LOOKING FOR: ADULT FICTION, NON-FICTION Imogen Pelham has been at Marjacq since 2015, and has worked as a literary agent for more than a decade. She represents literary fiction and some upmarket commercial fiction, as well as a wide range of non-fiction. Imogen's looking for fiction with a strong premise, a surprise twist, or sharp humour. Recent favourites include Leave The World Behind by Rumaan Alam, Early Morning Riser by Katherine Heiny, and Sorrow & Bliss by Meg Mason. Her non-fiction list includes history, memoir, medicine and psychology. She is particularly interested in identity, the arts and investigative journalism. Imogen would like you to submit a covering letter, 1 - 2 page synopsis and the first 10,000 words of your manuscript in a single word document. (In addition to the paid sessions, Imogen is kindly offering one free session for low income/under-represented writers. Please email agent121@iaminprint.co.uk to apply, outlining your case for this option which is offered at the discretion of I Am In Print). By booking you understand you need to conduct an internet connection test with I Am In Print prior to the event. You also agree to email your material in one document to reach I Am In Print by the stated submission deadline and note that I Am In Print take no responsibility for the advice received during your agent meeting. The submission deadline is: Monday 5th May 2025
LOOKING FOR: ADULT FICTION, NON-FICTION Daisy Chandley joined PFD in 2019 after graduating from the University of Oxford with a BA in Politics, Philosophy and Economics. She is an Associate Agent and assistant to Senior Agent Annabel Merullo and Head of Books Tim Bates as the UK sub-agent for New Directions Publishing in the US. Daisy is actively building a list of both fiction and non-fiction authors across a range of genres. With fiction, Daisy's wishlist roughly falls into three categories – if something feels like it overlaps between them, even better! 1) Sharp, original novels on the literary to upmarket spectrum, all the way from deeply dark and boundary-pushing books like Hurricane Season, Under The Skin or In The Cut to those balancing edge, heart and humour, like Detransition, Baby or A Visit From The Goon Squad. She loves irreverent wit, daring approaches in narrative or form, and seriously unsettling stories in equal measure, and if you can bring a few of those elements into one, it’ll go straight to the top of her. 2) Com-heavy rom-coms, whether in the dry but ultimately sob-inducing vein of Greta and Valdin or a Nora Ephron film, the escapist screwball delight of a Cary Grant classic, or the more unusual, genre-bending style of something like Palm Springs. Daisy is a sucker for Emily Henry and will always be happy to see an innovative take on tropey love stories, but is equally very keen to see to things a bit outside of the box, whether that’s integrating speculative elements, dark humour, or topical issues. In any case, humour and originality are my priority, and affectionately snarky bickering is the best way to make her fall head over heels with a couple. 3) Sleuths! Daisy is not the right person for police procedurals, but loves classic detectives and amateur sleuths. Whether it’s a delightful Knives Out or Nancy Drew homage or an intricate, unputdownable mystery on the darker side, the minute someone finds a good old fashioned clue, count her in! Overall, whether it’s a delightfully fun and scandalous page-turner or something really bold and experimental, if it’s stylish and smart – and maybe even a bit sexy – Daisy would love to see it. Daisy is definitely interested in literary speculative fiction, though not generally looking for hard SFF. Across the board, she is always looking for stories that explore sexuality, race, gender, and disability, and would particularly love to hear from writers whose voices and experiences aren’t given enough space in publishing. On the non-fiction side, Daisy is looking for bold new insights and underrepresented voices on popular science, nature writing, relationships, social issues and politics, and am always especially interested in fresh, playful and exciting writing on pop culture, love and the internet. She’d also love to see illuminating narrative non-fiction, whether a beautiful and lyrical exploration, or an enthralling and explosive deep-dive. A (large) handful of authors past and present whose work Daisy loves include Patricia Lockwood, Toni Morrison, Elif Batuman, Gillian Flynn, Shirley Jackson, Raven Leilani, Max Porter, Carmen Maria Machado, Virginia Woolf, Sayaka Murata, Kiley Reid, Sally Rooney, George Saunders, Joan Didion, Amy Liptrot, Ottessa Moshfegh, J.D. Salinger, Donna Tartt, Bret Easton Ellis, and Fernanda Melchor. Daisy is not the right fit for Children’s or YA authors. Daisy would like you to submit a covering letter, 1 page synopsis and the first 2,500 words of your manuscript in a single word document. (In addition to the paid sessions, Daisy is kindly offering one free session for low income/under-represented writers. Please email agent121@iaminprint.co.uk to apply, outlining your case for this option which is offered at the discretion of I Am In Print). By booking you understand you need to conduct an internet connection test with I Am In Print prior to the event. You also agree to email your material in one document to reach I Am In Print by the stated submission deadline and note that I Am In Print take no responsibility for the advice received during your agent meeting. The submission deadline is: Thursday 8th May 2025
