United States Literary Agents

Books inspired by true stories, book proposals, film and television adaptation, screenwriters, scripted content, unscripted content

Tessa Shaffer is Vice President of Corvisiero Literary Agency, Senior Literary Agent for authors, and Literary Manager for screenwriters. She heads Corvisiero's Film & TV department, is involved in development of book adaptations, takes exclusive book proposals to publishers from documentary content in progress, and is focused on content inspired by true stories in books, scripted, and unscripted work, especially work that lifts voices and creators who want to start important conversations.

Tessa Shaffer is currently closed to book and film or TV submissions and is reviewing new material by referral only according to her official Corvisiero profile. Emailed submissions will not be considered.

Speculative fiction, cosmic horror, graphic novels, dark fantasy, epic fantasy, science fiction, dark academia, historical fiction, adult fiction, young adult

Wants: Query letter, sample pages, synopsis

Toni is interested in speculative fiction, cosmic horror, graphic novels, dark fantasy, epic fantasy, science fiction, dark academia, historical fiction, adult projects, select YA, lyrical prose, complex philosophical themes, anticolonial stories, and non-western mythological or historical inspirations.

Toni V. Sluytman is currently closed to submissions according to the QueryManager route linked from the Looking Glass profile.

Picture books, middle grade, young adult, children's authors, children's artists

Tracey Adams co-founded Adams Literary, a boutique agency dedicated to children's book authors and artists. The official submissions page describes the agency's interests as children's work across every age and genre, from picture books to middle grade and young adult fiction, historical novels, fantasy, books tackling contemporary issues, literary stories, high-concept speculative fiction, unique fantasy adventure, humor, and character-driven picture books. Picture book submissions are considered only from author-artists.

Adams Literary is currently closed to submissions and is only accepting new clients by referral from trusted sources according to its official announcement. Do not submit unsolicited material while closed.

Fiction, speculative fiction, fantasy, science fiction, poc fiction, intersectional fiction, young adult, middle grade, women's fiction, suspense, thriller, romance, lgbtq and fiction, children's fiction, mystery, horror, literary fiction, memoir

Trodayne Northern is Co-President and Lead Agent at Prentis Literary. The official about page says his passion is good storytelling, that science fiction and fantasy are his first love, and that his genre interests are wide-ranging. The agency focuses on high-quality fiction, speculative and other, with rare memoir, and centers representation of traditionally marginalized groups. The official genres page lists agency interest areas including fantasy/science fiction, POC and intersectional fiction, young adult and middle reader, women's fiction, suspense/thriller, romance, LGBTQ+ fiction, children's fiction, mystery, horror, literary fiction, and limited memoir.

Prentis Literary's official submissions page says submissions are closed and that submissions will be discarded. Do not submit unsolicited material while closed.

Children's books, young adult, middle grade, picture books, illustrated books

Wants: Query letter, sample pages, portfolio

Victoria owns Storm Literary Agency and represents authors and illustrators, with a list focused on children's literature across age categories and genres except erotica romance.

Victoria Selvaggio is currently closed to submissions according to Storm Literary Agency's official about or submission guidance.

Upmarket fiction, commercial fiction, young adult, literary fiction, suspense, supernatural horror, speculative romance, romantasy, fantasy, adventure, romance, science fiction, magical fabulism, romantic comedy, speculative thriller

Victoria Marini is Agent and Founder at High Line Literary Collective. Her list spans upmarket and commercial adult and young adult work, from literary page-turners to commercial suspense, supernatural horror, whimsical speculative romantasy, big-world fantasy, adventure, romance, edgy science fiction, grounded magical fabulism, rom-coms, and speculative thrillers. She likes unforgettable authentic characters, hooky concepts with strong plotting and an emotional core, unique voices or visions, quirk, mystery, small-town hysteria, atmosphere, secrets, things that go bump in the night, charm, magic, and humor.

Victoria Marini is currently closed to queries according to her official High Line profile. Requested Thrillerfest 2025 materials have a specific official QueryTracker link, but general unsolicited queries are closed.

