A.J. Van Belle is a junior agent at the The Booker Albert Literary Agency. They are also a writer of fiction and nonfiction for adults and children, an editor, and a biologist. They have a BA in art with a minor in English from Columbia College, an MA in anthropology and an MS in biology from California State University, and a PhD in biology from Boston University.A.J. is actively building a diverse list and welcomes queries from marginalized writers. In YA and adult fiction, theyÕre seeking horror, thriller, and SFF with dark and atmospheric elements. TheyÕre also open to select MG across all genres. In all categories, theyÕre drawn to books that merge literary sensibilities with compelling plotlines. Some of their favorite authors include Paolo Bacigalupi, Nnedi Okorafor, Jordanna Max Brodsky, Yangsze Choo, Natasha Pulley, T. Kingfisher, and Jenna Satterthwaite.In nonfiction, theyÕre seeking fresh ideas in science, popular science, self-help, and health/wellness from authors with established platforms. As a scientist who has published NSF-funded research in ecology, they welcome queries from authors whose expertise links with evolution, ecology, statistics, microbiology, and biogeoscience.