PairPi

US YA Contemporary Literary Agents

82 agents · 44 currently open to submissions

YA contemporary is one of the most voice-sensitive corners of children's publishing. Agents are looking for immediacy, emotional pressure, and a teenage point of view that feels lived rather than observed. The lane can run from Jenny Han-style romance to issue-led realism, friendship, grief, identity, school, family, and first independence.

A word on the search. Some agents list YA and contemporary separately, while others say children's, teen fiction, or realistic fiction. This page narrows to agents with both YA and contemporary signals. Use the broad search toggle on the main directory when you want the wider YA field before checking each agent's exact taste.

Every listing on PairPi is verified against the agent's own website, with the date we last checked. For YA contemporary, the submission needs to show why this problem belongs to this age, and why the voice could not be borrowed from an adult novel.

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Represents

Romantic suspense, contemporary romance, young adult, urban fiction, erotica, suspense, thriller, christian fiction, women's fiction, inspirational fiction, mystery

Wants: Query letter

Looking for

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.

How to submit

Submit through La Sheera Lee's QueryTracker form. Query only one SBR Media agent at a time.

Last checked 17 Jul 2026Via QueryTracker
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, 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

Commercial women's fiction, ya, contemporary romance, thrillers, suspense, historical fiction

Wants: Query letter, synopsis, first three chapters

Looking for

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

How to submit

Complete the form with query letter, synopsis, and first three chapters

Last checked 16 Jul 2026Via Form
Represents

Romance, horror, contemporary fantasy

Wants: Query letter

Looking for

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.

How to submit

Submit via Query Tracker. Unsolicited queries sent to her email address will be deleted unread.

Last checked 9 Jul 2026Via QueryManager
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

Picture books, cookbooks, middle grade, young adult, science fiction, fantasy, horror, suspense, contemporary fiction, upmarket women's fiction, narrative nonfiction, memoir

Looking for

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.

How to submit

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.

Last checked 9 Jul 2026Via QueryManager
Represents

Fantasy, contemporary fiction, historical fiction, adult fiction, young adult fiction, horror, gothic, dark academia

Wants: Query letter, first 10 pages, synopsis

Looking for

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.

How to submit

Submit queries through Query Manager. Include query letter, first 10 pages, word count, genre, target audience, and comparable books.

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

Contemporary romance, women's fiction, horror, folklore, dark academia, magical realism, young adult, mystery

Wants: Query letter

Looking for

Megan is building a list in contemporary romance, women's fiction, horror, folklore-inspired stories, dark academia, magical realism, and young adult contemporary, romance, mystery, magical realism and horror. She especially likes atmospheric writing, compelling characters, found families, banter, and underrepresented voices.

How to submit

Submit through Megan Frayser's QueryManager form. CMA asks writers to query only one CMA agent at a time and to review each agent's bio, wishlist, and QueryManager page before submitting.

Last checked 9 Jul 2026Via QueryManager
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

Nonfiction, young adult, fantasy, science fiction, action adventure, contemporary, magical realism, mystery, thriller, horror

Wants: Query letter

Looking for

Sharon is seeking nonfiction and young adult, including YA fantasy, science fiction, action/adventure, contemporary, magical realism, mystery/thriller, and horror.

How to submit

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.

Last checked 9 Jul 2026Via QueryManager
Represents

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

Looking for

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.

How to submit

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.

Last checked 9 Jul 2026Via QueryManager
Represents

Romance, contemporary romance, dark romance, new adult, mature young adult

Looking for

Georgana (Nina) Grinstead is particularly interested in romance, especially contemporary, dark, New Adult, and mature YA romance. She is not looking for historical romance or paranormal/fantasy romance.

How to submit

The Seymour Agency says it is currently open to submissions and lists Georgana (Nina) Grinstead as an agent contact at georgana@theseymouragency.com. Query by email unless a more specific future form is posted on her official profile or submissions page.

Last checked 8 Jul 2026Via Email
Represents

Commercial fiction, women's fiction, romance, thriller, domestic suspense, speculative fiction, contemporary young adult, new adult, romantasy, subsidiary rights

Wants: Query letter, first twenty-five pages, first chapter

Looking for

Kimberly works with commercial fiction authors from debuts to bestselling writers. She is interested in adult commercial fiction, especially women's fiction, romance, thrillers and domestic suspense, speculative fiction, contemporary YA/New Adult crossover, and grounded romantasy.