Middle grade, young adult, adult fiction, historical fiction, science fiction, fantasy, romance, contemporary fiction, design, cooking, fashion

Whitney Ross is an agent at High Line Literary Collective. She represents middle grade, young adult, and adult fiction across genres, with emphasis on historical fiction, science fiction and fantasy, romance, and contemporary fiction. She is also open to nonfiction in design, cooking, and fashion. She likes novels set in unusual time periods and locations, with or without fantastical elements; trickster-king motifs; subtle romances; tropes turned upside down; unusual takes on old favorites; compelling characters; and emotionally involving plotlines.

Whitney Ross is currently closed to queries according to her official High Line profile and the official High Line submissions page.

Fiction, nonfiction, children's books, literature in translation

Will Morningstar is listed by Laura Gross Literary Agency as an Affiliate Agent. The official site confirms LGLA represents fiction, nonfiction, first-time writers, and children's/young adult and in-translation titles, but the Will Morningstar profile itself was JavaScript-blocked in static extraction and did not expose a detailed current wishlist in this run.

The official LGLA submissions page currently says Lauren Scovel accepts queries through QueryManager and Laura Gross is not open, and asks writers not to query by email or US mail. It does not expose a current Will Morningstar query route, so Will Morningstar should be treated as closed to unsolicited queries until the official site publishes one.

Adult fiction, adult nonfiction, literary fiction, commercial fiction, narrative nonfiction, women's fiction, memoir, history, biography, psychology, popular culture, current affairs, science, parenting, cookbooks

Robin Straus Agency represents high quality adult fiction and nonfiction, including literary and commercial fiction, narrative nonfiction, women's fiction, memoir, history, biography, psychology, popular culture, current affairs, science, parenting, and cookbooks.

Robin Straus Agency is not accepting new unsolicited submissions at this time according to the official submissions page.

Picture books, middle grade, young adult, children's fiction, graphic novels, illustrators, adult genre fiction, pop culture, contemporary fiction, fantasy, horror, novels in verse, middle grade nonfiction, young adult nonfiction

Jordan Hamessley represents diverse children's fiction from picture books through young adult, select adult genre and pop culture writers, graphic novelists, and illustrators. She is looking for stories that bring queer experience to the children's space across all age ranges. For picture books she is only looking for author-illustrators. In middle grade and young adult, she likes contemporary stories with heart and humor, queer joy, cozy or romantic fantasy, horror with ghosts, creepy forests, haunted houses, and murder, children's projects about space exploration, novels in verse, and graphic novel illustrators. In nonfiction, she is primarily looking for middle grade and YA STEM, space, math and science made fun, and underrepresented history including queer history.

Jordan Hamessley is currently closed to queries according to her official linked QueryManager page, even though the JABberwocky agents page still labels her open. When open, submit through her QueryManager page and query only one JABberwocky agent at a time.

Fiction, nonfiction, big idea nonfiction, business, self development, social issues, nature and environment

Rachel Ekstrom Courage is Founder and Literary Agent at Courage Literary. Courage Literary works with writers, experts, and storytellers and is interested in timely and timeless works that make the world better, especially big idea books in business, self development, social issues, nature, and the environment, as well as books that offer a unique solution to a problem or provide wonder, insight, or comfort.

Courage Literary is currently closed to unsolicited and non-referral nonfiction queries and closed to unsolicited and non-referred fiction queries. The agency does not accept snail mail queries and says it only considers human-generated projects, not manuscripts or proposals created with AI.

Adult nonfiction, narrative nonfiction, architecture, history, politics, natural history, true crime, science, environment, women's issues, parenting, cooking, psychology, health, wellness, diet, business, spirituality, picture books, lifestyle, sustainability, reference, sports, travel, gardening

Regina Ryan Books is a Manhattan-based boutique literary agency primarily representing adult nonfiction. Its areas of interest include well-written narrative nonfiction, architecture, history, politics, natural history especially birds, true crime, science especially the brain, the environment, women's issues, parenting, cooking, psychology, health, wellness, diet, business, non-religious contemporary spirituality, children's picture books, lifestyle, sustainability, popular reference, sports, narrative travel, and gardening.

