About

Leslie joined Dunham Literary in June 2016. Previously, she was an intern for The Bent Agency.

A former librarian with over 20 years’ experience in special, public, and school libraries, Leslie’s focus was on the reader, giving them the right book at the right time - which works for matching client work to editors too. Having negotiated with organizations from Lexis-Nexis to the elementary school PTA, she is able to come to terms that favor her clients while building satisfying relationships with publishers. And after cataloging rocket launch videos for NASA and model rocket ships for an elementary school, Leslie welcomes working with the unexpected challenges that pop up in publishing.

A writer herself, Leslie is very familiar with querying from both sides of the desk.

Leslie graduated from Wake Forest University with a degree in English and has a Master’s of Library and Information Science degree from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. 

She is available for conferences, workshops, and retreats.

You can follow her on Twitter @leslie_zampetti or on Instagram @literarylesliez.

Member: 
AALA (formerly called AAR)
SCBWI

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What She's Seeking

For children’s books, Leslie seeks middle grade and young adult novels, especially mysteries and contemporary fiction. Historical fiction with a specific hook to the time and place, novels in verse, and off-the-beaten-path romances are on her wish list. For picture books, Leslie prefers nonfiction that tells a story almost too good to be true, stories that show everyday diversity to mirror under-represented readers and open windows to others (per Dr. Rudine Sims Bishop), witty wordplay, and dry, sly humor. Drawn to books about Florida, odd homes, and kids with book smarts and big hearts, Leslie is highly selective. 
 
For adult fiction, Leslie is interested in literary mysteries, upmarket romance with interfaith or marginalized couples, and historical fiction set in regions other than Europe and North America. For nonfiction, Leslie finds narrative nonfiction that straddles the boundaries between crime, memoir, and literature especially appealing. An armchair adventurer, Leslie enjoys experiencing wild places and extreme challenges from the comfort of her chair. Though she reads widely, she’s not a fit for political thrillers, inspirational Christian fiction, memoirs about violence against women, or hard sci-fi. 

Recent Titles and Favorite Books

​My titles:

Ann LeZotte - SHOW ME A SIGN, SET ME FREE (Fall 2021) - both Scholastic
Lisa Rose - ZOMBIE VACATION - Apples & Honey Press,  THE SINGER AND THE SCIENTIST - Kar-Ben

Favorite books: (this is so very very hard. I have tons.)

For PB:
THE SNOWY DAY, BREAD AND JAM FOR FRANCES, BONE DOG, HENRI'S SCISSORS, BRAVE GIRL: CLARA & THE SHIRTWAIST MAKERS' STRIKE OF 1909, NINO WRESTLES THE WORLD, 

For MG: FROM THE MIXED UP FILES OF MRS. BASIL E. FRANKWEILER, WHEN YOU REACH ME, PLANET EARTH IS BLUE, CRENSHAW, THREE TIMES LUCKY, ONE CRAZY SUMMER. 

For YA: CLAP WHEN YOU LAND, PRIDE, MURDER, MAGIC, & WHAT WE WORE, TO ALL THE BOYS I'VE LOVED BEFORE, MONDAY'S NOT COMING, THE WINDOW.

For Adults:
Fiction: ACQUA ALTA, WHERE'D YOU GO, BERNADETTE, THE WEDDING DATE, MY SISTER THE SERIAL KILLER, THE SUN DOWN MOTEL, THE LOST MAN, AYESHA AT LAST
Nonfiction: INTO THE WILD, A FISH CAUGHT IN TIME, MEMORIAL DRIVE

More about Leslie

June 16, 2020 - Q&A: Writing, Pitching, and Promoting in the Age of the Coronavirus
https://www.janefriedman.com/writing-pitching-promoting-in-the-age-of-coronavirus/

August 17, 2018 - Researching Agents: 4 Steps for Identifying & Connecting with the Right Literary Agents
Writer's Digest Online
https://www.writersdigest.com/publishing-insights/researching-literary-agents-find-agent-connect