Here are ten 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.
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Haley Warrington of The Booker Albert Literary Agency
Haley is newly embarking on an agenting role at the Booker Albert Literary Agency. On top of having two romance novels slated for publication by Lake Country Press, she has completed an internship at Booker Albert.
What she is seeking: She is a fan of all things romance—bring the heat or leave it at the door, she’s interested in representing Adult or New Adult fiction. Some of her favorite novels include The Match by Sarah Adams, Wildfire by Hannah Grace, and anything Emily Henry. She would love a story that could comp shows like Gossip Girl, Reign, or You.
Across the genres Haley would like to represent, she is overall looking for great storytelling. Any piece that brings emotion to the front and center and evokes reactions. Make her laugh, make her cry, make her think about it for weeks after the initial read (emphasis on the crying aspect…she likes sad stories).
How to submit: Use her querytracker form HERE.
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Ashlee MacCallum joined Howland Literary after interning at Triada US. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Human Development and Family Studies and a master’s in Education.
Ashlee lives in Nevada with her husband and two children. By day, she’s a high school English teacher who assigns cool books, reads powerful essays, and makes her students dramatically reenact Macbeth. Outside the classroom, Ashlee writes picture books, chapter books, and middle grade novels. She is represented by Amanda Carbonell at Belcastro Agency.
When she’s not lost in a book or spinning one of her own, Ashlee is probably mapping out her next Disney adventure, binging a true crime podcast, or humming show tunes in the kitchen. She’s fueled by caffeine, charmed by ghost stories, and fluent in banned books.
What she is seeking: Ashlee represents picture books, chapter books, middle grade, and young adult fiction.
How to submit: Use her querytracker form HERE.
Marina Green of P. S. Literary Agency (CANADA)Marina Green is an associate agent at PSLA representing fiction and non-fiction. After completing a BA and post-grad in publishing and spending half a decade as a bookseller, Marina began her career as an editor at a small indie publisher in Montréal before moving to Harlequin’s Trade division as an acquiring editor. Marina has always had an eclectic taste in books and is always looking for atmospheric, diverse, and inclusive stories rooted in cultural identity and belonging—and magic when she can get it. When Marina isn’t immersing herself in books and words and magical worlds, you can find her with a cup of tea in hand, trying a new yoga asana—never at the same time—or practicing Armenian, the language of her ancestors.
Kaylyn Aldridge of Metamorphosis Literary Agency
Kaylyn Aldridge has been a ferocious reader ever since she learned how to read. Growing up, Kaylyn spent almost all of her free time devouring the stacks of books she would get from the library. When she wasn't deep in a story, she would write her own. Creating worlds and characters was one of the major ways Kaylyn expressed herself.
In her free time, Kaylyn loves to research underground internet subcultures. She believes that diverse perspectives are key to understanding cultures, communities, and nuances of the human experience. When she is not working or reading, she likes to feed the local magpies.
What she is seeking: Romance (ESPECIALLY supernatural, paranormal, contemporary, romcom), Coming of Age, Young Adult, LGBT+
A plus if any of genres listed above feature Black protagonists, and I love characters that feel ALIVE.
How to submit: Use her querytracker form HERE. (Open to queries December, June, and July)
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Anna Ange of Liza Dawson Associates
Anna graduated from Mount Holyoke in 2022 with B.A. in English and French Literature. She then went on to participate in the Writers House Internship Program. Anna spends her free time scavenging for and tumbling rocks, playing Fire Emblem, organizing independently published zine projects, and, of course, reading.
What she is seeking:
- Adult literary/genre crossover. Literary forward novels that play with horror, speculative, or “weird” elements. Interesting prose, mind boggling premises. Satire also welcome.
- Fiction that is not technically horror, but evokes a sense of horror nonetheless.
- True genre horror. No holds barred.
- Queer historical fiction & historical fantasy, especially set before the year 1900.
- Narrative non-fiction or essays that center on niche and surprising topics.
- Adult Graphic novels (fiction): Small-scale, intimate but existential stories set against fantastical backgrounds, historical fantasy, horror/gothic/noir with romantic subplots. Unique and inventive art styles.
- Adult Graphic novels (non-fiction): history and memoir.
- Autumnal, spooky/horror-adjacent, middle grade prose or graphic novels that take on complicated, relevant issues.
How to submit: If you are interested in querying Anna, for prose: please send a query in the body of the email, and first three chapters or 25 pages in a word document to queryanna@lizadawson.com.
For graphic novels, please send a query to queryanna@lizadawson.com, which should include a full story synopsis, rendered character art, and at least five completed spreads, but no more than ten completed spreads. You may also send a general portfolio. Your graphic novel SHOULD NOT be complete at the time of querying.
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Kieron Fairweather of Peters Fraser & Dunlop (UK)
Mr. Carter Hasegawa of Tugeau 2, Inc.
Carter is incredibly proud of the work he did while at Candlewick, but he’s especially looking forward to finding and developing new talent – authors, author-illustrators, illustrators – and having a hand in crafting some of the best books out there.
