Kevin M. O'Connor is the founding director of The Center for Nonfiction and a media-industry veteran who specializes in smart adult nonfiction—science, technology, history, journalism, serious biography—plus children's fiction and nonfiction for ages 0–12.
In brief
O'Connor's wheelhouse is serious adult nonfiction: science, technology, history, journalism, and biography of well-known historical figures. These are not casual dabblings—they define the agency's identity.
On the children's side, he covers a wide age range (0–12), taking both picture books (text-only AND author-illustrator submissions) and middle grade—a breadth unusual among nonfiction-focused agents.
He is explicit and consistent about what he does not want: memoir, science fiction, fantasy, romance, mysteries, YA, and adult literary fiction are all off the table or only rarely considered.
His background as founding director of The Center for Nonfiction signals a deep institutional commitment to the craft of nonfiction—not a generalist who happens to sell it.
No confirmed sales record was available for analysis, so claims about publisher relationships or deal volume cannot be made; query status should be verified directly before submitting.
Lately
O'Connor's agency profile emphasizes his background in media at the crossroads of business and creative work, and highlights his role as founding director of The Center for Nonfiction—signaling that serious, craft-conscious nonfiction remains the agency's north star.
What Kevin is looking for
O'Connor actively pursues intelligent, well-researched science and technology books aimed at a general adult readership. He gravitates toward ideas-driven work that sits at the intersection of intellectual rigor and broad cultural relevance—books that explain how the world works and why it matters.
He wants biography built around well-known historical figures—subjects with genuine name recognition and cultural weight. This is not the personal-memoir lane; the emphasis is on researched, narrative accounts of public lives with historical significance.
History and long-form journalism are core categories for O'Connor. He is drawn to deeply reported, narrative-driven work that illuminates events or institutions with lasting importance. Books that read like great magazine journalism expanded to full length are a natural fit.
Pop culture nonfiction is welcomed alongside his more serious categories. The best candidates here likely have an analytical or cultural-criticism angle rather than being purely fan-facing or celebrity-driven.
O'Connor represents both fiction and nonfiction for children from birth through age 12, covering picture books and middle grade. Critically, picture book submissions are accepted from text-only writers as well as from author-illustrators—he does not require illustrated dummies. Middle grade projects in both fiction and nonfiction are also welcome.
Not the right fit
Taste fingerprint
How to query Kevin
Send your query directly to the agency's submissions email address; place up to three chapters of your manuscript text in the body of the email—do not attach files.
Include a brief introduction: who you are, how you found the agency, and how O'Connor can help your project. He explicitly asks for this framing, so treat it as part of the pitch, not boilerplate.
Lead with your nonfiction credentials or platform. O'Connor's institutional background in nonfiction means he will scrutinize the author's authority to write the book—establish yours early.
For picture books, you may submit a text-only manuscript; you do not need to provide illustrations or find an illustrator first.
Do not query him with memoir, genre fiction (sci-fi, fantasy, romance, mystery), YA, or adult literary fiction—these are explicitly outside his interests and will not be a good fit.
Verify that he is currently open to queries before submitting; status was unconfirmed as of the most recent observation and could have changed.