101+ contemporary literary agents whose current PairPi record says they are open to submissions. Each listing includes a source link and last-checked date.
101+ verified agents · 101 currently open
Fiction and non-fiction
Commercial fiction with pace/plot/character and clear hook, crime/suspense/thrillers, high-concept speculative (not SFF-only shelf), social-mirror horror, uplifting commercial fiction with emotional heart, non-fiction: sports writing and narrative non-fiction exploring contemporary social issues
Online form - https://amheath.com or submissions
Commercial romance, fantasy, science fiction, horror, upmarket thrillers, contemporary fiction, young adult fiction, cookbooks, food writing, sports, pop culture, music, psychology, lifestyle, wellness
Wants: Query letter, first 10 pages
In fiction, she is looking for commercial romance, adult and crossover fantasy, science fiction, horror, upmarket thrillers, contemporary fiction and select young adult fiction. She is drawn to stories that embrace genre conventions from a fun, fresh angle. In non-fiction, she is looking for cookbooks and food writing, sports, pop culture, music, psychology, lifestyle, and wellness, especially when approached from a specific, unique perspective.
Include the first ten pages of text only within the body of your email for adult fiction, adult memoir, adult non-fiction essay collection, or children's fiction and non-fiction.
Literary fiction, horror, thriller, contemporary fiction, queer fiction, magical realism, narrative non-fiction, memoir, essay collections
Wants: Query letter, first three chapters, nonfiction book proposal
Nina is looking for literary fiction, horror/thriller, contemporary fiction, queer fiction, and magical realism. She is drawn to emotionally complex characters, family sagas (especially those that focus on mothers and daughters), voice-driven novels, and untold queer stories. She is always on the lookout for psychological horror, particularly queer horror novels. In nonfiction, she is most interested in narrative nonfiction such as memoirs and essay collections, with climate, psychology, and gender/queer studies as top categories.
Submit query via QueryManager profile. Include query letter and first three chapters for fiction or full nonfiction book proposal.
Mysteries, thrillers, cozies, contemporary romance, romcoms, upmarket women's fiction, memoirs, narratives, cookbooks, self-help, mg fiction, ya fiction, historical narratives
Adult Fiction: High-stakes mysteries and thrillers, and funny cozies––especially ones featuring ensembles, intergenerational family dynamics, and/or main characters outside of law enforcement, military, or journalism; contemporary romance and romcoms; upmarket women's fiction. Adult Non-Fiction: memoirs, narratives, cookbooks involving family heritage, self-help with concrete takeaways, empowerment, cultural tradition, and parts of history not typically taught in school. MG and YA: commercial fiction, including contemporary fantasy, horror, romance, mystery, and thriller––including ones with spooky or paranormal elements––especially ones that grapple with identity and/or intersectionality with fresh perspectives.
Use QueryManager link provided
Historical thrillers, literary fiction, upmarket genre fiction, book club fiction, science writing, food writing, history, nature writing, music journalism, memoir, cultural criticism
Wants: Contemporary crime and thrillers; historical fiction (esp historical crime); books with a fresh angle/clear identity; non-fiction on any subject with a strong angle and page-turning storytelling
Contemporary crime and thrillers, historical fiction and historical crime, upmarket and literary fiction with a fresh or distinctive angle, voices from marginalised or underrepresented communities, and non-fiction on any subject where the author has found the right angle and can make the material a page-turning story
Email submissions@greeneheaton.co.uk with covering letter in the body of the email. Fiction: attach first three chapters or around fifty pages plus a one-to-two page synopsis that reveals the ending. Non-fiction: attach three sample chapters or around fifty pages plus a chapter breakdown or synopsis. Attach files as Word documents, not PDFs. Include preferred agent name in the subject line.
Graphic novels, young adult contemporary, young adult science fiction, young adult fantasy, adult romance, adult non-fiction
Wants: Query letter, biography, first 10 pages
He loves lyrical prose, wordplay, and humor. He is especially excited about working with queer, neurodivergent, BIPOC, and disabled creators. In Young Adult, he seeks contemporary realistic fiction and science fiction/fantasy. In adult fiction, he wants queer romance. For nonfiction, he prefers accessible, queer, and neurodivergent works.
Fill out his submission form via QueryManager. Submit one agent at a time, but can submit to up to three ALA agents if one passes. Include polished query letter, bio, and complete work.
