BookEnds Literary Agency

What BookEnds Literary Agency does

BookEnds Literary Agency is a privately held U.S. literary representation firm founded in 1999 by Jessica Faust and headquartered as a virtual office in Gillette, New Jersey, with agents and assistants distributed globally. The agency represents fiction and nonfiction authors and illustrators across the adult and children's book markets — including romance, mystery, fantasy, science fiction, horror, women's fiction, historical fiction, young adult, middle grade, picture books, board books, and graphic novels — and operates a dedicated children's sub-brand, BookEnds Jr.

The firm's core products are representation services: adult literary representation, children's literary representation, illustration representation (including a semi-annual Lookbook portfolio publication), global translation rights licensing through a 25+ territory co-agent network, and media rights licensing (film/TV plus merchandise) via a partnership with Top Film Agents. Authors and illustrators are sourced via the QueryManager submission platform and through educational content on a blog (since 2006), YouTube channel (since 2018), and TikTok (since 2022). There is no proprietary technology stack beyond standard remote-work tooling (Slack, Zoom) and the third-party QueryManager system.

BookEnds earns revenue through the standard literary agency commission model — approximately 15% of sales made to publishers on behalf of represented authors and illustrators — rather than upfront fees. Agents operate as 1099 contractors and assistants are salaried with benefits. The firm reports no institutional funding and no parent company, indicating founder/founder-team ownership, with the stated employee count in the 1–10 range and a distributed global workforce.

Name

BookEnds Literary Agency

Legal name

BookEnds Literary Agency

Website

https://bookendsliterary.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

BookEnds Literary Agency is a virtual-first U.S. literary representation firm founded in 1999 that represents fiction and nonfiction authors and illustrators across adult and children's markets, earning commission on book sales to publishers and licensing foreign translation and media rights.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Literary Agency Services

NAICS

Book Publishers (51313)

SIC

Miscellaneous Publishing (2741)

akta.pro primary industry

Ghostwriting & Collaborative Writing Services (MPAJAJAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Picture Book Publishing (MPAJAFAA), Middle Grade Publishing (MPAJAFAC), Early Readers & Chapter Books Publishing (MPAJAFAB), Genre & Category Publishing (Romance, Mystery/Thriller, Sci‑Fi/Fantasy, etc.) (MPAJAAAB), Children’s Nonfiction Publishing (MPAJAFAE)

Keywords

• Literary representation services
• Book publishing agency
• Foreign rights licensing
• Film tv media rights
• Children's book illustration

Headquarters

HQ city

Gillette

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Literary Representation & Commission: Standard literary agency model - agents earn commission (typically 15%) on sales made to publishers on behalf of authors and illustrators they represent. Agents are 1099 contractors, while assistants receive salary plus benefits.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

BookEnds Literary Agency provides literary representation services for adult fiction and nonfiction authors, children's book authors (young adult, middle grade, picture books), and illustrators. The agency earns a commission (typically 15%) on book deals it negotiates with traditional publishers and also licenses foreign translation rights through a global co-agent network and film/TV media rights through specialist partners.

Product overview

BookEnds Literary Agency operates as a literary representation firm offering services across adult and children's book markets. The core offering comprises adult literary representation (fiction and nonfiction), children's literary representation (young adult, middle grade, picture books), and illustration representation. Supporting services include global rights licensing through a network of 25+ international co-agents, media rights licensing for film and television, and the Lookbook portfolio publication for illustrators. The agency also provides an online submission platform via QueryManager and extends its reach through educational content on YouTube, TikTok, and a long-running blog. Founded in 1999 by Jessica Faust, the agency is committed to diverse and inclusive representation and operates as a fully virtual office.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• BookEnds Jr. The children's books division of BookEnds Literary Agency, representing young adult, middle grade, picture books, graphic novels, and board books.

Products and services

• Adult Literary Representation Literary representation services for adult fiction and nonfiction authors, covering romance, mystery, thriller, fantasy, science fiction, horror, women's fiction, historical fiction, upmarket fiction, inspirational fiction, and nonfiction genres such as memoirs, cookbooks, business books, and self-help.
• Children's Literary Representation Literary representation services for children's book authors covering young adult, middle grade, picture books, board books, graphic novels, and illustration work, operating under the BookEnds Jr. sub-brand.
• Illustration Representation Representation services for children's book illustrators, connecting them with publishers for picture books, board books, chapter books, cover art, and graphic novels.
• Global Rights Licensing Foreign translation rights licensing services through a network of international co-agents across 25+ territories, including China, Japan, Korea, France, Germany, Spain, Brazil, and more.
• Media Rights Licensing Film and television rights licensing services, working in partnership with top film agents and including merchandise rights for most BookEnds titles.
• Lookbook Semi-annual portfolio publication showcasing BookEnds' illustrator clients and their portfolio pieces, distributed to industry contacts.
• QueryManager Submission Platform Online query submission system through which authors submit their work to BookEnds agents for consideration, with status tracking capabilities.

