PairPi

Contemporary Literary Agents Open to Submissions

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

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Represents

Crime fiction, thriller fiction, contemporary fiction, historical fiction, women's fiction

Looking for

Kate Burke seeks dark thrillers with surprising plot twists and interesting narrative structures, crime series featuring fresh lead investigators, and high-concept thrillers with 'what if?' premises that comment on society. She represents historical fiction combining strong sense of place and time with mystery elements, particularly post-1800 settings, and has special interest in Gothic, atmospheric historical thrillers set in spooky old houses. Burke also looks for contemporary novels with discussable issues suitable for book club debates and sweeping family stories about mothers, sisters and daughters set anywhere in the world.

How to submit

Email kate@blakefriedmann.co.uk with your cover letter as the body of the email and the book title and your name in the subject line. Attach a synopsis (250–300 words for fiction, up to 500 words for non-fiction) and the first three chapters or first 10,000 words as Word documents (.doc or .docx) with 1.5 line spacing and numbered pages. Name each attachment with the book title and your name. Do not send PDFs, Pages files, or external links such as Google Docs. Submit to one agent only.

Last checked 7 Aug 2026Via Email
Represents

Fiction, non-fiction, ya

Looking for

Character-driven, high-concept fiction with commercial hook, genre esp fantasy/horror, high-concept thrillers, voice-led contemporary, sweeping historical, romance/romcom, select narrative non-fiction (memoir/history/nature/science)

How to submit

Email maria@greyhoundliterary.co.uk with a cover letter and pitch in the body of the email. For fiction, attach the first three chapters and a synopsis. For non-fiction, attach a proposal and sample writing.

Last checked 5 Aug 2026Via Email
Represents

Literary fiction, commercial fiction, book club fiction, contemporary fiction, commercial women's fiction, crime, mystery, thrillers, fantasy, genre romance, historical fiction, horror, ghost stories, sagas, science fiction, biography, memoir, cookery, gardening, gift books, humour, history, military history, lifestyle, mind-body-spirit, self-improvement, politics, popular science, psychology, travel, children's, ya

Looking for

SF/fantasy, sweeping historical fiction, character-driven sci-fi, action/adventure, crime. Non-fiction: history, biography, music

How to submit

Email submissions@sheilland.co.uk with a cover letter, a one-page synopsis (fiction) or brief outline (non-fiction), a short CV, and the first three chapters or around fifty pages. Submissions should be 1.5 line spaced with margins and page numbers, and must include a word count. Only one work at a time. No AI-generated content accepted.

Last checked 3 Aug 2026Via Email
Represents

Picture books, author-illustrators, nonfiction picture books, middle grade, young adult, contemporary fiction, light fantasy, near-future dystopian, speculative fiction, psychological thriller, mystery, literary ghost stories, women's fiction, memoir, bipoc voices, diverse voices

Wants: Query letter, synopsis, first ten pages, picture book manuscript, portfolio

Looking for

Allison is looking for author-illustrator picture books, nonfiction picture books, middle grade with voice and a strong main character, YA contemporary coming-of-age, fantasy grounded in reality, near-future dystopian and high-concept speculative work, psychological thrillers, twisty mysteries, literary ghost stories, women's fiction, and memoir. She is interested in diverse and BIPOC voices.

How to submit

Email Allison Remcheck at the spelled-out SLS submissions address listed on the Stimola submissions page. Picture book manuscripts should be attached as Word documents, dummies or portfolios as PDFs, first ten pages of middle-grade, YA, and adult fiction should be pasted in the email, a synopsis attachment is welcome.

Last checked 2 Aug 2026Via Email
Represents

Fiction and non-fiction

Looking for

Fiction: high-concept crime/thrillers, female-led commercial, upmarket commercial, book club, contemporary women's stories, romance, underrepresented voices, fresh-take historical, funny smart romcoms, sagas, gothic, sweeping love stories. Non-fiction: humour, memoir, lifestyle, social justice/polemic, cookery. Not horror/ghosts, not SFF, not YA/children, not sport/true crime, no short stories/novellas, no poetry/screenplay

How to submit

Email db.submission@dhhliteraryagency.com with a cover letter, first 3 chapters, and a 1-page synopsis as Word attachments.

