US Contemporary Literary Agents

Middle grade, young adult, graphic novels, creative nonfiction, women's fiction, historical fiction, romantic comedy, contemporary fiction

Wants: Query letter, first five pages

Andrea Cascardi represents fiction and nonfiction for adult and children's authors and illustrators. Her official submissions page says she has broad taste but fiction needs an unforgettable voice, smart plotting, a big hook, and unique perspectives. She wants MG and YA with heart, humor, diverse characters, magical realism, pacy adventures, multilayered historical fiction, rom-coms, illustrated middle grade, graphic novels, MG nonfiction, graphic novel memoir, adult women's fiction, twentieth-century historical fiction, rom-coms with a twist, and contemporary fiction with voice, heart, and humor.

Andrea Cascardi is currently only open to submissions through professional referrals, writing conferences or contests she personally attends, and queries she requests through social media pitch events. If she requests a submission, send the first five pages embedded in the query. Her contact page states she is currently not open to submissions.

Adult romance, romance, graphic novels, young adult, contemporary ya, memoir, adult nonfiction, lgbtq and, multicultural, art, cooking, crafts, diy, environmentalism, plants, animals, parenting, media criticism, feminism, queer theory, new adult

Wants: Query letter

Claire represents adult romance, graphic novels, young adult, nonfiction, memoir, and select picture books. They prefer funny, lighthearted, romantic, hopeful books with fast pace, high stakes, emotional development, commercial accessibility, a romantic main or subplot, and a strong hook.

Claire is currently closed to queries. When open, submit through QueryManager only, the agency says email submissions will not be reviewed. Queries should address them as Claire or Mx. Draper.

Literary fiction, fiction, memoir, biography, self-improvement, spirituality, contemporary issues, narrative nonfiction, nonfiction, young adult

Wants: Query letter

Cynthia Cannell Literary Agency represents fiction as well as memoir, biography, self-improvement, spirituality, and nonfiction on contemporary issues.

The agency contact page says it is not currently accepting unsolicited queries. The public contact email is info@cannellagency.com, but writers should not send unsolicited queries while closed.

Historical fiction, horror, contemporary fiction, fantasy, suspense, thriller, graphic novels

Wants: Query letter

Kaitlyn is interested in historical fiction, horror, contemporary fiction, fantasy, suspense/thriller, and graphic novels across age groups, with emphasis on non-mainstream history, psychological or haunting horror, LGBTQ+ storylines, mental health angles, MG/YA and crossover fantasy, and commercial MG graphic novels.

Kaitlyn is closed to queries. When open, submit through her official QueryManager route. Belcastro asks writers to read each agent's wishlist and submit to one agent at a time.

Upmarket fiction, commercial fiction, women's fiction, psychological thriller, contemporary romance, romantic comedy, young adult, science fiction, paranormal romance, thriller, nonfiction, cookbooks, memoir, self-help, lifestyle

Mariah is interested in upmarket and commercial adult fiction, women's fiction, psychological thrillers, contemporary romance and rom-coms, young adult science fiction, paranormal romance, thrillers and contemporary romance, plus nonfiction including cookbooks, memoirs, self-help, lifestyle and how-to.

Mariah is currently closed to submissions.

Kidlit, picture books, middle grade, young adult, contemporary romance, mystery, thriller, illustrators, author-illustrators

Rosa Frazier is a literary agent at The Seymour Agency. Her official Seymour profile says kidlit is her passion, with emphasis on picture books, middle grade, YA contemporary romance, mystery, and thrillers. She is drawn to underrepresented BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, and disabled creatives, and encourages Caribbean and South American stories, folklore, and mythologies with representation of second languages and dialects. Illustrators and author-illustrators are also welcome when she is open to them.

Rosa Frazier is currently closed to queries according to her official Seymour Agency profile and linked QueryManager status. Do not send unsolicited queries while closed.

