Thao Le is a literary agent at the Dijkstra Agency since 2011. Sherepresents children’s, YA, Romance, and Sci-fi/Fantasy. She enjoys lever, heartfelt, and commercial middle grade and YA in prose or graphic novel format and across genres. In the Adult SFF realm, sheÕs a fan of contemporary fantasy, near future science fiction, and romantic fantasy. In romance, her favorite tropes are: hate-to-love/enemies-to-lovers, slow burn, forbidden/doomed romance, fake dating/marriage of convenience, grumpy/sunshine, mistaken identities, and she is a sucker for beta second male leads who steal the show (and hopefully the heroineÕs heart!). If you can make her think of her favorite Asian Dramas then youÕre on the right track!

In general, sheÕs a fan of high concepts that feel fresh and exciting. SheÕs especially drawn to character driven stories about family and friendships from the POV of diverse protagonists. SheÕs a fan of characters who are passionate about the arts, STEM, activism, and geeky fandoms. SheÕs a big reader of fanfiction and love that style of bingeable writing. She adores stories with a touch of magic and whimsy, and is a lifelong fan of mythology and fairytales. SheÕs interested in all things gothic, cottagecore, and dark academia.

Though she has represented them in the past, she is currently NOT looking for picture book writers at the moment.

ThaoÕs clients include New York Times and Indie bestselling authors such as Ali Hazelwood, Thea Guanzon, Sandhya Menon, Evelyn Skye, Jessie Sima, Jessica Kim, and moreÉ

Thao is NOT looking for: non-fiction, adult literary fiction, adult general fiction, mystery/thriller/suspense, memoirs, poetry, religious/spiritual books, screenplays, or short stories.

My Current MSWLs are:

I am keen to find high concept romances (either YA or Adult) with a touch of speculative similar to popular Webtoons like: See You in My 19th Life, Operation True Love.
IÕm a big fan of board games and escape rooms, so IÕm usually drawn to MG and YA stories that are a little puzzle-y and wraps up logically and cleverly. Think The Westing Game and The Mysterious Benedict Society.
I love murder mysteries like Knives Out, but not mystery as the main genre/market. I particularly like mystery in Middle Grade like books such as Lockwood & Co.
IÕm a huge fan of The Bear (Hulu) and would love to see an Adult romance featuring a sensitive yet tough and tatted Chef hero or other similar type of sensitive hero/love interest who is in a demanding career.
I am a Jane Austen fan and my favorite is Emma. IÕm always a sucker for a unique take on Austen such as a retelling through the POV of an unexpected character or a new setting.
IÕm also a fan of ships that have the vibe of the Princess Mononoke knife scene.
My favorite fanfic AUs are: Coffeeshop, Flower Shop, and Soulmates/Fated Mates.
Some of my favorite mythologies and fairytales include, but arenÕt limited to: ChangÕEr & Hou Yi, Yuki-onna, Swan Lake, Orpheus & Eurydice, Bluebeard, Tam Lin, Donkeyskin
While I enjoy GRRM and Tolkien, IÕm not the best agent for adult epic fantasies unless itÕs particularly character driven. IÕm also not the best fit for any military, alien invasion stories, or hard science fiction. IÕm also not the best person for most action thriller stories involving cops, spies, or corporate espionage.