Literary Agents Open to Queries
As always, review each agent's submission guidelines before querying, and make sure your manuscript is polished and ready to go.
Kristen Terrette
Agency: Martin Literary and Media Management
Query Window: November 15–29, 2026 ONLY!
What They Are Seeking:
Kristen is interested in adult fiction and nonfiction across multiple genres. Her personal website also highlights her enthusiasm for speculative middle grade.
Middle Grade:
Speculative fiction (excluding science fiction)
Magic, trolls, unicorns, fairies, and good witches
Unreliable narrators
Horror and creepy stories
Messy families
Good-versus-evil themes
On her personal website, Kristen enthusiastically declares, "I heart Middle Grade!"
Adult Fiction:
Thrillers, suspense, and mysteries
Horror
Contemporary fiction
Romance
Women's fiction
Faith-based fiction
Adult Nonfiction:
Faith-based nonfiction
General nonfiction
More About Her Wishlist:
According to the overall preferences shared on her website, Kristen loves stories with distinctive settings, including reservations, sparsely populated parts of the United States, and locations outside the United States and England.
She also gravitates toward:
Diverse casts and social justice themes
Stories that offer hope
Unique narrative structures and retellings
Time lapses and multiple points of view when warranted
Industry-standard word counts
Compelling hooks and stakes established within the first five to eight pages
How to Query:
Submit through Kristen Terrette's QueryTracker/QueryManager page.
Important: Kristen's current agency profile indicates that middle-grade submissions are considered at conferences or through referrals. Middle-grade authors should confirm eligibility before submitting during her November query window.
Alicia Tan
Agency: Triangle House Literary
What They Are Seeking:
Alicia is seeking literary fiction and nonfiction that challenges expectations, explores the human experience, and offers readers a fresh perspective.
Literary Fiction:
Voice-driven writing
Complicated, nuanced characters
Singular, distinctive prose
Stories that challenge norms and expectations
Nonfiction:
Narrative nonfiction
Idea-driven nonfiction
Cultural criticism
Personal essays
Memoir
Longform journalism
Additional Interests:
Hybrid literary forms
Genre-bending projects
Experimental storytelling
Writing that reframes how readers understand themselves or the world around them
According to her agency website, Alicia is especially drawn to work that challenges conventions in both its style and its subject matter, while illuminating what it means to be human.
How to Query:
Email alicia@triangle.house.
Include:
Subject line: QUERY
Your query letter
The first 20 pages of your manuscript, or the full proposal when applicable
All materials pasted directly into the body of your email using a normal-sized font
Read more about Alicia on the Triangle House Literary staff page.
Jennie Dunham
Agency: Dunham Literary
What They Are Seeking:
Jennie Dunham founded Dunham Literary in August 2000 and has worked as a literary agent since May 1992. She represents both adult and children's literature.
Above all, Jennie is looking for a strong, distinctive voice.
She values:
Strong narratives
Memorable characters
Unusual premises
Underrepresented people, places, and perspectives
Authentic stories and perspectives, including #OwnVoices work
Adult Categories:
Upmarket literary fiction
Literary nonfiction
Children's Categories:
Picture book writers and illustrators
Middle grade fiction
Middle grade nonfiction
Young adult fiction
Young adult nonfiction
How to Query:
THIS IS AN UPDATE — Dunham Literary is now accepting queries ONLY through QueryTracker/QueryManager.
Jennie Dunham Query Tracker Form is open here
Anjanette Barr
Agency: Dunham Literary
Query Window: April and November
What They Are Seeking:
Anjanette Barr represents literature for adults and children, with a special interest in captivating settings, relatable characters, compelling ideas, and books that explore the richness of the human experience.
Adult Fiction:
Historical fiction
Literary and upmarket fiction
Romance
Fantasy and science fiction
Gothic fiction
Magical realism
She especially enjoys stories that explore virtues such as empathy and self-sacrifice.
Some examples of books she admires include My Ántonia, Outlander, The Snow Child, Piranesi, Book Lovers, The Sparrow, and Project Hail Mary.
Adult Nonfiction:
Well-researched nonfiction that makes complex topics accessible and engaging
Biography
Memoir
Books exploring poverty and justice from fresh perspectives
Thought-provoking nonfiction that connects with a broad readership
Examples of books she admires include The Elements by Theodore Gray, Freakonomics, Quiet by Susan Cain, Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand, and Evicted by Matthew Desmond.
Children's Literature:
As a mother of four, Anjanette has a particular love for books that families can read and enjoy together.
She is seeking:
Picture books
Middle grade fiction and nonfiction
Young adult fiction and nonfiction
New adult fiction
Graphic and illustrated works
Engaging children's nonfiction
Hopeful, informative, or lyrical stories
Books that encourage young people to consider their character, identity, and worth
She particularly loves middle grade books that lend themselves to family read-alouds.
Some of her favorites include Anna Hibiscus, Gregor the Overlander, Echo, Whale of the Wild, and Where the Mountain Meets the Moon.
For Picture Book Authors:
Anjanette especially enjoys picture books that are charming, inviting, and pleasurable to read aloud.
Additional Interests:
Culture and history
Faith and mythology
Fine arts
Nature
Magical realism
Gothic fiction
Hopeful and lyrical storytelling
Not a Good Fit For:
Grisly horror
Erotica
True crime
Sports
Political nonfiction
How to Query:
THIS IS AN UPDATE — Dunham Literary is now accepting queries ONLY through QueryTracker/QueryManager.
Anjanette opens to submissions during April and November.
You can find her official submission form through Dunham Literary's submission page or visit Anjanette Barr's QueryTracker profile.
Additional Submission Guidelines from Dunham Literary's Website:
The agency's guidelines explain the following:
Query only one Dunham Literary agent. Agents share promising submissions internally when appropriate.
Address your query to the agent who best fits your manuscript.
The agency represents adult fiction, adult nonfiction, and children's books, including authors and illustrators.
It does not represent individual short stories, chapbooks, novellas, or original screenplays or stage plays.
The agency reads and responds to all queries received through its official QueryTracker inboxes.
Its typical response goal is approximately four weeks, although actual response times vary.
For complete instructions, visit Dunham Literary's official submission guidelines.
A Final Reminder for Writers
Query windows can open and close quickly! Always confirm that an agent is accepting submissions in your category before hitting send. Pay close attention to each agency's guidelines, and remember that a personalized, polished query can help your work stand out.
You should never pay an agent a reading fee.
Happy querying, and may your manuscript find its perfect advocate!
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