Regina Ryan Books is currently closed to submissions according to the official submissions page.

Commercial fiction, women's fiction, crime fiction, mystery, suspense, book club fiction, upmarket fiction, literary fiction

Rebecca Scherer is an agent at Jane Rotrosen Agency. She represents commercial fiction across genres, with particular interest in women's fiction, crime and mystery, suspense, book club fiction, and upmarket or literary-leaning fiction.

Rebecca Scherer is presently closed to queries except by referral according to her official JRA contact page.

Fiction, narrative nonfiction

Pamela Malpas is an agent at Jennifer Lyons Literary Agency. She represents work in several categories of fiction and narrative nonfiction and is an AALA member.

Pamela Malpas is currently closed to queries according to the official Jennifer Lyons Literary Agency profile page.

Women's fiction, historical fiction, romance, fantasy, science fiction, diverse voices

Nephele Tempest is an agent at The Knight Agency. She looks for fiction with strong, well-developed characters and a story that pulls her in and will not let go. Her official profile and submission wishlist include women's contemporary or historical fiction, contemporary or historical single-title romance, adult real-world or secondary-world fantasy, adult science fiction, diverse cultural influences, underrepresented perspectives, found families, strong sibling relationships, excellent worldbuilding, fresh settings, strong prose, distinctive voices, new twists on familiar tropes, high concepts, and smart flawed characters.

Nephele Tempest is currently closed to submissions according to The Knight Agency's official submissions page. When an agent is open, The Knight Agency requires QueryManager submissions only, asks writers not to query multiple TKA agents simultaneously, and does not accept screenplays.

Children's books, young adult, adult science fiction, adult fantasy, weird fiction, romantic comedy, fiction

Pam Gruber is an agent at High Line Literary Collective. Her eclectic client list includes all categories from children's and YA to adult science fiction and fantasy, weird fiction, and contemporary rom-com.

Pam Gruber is currently closed to queries according to her official High Line profile and the official High Line submissions page.

Non-fiction

Wants: Query letter, first five pages

Jenniea Carter champions stories that invite readers to learn, laugh, and feel deeply. Her official profile says she is especially drawn to projects that hold space for healing generational trauma, often through love, joy, and resilience.

Jenniea Carter is currently closed to queries according to her official linked QueryManager page. New Leaf accepts queries through QueryManager and links Jenniea Carter directly from its official submissions page. If QueryManager is difficult to use, New Leaf says writers may query query@newleafliterary.com with Query, the agent name, and the category in the subject line, and include up to 5 double-spaced sample pages in the body of the email. Query only one New Leaf agent at a time.

Children's books, picture books, middle grade, young adult, illustrators, humor, inclusive stories, animals

Nancy Gallt is Co-owner and Literary Agent at Gallt & Zacker Literary Agency. She seeks stories that make people laugh and think, that reflect inclusiveness and support the well-being of young people, and that bring something special to a child's reading experience. She has a particular soft spot for books featuring animals.

Nancy Gallt is currently closed to queries according to the official Gallt and Zacker submissions page. When GZLA agents are open, the agency asks writers to choose one person to query, query only one GZLA agent at a time, and use the agent link on the submissions page.

Literary fiction, commercial fiction, nonfiction, poetry, underrepresented voices, lgbtq and voices, bipoc voices

Monica Odom is founder and agent at Odom Media Management. The agency represents literary and commercial fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and serious nonfiction, with a foundational commitment to underrepresented voices, especially writers who identify as LGBTQ and/or people of color.

Odom Media Management is currently closed to unsolicited submissions according to its official submissions page. The page says to check back with Monica Odom's QueryManager page for any updates about whether she is open to queries.

