Happy Wednesday, writers!
Here are 26 agents who opened to queries in the past week (May 27 - June 2), along with information about what they’re looking for, some of their published titles, and their query link.
If you missed last week: 6 other agents opened to queries. Check out the list here!
Note that some of these agents may already be closed to queries.
Best of luck, and happy querying!
This newsletter is purely informational and is not an endorsement of any particular agent or agency.
Suzie represents all brands of children’s and adult fiction. She loves women’s fiction, narrative non-fiction, memoir, and debut fiction. On the children’s side, she is interested in select YA and MG. Suzie loves strong characters and voice-driven stories that break out of the typical tropes of their genres, and she’s always looking for unique new voices in stories.
Published titles: Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard, Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross, Losing It by Cora Carmack
Julia is interested primarily in literary and upmarket fiction and memoir, and especially stories grappling with racial, religious, sexual or national identity, narrative nonfiction, journalism, and history. She does not represent thrillers, any children’s literature or books about spirituality or Christianity. Her clients include New York Times Best Sellers Brit Bennett and Etaf Rum, Barnes & Noble Discover picks John Freeman Gill, K-Ming Chang and Leah Franqui, Center For Fiction Emerging Writer Fellow Melissa Rivero, Moriel Rothman-Zecher, Marcelo Hernandez Castillo, and others.
Published titles: A Woman Is No Man by Etaf Rum, The Mothers by Brit Bennett, Disability Visibility by Alice Wong
Anna represents a wide range of fiction and non-fiction and a bit of poetry. She has worked with authors such as Samantha Harvey, Sarah Moss, and David Szalay since the beginning of their careers, and it is a particular joy for her to see their work evolve and go from strength to strength. Her authors have won or been nominated for all major prizes.
She is always on the lookout for new, exciting voices. Anna loves books that challenge our understanding of form and genre and is particularly drawn to writing that is many-layered and nuanced and explores the possibilities of language. She is drawn to novels that deal with memory and truth - or our understanding of truth - and she prefers moral ambiguity to moral absolutism. Anna enjoys books that make her laugh or challenge her certainties. There is nothing like a good uncomfortable read from the likes of Ottessa Moshfegh to keep her on her toes. With some notable exceptions - Emily St John Mandel, to mention just one – she prefers novels that are set in the here and now.
In non-fiction, Anna loves the overlooked and unexpected. No matter what the book is about, she can be drawn in by the author’s passion for and knowledge of the subject. She loves to be guided by the intense gaze of a curious mind. Anna enjoys books that approach their subject at an angle and draw new and astonishing connections. She is particularly interested in books about art, the body, the mind, and the natural world.
Published titles: Station Eleven, Sea of Tranquility and The Glass Hotel by Emily St. John Mandel, Clear by Carys Davies, The Alternatives by Caoilinn Hughes
“Because of Alyssa’s feedback on my query letter, I was able to obtain a reputable agent who then sold my book to a top 5 publisher!”
—Bailey Evers, contemporary romance author
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Actively looking for NA Books across all genres, Isabelle is also interested in Adult, Young Adult, and Middle-Grade Fantasy, as well as both Upmarket and Commercial Adult, all with never-before-seen worldbuilding, unique characters, strong plotting, and compulsive hooks. From Dark Academia to Epic, Historical, and Contemporary Fantasy with wild adventures, thrilling romances, and dashes of humor, she is always looking for unforgettable characters, strong female leads, and diverse voices.
Regardless of genre, she’s very likely to connect with manuscripts that bridge the YA/Adult divide. She is also a sucker for romantic subplots, whether it be enemies to lovers, slow burns, or forced proximity, she is here for all of it (especially with a morally grey best friend along for the ride).
Miriam represents everything from hardcover historical mysteries to all subgenres of romance, from thrillers to science fiction, from young adult fiction to fantasies, and everything in between. If it’s fun to read she probably represents it.
She doesn’t look for specific stories, focusing instead on finding a voice she can fall in love with and champion. She’s confident that if someone has the narrative drive to keep her up late turning pages, she can help them do the same. Her passion is helping writers hone their voices and discover their strengths.
