Our Agents

After studying at Duke University and earning a Masters in Spanish at Middlebury College, Laura's publishing career began in subsidiary rights at St. Martin's Press. She translated several novels and books of nonfiction from Spanish to English and founded the agency in 1996. She has served on the board of the AALA and as the chair of the AALA's Royalties Committee.

Laura is now focused on representing works of serious nonfiction by journalists, historians, and business leaders; upmarket fiction; and select children's books. She is always seeking fresh, diverse voices, and innovative partners. What she loves most is to nurture creative forces, maximize exposure and impact, and build long, satisfying, remunerative careers.

Carrie Pestritto prides herself on being an advocate and partner, working closely with authors to grow rewarding careers. Her clients include bestselling and award-winning writers, whose books have been New York Times, USA Today, and indie bestsellers and landed on numerous Best of the Year lists. She represents projects across a range of genres, but always drawn in by immersive writing, engaging voices, meticulous world-building, and compelling premises.

Before becoming part of the LDLA team, Carrie worked at Writers House and Prospect Agency, with a brief stint in library sales at Cambridge University Press. She earned her B.A. in English, cum laude, from Amherst College and also spent a magical year studying abroad at St. Catherine's College, Oxford.

Katie Gisondi graduated from Hamilton College in 2020 with a BA in Creative Writing. She has been at LDLA since she was an intern in the same year. In her spare time, she spends time with her cat Salami, knits, and jogs around Brooklyn.

She is currently looking mainly for adult romance, fantasy, mystery, or any mix of the three! The more commercial and trope-filled the better. She wouldn't say no to a unique sci-fi, hilarious picture book, or well-researched non-fiction if the right one came along, too.

Elana is a 20-year veteran in publishing, her career beginning many years ago with her very first internship at Nickelodeon Magazine followed by 5 years as an editor at Parachute Publishing. Over the course of her agenting career, she's proud to have represented multiple New York Times bestselling and award-winning authors on her list of talented clients. She joined LDLA in 2016, and also serves on the communications committee at the AALA.

Elana represents books across a variety of genres, with a special interest in commercial middle-grade and YA fiction. Whether a romance, fantasy, or sci-fi, she loves an escapist read with a strong voice and a great plot. Elana is a graduate of Barnard College and the Jewish Theological Seminary, with degrees in English literature and Bible. It all adds up to her loving books that expertly combine the timely and the timeless.

Jennifer Udden joined the Laura Dail Literary Agency in 2024. She has over a decade of experience agenting, including time spent at the Donald Maass Agency, the Barry Goldblatt Agency, and New Leaf Literary. She has worked with a wide variety of notable authors of genre fiction, among them New York Times bestsellers and Hugo award finalists and winners, and is a member of the AALA.

She's also worn many other hats, including comics recruiter, freelance editor, and romance novelist. She has a soft spot for the Golden Age of Detective Fiction, and runs an occasional newsletter about publishing & writing called A Faster No.

Taj McCoy is a literary agent at the Laura Dail Literary Agency, representing fiction and nonfiction projects with a special love for fresh, engaging voices and compelling storytelling.

Taj is also an author herself, bringing a writer's perspective to her work with clients. She is passionate about championing diverse stories and building lasting careers for her authors.