Romantic suspense, contemporary romance, young adult, urban fiction, erotica, suspense, thriller, christian fiction, women's fiction, inspirational fiction, mystery
Wants: Query letter
La Sheera is open to romantic suspense, contemporary romance, young adult, urban fiction, erotica, suspense/thriller, Christian fiction, women's fiction, inspirational fiction, mystery, thriller, romance, and general fiction.
Submit through La Sheera Lee's QueryTracker form. Query only one SBR Media agent at a time.
Commercial nonfiction, commercial fiction, health and well-being, psychology or self-help, politics and current affairs, memoir, personal finance, historical fiction, contemporary fiction, women's bookclub fiction
Wants: Query letter
Women's bookclub fiction, Epic juicy generational sagas, Historical mysteries and thrillers, Genre mash-ups, A great triplets thriller, Activist fiction or fiction that illuminates a topical or societal issue in a new way, Experts bringing new ideas that can help people in their everyday lives
Query via QueryTracker only - we do not accept unsolicited proposals or manuscripts
Literary fiction, upmarket fiction, contemporary novels, fantasy, science fiction, magical realism, horror, mysteries, middle grade fantasy, picture books, graphic novels, arts, pop culture, nature, psychology, cultural history, science, wellness, occult
Wants: Query letter, first 10 pages
Literary and upmarket fiction, non-fiction book proposals, select children's books, and graphic novels. In fiction, she's looking for contemporary novels (with or without speculative elements), fantasy, grounded science fiction, magical realism, horror, and mysteries. In non-fiction, she's interested in projects that explore the arts, pop culture, nature, psychology, cultural history, science, wellness, and the occult
Include the first ten pages of text only within the body of your email for adult fiction, adult memoir, adult non-fiction essay collection, or children's fiction and non-fiction. For graphic novels, Maria is only considering projects by a single creator both writing and illustrating the book.
Contemporary romance, thrillers, suspense, ya or na romance, commercial fiction, romantic comedies, fantasy, paranormal romance
Emotionally driven stories and swoony character arcs, contemporary romance, thrillers, suspense, YA/NA romance, commercial fiction, romantic comedies, and fantasy or paranormal romance, but only when the romance leads the way
Check agent's submission page
Mg, ya, graphic novels, contemporary romance, horror, speculative sci-fi, book club fiction, non-fiction
Wants: Query letter, bio, first 5-10 pages
Stories about identity, family relationships, and travel. MG, YA, & Graphic Novels. Contemporary romance, horror, speculative sci-fi, and book club fiction. Non-fiction submissions and illustrators
Send a short description, short bio, and 5-10 pages of text pasted into the body of the email. I do not open attachments
Young adult, new adult, fantasy, thrillers, mysteries, suspense, romance, women's fiction, horror, literary fiction, historical fiction, contemporary, nonfiction, faith-based books, illustrators
YA (all subgenres except sci-fi), thrillers/suspense/mystery, horror, contemporary, romance, new adult, women's fiction, historical fiction, literary fiction, faith-based/inspirational fiction and nonfiction, true crime, illustrators. Welcomes BIPOC and disabled main characters.
Query via agency submission process
Literary fiction, mainstream fiction, mystery, suspense, thriller, historical fiction, contemporary women's fiction, young adult, middle grade, memoir, biography, history, business, psychology, pop culture, popular science
Wants: Query letter, synopsis, first 5 to 10 pages, writing credentials
Maria Carvainis Agency represents a wide range of fiction and nonfiction with special interest in literary and mainstream fiction, mystery, suspense, thrillers, historicals, contemporary women's fiction, young adult and middle grade, memoir, biography, history, business, psychology, pop culture, and popular science.
Email a query letter, a synopsis of the work, the first 5 to 10 pages, and a note of any writing credentials to mca@mariacarvainisagency.com. Attachments must be Word documents or PDF files. Queries are also accepted by post.
Contemporary, fantasy, horror, romance, picture books, middle grade, young adult, graphic novels
Wants: Query letter, synopsis, first 20 pages
Books with pain-in-the-ass heroines, dark and creepy settings with lyrical voices, and books with well-thought out twists and turns. Fantasy should be easily accessible and horror should not make her need to keep the lights on. She seeks LGBT+ books that are about more than just a coming out story and is particularly keen to grow her adult list in rom-coms and fantasy/romantasy.
For Middle Grade, Young Adult, and Adult novels: paste the first 20 pages into the sample text field. For picture books: include a link to the full dummy. For Author or Illustrated graphic novels: include a link to a few sample spreads. Note that for picture book and graphic novel creators, she is only considering author or illustrator projects at this time.
