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LOOKING FOR: PICTURE BOOKS, MG, YA Clare Wallace joined the Darley Anderson Agency in January 2011 and is building both the Darley Anderson Children’s Agency and the Darley Anderson Illustration Agency lists. As chief talent-spotter, Clare loves to discover memorable new characters, bold and unique voices, strong concepts and gripping storytelling. She represents picture books, middle-grade, teenage and YA. Clare is particularly looking for funny chapter books for younger readers at the moment, as well as contemporary MG, YA fantasy, romance, and rom coms, especially with underrepresented protagonists. Whatever the age range, Clare loves a big hook, a lot of heart, and a standout voice. For picture books she has the widest taste, from daft to lyrical, rhyming to prose. If your submission doesn’t fit a description here, it doesn’t mean Clare doesn’t want to receive it. She often doesn’t know what she’s looking for until she finds it (although she is not the person for steampunk or space opera). Her list gives a good indication of her taste. The clients Clare represents include Perdita & Honor Cargill, Caroline Crowe, Tom Ellen, Martyn Ford, Stewart Foster, Olivia Hope, A M Howell, Polly Ho-Yen, Rachel Ip, Beth Reekles, J.P. Rose, Lindsay Galvin, Dave Rudden, Deirdre Sullivan and Efua Traoré. Clare would like you to send a covering letter, a one page synopsis and the first three chapters (Max 5000 words) of your manuscript. For picture books, please submit a covering letter and up to three completed texts. Please send EITHER picture books OR another genre, not both in one submission. (In addition to the paid sessions, Clare 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 11 November 2024

LOOKING FOR: ADULT FICTION Sarah Williams is a Director of the Sophie Hicks Agency which she joined in 2014 and she has worked as a literary agent for over 10 years. Sarah represents a wide range of adult fiction and non-fiction and as she runs the film and television side of the agency, she is particularly interested in books that have screen potential. She is looking for literary fiction, reading group fiction, memoir and lifestyle/personal development - basically any book that can surprise, change and challenge a reader. Recent favourites are Tides by Sara Freeman, The Paper Palace by Miranda Cowley Heller, Early Morning Riser by Katherine Heiney and In The Dream House by Carmen Maria Machado. Sarah would like you to submit a covering letter, 1 page synopsis and the first 20 - 30 pages of your manuscript in a single word document. (In addition to the paid sessions, Sarah 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: Tuesday 19 November 2024

LOOKING FOR: PB, CHAPTER BOOKS, MG, GRAPHIC NOVELS, CHILDREN'S NON-FICTION Millie van Grutten joined Caroline Sheldon Literary Agency in 2021 and as of early 2024 Caroline Sheldon Literary Agency was acquired by Rogers Coleridge & White. Millie is thrilled to be building the children’s illustrated division at RCW and is actively looking for authors and illustrators of picture books, chapter books, young fiction, graphic novels and is particularly interested in children’s non-fiction presented in any guise. Millie loves working collaboratively with authors and illustrators whether it’s brainstorming a title, building a portfolio, trying out new genres and age groups or simply chatting ideas through. She relishes the opportunity to champion the work of illustrators and authors alike and is open to anything from 0-9 whether texts, illustrations or both. She loves anything with strong and engaging characters at its heart, quirky stories, and books that make you laugh and/or books that can make you laugh while you learn… Apart from the ever enduring and absolute classics like Quentin Blake’s Mrs Armitage, Millie has recently enjoyed Mariajo Ilustrajo’s Lost, Ed Vere’s The Artist, The Secret Beast Club (Robin Birch and Jobe Anderson), Dave Pigeon (Swapna Haddow and Sheena Dempsey), How to Be A Genius Kid (Jim Smith) and anything by Lauren Child. Among many other talents, Millie represents Swapna Haddow, Zehra Hicks, Sandra Dieckmann, Jobe Anderson, Marilyn Esther Chi, Emma Clarke, Jim Smith, Gabriella Szendrey, Helen and Thomas Docherty. Millie would like you to submit a covering letter, 1 page synopsis and the opening three chapters (max 5,000 words) of your novel. For picture books please send up to three texts split into 12 spreads each and a covering letter. For non-fiction please supply a cover letter and proposal with up to 5,000 words of your sample text. Please send EITHER picture books OR another genre, not both in one submission. (In addition to the paid sessions, Millie 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).  Submission Deadline: Wednesday 20 November 2024

