Wednesday, July 20, 2011

Interview of new agent Andy Scheer by Diana



Joyce Hart and the entire staff of Hartline Literary Agency welcomes Andy Scheer to our Agency. Andy brings to Hartline a wealth of experience as a publishing professional since 1976, and we are delighted that he has accepted a position as agent with us. 


With 18 years on staff with Moody magazine (12 years as  managing editor), 8 years as managing editor for the Christian Writer’s Guild, and currently a free-lance writer and editor, Andy is a frequent instructor at writing conferences. A journalism graduate from Colorado State University, he also attended Denver Seminary. Andy writes:
As the Writers Guild’s first reader/screener in their Operation First Novel and Operation First Book contests, I am convinced of the importance of grabbing the reader with the first sentence and paragraph. Too many manuscripts show a good concept but lack the craft not only to keep readers engaged, but also to hook them in the first place. I sympathize with publishers’ insistence on looking only at material that’s been screened by agents who can find the grain of wheat in a stack of chaff.
I personally enjoy mysteries and writers who are able to immerse me in a story and transport me to another time and place. So I particularly like (in the general market) the work of such writers as Tony Hillerman, Aaron Elkins, Elizabeth Peters, Lawrence Block, and Patrick O'Brian.
A voracious reader, I also tend to read multiple books. I currently have open three nonfiction titles: The Spirit of St. Louis (Charles Lindbergh), Guns, Germs, and Steel (Jared Diamond), and Hold the Enlightenment (Tim Cahill--a great adventure travel writer). In fiction, I’m re-reading The Name of the Rose (Umberto Eco), I just finished Coyote Waits (Tony Hillerman), and because I was attracted by the author photo on his website (he’s standing in front of a 1936 Cord automobile), I’ve just started reading Farraday Road by Ace Collins.
In my spare time I enjoy hiking with my wife, photography, antique automobiles, and jazz music from the 1920s and ’30s.  The picture is of Andy and his wife on a hike in the Rockies.
Andy lives in Colorado Springs, Colorado, with his wife, Carol, in a multi-generational home that includes their daughter, son-in-law, an incredibly cute granddaughter, their lab/chow mix, and Andy and Carol’s lab/bloodhound mix. Their son just graduated from college, moved out, got married, and began a job as a computer programmer.
Andy's first writers conference representing Hartline as an agent will be the Heart of America Christian Writers Conference, Kansas City, MO November 10-12 ( www.hacwn.org) where he will be taking author appointments. In fiction, Andy will be looking for a well-told story, and in nonfiction, a felt need with a strong platform.

7 comments:

Jean C. Gordon said...

Welcome Andy. We also have a multigeneration household here.

Millie Samuelson said...

I'm glad to see this post again, and in full. It disappeared the first time I was reading it a few days ago. :-) Andy's obviously an impressive addition to Hartline -- YAY! Congrats and blessings, Andy!

Diana Flegal said...

You caught us Millie- we had not completed the interview then. Now it is official :-)

Jeanette Levellie said...

Welcome, Andy!

I think we met at an Indy Christian Writers conf, '08 or '09. And I'm sure you remember in detail every writer you meet...

May the Lord shower His wisdom and favor on you as you embark on this new twist in the road. Not that Hartline is twisted--um, let me rephrase that.

May the Lord empower you to find the authors He most wants published, and to have tons of fun in the process. There. That's better.

See? I even need to self-edit my comments on blogs. Sheesh!

Jen

Millie Samuelson said...

Jeanette -- you are SO MUCH fun. . . :-)

Patty Wysong said...

Welcome, Andy. I spent two years at Moody (87-89) and worked in the Coffee Cove. LoL. Love it there (Moody and the Coffee Cove, LoL.) and not only grew a lot during that time, but met my husband. What a surprise. (not)

Joanne Sher said...

Yes, Andy. Welcome! May be sending you something :)