Here are eight new literary agents and a new agency actively seeking clients. New agents and agencies 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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Sharmaine Lovegrove is a literary agent and cultural activist based in Berlin, with two decades of experience across publishing, bookselling, strategic cultural consultancy, and media. She was formerly the Managing Director of Dialogue, a division of Hachette UK, where she championed underrepresented voices and published acclaimed and bestselling authors including Brit Bennett, Liv Little, Lisa Ko, Tina Knowles, Clint Smith, Irenosen Okojie, Zaina Arafat, Theresia Enzensberger, Okechukwu Nzelu, and Jeffrey Boakye.
What she is seeking: At ICA, Sharmaine is actively building a list of fiction and non-fiction with international ambition, seeking distinctive voices, emotional resonance, and stories that broaden how we see the world. She is looking for literary and upmarket commercial fiction — novels and short story collections that are character-driven, emotionally rich, and often international in perspective. She is drawn to novels of love and relationships, whether familial, platonic, or romantic, that balance commercial reach with literary ambition. She is also seeking fiction that reimagines or disrupts dominant narratives, recasting history, myth, and perspective through fresh voices. In non-fiction, Sharmaine is interested in expert-led works on culture, politics, and society with narrative drive, as well as bold memoirs that move beyond the personal to spark wider cultural conversations.
How to submit: Use her querytracker form HERE.
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V. Ruiz is a Lesbian, Mexican-American agent, editor, and author, who aspires to make publishing more equitable by working as an advocate for their authors. With nearly ten years of editing experience across literary and commercial genres, they consider themselves an editorial and career agent. V. wants to work with authors who are eager to work on multiple projects and who are open to editorial guidance and feedback. Recently, they worked as an acquisitions editor and project manager with Row House Publishing (distributed by Simon and Schuster) for over three years. While at RH, they also oversaw production, project schedules, contributed to design, and marketing. You can rest assured that they have a deep understanding of the publishing process which in turn, helps their authors feel prepared with what to expect. V. is always eager to hear from voices who have been systemically underrepresented in publishing.
They have worked on over 25 titles as an editor. Aside from editing, they have previously ghostwritten nonfiction and fiction titles (over 15) in topics ranging from finance to small town romance. They also hold an MFA and BA in English and Creative Writing.
When V. isn’t writing or reading, they are studying astrology, playing video games, or trekking across the world to scream their heart out at a concert.
What they are seeking: I am primarily interested in fiction for adults and teens. I am also open to seeing nonfiction if it’s spiritual or esoteric in nature, a cookbook proposal, and/or very select memoir projects. I’m especially focused on fantasy, horror and thrillers, women’s fiction, and romance. I love championing BIPOC, Disabled, and LGBTQ+ voices.
How to submit: Use their querytracker form HERE.
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Jillian graduated from Trinity College in Hartford, CT with a BS in Mathematics. After working for years in Finance at a consulting firm in Boston, Jillian realized her passion did not lie within excel sheets, and she set off to pursue a new dream. She moved to New York City to attend NYU and obtained her MS in Publishing: Digital and Print Media. Her first role in publishing was as an intern for HG Literary in 2023. She also provided contract work for Gina Protano of GGP Publishing (whom she met by chance in Barnes & Noble). Upon graduating NYU, she returned full time to HG Literary as an assistant to Josh Getzler.
She is thrilled to now be open to queries herself!
What she is seeking: Jillian loves a novel that is going to make her feel deeply, whether that is devastating sorrow or profound joy. She is primarily looking for adult fiction and is specifically interested in thrillers, particularly anything psychological (or anything with a shocking twist!) with page turning suspense. She is also drawn to rich historical fiction set against the backdrop of war. She also loves any book that includes representation of mental illness and is not afraid of novels that include darker, more challenging themes. She is open to novels that skew literary and upmarket, as well as anything Book Club.
For YA, Jillian is only considering YA romance at this time.
Jillian is not looking for middle grade, picture books, religious books, fantasy/romantasy, or horror at this time.
How to submit: Use her querytracker form HERE.
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Corissa Hollenbeck grew up in Massachusetts and attended Phillips Academy Andover, King’s College London, the University of Freiburg, and the Columbia Publishing Course. She has worked at VICE, Marie Claire, and The Guardian. Corissa has worked with a broad range of prize-winning and bestselling authors whilst assisting literary agent and Managing Director Will Francis.
What she is seeking: Corissa is actively building her list and is looking to hear from researchers, journalists, historians, academics, nature and culture writers. She is interested in writers who can help readers see the world differently, or experts who are keen to find a mainstream audience for their ideas and writing.
How to submit: Follow agency guidelines HERE.
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Justina Ireland of Handspun Literary Agency
Justina joined Handspun in 2026 as a junior agent. She is also an award winning and New York Times bestselling author of numerous books as well as a writer of both comics and television. She is a United States Army Veteran and holds a BA in History from Georgia Southern (previously Armstrong Atlantic State University) and an MFA in Creative Writing for Children and Young Adults from Hamline University.
