Hi!

Founded in 2025, Neighborhood Literary is a boutique agency based out of Philadelphia. Dedicated to working with a diverse roster of authors and championing unique, out-of-the-box books, Neighborhood Literary brings over fifteen years of publishing experience into everything we do.

While we represent authors from all over, a core goal of our agency is to actively engage in the writing communities in our respective hometowns. From free workshops to write-ins at bookstores, you can get a sense of what we’re up to on our neighborhoods page, and of course, on social media.

Want to join the team, and add your neighborhood? Please reach out.

  • Eric Smith

    FOUNDER + AGENT

    With over fifteen years of experience in publishing, both at a house and an agency, Eric has worked with numerous New York Times bestselling and award-winning authors across genres and categories.

    Eric is currently looking for Middle Grade and Young Adult projects (fiction and non-fiction), adult genre-blending upmarket and literary fiction, accessible sci-fi and fantasy, high concept rom-coms, and memoir, essays, and wellness titles in the non-fiction space.

    Eric prefers direct queries, so please send your pitch to him (no attachments please!) at eric@neighborhoodliterary.com.

  • Rebecca Podos

    SENIOR AGENT

    Rebecca Podos (she/they) began her career as a literary agent in 2011. A graduate of the MFA Writing, Literature and Publishing program at Emerson College, she is an author of Young Adult and Adult fiction. A complete list of her clients' published and upcoming projects can be found here.

    Rebecca is looking for Young adult and Adult genre fiction, with select non-fiction projects considered. Of particular interest in fiction right now: Character-driven fantasy rooted in folklore and culture; horror as a vehicle exploring otherness, identity, and trauma; fresh genre crossovers (cozy sci-fi, horror romance, etc.); queer contemporary and historical fiction; Romance and romcom with a strong commercial hook and upmarket prose. Of interest in non-fiction: Deep dives into nerdy topics (TTRPG's, cosplay, fandoms, etc.); a strong narrative voice paired with expertise, as in Why Fish Don't Exist; kid lit centering queer history.

    Rebecca only accepts queries through the QueryManager system. Please be prepared to include a query letter and the first three chapters of your manuscript here.

  • Sahara Clement

    LITERARY AGENT

    Sahara Clement (she/her) is an agent and editor based in Philadelphia, PA. For over a decade, she’s worked closely with authors and artists to transform their ideas into beautiful books. Her publishing journey began on the Entertainment team at Chronicle Books and continued at Penguin Random House, where she built Clarkson Potter’s Culture list from the ground up. From NAACP Award–winning culture books and illustrated guides on race, gender, and sexuality to bestselling essay collections and photography books, Sahara’s portfolio reflects her passion for celebrating diverse and underrepresented voices. Her editorial work can be found here.


    With this passion in mind, Sahara is currently looking for art-driven nonfiction narratives in the culture, lifestyle, and wellness spaces. This includes culture or pop culture retrospectives; vibrant photography books; design-forward essay collections; illustrated histories; unique approaches to self-care; and more. She’s also interested in exploring these categories through gift books and products, including guided journals, decks, and workbooks.

  • Donovan Levine

    ASSOCIATE LITERARY AGENT

    Donovan Levine is an associate literary agent and AALA member based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

    Donovan is looking for genre fiction, such as Mystery/Thriller, Historical, YA contemporary, and New Adult, as well as Narrative Nonfiction and Memoir, with a particular interest in underrepresented voices, untold multicultural stories, and any high concept or genre-bending works. 

    When not doing agent work, he can probably be found at a local dive bar cheering for Philly sports teams.

    Query letters can be sent directly to donovan@neighborhoodliterary.com

  • J.D. Myall

    LITERARY ASSISTANT

    J.D. Myall is the co-chair of Drexel University's MFA Alumni Association and host of the Craft Chat Chronicles podcast, where she interviews authors and publishing professionals.

    Her work has appeared in Ms. Magazine, Writer’s Digest and HuffPost.

    Her debut novel, Heart's Gambit, releases in February of 2026. When she’s not conjuring magic, murder and mayhem, she mentors writers through workshops at www.jdmyall.com.