How to submit

Email queries@parkfinebrower.com and specify Kimberly Brower plus the category and genre in the subject line. Adult fiction submissions should include a query letter and roughly the first 25 pages in the body of the email. YA fiction should include a query letter and first chapter or about the first 10 pages.

Last checked 8 Jul 2026Via Email
Represents

Speculative fiction, fantasy, science fiction, horror, gothic fiction, mystery, thriller, contemporary fiction, romance, new adult, young adult

Wants: Query letter, synopsis, comps, sample pages

Looking for

Leah is exclusively looking for Black, Latinx, Indigenous, Asian, Pacific Islander and other underrepresented or marginalized voices. She is acquiring YA, New Adult, and adult projects, especially speculative fiction, dark academia, gothic or horror, fantasy with myth, legend, history or fairytale elements, accessible science fiction, YA mystery/thriller, and select contemporary or romance.

How to submit

Submit through Leah Pierre's QueryManager route. Ladderbird asks writers to use each agent's own query page and not query more than one Ladderbird agent at a time.

Last checked 8 Jul 2026Via QueryManager
Represents

Adventure, children's books, juvenile, young adult, mainstream fiction, mystery, politics, law, romance, thriller, women's fiction, comic books, graphic novels, business, commerce, contemporary culture, popular culture, how-to, self-help, mind body spirit, relationships, sports

Wants: One page query letter, book proposal, sample chapter, complete manuscript

Looking for

Paul S. Levine is a literary agent and publishing attorney. His fiction interests include adventure, children/juvenile/YA, mainstream, mysteries, politics and law, romance, thrillers, women's fiction, comic books, and graphic novels. His nonfiction interests include business/commerce, children/juvenile/YA, contemporary and popular culture, how-to and self-help, mind/body/spirit, politics and law, relationships, and sports. He is not interested in science fiction, fantasy, or horror.

How to submit

Email Paul S. Levine a one-page query letter, preferably by email, at paul@paulslevinelit.com. No query-related phone calls. If interested, the agency will request material: for nonfiction, a book proposal and sample chapter, for memoir, a proposal and complete manuscript, for fiction, a complete polished manuscript. All requested submissions should be PDF attachments.

Last checked 8 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

Commercial fiction, upmarket fiction, chick lit, contemporary fiction, dark romance, erotica, family saga, fantasy, magical realism, urban fantasy, historical fiction, horror, romance, lgbtq and fiction, multicultural fiction, mystery, new adult, science fiction, suspense, thriller, women's fiction, young adult

Wants: Query letter, synopsis, one sentence pitch, comparable books, first five pages

Looking for

Shannon Snow is an Associate Agent at Rosecliff Literary and is actively building her list. She has eclectic reading taste across most genres in the commercial and upmarket space, seeks books with a unique angle and authors with engaging voices, depth, and nuance, and is especially drawn to vivid, well-developed characterization and stories that make her laugh, cry, or feel emotion. Her official linked form lists commercial, upmarket, romance, thriller, suspense, speculative, historical, horror, mystery, women's fiction, new adult, and young adult categories.

How to submit

Submit through Shannon Snow's official Rosecliff-linked QueryTracker form. The form asks for author details, one-agent confirmation, title, word count, genre, query letter, synopsis, one-sentence pitch, comparable books, AI disclosure, publication status, and the first 5 pages.

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

Upmarket fiction, book club fiction, women's fiction, contemporary romance, romantic comedy, historical fiction, family saga, speculative fiction, magical realism, thriller, psychological suspense, domestic suspense, young adult, narrative nonfiction, pop culture, cultural criticism, social justice, politics, self-help, health and wellness, parenting

Wants: Query letter, first page

Looking for

Rachel Beck is open to queries and seeks upmarket/book club women's fiction, smart contemporary romance and rom-coms, historical fiction from World War II forward, sweeping or multigenerational nongenre fiction, speculative fiction and magical realism, gripping thrillers and psychological or domestic suspense, contemporary YA, and select nonfiction. Across genres she welcomes LGBTQIA+ stories, Jewish fiction, immigrant stories, body and sex positivity, feminist themes, found or chosen families, female friendships, complex sibling relationships, and urban or Southern settings.