Last checked 2 Aug 2026Via Email
Represents

Picture books, middle grade, young adult, new adult, fantasy, thriller, mystery, adventure, contemporary romance, horror, paranormal romance

Wants: Query letter, first ten pages, author bio, comparable books

Looking for

Lindsey is building a list in picture books, middle grade, young adult and new adult. She is open to fantasy, thriller, mystery, adventure, contemporary romance, horror and paranormal romance, with fresh concepts, strong voice, high stakes and emotional drive.

How to submit

Submit through Lindsey Aduskevich's QueryTracker form. Query only one Martin-Newens representative at a time.

Last checked 31 Jul 2026Via Online Form
Represents

Adult fiction, young adult, contemporary fiction, upmarket fiction, commercial fiction, family saga, coming-of-age, rom-com, narrative nonfiction, memoir, self-help, sports, humor, pop culture, business, science, technology, social justice, human rights, feminist issues

Wants: Query letter, first five pages, full proposal

Looking for

JL is reviewing fiction and nonfiction projects: adult and YA contemporary, upmarket and commercial fiction, family stories, coming-of-age, rom-coms, plus prescriptive and narrative nonfiction, memoir, style, fashion, art, culture, mental health, spirituality, self-help, sports, humor, pop culture, business, science, tech, social justice, human rights and feminist issues.

How to submit

Submit a query letter and first five pages or full nonfiction proposal through the Next Level Lit QueryManager form. Do not query JL by email.

Last checked 30 Jul 2026Via Online Form
Represents

Picture books, chapter books, middle grade, graphic novels, young adult, new adult, select adult, illustrators, commercial fiction, contemporary, fantasy, dystopian, mystery, horror, romance, science fiction, humour

Looking for

Hollie Michaels is building a list across children's and adult work. In picture books she wants humour of all kinds including dark and wacky, kids being kids, commercial fiction, and nonfiction told in an engaging way, and is not a good fit for didactic or lesson-based books. In middle grade and chapter books she wants commercial, contemporary, fantasy, dystopian, mystery and horror with humour, heart and a strong voice. She takes graphic novel pitch packets at chapter book, middle grade and young adult level, preferring author-illustrators, though writers with a real background in comics are welcome. In young adult she wants commercial, fantasy, dystopian, romance, science fiction and horror. In new adult she wants romance, fantasy and genre mashups. In adult she is selective and looking for humour and a unique voice across commercial, science fiction, dystopian and romantic comedy, cosy and witchy fantasy, and supernatural or speculative horror. She also represents illustrators working in traditional and digital styles and does not accept AI-generated work.

How to submit

Submit to Hollie Michaels through her official QueryTracker form. The form asks for a bio, the book title, word count, genre, a covering letter, a synopsis and the first twenty pages pasted in, with artwork or a portfolio link where relevant. Martin-Newens accepts submissions by email or through QueryTracker only, asks writers to put QUERY and the title in the email subject line, and asks that only one representative at the agency is approached at a time. Mention publisher submission history and previous publishing credits if you have them, and tell the agency straight away if you receive an offer of representation.

Last checked 29 Jul 2026Via QueryTracker
Represents

Fiction and non-fiction

Looking for

Non-fiction: history, popular science, social issues, nature, money/life management, music, sport, film, technology, memoir, true crime, experts with wide appeal. Fiction: literary and well-written commercial, boundary-pushing style with emotional heart and plot, upmarket with satisfying arc, historical or contemporary, genre-mixing

How to submit

Email submissions@watsonlittle.com with a cover letter in the body of the email, a synopsis, and approximately 10,000 words from the beginning of the manuscript for fiction, or a proposal including a sample chapter and chapter summaries for non-fiction. Address one agent only. No AI-originated or AI-edited material.

