John Silbersack
OpenThe Bent Agency·UK
Agent profile summary
- Represents
- fictionnon-fiction
- How to submit
Recently verified·Last verified: 2 Jun 2026
John Silbersack is a literary agent at The Bent Agency based in UK. Their list focuses on fiction and non-fiction. Currently open to submissions, with responses usually within 1 month. Submissions via Email. For current guidelines, check the agent's own submission page linked below.
Age Categories
Adult
Response Time
Usually responds within 1 month
Notes
John Silbersack is listed as one of five active agents at The Bent Agency. The agency does not respond to every query; no reply within one month should be treated as a pass. Queries must be sent to one Bent Agency agent at a time — simultaneous submissions within the agency are not permitted.
Other agents at The Bent Agency
The Bent Agency
RepresentsHorror, fantasy, suspense, thrillers, romantasy, romance
Looking forJenny is currently looking for clients she can co-rep with her colleague James Mustelier. They are seeking all kinds of high concept genre fiction for adults and young adults: horror, fantasy, suspense/thriller, romantasy, and romance. Of particular interest are authors who have successfully been working in the indie space and are now looking to transition into traditional or hybrid publishing, and submissions from BIPOC authors are additionally welcomed. Jenny tends to prefer plot-driven books with strong pacing, novels with an element of magic or fantasy, and stories that are dark and weird in content but traditional in structure and storytelling — she is not the right fit for books with overtly political or extremely complicated plotlines.
How to submitEmail your chosen agent at the address listed on their individual page, or use their QueryManager link if indicated. Include the title of your project in the subject line. Paste the first ten pages of your manuscript in the body of the email — no attachments. For picture books, include the complete text, illustrators should also include a link to your website or two to three PDFs or JPEGs of your work. For graphic novels, paste the first ten pages of your script plus the first five pages of your dummy in the body of the email.
Recently verified
The Bent Agency
Closed
RepresentsLiterary fiction, horror, mysteries, thrillers, suspense, fantasy, romantasy, speculative fiction
Looking forJames represents high concept literary and genre fiction for adults and young adults, co-repping with his colleague Jenny Bent. Together they are specifically interested in compact horror and mysteries with unique hooks and intricate plotting, atmospheric thrillers and suspense novels with a strong sense of place, and unique fantasy/romantasy. They are particularly interested in authors who have successfully been working in the indie space and are now looking to transition into traditional or hybrid publishing. On his own, James is looking for voice-driven literary fiction (including books with genre elements but literary execution) and grounded speculative fiction with high stakes that touches on contemporary issues. Across all genres, he prizes direct, economical prose, complex characters, building tension, narrative gravity, and a distinct sense of humor.
How to submitEmail your query to James Mustelier at the address listed on his agent page, or use his QueryManager link if indicated there. Include the title of your project in the subject line. Paste the first ten pages of your manuscript in the body of the email — no attachments. For picture books, include the complete text, for illustrated work, include a link to your website or two to three PDFs or JPEGs. Do not query multiple Bent Agency agents simultaneously, if James passes, you may then query another agent at the agency.
Recently verified
The Bent Agency
Closed
RepresentsNarrative nonfiction, true crime, psychology, pop culture, technology, pop science, parenting, crime fiction, mystery
Looking forVictoria is most interested in expert-driven narrative nonfiction in the areas of true crime, psychology, pop culture, technology, and pop science. She is also looking for investigative deep dives, illuminating books about parenting (either prescriptive or narrative), and anything geared toward a millennial audience. While nonfiction makes up the bulk of her list, she is also willing to consider crime fiction or mysteries that involve a murder.
How to submitEmail your chosen agent using the address indicated on their page, or via QueryManager if listed. Include the title in the subject line. Paste the first ten pages of your manuscript in the body of the email — no attachments. For picture books, include the complete text, for illustrated work, include a link to your portfolio or two to three PDFs or JPEGs. Do not query multiple Bent Agency agents simultaneously.
Recently verified
The Bent Agency
Closed
RepresentsAdult fiction, children's fiction, MG, YA
Looking forChildren's: MG and YA fiction (all genres), esp YA fantasy with unusual settings/magic systems, YA spec fic/horror/thrillers. Adult: commercial fantasy and sci-fi, horror (social conscience), high-concept/general fiction with speculative/gothic edge, murder mysteries
How to submitEmail - plantqueries@thebentagency.com
Recently verified
This profile was last verified on 2 Jun 2026. PairPi tracks UK literary agents' submission guidelines against their own websites. If you spot something wrong, please email hello@pairpi.com.