Stefanie Lieberman is a Senior Counsel and Literary Agent at Janklow & Nesbit Associates who hunts for upmarket commercial fiction with wit, voice, and social dimension — particularly literary thrillers, historical fiction, and plot-driven stories that wrestle with race, class, and identity.
In brief
Lieberman's wishlist is unusually specific: named comps for nearly every category signal a highly developed taste, and writers who engage directly with those touchstones in a query will get attention.
The dual role as Senior Counsel and Literary Agent at Janklow & Nesbit — a top-tier agency with deep publisher relationships — means deals made here tend to land at major imprints; this is a high-stakes query worth crafting carefully.
An IP law background (The Guggenheim, Paul Weiss, Frankfurt Kurnit) is not just biography: it likely informs a sharp eye for originality, rights complexity, and commercial positioning — all things that matter in a pitch.
Lieberman's wishlist emphasizes underrepresented narratives across multiple categories (historically Black beach communities, immigrant family sagas, bicultural identity, BIPOC-led rom-coms and comedies of manners) — this is a recurring, explicit priority, not a single line item.
The breadth of stated interests (epistolary, romp/caper, domestic thriller, rom-com, historical with magic) is real but not a signal to throw anything at the wall — nearly every category is anchored to a specific named comp, and pitches that don't mirror that precision are likely to underperform.
Lately
Lieberman has articulated a detailed, category-specific wishlist with named comp titles for nearly every type of project — a signal that vague queries will underperform and that writers who engage with the specific named touchstones and themes will command more attention.
What Stefanie is looking for
Lieberman wants emotionally intelligent, tightly constructed thrillers where the writing itself is part of the pleasure. Psychological depth, atmospheric setting, and a female-led or ensemble cast are recurring markers. The bar is high — the touchstones named are some of the most acclaimed in the genre — so a pitch needs to demonstrate not just a gripping plot but genuine literary craft.
Two distinct flavors are actively sought. First: intellectually driven historical fiction in the tradition of scholarly discovery narratives — nerdy, research-forward, but also charged with tension and a race-against-time engine. Second: historical fiction incorporating witches and/or magic, grounded in authentic period research and reimagining real events rather than building invented worlds from scratch. Both threads reward writers who show their research without letting it slow the story.
Plot-driven novels with a distinctive voice, humor, and emotional resonance — the kind readers press on friends. Lieberman gravitates toward smart, specific settings and time periods that function almost as characters themselves. Stories centering underrepresented perspectives, particularly within the immigrant experience or intergenerational family dynamics, are especially welcome. A rich summer story set in a historically Black beach community (e.g. Oak Bluffs, Highland Beach, Idlewild) is an explicitly named priority.
Lieberman actively seeks plot-driven novels that take on systemic racism, class disparity, consumerism, and privilege — but wants the social commentary delivered through compelling, satisfying narrative rather than polemic. A modern 'Upstairs, Downstairs' dynamic set in an urban apartment building, exploring relationships between door staff and tenants across class and racial lines, is a specific named concept. Bicultural identity stories with commercial appeal (more accessible than literary fiction, but with genuine thematic depth) are another named priority.
Lieberman wants love stories with genuine wit, chemistry, and a hook strong enough to sell the premise on its own. The tone can range from swoony-bittersweet to outright comedic, but the banter must feel effortless rather than forced. Underrepresented narratives and voices are especially sought in this space — this is not a vague diversity box-check but a named, repeated priority across multiple wishlist entries.
Glittery, entertaining, plot-forward novels that deliver real thematic substance beneath the fun — think heist or con-artist energy married to genuine commentary on race, identity, or social dynamics. A sharp comedy of manners in an unexpected or fresh setting, with the social precision of a modern classic, also fits this lane.
Lieberman has a specific affection for novels told through letters, documents, or other found-text formats, provided the structure serves the story rather than feeling like a gimmick. The touchstones named are classics of the form, so the bar for execution is high.
Multigenerational stories where intergenerational tension is the engine — particularly narratives rooted in the immigrant experience in the US, where a specific culture, era, or geography functions as more than backdrop. The setting should feel indispensable, not interchangeable.
Not the right fit
On Stefanie's list
Taste fingerprint
How to query Stefanie
Send a query letter plus the first ten pages of your manuscript pasted directly into the body of the email — no attachments for these opening materials.
Put 'Stefanie Lieberman' in the subject line of your email; this is an explicit instruction and skipping it risks being overlooked or misfiled.
Use the agency's submissions email address (publicly listed as submissions@janklow.com) — this is the correct channel, not a general contact form.
Lead your query with the specific named comp from Lieberman's wishlist that best mirrors your book — nearly every category has one, and using it precisely signals you have done your homework and understand the taste.
If your novel touches on race, class, immigrant identity, or underrepresented voices, make that explicit and central in your query — these are not incidental interests but a repeated, foregrounded priority across multiple wishlist categories.
Avoid vague genre labels. Lieberman's wishlist distinguishes, for example, between historical fiction with academic discovery at the core versus historical fiction with magical elements — pitch the specific flavor, not the broad category.
The legal and IP background at Janklow & Nesbit suggests Lieberman will notice originality claims. If your project is inspired by real events (especially relevant for the historical witch fiction or race-against-time historical categories), briefly note your research foundation in the query.
Confirm that submissions are still open before querying — query status can change and the last confirmed open date should be treated as a starting point, not a guarantee.