Paranormal, paranormal romance, romantic suspense, psychological thriller, contemporary romance, bdsm, erotica, women's fiction

Wants: Closed to unsolicited queries

Stephanie is listed for paranormal, paranormal romance, romantic suspense, psychological thriller, contemporary romance, BDSM, erotica, and women's fiction.

Stephanie Phillips is currently closed to submissions.

Poetry, picture books, graphic novels, contemporary fiction, fantasy, science fiction, romance, young adult

Wants: Query letter

Tasneem is looking across categories for work from marginalized authors, especially under the BIPOC umbrella. Interests include genre-inflected poetry, picture books, graphic novels, contemporary MG/YA/adult, fantasy, YA/adult science fiction, and YA/adult romance.

Tasneem is currently closed to queries. The official Belcastro page links her QueryManager route, the linked form says she is closed until further notice, with a separate BIPOC-exclusive form noted there.

Contemporary romance, paranormal romance, young adult, new adult, romance

Wants: Query letter, sample pages

Brittany is looking for novels that keep her up at night, especially YA and New Adult contemporary and paranormal romance, adult witty contemporary romance, and slow-burning friends-to-lovers romance with rich characters, unique plots, southern settings, and happy endings.

Brittany Booker Carter is currently closed to queries. Do not use the agency contact form for queries.

Contemporary romance, young adult romance, adult romance, sweet romance, erotic romance, inclusive voices, subsidiary rights

Wants: Closed to unsolicited queries

Erica is senior agent and subsidiary rights assistant manager at Metamorphosis. Her profile says she seeks contemporary YA and adult romance from sweet to erotic, including inclusive manuscripts from Own Voices authors, and is not a fit for paranormal romance, historical romance, historical fiction, fantasy, or science fiction.

Erica Christensen's QueryManager route currently says she is closed to unsolicited queries.

Young adult, adult fiction, horror, thriller, contemporary fiction, bipoc voices

Wants: Query letter, sample pages, synopsis

Grace is interested in YA and adult work, especially horror, thrillers, and contemporary fiction with powerful or challenging themes. She is especially interested in horror projects featuring BIPOC protagonists and found-family stories.

Grace Milusich is currently closed to queries according to the QueryManager route linked from her Looking Glass profile.

Young adult, science fiction, fantasy, contemporary romance

Wants: Query letter, sample pages

Jordy is looking for young adult across genres, science fiction, fantasy, and contemporary romance without cheating or abuse. She is drawn to strong, funny, intelligent characters and well-developed friendships.

Jordy Albert is currently closed to queries. When open, submit through her QueryManager route and follow Booker Albert's current guidelines.

Picture books, middle grade, young adult, new adult, adult fiction, illustrators, contemporary fiction, magical realism, fantasy, horror, romance, romantic comedy, romantasy, women's fiction, memoir, narrative nonfiction, spirituality, self-help, health and fitness, parenting, business, celebrity, lifestyle, pets, psychology, relationships and dating, true crime, bipoc voices, lgbtq and voices

Lynnette Novak is an agent at The Seymour Agency. When she reopens, she is especially excited about BIPOC, diverse, and LGBTQ+ projects; illustrators for board books, picture books, illustrated MG, and illustrated covers; fiction and nonfiction picture books; MG contemporary, magical realism, contemporary or grounded fantasy, and horror; YA romcom, romantasy, fantasy, magical realism, and horror; NA contemporary romance, romcom, and romantasy; adult horror, dark romance, contemporary romance, romcom, romantasy, and women's fiction; and adult nonfiction including memoir, narrative, spirituality/New Age, self-help, health/fitness, parenting/family, motivational/inspirational, business, celebrity, lifestyle, pets, psychology, relationships/dating, and true crime by experts with platforms.

Lynnette Novak is currently closed to all queries according to the official Seymour Agency about page. The page says to watch her MSWL page for updates when she reopens, but no current open official query route is listed.

