Get to Know an Agent in Attendance: Gordon Warnock of Fuse Literary

Literary agent Gordon Warnock is a founding partner at Fuse Literary representing New York Times bestsellers and debut authors alike. He seeks to amplify historically marginalized voices and grow sustainable, long-term writing careers with an eye on actively creating change in the publishing industry and the culture as a whole. His years of experience as a senior agent, marketing director, editor for independent publishers, and author coach inform his approach as a comprehensive business partner through the many lives of a book and the many stages of an author’s career. He frequently teaches workshops and gives keynote speeches at conferences and universities in the US and Canada. He is an honors graduate of CSUS with a degree in Creative and Professional Writing.

With a zest for fresh, new voices and a deep love of the classics, Gordon actively seeks out both the timely and the timeless. In that spirit, he establishes involved, long-term working relationships with talented and dedicated authors of many genres. For a better idea of what he represents, he often posts about his clients online.
Nonfiction

Gordon seeks large-platform nonfiction in which the book itself is not the primary goal but instead is the result of a greater, sustained effort. He prefers to work with socially responsible books by those who act as social thermostats rather than thermometers, effecting change rather than reflecting it. Some of his favorites are: WE WERE EIGHT YEARS IN POWER, THE CORPORATION, PUPPY KINDERGARTEN, ALL THEY WILL CALL YOU, THE DEVIL FINDS WORK, DIGGING UP MOTHER, ALWAYS RUNNING, DRINKING AT THE MOVIES, THE COMIC BOOK STORY OF BEER, and PAPER: PAGING THROUGH HISTORY.

In nonfiction, he seeks:

Memoir and Biography
Food Narrative/Studies/History
Graphic and Illustrated Nonfiction
Essays on Social Issues
Pop/Punk/Geek Culture
Historical Narrative
Pop-Science
Humor
How-To

Fiction wishlist:

Gordon is looking for fresh concepts that excite him before he starts reading and tension-filled prose that won’t let him stop. He loves being surprised by undeniably unique voices, plot twists, and the rare bending of an otherwise realistic story. Some of his favorites are: MISSING WHITE WOMAN, GAIJIN, MANHUNT, BENEATH A SCARLET SKY, CHICANO FRANKENSTEIN, THE HOUSEMAID, PINES, NEW KID, CRUSH, and WE THE ANIMALS.
Genres Represented

High-Concept Suspense
Psychological Thrillers
Horror
Book Club Women’s Fiction
Literary Fiction from Marginalized Perspectives
Graphic Novels for Adults, YA, and MG

Gordon Does Not Represent

Genre Fiction (Sci-Fi, Fantasy, Romance, Western)
Satire
Legal or Political Thrillers
Children’s Novels
Children’s Picture Books
Novellas or Short Fiction Collections (unless bundled with a literary novel)