LOOKING FOR: ADULT FICTION / NON-FICTION Ciara McEllin is building her list as a Junior Agent at Watson Little. She reads widely across book club, upmarket and literary fiction. Within these areas, she is drawn to novels that examine family and relationship dynamics, sexuality, identity, and vulnerability. Ciara is keen to hear from writers who take a fresh approach to these themes, whether that be a new perspective on a traditional narrative or a focus on characters and voices that remain underrepresented: think Kairos by Jenny Erpenbeck, Asymmetry by Lisa Halliday or Monkey Grip by Helen Garner. She will always want to read beautifully written novels with a strong sense of place, tangible characters and an essence that stays with you – living deep in your bones – long after you’ve finished reading. Recent reads Ciara has enjoyed include: Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry, Enter Ghost by Isabella Hammad, Close to Home by Michael Magee, Siblings by Brigitte Reimann, Trespasses by Louise Kennedy, The Idiot by Elif Batuman, Highway Blue by Ailsa McFarlane and My Phantoms by Gwendoline Riley. At the moment Ciara is particularly eager to see: - Sexy, sensual and seductive stories that explore desire and sexual boundaries not often represented in literature such as Little Rabbit by Alyssa Songsiridej, Cleanness by Garth Greenwell and Mrs. S by K Patrick - An atmospheric and existential thriller in the vein of Intimacies by Katie Kitamura, In The Cut by Susanna Moore and Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead by Olga Tokarczuk - An intoxicating coming of-age-tale that captures the aliveness, intelligence and wildness of girlhood like Brutes by Dizz Tate, The Virgin Suicides by Jeffrey Eugenides and The Girls by Emma Cline - Books that are joyful or brutal, particularly those that are both, similar to Headshot by Rita Bullwinkel, Kick the Latch by Kathryn Scanlan and Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan - Stories exploring an Australia or Ireland that is rarely seen in literature for example A Loving, Faithful Animal by Josephine Rowe and Wild Houses by Colin Barrett In non-fiction, Ciara enjoys narrative, memoir and essay collections. She is interested in hearing from experts, academics, critics and journalists writing about society, culture and food, and excited by writers seeking to revise, reshape or revolutionise the conversation in their area of expertise. Some of her favourite non-fiction titles include How To Survive A Plague by David France, The Transgender Issue by Shon Faye, the Living Autobiography Series by Deborah Levy, Last Witnesses: Unchildlike Stories by Svetlana Alexievich, King Kong Theory by Virginie Despentes; and she particularly enjoys the work of M.F.K Fisher, Annie Ernaux, Natalia Ginsburg and Helen Garner. Ciara is not looking for Children’s, YA or Fantasy. Ciara would like you to submit a covering letter, 1 -2 page synopsis and the first 5,000 words of your completed manuscript in a single word document. (In addition to the paid sessions, Ciara is kindly offering one free session for low income/under-represented writers. Please email agent121@iaminprint.co.uk to apply, outlining your case for this option which is offered at the discretion of I Am In Print). By booking you understand you need to conduct an internet connection test with I Am In Print prior to the event. You also agree to email your material in one document to reach I Am In Print by the stated submission deadline and note that I Am In Print take no responsibility for the advice received during your agent meeting. The submission deadline is: Thursday 8th May 2025
Leading Internal Quality Assurance; Leading IQA
LOOKING FOR: ADULT FICTION, NON-FICTION Publisher / editor Scott Pack is now in his third decade working in the world of books. During that time he has been Head of Buying for Waterstones, worked for publishers big and small - including a lengthy spell at HarperCollins - and taught numerous workshops and classes on all aspects of writing. These days he splits his time between writing his own books, editing other people's, teaching the editors of tomorrow as part of the Oxford Brookes University MA in Publishing, and he is one of the question setters for BBC's Mastermind. His latest book, Tips From A Publisher, is out now. As a publisher, Scott has published across most genres in fiction and a wide range of non-fiction and is happy to read any style of writing. He will assess your sample and provide feedback on any issues he identifies, the manuscript's commercial potential and what steps he would advise before you submit to agents or publishers. Scott is very direct with his feedback, so expect robust, but always constructive, comments! Scott would like you to submit your fiction as a covering letter, 1-2 page synopsis and the first 5,000 words of your manuscript in a single word document. For non-fiction, he would like to see:- 1-page synopsis – to give an overview of what the book will offer the reader and how it's different from other books out there on this topic A detailed proposed contents list, including proposed sub-section headings as well as chapter headings – to give a sense of the overall reader journey 1000-1500 words of intro text - to showcase context, tone etc 1000-1500 words from later in the book - to showcase the progression of the book (In addition to the paid sessions, Scott is kindly offering one free session for low income/underrepresented writers. Please email agent121@iaminprint.co.uk to apply, outlining your case for this option which is offered at the discretion of I Am In Print). By booking you understand you need to conduct an internet connection test with I Am In Print prior to the event. You also agree to email your material in one document to reach I Am In Print by the stated submission deadline and note that I Am In Print take no responsibility for the advice received during your agent meeting. The submission deadline is: Monday 12th May 2025