Graphic novels, comics, science fiction, adventure, contemporary fiction, mystery, thriller, diverse voices, lgbtq and, gender identity

Wants: Closed to unsolicited queries

Peter represents only graphic novel authors and illustrators. He is interested in classic science fiction, adventure, contemporary stories of life, mysteries, thrillers, stories steeped in diverse cultures and families, and stories that delve into LGBTQ+ and gender identity.

Stimola Literary Studio's submissions page says Peter Ryan is not accepting any new submissions or clients at the moment.

Young adult, adult genre fiction, nonfiction, fantasy, horror, genre crossovers, queer fiction, contemporary fiction, historical fiction, romance, romantic comedy, nerd culture, queer history

Wants: Query letter, first three chapters

Rebecca Podos is Senior Agent at Neighborhood Literary. She is looking for young adult and adult genre fiction, with select nonfiction projects considered. Current fiction interests include character-driven fantasy rooted in folklore and culture, horror as a vehicle for otherness, identity, and trauma, fresh genre crossovers such as cozy science fiction and horror romance, queer contemporary and historical fiction, and romance or rom-com with a strong commercial hook and upmarket prose. In nonfiction she is interested in deep dives into nerdy topics such as TTRPGs, cosplay, and fandoms; strong narrative voice paired with expertise; and kid lit centering queer history.

Rebecca Podos accepts queries only through QueryManager, but her official linked QueryManager page currently says she is closed to queries while working through her inbox. The Neighborhood submissions page says to include a query letter and the first three chapters when she is open.

Middle grade, fantasy, adult literary fiction, contemporary young adult, young adult, adult fiction, speculative fiction, underrepresented voices, marginalized voices

Serene Hakim is an agent at Ayesha Pande Literary. She represents authors in a variety of genres from middle grade fantasy to adult literary fiction to contemporary YA. She is particularly interested in YA and adult fiction with international themes, a variety of cultures, and underrepresented or marginalized voices. She is currently primarily focusing on YA/MG and taking on adult writers more selectively. She loves books that are joy-filled and full of heart, stories that delve deep into grief, and books that explore different meanings of family, home, and identity, especially with a speculative bend.

Serene Hakim is closed to queries according to the official Ayesha Pande Literary queries page. Queries submitted by any method, including the contact page, while an agent is closed will not be considered.

Picture books, middle grade, young adult, contemporary middle grade, historical middle grade, literary middle grade, mystery middle grade, contemporary young adult, historical young adult, literary young adult, young adult mystery, juvenile nonfiction, memoir, narrative nonfiction, parenting, popular science

Shari Maurer is an agent at The Stringer Literary Agency. The official Stringer site lists her fiction interests as picture books; middle grade contemporary, historical, literary, and mystery; and young adult contemporary, historical, literary, and mystery. In nonfiction, it lists juvenile YA and middle grade nonfiction, memoir, narrative nonfiction, parenting, and popular science.

Shari Maurer is currently closed to queries according to the QueryManager or QueryTracker form associated with Stringer Literary. The official Stringer site says the agency works with Query Manager only, deletes queries sent otherwise unread, and closes submissions from time to time to catch up.

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.

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.

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, 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.

Contemporary middle grade fiction, contemporary young adult fiction, own voices, middle grade, young adult

Kara Grajkowski is a literary agent at 3 Seas Literary Agency. Her official wishlist names contemporary middle grade fiction, contemporary YA fiction, and Own Voices projects.

Kara Grajkowski is currently closed to queries according to her official linked QueryManager page. The 3 Seas submissions page says email queries are not accepted and writers should use each agent's QueryManager link when open.

Picture books, middle grade, young adult, adult fiction, adult nonfiction, christian fiction, new adult, women's fiction, book club fiction, contemporary fiction, historical fiction, sweet romance, historical nonfiction, memoir

Mara Cobb is an agent at Lighthouse Literary. She is drawn to strong and feisty protagonists, antagonists with redemptive arcs, curveball plots, surprising twists, and books that are impossible to put down. Her wishlist includes MG with spunky characters navigating life changes with joy and humor; YA with believable, authentic characters, including dystopian, contemporary, and romance; adult Christian fiction, new adult, women's fiction, book club fiction, contemporary, historical, and sweet romance; and adult nonfiction including historical nonfiction, relevant topics for today's readers, and occasional memoir with a strong author platform.

