2026 Guest Literary Agent, Howard Morhaim Literary Agency

Kate McKean is a Literary Agent and the Vice President of Howard Morhaim Literary Agency, Inc., which she joined in 2006. She earned her master’s degree in fiction writing at the University of Southern Mississippi and began her publishing career at the University Press of Florida. She is proud to work with authors in a wide variety of genres including New York Times best sellers Alix E. Harrow, Madeleine Roux, and Daniel Lavery, and award-winning authors like Bobby Finger, Trung Le Nguyen, and Isaac Fellman.

Kate was an adjunct professor at New York University in the School of Professional Studies for over a decade. She is the author of WRITE THROUGH IT: An Insider’s Guide to Publishing and the Creative Life, and she writes the popular newsletter Agents + Books, giving an agent’s insight and perspective on the publishing industry.

She is primarily interested in fiction for adults, young adults and middle grade readers in the areas of contemporary fiction, literary fiction, historical fiction set in the 20th Century, LGBTQ issues, fantasy, magical realism, and science fiction. In non-fiction, for adults or children/teens, she represents books by authors with demonstrable platforms in the areas of pop-culture, memoir, humor, creativity, and craft. She is also interested in graphic novels and memoirs for all ages.

Kate lives in Brooklyn with her husband and kid and their many, many book.