When asked what he’s looking for in a book, he compares it to a particular scene from the movie version of The NeverEnding Story: “The main character, Bastian, is so drawn to a book he finds at a used bookstore that he steals away with it and hides out in his school’s attic and begins to read. In that moment, all that matters is the book. To hold it, turn its pages, fall into its story . . . it’s magic.”
In addition to the already-mentioned titles, some of his favorite books include Watercress, My Papi Has a Motorcycle, Big, Tar Beach, Wednesday Wars, Ender’s Game, The Perks of Being a Wallflower, The Notorious Benedict Arnold, and SO MANY others. Carter is also an active mentor/speaker for SCBWI, The Writing Barn, Inked Voices, and more.
Originally from Seattle, he now lives in Boston with his librarian wife and their two young sons.
What he is seeking: Carter is open to Author, Illustrator and Author-Illustrator submissions: Picture Books, MG, YA (fiction and nonfiction).
How to submit: Use his form HERE.
_______________________Kathy Palokoff of Savvy Literary Services
Kathy Palokoff is an associate literary agent at Savvy Literary where she apprenticed under Leticia Gomez, the founder of the firm and one of the top ranking literary agents in the United States. Kathy has a long career as a storyteller and promoter of storytellers. Her specialty is working with changemakers who want to inspire others and find a broader platform. She is particularly interested in helping authors whose books represent diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Writer, editor, content developer, brand builder, and marketer, her greatest joy is working directly with authors and watching a book come to life. Her clients describe her as highly empathic while being direct and focused on their success.
She is the co-author of Firestarters: How Innovators, Instigators, and Initiators Can Inspire Your Own Life and Dismissed: Tackling the Biases That Undermine Our Health Care, a March 2023 release by Kensington Publishing. Kathy has written numerous book proposals that have received publisher offers such as: Brilliance Beyond Borders, More Alike Than Different, and Transforming Your Life Through Self Care.
She has acted as the ghostwriter or editor for multiple authors in memoirs, self-help, business books and novels such as Black Sheep: A Blue-Eyed Negro Speaks of Abandonment, Belonging, Racism and Redemption; Overcoming the Darkness: Shining Light on Mental Illness, Trauma and Suicide in Law Enforcement; People Economics: Defining and Measuring the True Value of Human Capital; You’re Already a Wealth Heiress; It’s Always Your Move: Purposeful Progress for Corporate Career Women; The Amazing Adventures of Anything Boy; and Amazing Grace: How My Father Taught Me to Rejoice in the Word of Our Father.
An active writer and editor for decades, Kathy holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from West Virginia University, a master’s in public administration from SUNY at Brockport, and has completed all doctorate courses from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in technical writing and rhetoric.
Najla is an avid reader and loves great first chapters, immersive world building, deep character profiles, and well-rounded dialogue. She teaches workshops at several writing conferences, including Common Mistakes In First Chapters, Writing Rules That Can Be Broken, Self-Editing Before the Query, Getting The History And Voice Right, and many other topics. She is co-chair of American Association of Literary Agents’ Professional Development committee and member of the People of Publishing planning committee for the AALA’s annual meeting of literary agents, editors, and publishing professionals.
What she is seeeking: In nonfiction, Najla gravitates towards narrative nonfiction, true crime, memoir, biography, business/economics, leadership, and stories inspired by lesser known people, professions and crafts (builders, designers, architects), musicians/artists/creators, daredevils, athletes, etc.
In fiction, Najla is drawn to voice-driven, emotionally immersive historical fiction, cinematic thriller/suspense (with series potential), horror with surprise endings and twists (especially psychological), speculative (such as alternative history), and magical realism (light fantasy or romantasy). She would like to add more new adult to her list as well as older protagonists. She would also like to see a cozy mystery with an amateur sleuth in her inbox. She does not represent children’s books and only occasionally takes on young adult novels.
Tropes she’d like to see more of:
- Complex societal themes and questions, including privilege and wealth, or lack of.
- Themes of rediscovering identity.
- Complex parent/guardian and child relationships, where both are good but deceptive, cruel, etc. in different ways.
- Misunderstandings or misperceptions of marriage, pregnancy, parenting, death, and/or grief.
Lee Melillo of Dunham Literary
Lee Melillo (they/she) joined Dunham Literary, Inc. in May 2024 as Jennie Dunham’s assistant, following an internship with Dystel, Goderich, & Bourret LLC. She was made an Associate Literary Agent in June 2025. Lee additionally manages the agency’s social media and website, is a second-reader for queries, handles royalty statements and permissions, and assists on preparing submissions.
Lee graduated summa cum laude from Fordham University in 2022, with departmental honors in English and Theatre Directing. Through her majors, Lee discovered her passion for advocating for writers. She believes literature is one of the most effective ways to gain empathy for and understanding of life experiences outside our own.
Originally from New Haven, Lee now resides in Queens with her cats/office assistants, Meatloaf and Muffin Man. Lee maintains her love of theatre as the Executive Artistic Director of Personal Pizza Party, an indie production company, and by performing full renditions of musical theatre classics on the glorious stage of her shower.