Mara Cobb uses QueryTracker or QueryManager, but the official linked form currently says she is not accepting queries and expects to open again in spring 2026.

Middle grade, young adult, children's books, contemporary fiction, urban fantasy, magical realism, adventure, romantic comedy

Wants: Query letter, sample pages

Kate represents middle grade and young adult fiction and fantastic stories for children and avid adult readers, including contemporary drama, urban fantasy, magical realism, adventure stories, and romantic comedies.

Kate Testerman is currently closed to queries according to KT Literary's official agents page.

Adult fantasy, young adult fantasy, science fiction, horror, speculative fiction, upmarket fiction, literary fiction, mystery, thriller, crime fiction, young adult contemporary

Wants: Query letter, first twenty pages, synopsis, comparable books

Ernie Chiara specializes in adult and young adult fantasy, science fiction, and horror, speculative upmarket and literary fiction, BIPOC mystery, thriller, and crime fiction, and young adult contemporary. He wants character-driven stories with layered worldbuilding, original settings, immersive plotting, propulsive pacing, genre blends, distinct voice, and complex characters.

Ernie Chiara is currently closed to unsolicited queries and is considering queries by personal referral or event request only. When open, he accepts submissions exclusively through QueryManager, email and social-media queries are deleted unread.

Literary fiction, historical fiction, speculative fiction, fantasy, romantasy, literary suspense, thrillers, contemporary fiction, short stories, narrative nonfiction

Elizabeth Pratt looks for fiction from diverse perspectives and emerging voices that turns the familiar on its head, recounts history from a different point of view, sheds light on something previously unnoticed, or makes readers think differently. Her wishlist includes character-driven literary fiction, family sagas, place-driven fiction, grief-centered fiction, historical fiction, genre-bending fiction, fantasy and romantasy that breaks common tropes, mythology or folklore retellings, formal experiments, literary suspense, contemporary fiction with young female characters, story collections, and select narrative nonfiction about theater, documenting history, people behind power, and the natural world.

Elizabeth Pratt is currently closed to queries according to her official linked QueryManager page. Trellis accepts unsolicited submissions only through QueryManager and asks writers not to submit to multiple Trellis agents during the 8-12 week review window.

Board books, picture books, chapter books, middle grade, young adult, contemporary, narrative non-fiction

Wants: Query letter, synopsis, sample pages

She loves highly commercial Board Books, quirky and clever picture books, rich narrative nonfiction, commercial chapter books, and contemporary or genre-bent Young Adult. She's always seeking stories that center neurodiverse, disabled, and LGBTQ+ characters.

All submissions should be sent through Query Tracker. Query should include agent personalization, metadata with title or word count or age range or genre or comp titles, pitch, and author bio. Include synopsis and first ten pages.

Biography, history, memoir, popular culture, music writing, journalism, politics, health, parenting, practical nonfiction, contemporary affairs, social issues, general reference

Nonfiction across popular culture, biography, history, politics, journalism, memoir, parenting, health, practical nonfiction, contemporary affairs, social issues, and general reference. Accepts submissions through referral only.

Sarah Lazin accepts submissions through referral only. Prospective clients should seek an introduction from an existing client, publishing professional, or conference contact.

Romance, contemporary romance, historical romance, romantic suspense, paranormal romance, speculative romance, horror romance, monster romance, dark romance, dystopian romance, new adult romance, romantasy, speculative fiction, women's fiction, historical fiction, mystery, suspense, thriller, young adult, upper middle grade, non-fiction

Wants: Query letter, first chapter, synopsis

She is looking for high-concept, commercial-leaning stories with propulsive and accessible narratives. She particularly wants dark romance, horror/monster romance, genre-mashups, fresh takes on historical romance and dystopian, mystery/thriller and suspense stories with female protagonists, and cozy crime stories with humor and charm.

