8 New Agents Seeking Cookbooks, Kidlit, Horror, LGBTQ, Women's Fiction, SFF, and?more

Here are eight new literary agents actively seeking clients. New agents are a boon to writers. They are actively building their lists, and will go the extra mile for their clients.

All of these agents work for established agencies with good track records. They are looking for all genres.

Always check the agency website and agent bio before submitting. Agents can switch agencies or close their lists, and submission requirements can change.

NOTE: Don’t submit to several agents at the same agency simultaneously. If one rejects you, you may then submit to another. (Some small agencies share. Be alert to a notice that “a no from one is a no from all.”)

You can find a full list of agents actively seeking new clients here: Agents Seeking Clients .

Ms. Laura Gruszka of Writers House

Laura Gruszka is a junior agent at Writer’s House.

What she is seeking: Juvenile fiction, Picture books, Middle grade, Young adult, Graphic novel, Graphic memoir, Literary horror, Literary weird, Literary genre. I’m looking for authors and illustrators of children’s books for all ages?—?picture books, chapter books, middle grade, young adult, and graphic novels. I’m also open to adult graphic novels and adult literary fiction.

My priority as a junior agent is uplifting traditionally underrepresented voices and stories in publishing. This applies to every category of books I am looking for. If you are a creator who is part of a marginalized community?—?regardless of whether you are specifically writing about identity?—?please send your work my way!

How to submit: Read query guidelines HERE .

Ms. Kara Rota of Thompson Literary Agency

Kara Rota has joined Thompson Literary Agency as a senior agent. Previously Kara worked at Macmillan, acquiring and editing cookbooks, mind/body/spirit projects and other nonfiction for multiple Macmillan imprints including Flatiron and St. Martin’s Press. Most recently, she worked as an Executive Editor at Chicago Review Press, acquiring narrative nonfiction, music, and pop culture titles.

What she is seeking: Kara is excited to represent nonfiction authors including activists, artists, witches, and revolutionaries; cookbooks about more than food, parenting books that see care work as central to social change, illustrated projects that inspire delight, and other nonfiction books that seek to change the world.

How to submit: Use her querymanager HERE

Ms. Leah Moss of Steven Literary

Leah Moss graduated from Lake Forest College in 2020, where she studied Creative Writing, Publishing, and Digital Media Design. A lifelong reader, she’s spent the past few years working at libraries and has always dreamed of working in the book publishing industry. When she isn’t being a professional bookworm, Leah can probably be found playing her harp or tending to her Stardew Valley farm.

What she is seeking: Picture books, YA, new adult, romance, fantasy. Stories from marginalized writers. I’m particularly interested in uplifting BIPOC voices, but I also really want to see work from LGBTQ+.

How to submit: Use her querymanager HERE .

Ms. Mara Cobb of Martin Literary Managemen t

After earning my master’s degree in English, achieving over fifty publications, and serving as the editor-in-chief for a small literary journal, I completed a year-long publishing internship learning the ins and outs of Martin Literary Management. I am thrilled to become part of the MLM family and am most excited about coming alongside fresh and seasoned writers to help them reach their full potential.

What she is seeking: Currently, I am looking for Adult Nonfiction and Women’s Driven Fiction. For Women’s Driven Fiction, I am particularly interested in books with strong female heroines who are in their 20s. The gap between YA Fiction and Adult Fiction is one that I am passionate about continuing to bridge.

How to submit: Use her querymanager HERE .

Aiden Siobhan of Laura Dail Literary Agency, Inc.

Aiden Siobhan graduated from UNC School of the Arts in 2023 with a Filmmaking BFA specializing in Screenwriting and Animation. Before becoming an agent, they interned at LDLA and were an Author Mentor Match mentee in 2022. When they’re not binge reading an LGBTQ+ YA novel, they work as the Art Director for two alternative newspapers, attend film festivals for their documentary projects, and go on road trips with their fiancé and dog.

What they are seeking: MG and YA fiction: all genres, all fantasy subgenres. Diverse ensemble casts, clever voicey protagonists, action-packed, fast paced, ALL the tropes, high personal stakes, and compelling villains. Not the best fit for multiple POVs or stories about war. NO talking animals. Adult Horror: psychological, cerebral. Contemporary, historical, and/or with speculative/paranormal elements. NO visceral horror/slashers. Adult Romance: LGBTQ+ romances only. All genres. Enemies or friends to lovers, meet-cutes, strong independent women, fresh stories with strong hooks, and genre blending. Graphic Novels: Author-Illustrators only. MG, YA, and Adult in all genres, fiction & nonfiction. Anything that fits categories above.

How to submit: Use their querymanager HERE .

Mr. Jack Mozley of Perez Literary & Entertainment

The son of a mining engineer and a poet, Jack naturally ended up with a doctorate in quantum physics and a love of Science Fiction, each using, as they do, a little of the extraordinary to understand the everyday.

When not squinting at a spreadsheet, Jack can be found with his nose in a book or graphic novel. He is a huge fan of classic SF, especially Arthur C. Clarke and Isaac Asimov, as well as Iain M. Banks and China Miéville. Growing up, he devoured every issue of 2000 AD and remains an Alan Moore devotee.

Jack holds a PhD in Quantum Physics from école Normale Supérieure in Paris, France and an MPhys from the University of Oxford. He is fluent in French, speaks basic Spanish, and has lived in four countries.

What he is seeking: Jack is currently open to Science Fiction queries only.

How to submit: Use his querymanager HERE .

Ms. Andie Smith of The Booker Albert Literary Agency

Andie Smith is a Junior Agent at The Booker Albert Literary Agency where she started out as a Literary Intern in 2022. She is also a writer and editor of multiple genres. Andie has previously served as an writer and editor for several local newspapers and magazines in Central Florida and is currently pursuing her Master’s in Public Administration. When she’s not agenting, she’s spending time with her husband and two kitties or hanging out at Disney World.

What she is seeking: Andie is currently looking for Young Adult or Adult genres including but not limited to contemporary, romance, thriller, speculative, dystopian, issue-driven, fantasy, eco-fiction, and sci-fi.

She loves anything that can transport her into a new world and has a habit of getting emotionally attached to strong characters. Her favorite tropes are enemies-to-lovers and fake-to-real relationships. As an autoimmune advocate, Andie would love to see stories with MC’s embracing life through all disabilities, from those that are more obvious to invisible ones.

Andie is not accepting picture books, middle grade, or nonfiction at this time. She is not the best fit for any genres of religion, horror, poetry/prose, or historical fiction. While not a total dealbreaker, Andie tends to shy away from stories with on-the-page cheating, abuse, rape, and reference to self-harm and/or suicide (off-page references ok)

How to submit: Use her querymanager HERE .

Ms. Jacklyn Saferstein-Hansen of Renaissance Literary & Talent

Jacklyn Saferstein-Hansen hails from Omaha, Nebraska, and came to Los Angeles by way of Boston University.

What she is seeking: She’s on the hunt for fresh nonfiction in the following areas: wellness/nutrition/food, mental health, history, science, pop culture, and Jewish issues. She’s interested in helping academics make the jump to the trade market. In fiction, she’s partial to novels with a distinct voice (the weirder the better) and quirky characters in the genres of women’s fiction, historical fiction, thriller/mystery, and fantasy.

How to submit: Send your query to [email protected]

Like this article? For more articles about the publishing world, useful tips on how to get an agent, agents who are looking for clients, how to market and promote your work, building your online platform, how to get reviews, self-publishing, as well as publishers accepting manuscripts directly from writers (no agent required) visit Publishing and Other Forms of Insanity .