

10/08/2025

QT: Can you tell us a little bit about the book for which you've found representation? What inspired you to write it?

Katie Sandefur:
The book is a literary horror titled BIRDS OF PREY. It explores themes of grief and the institutions that prey upon people experiencing grief, and how at our core, we are not so different from wild animals. Just like the main character, I'm an animal care specialist myself. I wouldn't say my career inspired my writing—because my job is truly so rewarding and not dark like the novel—but rather aided in it. I have seen so many of my coworkers put the health and wellbeing of our animals over their own self-care, and so I asked myself the question: what would the extreme of that look like? And so, BIRDS OF PREY was born!

QT: How long have you been writing?

Katie Sandefur:
I started writing in 2020. I had just graduated college, and in the midst of the pandemic, I was looking for new ways to challenge myself.

QT: How long have you been working on this book?

Katie Sandefur:
A little over a year. I had the fortune of writing something closely involving my field of work, which made the writing process so fun and quicker than my other pieces.

QT: Was there ever a time you felt like giving up, and what helped you to stay on course?

Katie Sandefur:
Absolutely! One thing I live by is that you have to interrogate the voice of doubt in your head. I used to never write because I would say, "I don't know how to write a good book," and eventually I asked, "Okay, why CAN'T I write a good book, and what can I do to write a good book?" The same goes for the self-doubt that comes with querying. It's such a hard and long process, but when you start to feel like you maybe can't do it, ask yourself why you feel that way. It's more often than not just self-doubt.

QT: Is this your first book?

Katie Sandefur:
It's not actually! I have shelved a queried manuscript before this one. When inspiration strikes, I have to start a new project, and BIRDS OF PREY happened to come after that one.

QT: Do you have any formal writing training?

Katie Sandefur:
Most of my writing history just involves scientific papers from schooling. When it came to writing creatively, I learned most of my tricks of the trade from books and podcasts, as well as listening to author interviews.

QT: Do you follow a writing routine or schedule?

Katie Sandefur:
I wish I had a routine! I get very into writing when I have the free time. My tendency is to make it exist on the page first and then refine it and make it good later.

QT: How many times did you re-write/edit your book?

Katie Sandefur:
BIRDS OF PREY went through one major revision, but every now and then I would think of something on the fly or even have a cool dream I'd wake up from just to grab my laptop and make a quick edit to include whatever came to mind.

QT: Did you outline your book, or do you write from the hip?

Katie Sandefur:
I usually write from the hip. With BIRDS OF PREY, I had a strong understanding of beginning and end, and everything in between I figured out as I got each chapter down.

QT: About how many query letters did you send out for this book?

Katie Sandefur:
I sent twenty nine out for BIRDS OF PREY.

QT: On what criteria did you select the agents you queried?

Katie Sandefur:
I looked for agents that are fans of the niche that I enjoy writing in. If I went on their manuscript wishlist and saw all my favorite books and authors that I take inspiration from, they were immediately added to my list!

QT: What advice would you give other writers seeking agents?

Katie Sandefur:
I think with social media nowadays you'll see a lot of posts saying, "This is my query that got me 30 full requests in a day!"—which is fantastic! But that book is not your book, and those agents may not be the agents you're querying either. Your book is uniquely yours, and it will have its own process in the journey of querying. Referring back to one of my other statements: always interrogate the voice of doubt in your head. If you feel like giving up, ask yourself why, and then you can get a better understanding of what to fix and keep going. Your story deserves to be told!