LOOKING FOR: YA/NA FANTASY, SFF, HORROR, ADULT FICTION John Baker (he/him) joined the Bell Lomax Moreton agency in 2019, cultivating a list shaped around his passion for science fiction, fantasy, and horror, though has lately also branched out into action/adventure fiction. John focuses on authors writing in the Adult, New Adult, and YA spaces. John leads the wider agency's film & TV desk, is the Secretary of the Association of Author’s Agents, and the co-chair of the AAA’s Bridge Committee. He also serves on the Kingston University MA Publishing Advisory Board. Under the umbrella of speculative fiction, John is looking for fantasy, science fiction, horror, romantasy, or literary speculative fiction. He has built a reputation as a champion of underrepresented voices and stories, be it from creators hailing from the global majority and their diasporas or neurodiverse authors, and naturally gravitates towards this kind of storytelling. In short, if he’s never read a story like yours before, he wants to see it. Adult fantasy: John loves beefy epic fantasy, especially non-Anglo Christian-inspired. Give him an immersive world, a fresh magical or mythic system, and an exciting cast of characters and he’ll be happy. He is a broad church in the genre so loves a political fantasy, swords and sorcery, courtly intrigue, monster hunting and dastardly villains. John is keen to find an urban fantasy that feels fresh and fun and he’s a sucker for a heroic quest narrative. He’s also very open to fantasy that isn’t easily categorised, but it is playing in that world. John is keenly hunting for more historical fantasy, especially inspired by modern history. He’s had fun with mythological retellings in the past, but as ever, let’s make sure it’s shining the spotlight on new stories. He would also love fantasy that centres on types of relationships less celebrated in fantasy, such as established and secure married couples, or siblings. NA/YA fantasy: In this genre, most importantly, John wants to have a good time, whether it’s swoon-worthy kisses in lush ball gowns, or gruesome gore and monsters, so send him pacy, plot-filled adventures. He’d love more books that teenage boys would love: Skullduggery Pleasant forever! Romantasy: The thriving new romantasy genre comes with its own set of challenges, so John wants to know what makes your romantasy different; what will set it out from the (very crowded!) market. Give it completely barmy stakes, cool and unique new settings, or a love story that will make your jaw drop. To be clear, he’s happily sorted for a human person meets a fae creature in the spooky woods. Also, cosmic romance is the genre of the future. Give him romantasy in space. Easy. Horror: John and horror are old friends. He loves horror inspired by myth and folklore, subversive weird horror that leaves your eyebrows in your hairline, historical horror that pulls from ghastly true stories, and anything that you’ll be reading with the light on. He also loves a gothic element and is particularly looking for horror with a strong romantic throughline, fun YA horror, and female & NB horror authors. Science fiction: SF is coming back! And John has been shouting about that. He loves to see an adventurous found-family romp through space or an epic, crunchy space opera. Speculative near-future is fun too, in the vein of Black Mirror’s more uplifting episodes, (e.g. San Junipero). He loves YA science fiction as well; the more creative the better. Literary: John is open to finding more rich magical realism or something character-led yet supernatural and would love a high-concept mystery, in the vein of Stuart Turton. He also loves spec fic that uses the speculative lightly as a way of confronting a deeper truth in society today. Weird stuff: John wants books that will blow people’s minds and defy categorisation. This is hard to describe, but think Gideon The Ninth, The Library At Mount Char, This Is How You Lose The Time War. John loves a pitch that leaves the editors baffled but intrigued. Action/Adventure, Historical Adventure, Espionage: John is branching out into non-speculative adventures, such as John Le Carré, Lee Child, Ian Flemming, and Mick Herron. More as his taste develops, but the hunt is on! Not looking for: military sci-fi or hard SF, or anything with biblical “character wakes up in purgatory/heaven/hell” narratives. The right comedic fantasy has yet to hit his inbox, but please don’t comp Douglas Adams or Sir Terry. John would like you to submit a covering letter, 1-2 page synopsis and the first three chapters (or 5,000 words whichever is longest) of your manuscript in a single word document. (In addition to the paid sessions, John is kindly offering one free session for low income/under-represented writers. Please email agent121@iaminprint.co.uk to apply, outlining your case for this option which is offered at the discretion of I Am In Print). By booking you understand you need to conduct an internet connection test with I Am In Print prior to the event. You also agree to email your material in one document to reach I Am In Print by the stated submission deadline and note that I Am In Print take no responsibility for the advice received during your agent meeting. The submission deadline is: Monday 12th May 2025