Chick lit, commercial, contemporary, cozy fantasy, cozy romantasy, crime, detective, police, family saga, fantasy, fantasy: magical realism, fantasy: urban, graphic novel, historical, horror, lgbtq and, literary, middle grade, military, espionage, multicultural, mystery, new adult, offbeat, quirky, romance, romantasy, suspense, thriller, upmarket, women's fiction, young adult
Query Letter, Synopsis, One Paragraph Pitch, Comparable Books, First 10 Pages
Submit through Query Manager. Unsolicited queries sent to his email address will be deleted unread.
Women's fiction, historical fiction, romance, contemporary fiction, narrative nonfiction, prescriptive nonfiction, gift nonfiction, true crime, pop culture, motivational or self-help, business, finance, wellness, spiritual, diet, parenting, lifestyle
Wants: Query letter, book proposal for nonfiction
Transportive upmarket and commercial fiction, strong female voices, sweeping love stories, historical fiction, new adult, romantic comedies, quirky mysteries, family dramadies, psychological thrillers, and broad nonfiction topics.
Use The Knight Agency submissions page and the relevant QueryManager link, do not query multiple TKA agents simultaneously.
Women's fiction, upmarket adult, commercial adult, domestic suspense, literary mystery, thrillers, historical, contemporary romance, book club fiction, pop science, business, psychology, cookbooks, memoirs, lifestyle, narrative non-fiction
Wants: Query letter, first 10 pages
In terms of fiction, she is seeking women's fiction, upmarket adult, commercial adult, domestic suspense, literary mystery and thrillers, historical, contemporary romance, and smart book club fiction. In terms of non-fiction, she is looking for pop science, business, psychology, cookbooks, unique memoirs, lifestyle (health, wellness, relationships, parenting), narrative, and platform based non-fiction
For fiction queries, please format email subjects as 'Fiction: TITLE or GENRE or CREATOR NAME' and non-fiction queries as 'Non-Fiction: TOPIC or TITLE or CREATOR NAME'
Middle grade, young adult, new adult, adult fiction, fantasy, dystopian, mystery, horror, contemporary fiction, literary fiction, upmarket fiction, science fiction
Wants: Query letter
Jenissa is looking for middle grade, YA, New Adult and adult projects, especially high-concept fantasy, near-future dystopia, mysteries in fresh settings, genre-blending horror and coming-of-age contemporary work centered on strong emotional journeys.
Submit through Jenissa Graham's QueryManager form from her official BookEnds profile.
Middle grade, young adult, romance, science fiction, fantasy, commercial fiction, contemporary fiction
Wants: Query letter, synopsis, sample pages
She is looking for characters who aren't afraid to stand up for their convictions and beliefs. She's open to all genres of middle grade and especially loves stories that push the Middle Grade boundary. She represents all genres in Young Adult and in adult fiction adores swoony romances, light science fiction or fantasy, commercial fiction, and heartwarming or heart wrenching contemporaries. She enjoys feminist stories that highlight women's experiences, strong female friendship narratives, unique voices, diverse perspectives, vivid settings, and stories that explore tough topics.
Submit through QueryManager with query letter, 1-2 page synopsis, and sample pages of either 3 chapters or first 30 pages. Format submissions with double spacing, Times New Roman 12pt font, 1 inch margins, and indent each new paragraph.
Commercial women's fiction, ya, contemporary romance, thrillers, suspense, historical fiction
Wants: Query letter, synopsis, first three chapters
Commercial women's fiction with a fresh and fun hook, all genres of YA (especially diverse stories), contemporary romance, thrillers and suspense, the occasional historical fiction, and anything that might be read in a day on the beach
Complete the form with query letter, synopsis, and first three chapters
Middle grade, ya, adult fiction
MG adventures (fresh), funny MG with series potential, contemporary and mythology for MG, YA romance with strong hook. Adult: women's fiction, dark psychological thrillers, contemporary funny romantic adventure
Email - jo@antonyharwood.com
Fiction and non-fiction
High-concept, character/plot-driven thrillers, crime series, book club love stories, contemporary romcoms (diverse/own voices), sweeping book-club historical, true crime (no child-related), narrative non-fiction (science/environment/psychology/nature/wellbeing/memoir), self-development for women
Email - amandasubmissions@lbabooks.com
Fiction and non-fiction
Commercial and upmarket fiction (book club, crime and thriller, historical, contemporary), commercial women's/romantic fiction, some lifestyle/personal development non-fiction
Email hattiesubmissions@theblairpartnership.com
Literary fiction, commercial fiction, literary non-fiction, commercial non-fiction, ya, children's books, biography, memoir, history, popular culture, humour
Quality women's fiction including romantasy and love stories, smart contemporary thrillers with a difference, a great northern novel set in the north east or midlands, biography, memoir, history, popular culture, humour
Email synopsis and three sample chapters as a Word attachment, plus author biography, to info@sarah-such.com. No unsolicited manuscripts or telephone enquiries.