LOOKING FOR: PICTURE BOOKS / CHAPTER BOOKS / MG / YA / NEW ADULT inc GRAPHIC NOVELS Gyamfia Osei joined ANA in 2023 as a Literary Agent in the UK department. She was previously an agent at The Good Literary Agency, where she began building her list of authors. Recent successes include a ‘significant’ 6-figure pre-empt for Busayo Matuluko’s YA debut ‘Til Death, a 5-way auction for Quiet Storm by Kimberly Whittam and the shortlisting of Ebinehita Iyere’s Girlhood, Unfiltered at the 2023 British Book Awards. At ANA, Gyamfia is focusing on on developing the agency’s list of children’s authors, while also representing a bespoke list of commercial adult fiction and narrative non-fiction. In the Children’s space, Gyamfia would love to find contemporary stories that are full of heart and joy-driven books across all genres (think Clare Weze, Kimberly Whittam and Elle McNicoll). Funny middle-grade and YA horror are currently at the top of her list and she is also keen to read more teen projects (think Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging and Glow Up Lara Bloom) this year. She is very interested in finding a graphic novel or illustrated project for either MG or YA readers. In the older fiction space, Gyamfia enjoys well-plotted, fast-paced narratives with authentic characters who lodge themselves in her mind long after she’s finished reading (think Sadie, Verity and Girl A). She’s open to a broad range of genres, but would be particularly keen to see romantasy, cosy crime, contemporary romance and tightly plotted domestic noir. Please note that Gyamfia doesn’t consider literary fiction and, in the commercial space, she is not hugely interested in very high fantasy, trauma-focused stories or particularly gruesome horror.In the non-fiction space, she would be happy to consider commercial narrative non-fiction and cultural history projects (think Brit(ish), It’s Not That Radical and Everything I Know About Love). She is very open when it comes to Children’s non-fiction but would be particularly interested to consider unique cookbooks aimed at young chefs, books exploring mental health/wellness and projects that bring the experiences of marginalised children to the forefront. Gyamfia would like you to submit a covering letter, 1 page synopsis and the opening three chapters (max 5,000 words). For picture books please send two texts and a covering letter. For non-fiction please supply a cover letter and proposal with up to 5,000 words of your sample text. Please send EITHER picture books OR another genre, not both in one submission. (In addition to the paid sessions, Gyamfia 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: Tuesday 19 November 2024

LOOKING FOR: ADULT FICTION, YA THRILLER Saskia Leach is an Agent's Assistant at Kate Nash Literary Agency and is currently training to become a Junior Agent. She graduated from Royal Holloway, University of London in 2020 with a BA degree in English and History, before joining Kate Nash Literary Agency in 2021. Saskia loves commercial fiction that features complex and dynamic characters and is fascinated by stories containing document inserts or written from multiple perspectives. Saskia enjoys commercial and book club fiction and is particularly looking for cosy crime from any period (whether contemporary like Janice Hallett and Richard Osman, traditional Golden Age murder mystery or historical), WW2 historical fiction in the vein of Heather Morris or Markus Zusak, twisty psychological thriller with a unique hook, LGBTQ+ romance, underrepresented voices and perspectives, YA thriller or romance, and locked-room thriller. Saskia 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, Saskia 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 to reach I Am In Print by the stated submission deadline and note that I Am In Print take no responsibility for the advice given in your Agent121. The submission deadline is: Friday 22 November 2024

LOOKING FOR: ADULT FICTION Kate Barker has worked in publishing for over twenty years as an agent, commissioning editor and ghostwriter. Before setting up her own company, Kate Barker Literary Agency, she spent ten years at Penguin, where she was an Editorial Director for Viking, acquiring fiction and non-fiction. She has also worked for Orion, Curtis Brown and for digital publisher Bookouture. She is looking for commercial and reading group fiction for adults and would love to find an unputdownable thriller like Rosamund Lupton's Three Hours, a funny, heartbreaking contemporary novel like Queenie by Candice Carty-Williams or a romantic comedy with a unique premise like The Flatshare by Beth O'Leary. She also loves historical fiction and series crime. Kate would like you to submit a covering letter, one page synopsis and the first three chapters (Max 5,000 words) of your completed manuscript in a single word document. (In addition to the paid sessions, Kate 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 21 November 2024

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: Thursday 21 November 2024

LOOKING FOR: MG, YA, ADULT FICTION, ADULT NON-FICTION, NON-FICTION FOR 7+ Megan Carroll is looking for writers in a variety of areas, and from a wide range of backgrounds – she is particularly keen to hear from Black, Asian, and LGBTQIA+ writers. Her main areas of focus this year are adult fiction and non-fiction, as well as non-fiction for 7+, and MG and YA fiction. In Fiction, Megan is keen to see high-concept love stories (think The Flat Share or The Lock In) for both commercial and reading group readers. She’d love to see those familiar romance tropes – enemies to lovers, friends to lovers, love triangles, forbidden love etc. – with underrepresented characters at the centre. She is also looking for historical fiction and gothic horror (think Laura Purcell, Stacey Halls and Silvia Moreno-Garcia) – anything that has a creepy, uneasy undertone is likely for Megan’s list. Megan is also actively looking for upmarket fiction and would love to see layered family drama, contemporary stories about life today and darkly comic novels that explore a specific time, place or experience. In Non-Fiction, Megan is keen to hear from experts in their field talking about topics relating to film, music, true crime, popular culture, history and issues from largely unrepresented perspectives. She is keen to see memoir, narrative non-fiction and essay collections. In Children’s and YA, she is keen to see contemporary YA with humour, and romance at the heart – fun and emotional stories that appeal to the interests and issues of the teenage readers. She’d also love to see thrillers and horror stories for this age group too. It’s unlikely that high fantasy novels for YA readers will be right for her, but she is keen to see stories with fantasy elements in a real world setting. On the younger end, Megan is looking for funny, contemporary middle grade – think Louise Rennison and Karen McCombie – and anything creepy and spooky for 8-12 year old readers too. She’d love to find something like Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events and is keen to find original adventure stories in both fantasy and realistic settings. Megan would like you to submit a covering letter, 1 page synopsis and the first three chapters or 5,000 words of your manuscript in a single word document. (In addition to the paid sessions, Megan 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 25 November 2024