Last checked 29 Jul 2026Via Email
Represents

Romance, contemporary romance, sports romance, new adult romance, paranormal romance, suspense, romantic thriller, cozy mysteries, young adult

Wants: Query letter

Looking for

Roxanne, listed as Roxie on the submissions page, is open to romance subgenres including contemporary, sports, new adult and paranormal, as well as suspense, romantic thrillers, cozy mysteries, young adult, and more.

How to submit

Submit through SBR Media's submissions page and choose Roxie or Roxanne Madar. Query only one SBR Media agent at a time.

Last checked 17 Jul 2026Via QueryManager
Represents

Contemporary romance, paranormal romance, dark romance, erotic romance, science fiction romance, romantic thriller, bdsm, erotica, women's fiction, thriller, suspense

Wants: Query letter

Looking for

Nikki is particularly looking for heart-stopping epic romances, gritty nail-biting thrillers with clever twists, and captivating, unique writing styles. Her listed categories include contemporary romance, paranormal romance, dark romance, erotic romance, sci-fi romance, romantic thriller, BDSM, erotica, women's fiction, thriller, and suspense.

How to submit

Submit through SBR Media's submissions page and choose Nikki Groom. Query only one SBR Media agent at a time.

Last checked 17 Jul 2026Via QueryManager
Represents

Dark romance, romantic suspense, paranormal romance, contemporary romance, romantic comedy, erotica, bdsm, lgbtq and romance, suspense, christian fiction

Wants: Query letter

Looking for

Kim is open to dark romance, romantic suspense, paranormal romance, contemporary romance, romantic comedy, erotica, BDSM, LGBTQ+ romance, suspense, Christian fiction, and may consider other genres outside the listed categories.

How to submit

Submit through SBR Media's submissions page and choose Kim Tatum. Query only one SBR Media agent at a time.

Last checked 17 Jul 2026Via QueryManager
Represents

Dark romance, romantic suspense, paranormal romance, contemporary romance, romantic comedy, erotica, bdsm, lgbtq and romance, suspense, christian fiction

Wants: Query letter

Looking for

Laura is open to dark romance, romantic suspense, paranormal romance, contemporary romance, romantic comedy, erotica, BDSM, LGBTQ+ romance, suspense, Christian fiction, and may consider other genres outside the listed categories.

How to submit

Submit through SBR Media's submissions page and choose Laura Pink. Query only one SBR Media agent at a time.

Last checked 17 Jul 2026Via QueryManager
Represents

Contemporary romance, romantasy, new adult romance, sports romance, paranormal romance, romantic suspense, romantic comedy, young adult romance, women's fiction, cozy mysteries, nonfiction

Wants: Query letter

Looking for

Amanda is open to contemporary romance, romantasy, new adult romance, sports romance, paranormal romance, romantic suspense, romcom, young adult romance, women's fiction, cozy mysteries, and may consider nonfiction.

How to submit

Submit through SBR Media's submissions page and choose Amanda Wooden. Query only one SBR Media agent at a time.

Last checked 17 Jul 2026Via QueryManager
Represents

Contemporary romance, romantic comedy, dark romance, romantic suspense, paranormal romance, thriller, erotica, nonfiction

Wants: Query letter

Looking for

Dani is open to contemporary romance, romantic comedy, dark romance, romantic suspense, paranormal romance, thriller, erotica, and may consider nonfiction depending on topic. SBR notes she is looking for authors with a strong social media following and presence.

How to submit

Submit through SBR Media's submissions page and choose Dani Sanchez. Query only one SBR Media agent at a time.

Last checked 17 Jul 2026Via QueryManager
Represents

Thriller, mystery, historical fiction, contemporary fiction, romance, science fiction, narrative nonfiction, memoir, biography, middle grade

Wants: Query letter, first chapter

Looking for

Ronald is focused on cinematic stories with strong hooks and relatable characters, and is actively looking for thriller and mystery, historical and contemporary fiction, romance, grounded science fiction, narrative nonfiction, memoir and biography, and middle grade.

