ABOUT
ULTRA LITERARY was founded by publishing veteran Peter McGuigan.
Our list of clients includes established names in literature, journalism, comedy, film, television, sports, music, pop culture, and business, and also prize-winning fiction writers, covering an eclectic range of subjects. ULTRA continues to provide clients with creative, thoughtful, strategic management that ensures their books find the largest possible audiences.
“ULTRA is creative, funky, punky, and punches above its weight,” says McGuigan. “But more than anything, ULTRA believes that books are more valuable, more popular, more important than ever.”
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With mega-bestselling clients including Jennette McCurdy and Trevor Noah, Peter McGuigan represents literary stars, both today’s and tomorrows. After almost thirty years in the book publishing business, Peter has seen the industry - and the agent's role in it - evolve.
"Selling books is easy. Developing inspiring projects and guiding them to success is the real work of being an agent today. "
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Kirsten believes that books provide an incredibly powerful method to deliver important messages to readers around the world. Those messages can and do change not just the conversations we have with each other, but also with ourselves. Her list of clients includes entrepreneurs, personalities, influencers and thought leaders across a wide range of industries. Her hands on, thoughtful approach to representation begins with helping her authors develop the right book concept to best highlight their stories and goals, in addition to connecting with and enhancing their existing platforms.
Once she’s procured the best possible deal and publisher for her clients, she remains a steady presence by their side, ensuring each step of the process is handled as seamlessly and carefully as possible. This approach helps her clients have successful books the first time around, and on subsequent books as well.
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Madeline Shellhouse is a literary agent and the Director of Foreign Rights at Ultra Literary. Madeline joined Ultra after several years in the foreign rights department at Folio Literary Management. She is dedicated to placing Ultra’s authors with the best possible international publishers, working with an extensive network of co-agents around the world.
In addition to representing Ultra’s titles abroad, Madeline is building a select list of young adult and middle grade titles. She is a voracious reader with broad taste, seeking books in the YA and MG space with compelling writing that make her look at the world a little differently or introduce her to a new perspective.
She loves fantasy and retellings of classic stories, and is especially looking for those stories from underrepresented voices. Some of her favorite books and series include Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine, Fablehaven by Brandon Mull, To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before by Jenny Han, A Song of Wraiths and Ruin by Roseanne A. Brown, Firekeeper’s Daughter by Angeline Boulley, Red, White, and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston, Starfish by Lisa Fipps, Like a Love Story by Abdi Nazemian, Every Heart a Doorway by Seanan McGuire, and so many more that it was very hard to stop the list there.
Madeline grew up in Colorado, and is happiest when curled up with a good book—ideally surrounded by mountains. She has a BA in English from the University of Miami, and an MA in English from the University of Colorado–Boulder.
Madeline Shellhouse is currently open to queries at mshellhouse@ultraliterary.com