Film and tv scripts, young adult contemporary, young adult science fiction, young adult urban fantasy, adult fiction, women's fiction, upmarket fiction, romance, new adult, cookbooks, entertainment, food, health and fitness, lifestyle, pop culture, self-help, women's issues

Wants: Query letter, synopsis, first ten pages, full nonfiction proposal, one sentence pitch, comparable books

Micah Brocker is interested in fostering authors' and screenwriters' careers from the start. In film, she is interested in YA contemporary stories dealing with messy relationships and issues that help young adults put words to their experiences, and YA science fiction and urban fantasy that provide escape while connecting to everyday growing-up troubles. In adult fiction, she likes women's fiction and upmarket fiction about burdensome secrets, messy relationships, and characters with a deep desire to change their lives or the world, especially with psychological, science-fiction, or romantic twists. Her official linked QueryManager form says that when it is accepting, it is limited to romance.

Micah Brocker is on leave and is presently not reviewing queries or taking additional clients for 2026 according to her official Corvisiero profile. The linked QueryManager form is visible and says it is only open to romance, but the profile-level leave notice is treated as controlling for this remediation. Do not query more than one Corvisiero agent at a time.

Commercial fiction, literary fiction, nonfiction, history, military history, biography, narrative nonfiction

Michael Congdon is President of Don Congdon Associates. He has represented a variety of commercial and literary fiction as well as nonfiction, including history, military history, biography, and narrative nonfiction.

Michael Congdon is no longer taking on new clients and is permanently closed to queries according to the official Don Congdon Associates agents page.

Commercial fiction, select nonfiction, book club fiction, historical fiction, women's fiction, older young adult, fantasy, contemporary fiction, crime fiction, thrillers, suspense, mystery, romance, psychological horror, magical realism

Wants: Query letter, synopsis, requested materials

Marlene Stringer represents commercial fiction and select nonfiction. Her official wishlist includes book club fiction that straddles the commercial/literary line, historical fiction, contemporary and historical women's fiction, older YA in fantasy and contemporary, crime fiction, all types of thrillers, suspense, all types of mysteries, romance except erotic romance, psychological horror, and magical realism.

StringerLit uses QueryManager and accepts queries only through the linked form, but Marlene Stringer's official linked QueryManager page currently says she is closed to catch up on requested manuscripts. When open, use the official QueryManager link only, queries sent otherwise are deleted unread. Submit to only one StringerLit agent at a time and only one manuscript at a time.

Adult literary fiction, upmarket fiction, narrative nonfiction, essays, pop culture, arts, history, stem, linguistics, sports, philosophy, underrepresented voices

Mariah Stovall represents adult literary and upmarket fiction, narrative nonfiction, and essay collections by writers with strong voices and interdisciplinary perspectives. Across genres she is drawn to outsiders and stylish, inventive storytelling, especially where subcultures, social movements, and complex individuals intersect with pop culture, the arts, history, STEM, linguistics, sports, and philosophy. She is especially passionate about advocating for authors from underrepresented, marginalized, and minoritized groups, including writers without MFAs.

Trellis accepts unsolicited submissions only through QueryManager, but Mariah Stovall's official linked QueryManager page currently says she is not accepting queries. When she reopens, follow the instructions on her QueryManager page and do not submit to multiple Trellis agents during the 8-12 week review window.

Adult literary fiction, upmarket fiction, historical fiction, magical realism, gothic fiction, narrative nonfiction, travel, health and wellness, ecology, nature, cultural criticism, indigenous voices, first nations voices, bipoc voices, queer voices, translation

Maggie Sadler primarily seeks adult literary and upmarket fiction with distinct character voices, lyrical prose, and propulsive plots. She likes work that challenges or deconstructs genre, craft, or structural conventions; grounded magical elements; folklore and fairy-tale retellings, especially non-Western; unusual concepts; unreliable narrators; liminal spaces; atmospheric magical realism; gothic work outside the Deep South; historical fiction foregrounding marginalized perspectives; adult narratives in translation; and adult narrative nonfiction on travel, health and wellness, ecology and nature, and cultural criticism. She welcomes debut Indigenous, First Nations, BIPOC, and queer storytellers.

