Patricia Nelson is a literary agent with the Marsal Lyon Literary Agency. Patricia Nelson joined Marsal Lyon Literary Agency in 2014. She represents adult, young adult, and middle grade fiction, and is always especially interested in seeing novels by BIPOC, queer, and disabled authors in all genres that she represents.

In general, Patricia looks for stories that hook her with a unique plot, fantastic writing and complex characters that jump off the page. On the childrenÕs side, Patricia is open to a wide range of genres of YA and MG, with particular interest in contemporary/realistic, magical realism, mystery, horror, science fiction and fantasy. On the adult side, she is interested in book club and upmarket fiction, as well as the whole spectrum of womenÕs fiction Ñ everything from lighter beach reads and romcoms to darker stories with a mystery or suspense thread.

Patricia has an intentionally small, selective list and enjoys working closely with both debut and established authors to build successful long-term careers. Her award-winning and bestselling clients include: NYT bestselling author Axie Oh (The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea, Feiwel & Friends/Macmillan), National Book Award finalist and two-time Printz Honor winner Candice Iloh (Every Body Looking, Dutton ChildrenÕs/Penguin Random House), Stonewall Honor, Morris Honor, and Governor GeneralÕs Award winner Jen Ferguson (The Summer of Bitter and Sweet, Heartdrum/HarperCollins), Printz Honor winner Mary McCoy (Indestructible Object, Simon and Schuster ChildrenÕs), Edgar Award nominee Juliana Goodman (The Black Girls Left Standing, Feiwel & Friends/Macmillan), LGBTQ Reads founder and Sydney Taylor Honor winner Dahlia Adler (Cool for the Summer, Wednesday Books/Macmillan), Schneider Family Honor winner Claire Forrest (Where You See Yourself, Scholastic), Stonewall Honor winner Justine Pucella Winans (The Otherwoods, Bloomsbury ChildrenÕs), Edward Underhill (YALSA Best Fiction for Young Adults pick Always the Almost, Wednesday Books/Macmillan), and Bestselling romance authors Kate Bateman and Charis Michaels.

Patricia holds a masterÕs degree in English Literature from the University of Southern California and a masterÕs degree in Gender Studies from the University of Texas at Austin. Prior to becoming an agent, she spent four years teaching literature and writing at the college level.