How to submit

Email Rachel Beck at queryrachel@lizadawson.com. Send a query letter and the first page only of the manuscript or proposal in the body of the email. Include the book's genre and word count, keep the letter concise, and do not include attachments, emails with attachments are deleted unread. Follow up only if you have an offer of representation.

Last checked 7 Jul 2026Via Email
Represents

Upmarket fiction, suspense, romance, book club fiction, young adult, nonfiction, cultural and social issues, journalism, lgbtq and, pop culture, science and technology, social justice, psychology, pop science, reportage, media, contemporary culture

Wants: Query letter, one sentence pitch, comparable books, first thirty pages, full nonfiction proposal, portfolio link, ai disclosure

Looking for

Lauren E. Abramo represents a small list of clients at Dystel, Goderich & Bourret with interests across a wide range of categories and genres, focused on books by and about people from communities not well represented in publishing. Her fiction list is primarily upmarket but accessible, including suspense, romance, and book club fiction. Her nonfiction interests include social justice intersections, especially pop culture, psychology, pop science, reportage, media, and contemporary culture.

How to submit

Submit to Lauren E. Abramo through her official QueryManager form. DGB asks writers to query one agent at a time. The form asks for book and author details, a query letter, one-sentence pitch, comparable books, AI disclosure, and the first 30 pages for fiction or a full proposal for nonfiction, illustrated projects may include an online art sample or portfolio link.

Last checked 5 Jul 2026Via QueryManager
Represents

Literary fiction, upmarket fiction, narrative nonfiction, young adult, middle grade, contemporary children's books, lgbtq and, stem

Wants: Query letter, bio, comparable books, first ten pages, full nonfiction proposal, ai disclosure

Looking for

Lauren Scovel represents fiction, nonfiction, and children's books. She is looking to amplify underrepresented stories and voices across genres, especially literary and upmarket-crossover fiction, narrative nonfiction, and contemporary middle grade and YA with a timely, distinctive story, propulsive plot, and diverse cast. In adult fiction she is drawn to off-beat or speculative projects and work aimed at a millennial audience; in narrative nonfiction she likes stranger-than-fiction stories with expertise, curiosity, and beautiful writing; in children's projects she is especially interested in LGBTQIA+ and STEM subject matter.

How to submit

Submit to Lauren Scovel through the official QueryTracker or QueryManager form linked from the LGLA submissions page. The form asks for author details, biography, book details, query letter, comparable books, AI disclosure, and the first 10 pages, or the full proposal for nonfiction.

Last checked 5 Jul 2026Via QueryManager
Represents

Adult thriller, horror, speculative fiction, mystery, grounded science fiction, young adult thriller, young adult horror, young adult speculative fiction, young adult contemporary, young adult literary fiction, young adult historical fiction, picture books

Wants: Query letter, first ten pages, full manuscript for picture books, sample art

Looking for

Jennifer March Soloway is actively building her Starling list and is drawn to complicated, deeply human characters and stories about the difficulty of getting along with others. She is seeking adult literary psychological thrillers, horror, gothic, grounded science fiction, page-turning mysteries with unexpected twists, stories that blur the real and imagined, beautiful line-level writing, horror about motherhood, rural settings, scandal, and messy characters. In Young Adult she wants thriller, horror, speculative, contemporary, literary, and historical work, including high-school horror, dark speculative stories, psychological thrillers, grounded science fiction, creepy doll stories, coming-of-age, recovery from addiction, friendship breakups, and historical stories that show how the past led to the present.

How to submit

Submit through Jennifer March Soloway's official QueryManager form linked from her Starling profile. Starling asks writers to query one Starling agent with one project at a time and only through the agent query form. The query form asks for a query letter and the first 10 pages, or the full manuscript for a picture book, and supports sample artwork where applicable.

Last checked 4 Jul 2026Via QueryManager
Represents

Literary fiction, upmarket fiction, commercial fiction, contemporary fiction, historical fiction, fantasy, science fiction, speculative fiction, horror, middle grade, young adult, graphic novels, graphic nonfiction, memoir, narrative nonfiction, history, investigative journalism, nature, science, food, travel, pop culture, cultural criticism

Wants: Query letter, synopsis, first ten pages, full outline, sample art

Looking for

Jane Chun is interested in stories centering marginalized communities and prose that is cinematic and atmospheric with good rhythm. In fiction and nonfiction she is drawn to compelling, fresh voices with intimacy, rich inner worlds, and emotional depth. She is interested in literary, upmarket, and commercial fiction across adult, middle grade, and young adult; select nonfiction; and graphic novels or graphic nonfiction. In fiction she is open to contemporary, historical, fantasy, science fiction, speculative, and horror. In nonfiction she is looking for memoir, narrative nonfiction, history, investigative journalism, books about nature, climate and science, and books about food, travel, pop culture, and cultural criticism.