Fiction
Character-driven speculative fiction, female-led literary and crossover, book club fiction, contemporary rom-coms, sweeping love stories (historical/contemporary), crime and psychological thrillers, female-led fantasy, romantasy, retellings. Not: children/YA, police procedurals, cosy crime, epic sci-fi, poetry, plays, screenplays, any non-fiction
Elena is currently open for submissions. Send your cover letter, one-page synopsis, and first three chapters as attachments, not in the body of the email. Submit to submission@dhhliteraryagency.com. Only submit to one agent at DHH Literary Agency
Young adult, new adult, contemporary romance, romantasy, fantasy, paranormal romance
Wants: Query letter, first ten pages
Isabel Lineberry is Junior Agent and Rights Administrator at Perez Literary & Entertainment and is building a client list focused on YA, New Adult, and romance. She represents YA and New Adult and is particularly interested in contemporary romance, romantasy, fantasy, paranormal romance, queer and underrepresented voices, strong character and voice, romantic tension, charming villains, banter, morally grey characters, kick-ass heroines, believable worldbuilding, fairytale retellings, dark fantasy, alternate histories, historical fantasy, and occasional steampunk or dystopia. She is not interested in cheating storylines, accidental pregnancy, step-sibling romance, unnecessary miscommunication tropes, or Tolkien-esque hard worldbuilding with 100k+ quests.
Submit only through QueryManager at http:// queryManager.com or IsabelLineberry. PLE asks for a query letter and the first ten pages of a novel or the first ten pages of a nonfiction sample chapter. Submissions received by email or other methods will not be considered or read. Do not send an exclusive query.
Children's books
Actively seeking new clients, MG adventure/series potential, YA romance and fantasy, horror/monster stories, contemporary teen, queer/found-family, SFF across YA/new adult (not grimdark)
Email - childrens@darleyanderson.com
Commercial, contemporary, family saga, genre-bending, horror, lgbtq and, literary, multicultural, mystery, offbeat, quirky, short stories, suspense, thriller, upmarket, women's fiction, cultural, social issues, current affairs, history, journalism, lifestyle, narrative, nature and ecology, politics, pop culture, psychology, relationship and dating, science and technology, women's issues
Wants: Query letter, sample pages
She seeks writers driven by curiosity and discovery, whether through formal inventiveness in fiction or rigorous investigative journalism. She is drawn to poets who have turned to prose and writers whose dexterity with language allows them to articulate emotions or sensibilities. She loves moody atmosphere, setting-as-character, and fantastical elements in literary and upmarket fiction, particularly when genre elements explore where language fails us.
Send query letter and 5 sample pages to only one agent with the word QUERY and the title of your project in the subject line, or submit through Query Manager. Do not send attachments, include all materials in the body of the email.
Picture books, cookbooks, middle grade, young adult, science fiction, fantasy, horror, suspense, contemporary fiction, upmarket women's fiction, narrative nonfiction, memoir
Jennifer Wills is a literary agent at The Seymour Agency. She is interested in a wide range of picture books and cookbooks, especially author-illustrators of sweet and wacky picture books and cookbooks with health-conscious, budget-friendly, or celebrity-chef recipes. In fiction she is interested in middle grade and YA with a sci-fi/fantasy, horror/suspense, or contemporary bent, and upmarket women's fiction with a sense of humor. In nonfiction she welcomes narrative nonfiction and memoir. She wants a great hook, a distinct voice, and work that can make her laugh out loud or ugly cry.
Query Jennifer Wills through her official Seymour QueryManager link: https://querymanager.com or query or JenniferWills. The current Seymour profile also lists jennifer@theseymouragency.com as a contact email, but the public query route is QueryManager.
