Terrie Wolf is the founder of AKA Literary Management and a career-long champion of commercially minded fiction and nonfiction across adult, children's, and YA categories, with particular depth in crime fiction, inspirational/Christian fiction, and middle grade.
In brief
Her confirmed sales record skews heavily toward series crime fiction — Margaret Mizushima's Timber Creek K-9 series is at least nine books deep, signaling that Terrie commits to long-haul author relationships and has strong relationships with mystery/thriller publishers.
J.D. Barker appears in multiple recent deals, including a co-authored title, marking him as a cornerstone client and suggesting Terrie actively develops authors across projects rather than treating each book as a one-off.
Despite a broad stated wishlist, the deals that are verifiable cluster around crime/thriller, inspirational fiction, and middle grade — writers in women's fiction or literary historical should note that these categories appear less represented in her confirmed sales record.
She earned ACFW's Agent of the Year in 2021 and a Writer's Digest 'Top 20' nod in 2020, pointing to recognized strength in the inspirational/Christian fiction market specifically.
Her submission form was observed closed as of mid-2022; this status may have changed — always verify the live form before querying.
Lately
Her agency wishlist profile highlights a series of forthcoming titles due in late 2024 through 2025, including a ninth entry in a long-running K-9 mystery series, a new legal thriller series launch, and a co-authored thriller — signaling she is actively building out series fiction relationships and not retreating from acquisitions.
What Terrie is looking for
This is the heart of her confirmed sales record. She sells series mysteries — including cozy-adjacent procedurals with recurring protagonists — as well as standalone thrillers with legal or psychological hooks. She wants strong character work alongside plot momentum. A series concept with an established world and a compelling lead will land well here.
Her ACFW Agent of the Year recognition is strong evidence that this community trusts her. She seeks faith-adjacent fiction with universal themes and emotional resonance — stories that work as book-club reads and carry a message of hope. Historical settings and romance threads appear in her client work.
She actively looks for adult fiction built around memorable characters and discussion-worthy themes — material that earns a place on a book club shelf. Universal emotional stakes and strong female perspectives are hallmarks of what she describes, though this category is less represented in confirmed recent deals.
Historical settings appear across her client list in both adult and YA-adjacent work. She values stories that feel vivid and grounded in place and era while maintaining propulsive narrative energy. Faith or cultural heritage threads seem welcome.
She has a specific and enthusiastic voice when describing middle grade: she wants capers, mysteries, and adventures that fire up curious minds, alongside works with genuine social conscience. She gives extra points for emotional punch — either joyful or genuinely moving.
Particularly interested in older MG-to-YA stories centered on self-discovery, authentic emotional honesty, and compassionate storytelling. She favors projects with a mystery or emotional stakes thread. Not every YA pitch will resonate — lead with emotional depth and a clear sense of character transformation.
She gravitates toward humorous, fun, read-aloud-ready material where text and illustration feel designed together. Projects must feel non-confrontational, joyful, and have genuine re-read appeal. This category is selective — the text-illustration dynamic is a real filter, and pitches should make that synergy clear.
She looks for nonfiction with lasting relevance and an inspiring internal message that translates across cultures and readers. Platform matters here — she has sold rights in over forty countries and thirty languages, suggesting she thinks globally about nonfiction prospects. Instructional or inspirational nonfiction series (such as ongoing how-to works) are within her scope.
Not the right fit
On Terrie's list
Taste fingerprint
How to query Terrie
The submission form was observed closed in mid-2022 — check the AKA Literary Management website directly before spending time on a query package, as the status may have changed.
Her record shows she builds long-term, multi-book relationships with authors; if you have a series concept (especially in crime/mystery), lead with the series arc in your query, not just the first book.
She values emotional impact above genre mechanics — her wishlist repeatedly mentions tears, both joyful and heartrending, as a benchmark. Whatever your genre, articulate the emotional gut-punch your book delivers.
She has sold rights in over forty countries and thirty languages, so if your work has clear international appeal or themes that resonate across cultures, say so explicitly.
ACFW recognition is a meaningful signal: writers of inspirational or Christian fiction should not hesitate to identify that faith context clearly rather than burying it.
For middle grade and children's submissions, she is specific about wanting humorous, re-readable material with genuine emotional stakes — avoid pitching issue-heavy or didactic concepts without a strong fun factor to balance them.
Personalize your query by referencing a specific title or author from her list (e.g., noting that your thriller has the procedural momentum of the Timber Creek K-9 series) to demonstrate you understand her actual taste rather than her general wishlist.