Submit queries only through QueryManager. Include a query letter, first chapter, and synopsis for fiction. Include genre and word count in the cover letter. Query only one agent at a time.

Horror, speculative fiction, romantasy, fantasy, gothic, magical realism, contemporary romance, picture books, graphic novels

Wants: Query letter, synopsis, first 20 pages for graphic novels

#OwnVoices Horror, Speculative, and Romantasy; Horror including body horror, femgore, horror romance, monster horror, folk horror; Gothic romance; Magical Realism; Indigenous/First Nations works; Cozy fantasies; Picture books with climate change and environmental STEAM themes

Submit through QueryManager

Mystery or thriller, historical, ya contemporary, new adult, narrative nonfiction, memoir

Genre fiction, such as Mystery/Thriller, Historical, YA contemporary, and New Adult, as well as Narrative Nonfiction and Memoir, with a particular interest in underrepresented voices, untold multicultural stories, and any high concept or genre-bending works

Currently closed for submissions

Fantasy, science fiction, horror, contemporary romance, mysteries, thriller

Wants: Query letter, bio, 10-20 pages

She intends to represent marginalized authors and is especially seeking to uplift indigenous voices and voices from the Global South. She's particularly keen on growing her contemporary romance, thriller, and horror lists. She's looking for K-drama-style high-stakes romance, queer rivals-to-lovers sports romance, sapphic romantasy, BIPOC vampire horror with social commentary, and sex-positive, kink-positive contemporary romance.

All ALA agents use Query Manager. Submit to one agent at a time with a polished query letter, bio, and 10-20 polished pages for novels.

Contemporary fiction, literary fiction, historical fiction, lgbtq, fantasy, magical realism, science fiction, pop culture, memoir, humor, creativity, craft, graphic novels

Wants: Query letter

She is primarily interested in fiction for adults, young adults and middle grade readers in contemporary fiction, literary fiction, historical fiction set in the 20th Century, LGBTQ issues, fantasy, magical realism, and science fiction. In non-fiction, she represents books by authors with demonstrable platforms in pop-culture, memoir, humor, creativity, and craft. She is also interested in graphic novels and memoirs for all ages.

Submit query via QueryManager only. No snail mail submissions will be considered.

Picture books, chapter books, middle grade, young adult, adult fiction, contemporary, fantasy, romance, suspense, non-fiction

Wants: Query letter, author bio, sample pages

She loves both contemporary and fantasy as well as the spooky and unexpected. She loves multi-generational stories, matrilineal magic, and is always happy to see high-concept contemporary romance. She also enjoys darker suspenseful reads and loves atmospheric settings that feel like a character. For picture books, she works on both fiction and nonfiction with interest in environmental and STEM themes, animals, emotional intelligence, and books for youngest readers including vehicle books.

Submit through QueryManager with query letter, author bio, publishing credentials, contact information, and sample pages. For novels: first 10 pages. For picture books text only: full manuscript. Response even if passing.

Women's fiction, literary fiction, book club fiction, contemporary romance, historical fiction, mystery, suspense, memoir, self-help nonfiction

Fresh voices in women's fiction, literary fiction, book club fiction, contemporary romance, historical fiction, mystery and suspense, as well as memoir and selected self-help nonfiction

Check agent's submission page

Commercial fiction, literary fiction, women's fiction, contemporary coming of age, light speculative fiction, young adult, cozy mystery, cozy fantasy, contemporary romance

Wants: Query letter

Juliana loves commercial and literary fiction, stories that explore relationships and make her laugh, women's fiction, contemporary adult coming of age, light speculative fiction, young adult, cozy mysteries, cozy fantasies, and very select contemporary romance with a unique and strong hook.

Submit through Juliana's QueryManager route from the agency submissions page. Send only one Rebecca Friedman Literary agent at a time, the agency may pass projects internally.