Howland Literary uses QueryManager for submissions, but Maggie Sadler's official linked QueryManager page currently says she is not accepting queries during a short medical break.

Fiction, nonfiction, environmental science, government, business, journalism, spirituality, culture

Margaret Danko is Agent and Operations Director at High Line Literary Collective. She represents both fiction and nonfiction and her clients include environmental scientists, high-ranking government officials, CEOs, journalists, spiritual leaders, culture makers, and award-winning novelists. She is passionate about projects that encourage readers to see themselves and the world in a new light.

Margaret Danko is currently closed to queries according to her official High Line profile and the official High Line submissions page.

Big idea nonfiction, narrative journalism, history, science, cultural criticism, upmarket fiction, literary fiction, poetry

Mackenzie Brady Watson is actively looking for compellingly written, deeply researched books that help readers better understand the societal forces and systems shaping their realities and how they might think or behave differently, including big idea books, narrative journalism, history, science, and cultural criticism. On the fiction side, she is seeking emotionally evocative and voice-driven upmarket and literary fiction and poetry with a surprising hook.

Mackenzie Brady Watson is currently closed to queries according to the official SKLA submissions page.

Fiction, nonfiction, romance, genre fiction, commercial fiction

Lori Perkins is the founder of L. Perkins Agency and founding agent at LPA. The official site says she has sold more than 2,000 titles, has had multiple New York Times bestsellers, oversees all aspects of the agency, and currently represents only a few select clients while splitting her time with Riverdale Avenue Books.

Lori Perkins is currently closed to all queries according to the official L. Perkins Agency page.

Adult fiction, literary fiction, upmarket fiction, book club fiction, women's fiction, historical fiction, mystery, suspense, thrillers, science fiction, fantasy, speculative fiction, middle grade, young adult, children's fiction, children's nonfiction, business books, diverse voices

Lisa Abellera represents adult literary, upmarket/book club, women's fiction, historical fiction, mystery, suspense, thrillers, science fiction, fantasy, and crossover speculative fiction. In children's fiction she represents all fiction genres in middle grade and YA. She responds to well-crafted prose, strong hooks, high personal stakes, complex and sympathetic characters, tangible sense of place, lush world-building, non-Western cultural aspects, emotionally immersive fiction, and underrepresented voices. In limited nonfiction, she is looking for middle grade prescriptive projects and adult prescriptive business books for women or by women.

KC and A links Lisa Abellera's QueryMe or QueryManager form from the official team page. The linked form currently says Lisa Abellera is not accepting unsolicited queries, so there is no open submission route at this time.

Adult fiction, literary fiction, commercial fiction, thrillers, mystery, book club fiction, historical fiction, narrative nonfiction, memoir, women's issues, cross-cultural nonfiction, history, humor, quirky nonfiction

Wants: Query letter

Liza Dawson specializes in smart, plot-driven bestselling fiction; memorable, confidently written literary fiction; page-turning thrillers with spycraft, foreign intrigue, or unusual careers; mysteries with brainy detectives; literary fiction for book clubs; and breakout historical novels. In nonfiction she is drawn to cross-cultural and women's issues by experts, narrative history, memoirs about escape from closed or repressive societies, and books by journalists and poets making sense of place, race, the environment, Wall Street, Washington, or the South.

Liza Dawson is currently closed to queries according to her official profile. Her profile says to send only a query letter in the body of the email to queryliza@lizadawsonassociates.com, and the agency submissions page says to query only one Liza Dawson Associates agent at a time.

Adult fiction, narrative nonfiction, commercial fiction, women's fiction, romance, retellings, beach reads, family drama, amish romance, clean fiction, historical fiction, psychological suspense, domestic suspense, history, biography, science, sports, memoir

Lindsay Guzzardo is founder of Keystone Literary Agency and a literary agent for adult fiction and nonfiction. She is drawn to high-concept, commercial premises with clear, marketable hooks and strong voices. Her fiction tastes include classic retellings, beach reads, family dynamics, mother-daughter and sister relationships, Amish romance and fiction, wholesome clean fiction and romance, cozy small-town romance and fiction, rich historical fiction, fiction featuring historical figures, European-set fiction, dark psychological and domestic suspense, and past/present family dramas. She welcomes nonfiction proposals from journalists and experts in history, biography, science, sports, narrative nonfiction, and memoir with a strong platform.