How to submit

Submit to Jane Chun through her official QueryManager form. If QueryManager is not working, email queryjane@transatlanticagency.com, but do not submit through both methods. For email queries, include the book title, category or genre, word count or estimated page count for graphic work, and author bio. Fiction should include a brief introduction, synopsis, and first ten pages in the body of the email. Nonfiction should include a brief introduction, full outline, and first ten pages of the manuscript in the body of the email. Graphic novels or nonfiction should include a brief introduction, synopsis or outline, and at least five illustrated pages with text, or ten script pages and sample art if five pages are not available.

Last checked 4 Jul 2026Via QueryManager
Represents

Middle grade fiction, young adult fiction, new adult fiction, fantasy, science fiction, horror, romance, mystery, contemporary fiction

Wants: Query letter, first three chapters

Looking for

Jamie Vankirk is currently looking for Young Adult and New Adult novels across all genres, especially work by authors from marginalized communities. Her official MSWL highlights gothic, spooky, atmospheric stories, witches, vampires, werewolves and monsters, non-western folklore and mythology, cozy fantasy, stories involving video games or nerdy culture, psychological horror, one-night stories, compelling villains, queer romance or rom-com, genre blends, voice with humor, drag queens, and sapphic horror. She is closed to Middle Grade submissions at this time.

How to submit

Email submissions@rnliterary.com with a query letter and the first three chapters of the completed manuscript in the body of the email. Include the title and genre in the subject line. Do not send unsolicited attachments. If you receive an offer of representation or publication within six weeks of submitting, send a follow-up email to notify Jamie Vankirk.

Last checked 4 Jul 2026Via Email
Represents

Middle grade, young adult, adventure, fantasy, mystery, thriller, suspense, paranormal, urban fantasy, horror, speculative fiction, science fiction, contemporary fiction, romance, pop culture nonfiction, picture books, adult horror, adult mystery, adult thriller, women's fiction, new adult

Wants: Query letter, first 20 pages

Looking for

Marlo seeks emotionally involving stories with compelling characters and tight plots. She is interested in middle grade and young adult across many genres, picture books primarily from author-illustrators, and adult horror, mystery, thriller, suspense, women's fiction, and romance.

How to submit

Submit a query and the first 20 pages through Marlo Berliner's QueryManager. Picture book queries should include a portfolio link and the full text of the manuscript. Email, social, and postal queries are not considered.

Last checked 3 Jul 2026Via QueryManager
Represents

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

Looking for

Query Letter, Synopsis, One Paragraph Pitch, Comparable Books, First 10 Pages

How to submit

Submit through Query Manager. Unsolicited queries sent to his email address will be deleted unread.

Last checked 1 Jul 2026Via QueryManager
Represents

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

Looking for

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.

How to submit

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.

Last checked 1 Jul 2026Via Email
Represents

Contemporary, fantasy, horror, romance, picture books, middle grade, young adult, graphic novels

Wants: Query letter, synopsis, first 20 pages

Looking for

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.

How to submit

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.

Last checked 1 Jul 2026Via QueryManager
Represents

Young adult, ya contemporary, ya thriller, ya suspense, speculative fiction, adult fiction, narrative nonfiction

Wants: Query letter, first ten pages

Looking for

Erin Harris represents books for adults and teens and is passionate about underrepresented and marginalized writers. For teen readers she is seeking YA contemporary, YA thrillers and suspense, and YA with speculative elements, while remaining open to projects that surprise her imagination and heart.

How to submit

Email Erin Harris at eharris@foliolitmanagement.com with a query letter and the first ten pages of the manuscript pasted into the body of the email.

Last checked 25 Jun 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 13 Jun 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 12 Jun 2026Via Online Form
Represents

Mysteries, thrillers, cozies, contemporary romance, romcoms, upmarket women's fiction, memoirs, narratives, cookbooks, self-help, mg fiction, ya fiction, historical narratives

Looking for

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.

How to submit

Use QueryManager link provided

Last checked 9 Jun 2026Via QueryManager

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