Fantasy, contemporary fiction, historical fiction, adult fiction, young adult fiction, horror, gothic, dark academia
Wants: Query letter, first 10 pages, synopsis
Crockett seeks upmarket, character-driven adult and Young Adult fiction with emotional depth, compelling stakes, and diversity. She represents fantasy including epic, historical, folklore/fairytale, horror, gothic, and dark academia, plus contemporary realistic fiction perfect for book clubs. In adult fiction only, she also seeks historical fiction that brings a new perspective.
Submit queries through Query Manager. Include query letter, first 10 pages, word count, genre, target audience, and comparable books.
Nonfiction, young adult, fantasy, science fiction, action adventure, contemporary, magical realism, mystery, thriller, horror
Wants: Query letter
Sharon is seeking nonfiction and young adult, including YA fantasy, science fiction, action/adventure, contemporary, magical realism, mystery/thriller, and horror.
Submit through Sharon's official QueryManager route. Belcastro asks writers to read each agent's wishlist, submit to one agent at a time, and use the Submit a Story button to reach the query form.
Literary fiction, contemporary fiction, upmarket fiction, book club fiction, fantasy, horror, young adult, crossover
Wants: Query letter, synopsis, first three chapters
Clara Foster wants intelligent, original fiction with deep emotion, strong line-level writing, and voice-led characters. She is looking for adult literary contemporary fiction with a strong female focus, upmarket and book club novels that are cleverly conceived, beautifully written, and accessible, fantasy and horror that explore the real world or the self, historical romantasy, urban fantasy, academic settings, body horror, lightly speculative fiction, and YA/crossover stories that are political while providing a strong story. She is not a likely fit for commercial women's fiction, science fiction, World War II or Holocaust stories, or narratives driven primarily by sexual assault, eating disorders, a great lie, or death of a child. She is not accepting nonfiction except by referral.
Submit via Clara Foster's official QueryTracker link from her submissions page. Send a query letter, synopsis, and first three chapters. All queries will receive a response.
Romance, horror, contemporary fantasy
Wants: Query letter
She is particularly drawn to books that showcase a strong commercial appeal combined with literary writing. She has a soft spot for stories that break genre boundaries, especially those that incorporate speculative elements or deliver unexpected twists to familiar genre structures. She is looking for stories that are both engaging and thought-provoking, offering readers a truly immersive and memorable reading experience.
Submit via Query Tracker. Unsolicited queries sent to her email address will be deleted unread.
Literary fiction, upmarket fiction, book club fiction, narrative memoir, family saga, high society fiction, speculative fiction, magical realism, contemporary fiction, upmarket suspense, psychological thriller, postcolonial fiction, translated fiction, classical retellings
Wants: Cover letter, synopsis, first three chapters, first ten thousand words, proposal, writing sample
Rachel Yeoh is a literary agent building a list in literary, upmarket, and book club fiction, as well as select narrative nonfiction. She is actively looking for literary, upmarket, book club, global stories, human experience, social critique, class conflict, speculative fiction, family sagas, contemporary fiction, upmarket suspense, psychological thriller, postcolonial literature, translated fiction, classical retellings, and narrative memoir.
Submit through the relevant Madeleine Milburn online form and select Rachel Yeoh where available. Adult fiction submissions require a cover letter pasted into the form and one attachment containing a one-page synopsis plus the first three chapters or first 10,000 words. Nonfiction submissions require a cover letter and one document containing a 5,000 to 10,000 word sample and proposal. Do not submit by post or directly to email addresses.
Children's fiction and non-fiction (to ya or crossover)
Ambitious storytelling, bold structure/voice, fresh takes on genre, author/illustrators, underrepresented/marginalised voices, high-concept contemporary YA romance, horror/thrillers, hooky YA fantasy/speculative, hilarious MG, screen potential
Email - rachelsubmissions@theblairpartnership.com
Picture books, middle grade, young adult, graphic novels, contemporary fiction, christian fiction, family saga, historical fiction, literary fiction, romance, women's fiction, humor, commercial fiction, multicultural fiction
Wants: Query letter
Syrone is focused on strong diverse and multicultural voices, picture books with humor and heart, middle grade, YA, graphic novels, coming-of-age, friendships, family saga, contemporary fiction, Christian fiction, historical fiction, literary fiction, contemporary romance, women's fiction, humor, commercial fiction, and stories with faith, redemption, forgiveness, and strong conversation hooks.
Submit through Syrone's official QueryManager route. Belcastro asks writers to read each agent's wishlist, submit to one agent at a time, and use the Submit a Story button to reach the query form.
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