How Motif Writer, Cortney Casey, Landed Her Dream Agent

We're thrilled to introduce Cortney Casey, one of Motif's early users and an upmarket fiction writer who just landed literary representation! Cortney used Motif to write her novel STILL LIFE WITH DANDELIONS, which caught the attention of Kimberly Witherspoon of InkWell Management, who has represented best-selling authors like Kate Atkinson, Anthony Bourdain, and Dean Koontz.

A former newspaper reporter turned wine bar owner and bookseller, Cortney splits her time between Michigan and Miami, crafting stories between shifts at the iconic Books & Books in Coral Gables. Now she's adding 'agented author' to that impressive list with STILL LIFE WITH DANDELIONS, a contemporary upmarket family drama that blends elements of mystery, suspense, and second-chance romance.

Her journey to representation is as compelling as her writing—after querying a few different novels for two years and fielding hundreds of rejections, she received a huge amount of interest in STILL LIFE. Within two weeks, she had five offers of representation before she ultimately signed with Kimberly Witherspoon.

As one of Motif's earliest users, she's not only crafted an unforgettable story but has helped shape our platform along the way, testing new features and ensuring Motif meets writers' needs.

We sat down with Cortney to discuss her writing journey, the path to landing her dream agent, and how Motif played a role in bringing her stories to life. From the spark of inspiration behind STILL LIFE WITH DANDELIONS to navigating the path to traditional publishing, she shares what it takes to write a novel that makes agents take notice.

Cortney's Story

Learn More About Cortney

Enjoyed learning about Cortney and her novel? You can follow her writing journey on her Instagram and website. 

Author photo by: Marina Simanava