Elaine Markson has been an agent for more than 30 years. She represents a diverse list of writers whose work includes literary and commercial fiction, memoir and biography, as well as books on politics, science, history, business, psychology, and food. She also works with several children's and young adult authors. She is especially interested in new mystery/thriller projects.
elaine@marksonthoma.com

Geri Thoma joined the Elaine Markson Agency in 1980 as an assistant. She became the foreign rights director six months later and started her own list in 1983. She became a partner in the agency in 2003. Geri studied history at the University of Maryland and Columbia University, and represents a wide-ranging list of American historians who are some of the best of their generations, on subjects that range from the Founding Fathers to post-War politics, race, and religion, and narratives of exploration, the grand stories of the great American Wars. She’s also keen about biography, both literary and political, the occasional beautifully written memoir, the cleverer sorts of sociology, and narrative journalism across an extensive range of subjects, including foreign reporting, science, and this American life. Her passion for politics and policy probably began in the grand summer of the Watergate hearings, which she watched gavel to gavel. Her love of fiction started much earlier, and today her list includes a number of breakout literary bestsellers and prize winners.
geri@marksonthoma.com

Gary Johnson joined the agency 10 years ago and is now Director of Subsidiary Rights. He works closely with Elaine's clients and is also building his own list, with an emphasis on commercial fiction and narrative non-fiction. Please, no "fictional memoirs" or "non-fiction novels."
gary@marksonthoma.com

Julia Kenny is the Foreign Rights Director at Markson Thoma, where she's worked since 2003. She attended Sarah Lawrence College, where her concentration was creative writing, and previously she worked at the Wendy Weil Agency. Over the last two years, Julia has been actively building her own client list, fostering relationships with both emerging and seasoned writers. She has a strong editorial eye and loves working with authors at various stages of the writing process. She is seeking all sorts of fiction — literary, commercial, YA & middle grade — and is also interested in nonfiction — popular culture/science, entertaining, and lifestyle projects. Julia is on the lookout for beautiful writing that immediately draws her in, and stories that stick with her long after she's finished reading.
julia@marksonthoma.com

Eleanor Jackson joined the Markson Thoma Literary Agency in 2008. Previously, she was an agent at the Queen Literary Agency and at InkWell Management. She is a graduate of Colby College and the Columbia Publishing course. Her list includes bestselling authors of fiction and non-fiction in a wide range of categories, including literary, commercial, young adult, memoir, art, food, science, history and illustrated/lifestyle. She looks for books with deeply imagined worlds and for writers who are not afraid to take risks with their work.
eleanor@marksonthoma.com

Laney Katz Becker was an agent at Folio Literary Management before she joined Markson Thoma. Prior to becoming an agent, Laney was an advertising copywriter and freelance journalist, as well as an award-winning author of fiction and non-fiction. Today, Laney uses her writing skills to help her authors shape and revise their projects. She gravitates toward “book club fiction,” (i.e. novels with substance that you're eager to talk about); character-driven stories; and smart, psychological thrillers. She also loves a great memoir, especially if it teaches her something new, exposes her to a different culture/country, or has a great voice. She's always on the prowl for narrative nonfiction, (especially from journalists), as well as practical non-fiction—parenting, family, relationships, pets—by experts with solid platforms. Laney specializes in debut authors and her “newbies” have made the New York Times, national and International bestsellers' lists. She also welcomes previously published authors. Laney grew up in Ohio and is a graduate of Northwestern University. She has been married more years than she was single (figure that out!) and is the mother of two grown children. She enjoys reading, writing, sewing and snuggling with her pooch.
laney@marksonthoma.com