What she is seeking:She loves meticulous worldbuilding and complicated characters and is currently looking for well executed speculative fiction in most categories. She is drawn to Middle Grade and Young Adult that asks complicated questions without talking down to a reader and adult books that skew a little offbeat–Bitter Karella’s Moon Flow and Sarah Gailey’s Spread Me are recent examples.
Justina does not accept non-fiction, picture books, romantasy, contemporary, or previously self-published works.
Writers from historically marginalized backgrounds are strongly encouraged to submit.
Ms. Claudia Cramer of Olswanger Literary
Ms. Lindsay Watson of Ethan Ellenberg Literary Agency
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Madelyn Knecht of Storm Literary Agency
What she is seeking:She loves meticulous worldbuilding and complicated characters and is currently looking for well executed speculative fiction in most categories. She is drawn to Middle Grade and Young Adult that asks complicated questions without talking down to a reader and adult books that skew a little offbeat–Bitter Karella’s Moon Flow and Sarah Gailey’s Spread Me are recent examples.
Justina does not accept non-fiction, picture books, romantasy, contemporary, or previously self-published works.
Writers from historically marginalized backgrounds are strongly encouraged to submit.
How to submit: Follow the agency guidelines HERE. (Scroll down)
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Claudia Cramer is a literary associate at Olswanger Literary. After graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in Creative Writing and English, she started her career in publishing by writing and editing for Coffee House Writers. She recently joined Olswanger Literary as a Literary Associate.
What she is seeking: Claudia is actively seeking fiction and nonfiction projects with cross-genre appeal and strong audience potential. In fiction, she is interested in romance, historical fiction, family sagas, mystery, low fantasy, and book club reads. For nonfiction, she welcomes cookbooks, science, nature, history, and popular culture. She's especially enthusiastic about stories centered on Latino characters by Latino authors.
How to submit: Please submit your queries to my email at claudia@olswangerliterary.com
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Lindsay Watson joined the agency in 2024. She manages the subsidiary rights department, and is currently building her list in Middle Grade, Young Adult, and Adult fiction. For Young Adult and Middle Grade, she is looking for fantasy, sci-fi, and speculative fiction. In Adult Fiction, Lindsay is interested in paranormal romance and romantasy (including LGBTQ+), and psychological thrillers.
What she is seeking: Lindsay enjoys immersive world-building, good banter, spooky vibes, and shocking plot twists. As her focus is subsidiary rights, she frequently works with indie authors who are expanding their subrights and translation portfolio, and pursuing a hybrid publishing career.
How to submit: Follow the agency guidelines HERE.
Madelyn Knecht of Storm Literary Agency
Madelyn is an editor, writer, and passionate reader from Texas whose hair changes color on a weekly basis. After falling in love with reading books that made her laugh and cry in equal measure, she started writing her first book at nine and never looked back. She serves as a RevPit board member, where she created the BIPOC Editor Mentorship, and a member of the EFA. When not reading or writing, you can find her playing cozy games like Rune Factory and Stardew Valley, crocheting, picking up a new hobby, or spending time with her two criminal Australian Shepherds and her lovable cat, Lucas.
What she is seeking: Age Groups: Adult, Young Adult, select Middle Grade. Genres: Fantasy (all subgenres), scifi, speculative, horror, mystery
How to submit: Use her querytracker form HERE.
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Keystone Literary Agency
With 20 years of industry experience, as both an editor and an agent, Lindsay Guzzardo brings a hands-on, career-focused approach to representation. In 2025, she founded Keystone Literary Agency in the Keystone State. The word “keystone” is also a nod to the role an agent serves, fortifying the bridge between author and publisher, leading to our motto: “Keystone Literary Agency: Connecting Great Books with the World.”
Lindsay is drawn to high-concept, commercial premises well told and will consider adult fiction and narrative nonfiction with a clear, marketable, compelling hook, and strong voice. Her personal tastes align with the following:
Fiction:
Nonfiction proposals welcome from journalists and field experts in:
Note: Lindsay accepts submissions the first week of the month. Please submit via Query Manager.
With 20 years of industry experience, as both an editor and an agent, Lindsay Guzzardo brings a hands-on, career-focused approach to representation. In 2025, she founded Keystone Literary Agency in the Keystone State. The word “keystone” is also a nod to the role an agent serves, fortifying the bridge between author and publisher, leading to our motto: “Keystone Literary Agency: Connecting Great Books with the World.”
Fiction:
- Retellings of classic stories (either modern retellings or classic stories told from a different character’s perspective)
- Beach reads
- Fiction exploring family dynamics and relationships (particularly mothers/daughters and sisters)
- Amish romance/fiction
- Wholesome, clean fiction and romance
- Cozy, charming, small-town romance/fiction
- Rich, evocative historical fiction
- Fiction featuring historical figures
- European-set fiction, any era and tone
- Dark psychological and domestic suspense
- Family dramas that interweave past and present
Nonfiction proposals welcome from journalists and field experts in:
- History
- Biography
- Science
- Sports
- Narrative nonfiction
- Memoirs (must have a strong platform)
Note: Lindsay accepts submissions the first week of the month. Please submit via Query Manager.
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