(Updated 1/22/2026)

Ernest Hemingway once said, “There is no friend as loyal as a book,” and I’ve always known that to be true. I grew up reading mysteries and suspense—Nancy Drew, the Hardy Boys, Sweet Valley High, Alfred Hitchcock, Erle Stanley Gardner, Agatha Christie, C. S. Lewis, and others. Later, I discovered Christian fiction through writers like Dee Henderson, Terri Blackstock, Colleen Coble, and DiAnn Mills. Through every season, every stage of life, books were the friends who never let me down.

Needless to say, as a child and teen, I was never without a book in hand; and nothing’s changed as an adult. But eventually, I wanted something more than to read a great story; I wanted to write one. Through God’s divine providence, He arranged for me to meet the people I needed to meet in order for that to happen. While there were quite a few lovely people who encouraged me in my writing journey, one special lady named Dee Henderson took me under her wing and mentored me all the way to publication. And the rest, as they say, is history.

For those of you who may not know me yet, I am a New York Times best-selling, award-winning author of over 65 novels in the romantic suspense genre and a client of The Steve Laube Agency. Tamela Hancock Murray has been my agent since the beginning, and we have a wonderful professional and personal relationship that has served both of us well. Over the past 15+ years, I’ve had the pleasure of working with the phenomenal people at Revell and Love Inspired Suspense publishing houses while getting to know and developing relationships with many others in the publishing industry

I’ve been an agent now for several years, helping writers chase their dreams to publishing fruition and I’m thrilled to continue on that journey in this new year.

So, what genres am I looking to represent?

Fiction: romantic suspense, thrillers, mysteries, historical, women’s contemporary, writers targeting all of the Love Inspired lines (Love Inspired/Love Inspired Suspense/Trade), dual time, time travel/time slip, Amish

Nonfiction: I’m very selective when it comes to nonfiction. Your project would have to be something unique and special, something that stands apart from the other nonfiction books on the shelves. It’s something that I would have to feel passionate about and be able to get behind 100%. If this is your project, then I look forward to seeing it.

I am not looking for YA, children’s books, memoirs, speculative fiction, science fiction, high or low fantasy (with the exception of time-travel stories along the lines of Gabrielle Meyer), or middle grade.

What kind of client am I looking for?

I’m looking for clients who already know how to write. This means you’ve studied the craft of fiction and have probably written more than one book. Agents are not here to teach you how to write, so please keep that in mind when evaluating whether you’re ready to query an agent. I am looking for Christian authors who wish to write and sell to the Christian market. This means that I’m searching for clients who adhere to the teachings of Christ and Scripture. I love Romans 12:2 which says, “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect” (NASB). Our fiction stories should show this truth, and I’m searching for those that do.

You can refer to the agency’s statement of faith here: https://stevelaube.com/about/statement-of-faith/ to make sure this agency is the right fit for you.

On that note, I’d like to take a moment to talk about platform. These are the days where platform is important. Publishers like to know the authors they contract with can help sell the book(s). If you have 25 Facebook friends, no website (or a poorly developed one), 100 Instagram followers, and 5 newsletter subscribers, then you’re probably not ready to submit even if you have an amazing project. Please build your platform before submitting. Of course there are exceptions to every rule, but having a well-developed platform can only serve you well.

What kind of agent am I?

First and foremost, I will be your cheerleader, not only in the publishing world but also in your personal life. I will pray for you while encouraging you to keep yourself spiritually, mentally, and physically healthy.

Now, as for the publishing side of things: If I think your premise will sell, I’ll work with you to hone a compelling book proposal and help you navigate the submission process to find the perfect publisher. That being said, if you’re a writer who’s never been published in the traditional market, please have a completed fiction manuscript before approaching our agency. If you’re a seasoned writer, a query letter and proposal are all I need to see. I may request more later. I take email submissions only, which you may send to ehumphries@stevelaube.com.

What about using AI in writing?

AI is here to stay. I understand that. I actually love AI and use it as just another tool in my writer toolbelt. It has its uses for sure. But I want to make something clear. I use AI every day. I’m familiar with it. I recognize its patterns and nuances. Which means I can spot a proposal that was written with AI. And while I love AI for many different reasons, AI is not a very good writer. It has a long way to go. In other words, please do not submit a proposal written by AI. I can’t sign an author if I don’t have a true picture of their writing skills. So, again, use AI wisely and submit your own work.

How long will it take to get a response?

Please give me 12 weeks to get back to you. If you haven’t heard from me after those 12 weeks, feel free to reach out and ask where I am in the process.

Before submitting, please read the guidelines to ensure your work is presented in its best light. They can be found here:  https://stevelaube.com/guidelines.

I’d like to reiterate those guidelines. When you submit, please submit a comprehensive proposal. I don’t need a query letter before the proposal. Just send the proposal. Steve Laube has a course on Elements of a Book Proposal. I highly recommend taking that if you have questions about what goes in a book proposal. I will not answer the question “What are you looking for in a book proposal?”

PLEASE research your genre’s word count. I’ve had more proposals than I can count that do not meet the required genre word count. These are automatic rejections.

Now, with this information in hand, if you believe you have a proposal I’d like to see, please send it on.

I look forward to reading your stories!