Gemma Cooper is a literary agent with The Bent Agency. She says: ÒI started my publishing career in 2010 in New York after eight years working in the recruitment industry. IÕve been lucky to live and work in Chicago and London since then, experiences that have given me a global approach to representation. IÕm now back in London, where I work with authors all over the world and sell directly to publishers in the US, the UK, Canada, and Australia. I became a director of our London office in 2020 and have represented New York Times and Sunday Times bestsellers, Waterstones ChildrenÕs Book Prize winners, the Australian Book Industry Overall Book of the Year, and books that have been shortlisted for the Carnegie Medal, the Edgar Award, the Booktrust Blue Peter Book Award, and many more.

The best part of my job is getting to be the first fan of an unpublished book and then be its champion Ñ nothing beats talking up your passions to other book lovers.

I represent authors and author/illustrators who write chapter books, middle-grade, and young adult fiction and nonfiction, as well as select webcomic adaptations. I do not represent adult fiction or adult non-fiction outside of my current clients.

My list is typified by big-concept, commercial series fiction for children. IÕm an upbeat person and I tend to connect to characters who are the same; my current client list is a great snapshot of my taste. If you can describe your book in one line, or in an ÔX meets YÕ elevator pitch, I want to read it. I like books that have obvious potential for dramatic adaptation, be they a funny pre-school TV series or a big-budget feature film. IÕm very keen to see writers from underrepresented communities, particularly those who write chapter books and middle-grade fiction.

My sweet spot is middle-grade fiction, where I have the widest taste: anything from mystery to fantasy, historical to funny, adventure stories to serious topics, verse, illustrated, and all the gaps in between. Really, any middle-grade novel with a strong voice and/or a big hook will get my attention.

In young adult fiction, IÕd love a magical or paranormal romance with end of the world stakes and big emotions/first love. For contemporary YA, IÕd love a rom-com with a hook, or something high concept with strong friendships or sibling relationships. IÕm not the agent for YA high fantasy unless it is very heavy on the romance and IÕm not a good fit for books with dark subject matter.

I work on a lot of younger series and I love high-concept funny chapter books with series potential aimed at ages 7+. IÕm also looking for graphic novels and highly illustrated books for emerging readers ages 5+, with simple concepts but laugh-out-loud pre-school humour. Author/illustrators in the chapter book, graphic novel, and middle-grade markets get my immediate attention.

I only represent picture books for my existing clients, so please donÕt send me picture book submissions. For childrenÕs nonfiction, IÕm interested in history and science, and anything that can be published in an interesting format. IÕm also open to select webcomic adaptations in the areas of humour and gift books.

A few more things about me: I love Christmas, travel, choosing the perfect present, Ô90s movies, Murder She Wrote, Red Dwarf, cinematic world-building, being a bit extra, theme parks (especially impeccable attention to detail in theming), and a good twist I didnÕt see coming.”