MEET OUR TEAM
LARA LOVE
Founder & President
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Lara Love is a Literary Agent, Author, Prison Reform Advocate, and the President of True Literary. Prior to founding her own agency, she was Co-CEO and Senior Literary Agent with Idea Architects where she supported the careers of a singular group of authors from spiritual luminaries like the Dalai Lama and Desmond Tutu to social justice advocates like Bryan Stevenson and Anthony Ray Hinton.
Lara's work as an agent is informed by her diverse life experiences, especially her work as an author. Her memoir The Many Lives of Mama Love was a 2024 Oprah's Book Club pick and a New York Times bestseller. Having received her MFA in Fiction, she has extensive experience working as a collaborative writer and is currently writing her first novel. The recipient of the Christopher Award for "affirming the highest values of the human spirit", Lara has also been nominated for an NAACP Image Award and the Dayton Literary Peace Prize.
Lara is the Co-Founder of The Gemma Project, a gender-responsive organization serving incarcerated and former incarcerated women with integrity and compassion.
Fun Fact: Lara loves pickleball and hot yoga, she is a devoted fan of The Real Housewives, and her secret passion is appliance repair.
ELIZABETH WACHTEL
Vice President & Senior Literary Agent
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Elizabeth Wachtel has dedicated her career to empowering storytellers and bringing their visions to life. At True Literary, Elizabeth represents authors for publishing, guiding them through the literary landscape and bringing their stories to a global audience.
Elizabeth has worked with authors across all media and she brings this expertise to each client at True Literary. Previously an agent with William Morris Endeavor, for 10 years she championed a diverse range of acclaimed authors and creators across film, scripted tv, documentaries, non-scripted programming, and podcasts. Adaptations of their work earned the industry's highest honors including Academy Awards, Emmys, and Golden Globes. Prior to her career as an agent, Elizabeth worked with the preeminent theater company Center Theatre Group, where she supported new play production and development. She holds degrees from Vassar College (B.A.) and the University of Oxford (M.St.), where her research explored the art of adaptation and translation.
Fun Fact: In December 2024, she proudly earned the title of Grand Canyon Junior Park Ranger (Scorpion Level, Ages 4+).
JANELLE JULIAN
Director of Operations
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Janelle Julian is the Director of Operations at True Literary where she leads process optimization and organization, logistics, and project management. Janelle was previously the Chief of Staff at Idea Architects. She loves mind-blowing spiritual books, deeply practical big idea books, and gripping memoirs that won’t let you go. Aside from her love of stories, she’s a certified professional coach who's passionate about helping people become the best versions of themselves and actualize their dreams.
Fun Fact: Janelle has been working with Lara and Miles since Lara hired her at a taqueria after an improv class in 2019.
MILES MICHELLE
Developmental Editor
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Miles Michelle is True Literary’s developmental and acquisitions editor. Since 2016 they have edited a wide variety of fiction and non-fiction, including 7 New York Times bestsellers and 2 Oprah’s Book Club picks. They collaborate with authors to bring their stories to life and specialize in memoir and speculative fiction.
They are passionate about diversifying publishing and believes everyone has a story to tell. When they aren’t collaborating on books, their life still revolves around creativity. A visual artist and writer, they believe that art and storytelling can change - and heal - the world.
Fun Fact: Miles has befriended manta rays, foxes, and elephants - but don’t tell their extremely jealous Siamese cat.