How to submit

Email a query letter to assistant@bookhaven.com with the word "Query" in the subject line and the first chapter attached as a Word document.

Last checked 13 Jul 2026Via Email
Represents

Women's fiction, historical fiction, grounded speculative fiction, contemporary romance, thriller, psychological suspense, book club fiction, commercial fiction

Wants: Query letter, synopsis, first three chapters, proposal, sample chapters, bio, publishing history

Looking for

Amy Tannenbaum represents women's fiction, historical fiction, grounded speculative fiction, contemporary romance, thriller, psychological suspense, fiction in the sweet spot between literary and commercial, and works by marginalized voices.

How to submit

Send queries for Amy Tannenbaum to atannenbaum@janerotrosen.com. Include all material in the body of the email with no attachments. Jane Rotrosen Agency asks writers to query one agent at the agency and include a concise description, relevant bio, publishing history, and for fiction a synopsis and first three chapters or for nonfiction a proposal and sample chapters.

Last checked 9 Jul 2026Via Email
Represents

Young adult, middle grade, picture books, contemporary fiction, contemporary fantasy, fantasy, speculative fiction, suspense, romance, historical fiction

Wants: Query letter, synopsis, author bio, sample pages

Looking for

Daniele is open to YA, middle grade, and picture books. She prioritizes contemporary but is also open to contemporary fantasy, selective fantasy/speculative, suspense, romance, and historical, especially lyrical, literary, voice-driven work by diverse authors.

How to submit

Query Daniele through her official QueryManager link. For children's and YA, include query letter, synopsis, first three consecutive chapters up to 25 pages, author bio, and any relevant illustrations.

Last checked 9 Jul 2026Via QueryManager
Represents

New adult, adult fiction, young adult, middle grade, fantasy, upmarket fiction, commercial fiction, dark academia, epic fantasy, historical fantasy, contemporary fantasy, romance, diverse voices

Wants: Query letter

Looking for

Isabelle is actively looking for New Adult books across genres and is also interested in adult, young adult, and middle grade fantasy plus upmarket and commercial adult fiction with worldbuilding, unique characters, strong plotting, hooks, romantic subplots, and diverse voices.

How to submit

Submit through Isabelle Rader's Codex Literary online query form. Codex asks writers to choose only one Codex agent and notes that it cannot represent authors who have worked with one of its agents on Reedsy or work-for-hire projects.

Last checked 9 Jul 2026Via Online Form
Represents

Fiction and non-fiction

Looking for

Contemporary, historical and literary fiction, crime and thrillers, memoir, biography, narrative history

How to submit

Email isobel@blakefriedmann.co.uk with a cover letter in the body of the email. Attach a synopsis of 250-300 words and the first three chapters or first 10,000 words as Word documents (.doc or .docx). Include the book title and your name in the subject line. For non-fiction, attach a synopsis of up to 500 words, a chapter plan, and two sample chapters.

Last checked 9 Jul 2026Via Email
Represents

Literary fiction, upmarket fiction, memoir, narrative nonfiction, contemporary fiction, historical fiction, mystery, thriller, food writing, journalism

Wants: Query letter, first five pages, author bio

Looking for

Kate is particularly interested in literary and upmarket fiction, memoir and narrative nonfiction that contributes to conversations that move society forward, with strong narrative voices and clear confidence of intention.

How to submit

Submit through Kate Garrick's QueryManager form. Submit to only one SLM agent at a time, no response within 12 weeks means pass.

Last checked 9 Jul 2026Via QueryManager
Represents

Young adult, science fiction, fantasy, horror, romance, mystery, thriller, literary fiction, historical fiction, contemporary fiction

Wants: Query letter, first three chapters, full proposal for nonfiction

Looking for

Laura represents YA, science fiction, fantasy, horror, romance, mystery, thriller, literary fiction with speculative elements, and select contemporary and historical fiction. She is aggressively looking in adult horror, mystery, and thriller, and is interested in genre-crossing work.

How to submit

Submit through QueryManager. Follow standard query-letter format, query one Headwater agent at a time, and do not email queries.

