Molly Ker Hawn is a literary agent with The Bent Agency. She says: “I joined the Bent Agency in 2012 and lead our London office, where I work with authors from all over the world, selling directly to publishers in the US, the UK, Canada, and Australia. IÕve bounced back and forth from America to England since I was a teenager: I grew up in Northern California, lived for a year in the West Country, read English at Cambridge University, and spent many years in New York City. I represent authors whose books have been New York Times, Sunday Times and international bestsellers and that have won and been shortlisted for the William C. Morris YA Debut Award, the Michael L. Printz Award, the Barnes & Noble ChildrenÕs Book Award, the Costa Book Award, the Waterstones ChildrenÕs Book Prize, the Carnegie Medal, the Deutscher Jugendliteraturpreis, and more.

IÕm honored to have served for three years on the governing committee of the Association of AuthorsÕ Agents and to have been named one of the BooksellerÕs most influential people in the UK publishing industry.

I have a thriving list, but from time to time, I do have room for an irresistible new project when I feel I can place it successfully with a publisher and bring real value to the authorÕs career. Specifically, IÕm looking for exceptional middle-grade and young adult fiction with global commercial appeal, as well as graphic novels for children and young adults with illustrations in place and fantasy, science fiction and speculative fiction for adults.

For childrenÕs and YA, IÕm open to any genre and almost any topic. Contemporary, historical, fantasy, science fiction, romance, horrorÉIÕve loved and sold books that fit all those descriptions. For adult fantasy, science fiction and speculative fiction, IÕm looking for fast-paced stories that would appeal to a broad audience, set either in new worlds or one that could be our own, with vividly drawn characters.

No matter the genre or age category, the writing needs to be polished and assured; the story needs to be captivating. I like to be astonished! IÕm especially drawn to stories with a strong sense of place, told by authors who fundamentally understand the world theyÕre writing about, whether itÕs real or imaginary.

Some specific likes and dislikes:

I like wit, not snark.

I like books that play with form and narrative.

Nothing hooks me like writing that shows a real mastery of language.

I love love. Romantic love, family love, the love of friendship Ñ authentic-feeling bonds between characters can carry me through almost any story.

I like books that make me feel changed by the end of them, like my world is bigger, and I understand it a little better.

IÕm not interested in Ômisery lit.Õ I donÕt like to finish a book feeling hopeless about the characters.

Fantasy was my first love: Ruth Chew, Lloyd Alexander, Susan Cooper, Anne McCaffrey, and Sylvia Engdahl made me the reader I am today. But those influences mean my standards are high Ñ I need solid worldbuilding, intelligent dialogue and real emotion in fantasy.

My taste in fantasy doesnÕt run to angels/demons, vampires/werewolves, or similar ÔparanormalÕ tropes.

I canÕt get enough of books that tell a great story and invite me to get to know a culture IÕm unfamiliar withÑand IÕd like the author to be an authentic representative of that culture.

IÕm not a dog person. Animal protagonists in general donÕt interest me, except maybe cats.

IÕm interested in reading about life in religious communities.

IÕm interested in books that deal with theatre and performance.

I think the publishing industry underestimates young readersÕ love of weirdness.

IÕm particularly interested in hearing from writers from historically excluded communities.

Please do not send me picture books. I only represent picture books for my established clients.

Please do not send me illustration samples. I donÕt represent illustrators who donÕt write their own texts.