Ernie loves nothing more than getting to work with his amazing clients on the books of their dreams. Having first joined Fuse Literary as a writer and client himself, he knows what it’s like to be in the query trenches, and his goal is to be the type of agent every writer hopes to find.
Prior to becoming a literary agent, Ernie was an associate agent at Fuse, an assistant to Fuse Senior Agent Tricia Skinner, and a mentor and Communications Director for the Pitch Wars writer mentorship program. A former copywriter for a Fortune 500 client, Ernie is also the founder of TBRstack.com, a platform for authors and publishing professionals to share lists of their favorite books.
Outspoken about the issues of equality, both in society as a whole and as they relate to the publishing industry, Ernie values accuracy in representation and the raising of marginalized voices. He strives to be a fierce advocate for his clients and their interests, and is passionate about bringing their stories to a broader audience.
In his free time, Ernie enjoys sketching and painting, whaling away on his drum kit, binge-watching the latest fantasy series, and having fun with his three amazing kids. He specializes in Fantasy, Science Fiction, and Horror in the Adult, Young Adult, and Middle Grade categories, as well as YA Contemporary.
Fiction
Ernie is looking for character-driven stories with unique worldbuilding elements and original settings based on peoples and histories that are underrepresented in the genre. He prefers stories steeped in cultures and mythologies that are traditionally underpublished by writers who share their characters’ marginalizations.
“Strong writing with a distinct voice is a must for me. That’s sometimes hard to pin down, but when I see it, it jumps off the page and makes me want to keep reading. I also look for complex, multi-dimensional characters who feel real to me—I want to care deeply about what happens to them. I look for immersive, deeply woven, extraordinarily original stories with propulsive plots and richly layered worldbuilding—especially if it blends genres in ways I may not have seen before.”
Some of Ernie’s favorite authors include: Ursula K. Le Guin, N.K. Jemisin, Peter McLean, Martha Wells, Claire North, Neil Gaiman, Emily St. John Mandel, R.F. Kuang, Carlos Ruiz Zafón, Fonda Lee, Shelley Parker-Chan, Andrea Stewart, Erin Morgenstern, V.E. Schwab, Robin Hobb, Sarah Gailey, C.L. Polk, Josiah Bancroft, Marlon James, Kazuo Ishiguro, Margaret Owen, Nnedi Okorafor, Octavia E. Butler, Tamsyn Muir, Michael Mammay, Chuck Wendig, Rob Hart, Mike Chen, Ryka Aoki, Xiran Jay Zhao, Sarah Raughley, Margaret Rogerson, Sabaa Tahir, Alix Harrow, Tahereh Mafi, Laini Taylor, Daniel José Older, Roshani Chokshi, Dhonielle Clayton, Naomi Novik, Hafsah Faizal, Rin Chupeco, Sue Lynn Tan, Chelsea Abdullah.
For a more in-depth look at what he represents, check out Ernie’s Manuscript Wishlist page.
Genres Represented
- Adult Fantasy, Sci-Fi, and Horror
- Young Adult Fantasy, Sci-Fi, and Horror
- Middle Grade Fantasy, Sci-Fi, and Horror
- Young Adult Contemporary
Ernie Does Not Represent
- Women’s Fiction
- Romance
- Picture Books
- Poetry
- Novellas or collections of short fiction