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

23 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Anna Jarota AgencycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCo-agent for Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Estonia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Tajikistan, Ukraine for foreign rights licensing
• Bears Factory Literary AgencycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCo-agent for Arabic World rights licensing
• Cort Corto LiterarycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCo-agent for Bosnia, Bulgaria, Croatia, Hungary, Macedonia, Montenegro, Romania, Serbia; children's contact Simona Kaleva
• Agência RiffcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCo-agent for Brazil; contacts João Paulo Riff and Laura Riff
• Andrew Nurnberg BeijingcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCo-agent for China; contacts Jackie Huang (general) and Joyce Dong (children's)
• Andrew Nurnberg PraguecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCo-agent for Czech Republic, Slovak Republic, Slovenia; contact Lucie Poláková
• Agence Michelle LapautrecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCo-agent for France; contacts Catherine Lapautre and Mathilde Lamborot
• The Meller Literary AgencycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCo-agent for Germany; contact Niclas Schmoll
• Read N' Right AgencycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCo-agent for Greece; contact Nike Davarinou
• Gabriella Ambrosioni Literary AgencycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCo-agent for Italy; contacts Gabriella Ambrosioni and Adele Tiengo
• The Deborah Harris AgencycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCo-agent for Israel; contact Geula Guerts
• Japan UnicoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCo-agent for Japan; contact Mami Nakajima
• Eric Yang AgencycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCo-agent for Korea; contact Sue Yang
• Marianne Schonbach Literary AgencycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCo-agent for Netherlands and Nordic Countries; contacts Diana Gvodzden (general) and Roos Vroonhof (children's)
• Book/LabcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCo-agent for Poland; contact Martyna Kowalewska
• Nova Littera Literary AgencycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCo-agent for Russia; contact Anastasia Filippova
• International Editors' & Yañez Co.coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCo-agent for Spain and Portugal; contacts Sandra Biel and Carina Brandt
• Andrew Nurnberg TaiwancoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCo-agent for Taiwan; contact Whitney Hsu
• Andrew Nurnberg BangkokcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCo-agent for Thailand, Indonesia, Mongolia; contact Weerawat 'Big' Techakijjathorn
• Anatolia LitcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCo-agent for Turkey; contact Ayşenur Müslümanoğlu Turan
• Andrew Nurnberg HanoicoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCo-agent for Vietnam; contact Van Hoang
• Top Film AgentscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for licensing film and TV rights to books; works with Media Rights Director Dakota Reed to connect books with film/TV adaptation opportunities
• PB Rising Stars MentorshipminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLayla Fallah co-directs this mentorship program dedicated to emerging authors and illustrators from historically underrepresented communities

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Foundry Literary + Media: Literary agency with strong adult and children's divisions, including notable picture book, middle grade, and YA author rosters. Directly comparable in segment breadth and quality of author client base.
• InkWell Management: Independent literary agency with strong adult nonfiction and literary fiction representation plus foreign rights. Comparable for commission-based author representation model and rights licensing.
• Writers House: One of the largest U.S. literary agencies representing children's and adult authors across all major genres, including picture books, middle grade, YA, and adult fiction. Comparable as a multi-agent agency with strong children's and adult divisions, though significantly larger than BookEnds.
• Trident Media Group: Literary agency with broad adult and children's representation plus robust foreign and media rights divisions. Comparable for its rights-licensing infrastructure, though larger in scale.
• Folio Literary Management: Full-service literary agency representing children's, YA, and adult authors across fiction and nonfiction. Comparable for its focus on career-building representation, children's book authors, and rights licensing capabilities.
• Sterling Lord Literistic: Long-established literary agency representing children's and adult authors, illustrators, and graphic novel creators. Comparable for its longevity, picture book and middle grade focus, and illustrator representation.
• The Bent Agency: Mid-sized literary agency representing authors and illustrators across children's and adult markets, with strong foreign rights capabilities. Closely comparable in size, segment focus, and rights licensing model.
• Liza Dawson Associates: Mid-sized literary agency representing commercial fiction, romance, mystery, and women's fiction. Comparable for its commercial adult fiction focus and commission-based representation.

Broad incumbents

• William Morris Endeavor (WME): Global talent and literary agency that acquired Writers House, offering authors integrated book, film/TV, and brand deal representation. Comparable as a competing representation channel but operates at much larger scale and broader scope.

Regional players

• Curtis Brown: Long-established UK-based literary agency representing children's and adult authors across all genres. Comparable for similar agent structure and rights model but operates primarily in UK and Commonwealth markets.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@BookEndsLiterary/videos
• Instagraminstagram.com/bookendsliterary_illustration
• TikToktiktok.com/@bookends_literary
• Facebookfacebook.com/BookEndsLiterary
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/bookendsliteraryagency

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about BookEnds Literary Agency