Published titles: Full Moon Rising by Keri Arthur, The Scent of Shadows by Vicki Pettersson, Strange Angels by Lili St. Crow
Maggie is actively seeking imaginative, genre-bending literary fiction; capacious historical novels; beautifully told queer stories; and smart, feminist romance. In nonfiction, her list revolves around projects that probe our assumptions and invite readers toward nuance and care, with special attention to queer, trans, and other underrepresented experiences; narratives of culture, technology, food, and the environment; graphic memoir and journalism; and gift and illustrated books with a sense of humor or grace.
You can find out more about what Maggie is looking for on her MSWL.
Check out my interview with Maggie here!
Published titles: Raft of Stars by Andrew Graff, Museum Bums by Mark Small and Jack Shoulder, The Strange Inheritance of Leah Fern by Rita Zoe Chin
Erica represents a wide variety of authors across middle grade, young adult, and commercial adult fiction. She is most interested in commercial novels that feature an exciting premise and lyrical, atmospheric writing; imaginative, genre-blending tales; speculative worlds filled with haunting, quietly wondrous magic; fresh retellings of mythology, ballet, opera, and classic literature; sharply funny rom-coms; graphic novels for all ages; fearless storytellers that tackle big ideas and contemporary issues; and working with and supporting marginalized authors and stories that represent the wide range of humanity.
You can find more details on her MSWL.
Published titles: My Dearest Darkest by Kayla Cottingham, We Were Restless Things by Cole Nagamatsu, The Buried and the Bound by Rochelle Hassan
Juliet is proud to represent a list of intriguing, clever, conversation-starting writers across both fiction and non-fiction. Most of her authors write contemporary stories, often led by themes of love, identity, and coming-of-age. For Juliet, vital qualities in a great story include emotional depth, authenticity, a warm, engaging voice, and irrepressible energy. She wants to be surprised and to read everyday experiences and relationships told with nuance and color. She believes our lives are rich and varied, and she likes her books to reflect that too.
Juliet is drawn to rich and multi-layered stories of women, families, friendships, and relationships, and she loves small communities with lots going on beneath the surface. She prefers the small and intimate to the epic and world-affecting.
She aims to bring under-published experiences to both editors and readers, broadening the books being published to include everyone. As a feminist, she celebrates books that empower readers or make them feel recognized and heard.
Alongside literary, book club, and commercial fiction, Juliet represents non-fiction writers, including narrative writing on relationships, pop culture, social history, and food, as well as a small number of cookery and other illustrated books. Please note that she is not currently considering memoirs. Juliet loves memoir writing but acknowledges it is a very difficult time to find space for new voices, and she is currently working with enough memoirs.
Published titles: The Last Pilot by Benjamin Johncock, Good Intentions by Kasim Ali, Housegirl by Michael Donkor
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Tara has a strong preference for commercial, plot-driven fiction and represents a broad range of writers from all walks of life. She is particularly drawn to psychological suspense, historical fiction, crime, and female-focused stories about life, love, and relationships. In non-fiction, she seeks projects centered on big ideas told through a personal and accessible lens.
As a mother of three, she couldn’t resist signing a few picture book, middle-grade, and YA authors as well. Tara is dedicated to building long-term relationships with her clients, working closely with them as a team.
Please do not submit manuscripts if you are not a resident of Australia or New Zealand.
Published titles: The Safe Place by Anna Downes, Red River Road by Anna Downes, The Last Illusion of Paige White by Vanessa McCausland
She started in publishing working for the Australian branch of UK publisher Routledge & Kegan Paul, and then worked for head office in London for two years. She returned home in the mid-80s and began working for Allen & Unwin firstly in sales then as an editor on their fiction list.
Following that was a year at HarperCollins as Publisher of Literature. She joined Curtis Brown as an agent in 1993, and oversaw the purchase of Hickson Associates in 1999 when she became Managing Director. She was the founding President of the Australian Literary Agents’ Association.
Please do not submit manuscripts if you are not a resident of Australia or New Zealand.
Published titles: Terciel & Elinor, Sir Hereward and Mister Fitz, and Frogkisser by Garth Nix
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