Last checked 9 Jul 2026Via QueryManager
Represents

Picture books, middle grade, graphic novels, young adult, children's, adult projects, illustration, author-illustrators, fantasy, magical realism, contemporary, romance

Wants: Query letter, first ten pages, synopsis, artwork samples, portfolio link

Looking for

Marissa is open to a wide range of children's book authors, illustrators and author-illustrators, and is especially looking for stories by underrepresented and marginalized creators.

How to submit

Submit through Marissa Brown's QueryManager form. Query only one Pippin agent at a time.

Last checked 9 Jul 2026Via Online Form
Represents

Commercial fiction, literary fiction, suspense, women's fiction, contemporary romance, young adult, journalistic nonfiction, memoir

Wants: Query letter, first chapter

Looking for

Rebecca is interested in commercial and literary fiction with a focus on literary novels of suspense, women's fiction, contemporary romance, and young adult, as well as journalistic nonfiction and memoir. Most of all, she is looking for great stories told in strong voices.

How to submit

Email queries@rfliterary.com with only a brief query letter of no more than three paragraphs and the first chapter pasted into the email, not exceeding fifteen double-spaced pages. Do not send attachments. Queries sent directly to Rebecca are deleted.

Last checked 9 Jul 2026Via Email
Represents

Children's books, adult contemporary fiction, upmarket fiction, speculative fiction, light fantasy, magical realism, romantic comedy, thriller, mystery, suspense, horror, picture books, chapter books, middle grade, young adult

Wants: Query letter, synopsis, full manuscript, full proposal, artwork samples

Looking for

Savannah Brooks is an associate literary agent whose official personal site says she joined KT Literary in 2022 and represents all of kid lit plus adult contemporary and upmarket fiction, speculative/light fantasy/magical realism, romcoms, thrillers, mystery, suspense, and horror. She is especially interested in stories that teach her something new, add to a larger sociopolitical conversation, and highlight underrepresented identities and cultures.

How to submit

Submit through Savannah Brooks's QueryManager route. The live form asks writers to check her website before submitting, confirm whether the project has been submitted to her before, and include author details, title, word count, genre, query letter, synopsis, and full manuscript or nonfiction proposal, artwork samples may be uploaded if applicable. The form says she is only open to children's books by request or referral, so public unsolicited submissions should match the currently open adult categories.

Last checked 8 Jul 2026Via Online Form
Represents

Middle grade, young adult, adult fiction, adult nonfiction, contemporary fiction, grounded fantasy, horror, mystery, cozy mystery, romantic suspense, cookbooks, health, fitness, advocacy, bipoc voices

Wants: Query letter, first 50 pages, proposal

Looking for

Stefanie is exclusively taking on clients systemically excluded from publishing, with a focus on BIPOC authors. She is seeking MG, YA, and adult fiction and nonfiction, especially gutsy contemporary, grounded fantasy, horror, mystery, cozy mysteries, romantic suspense, cookbooks from immigrant perspectives, and advocacy-centered nonfiction around sports/exercise science, health, fitness, nutrition, medicine, and animals.

How to submit

Submit through Stefanie Molina-Santos's QueryTracker form with a query plus the first 50 pages, or a full proposal for nonfiction.

Last checked 8 Jul 2026Via QueryTracker
Represents

Debut fiction, horror, new adult, paranormal fiction, science fiction, fantasy, thriller, romance, mystery, suspense, contemporary romance, sapphic romance, upmarket fiction, dark romance, dystopian, speculative fiction

Wants: Query letter

Looking for

Sade and Beck Literary are seeking romance, character-driven stories, unique trope mash-ups, books by BIPOC authors, mystery, suspense, thriller, contemporary romance, sapphic romance, upmarket fiction, dark romance, horror, dystopian, paranormal romance, fantasy, m/m romance, and speculative fiction.

How to submit

Submit through the Beck Literary Airtable form. The agency does not represent short stories, poems, plays, or scripts. No response after eight weeks means pass.

Last checked 21 Jun 2026Via Online Form

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