Submit through Lindsay Guzzardo's official QueryManager form during the first week of the month. The linked QueryManager page was checked on 2026-05-25 and says she is not accepting queries at this time because she opens during the first week of the month.

Authors, illustrators, picture books, middle grade, young adult, adult nonfiction, adult fiction, children's nonfiction, gift books, middle eastern voices, disabled voices

Lilly Ghahremani represents a wide range of authors and illustrators on both the adult and children's book sides. Her wishlist includes illustrators from the African diaspora and lesser-represented cultures, worldly children's books and art, children's stories rooted in cultural settings or personal experience, traditional cultural wisdom in modern children's books, children's nonfiction by experts, funny but smart picture books, books for kids of any age that center disabled characters, high-concept gift books with illustration or photography, and picture book, middle grade, and YA with Middle Eastern characters, settings, or themes.

Lilly Ghahremani is closed to submissions at this time according to her official Full Circle profile, and the official submissions page says Lilly Ghahremani is closed except referrals. Full Circle accepts submissions via QueryManager only and does not review direct email or mailed submissions.

Children's books, adult books

Linda Camacho is Senior Literary Agent at Gallt & Zacker Literary Agency. The official team and submissions pages say she has held foreign-rights, editorial, marketing, and operations roles at major publishers and Writers House, received an MFA from Vermont College of Fine Arts, and continues to work with colleagues and clients in both children's and adult categories.

Linda Camacho is currently closed to queries according to the official Gallt and Zacker submissions page. GZLA asks writers to query only one agent at a time and says that if an agent passes, the writer may query another.

Fiction, nonfiction, commercial fiction, literary fiction

Kimberley Cameron represents both fiction and nonfiction manuscripts, with the exception of romance, children's books, and screenplays. While working largely by referral, she is always looking for exceptional writing in any field, particularly writing that touches the heart and makes readers feel something.

Kimberley Cameron is currently closed to submissions indefinitely and is only reviewing projects on a referral basis according to her official linked QueryManager page. KC and A uses QueryManager and does not accept submissions through email.

Fiction, speculative fiction, memoir, children's nonfiction, diverse voices

Wants: Query letter, synopsis, first twenty pages

Leslie Varney is Co-President and Agent at Prentis Literary, a second-generation literary agency focused on high-quality fiction, speculative and otherwise, with rare forays into memoir. The agency centers traditionally marginalized groups who face barriers in publishing and remains open and receptive to all authors.

Prentis Literary submissions are currently closed. The official submissions page says submissions sent through the contact form will be discarded.

Commercial fiction, upmarket women's fiction, romance, romantic comedy, paranormal romance, romantasy, young adult, middle grade, science fiction, fantasy, horror, thrillers, nonfiction, own voices, feminist literature

Lauren Bieker is a literary agent and vice president at FinePrint. She is looking for commercial and upmarket women's fiction, romance including rom-coms, paranormal, and romantasy, YA and MG novels in most genres, and adult and YA science fiction, fantasy, horror, and thrillers. She primarily wants fiction but will consider nonfiction proposals, and she is looking for own voices stories, feminist and MeToo stories, and work by BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ authors.

FinePrint directs authors to check Lauren Bieker's status and submit through her official QueryManager page. The linked QueryManager page currently says Lauren Bieker is not accepting queries, so there is no open submission route at this time.

Fiction, nonfiction, all age groups, diverse voices

Lane Clarke represents books that transport the mind, whether in a fantastical world or the real one. She represents all age groups and is fairly genre-agnostic, looking for fiction and nonfiction stories that have something to say and a diverse list of creators.

Lane Clarke is currently closed to queries according to her official linked QueryManager page, even though the Ultra Literary about page still says she is open. When open, submit through her QueryManager link.