Zo‘ Plant is a literary agent with The Bent Agency. She says: “I joined the Bent AgencyÕs London office in 2019 with a globetrotting background Ð a degree in Russian and Spanish, a year living in Moscow and five years working with publishers all over the world as a literary scout. I now represent authors who have been New York Times and Nielsen BookScan UK bestsellers, won the Books Are My Bag Readers Awards, and been finalists for the American Library AssociationÕs William C. Morris YA Debut Award. Working closely with authors to bring out the best in their books and their careers is my favourite part of being an agent.

I am looking for middle-grade and young adult fiction across all genres, as well as adult science fiction, fantasy, horror and speculative fiction. Across the board, my tastes lean towards commercial, entertaining, accessible books that also have something to say about the world. I am particularly interested in seeing submissions from writers from traditionally underrepresented backgrounds.

In middle-grade, my favourite books combine a quirky voice or setting and a sense of fun with a strong emotional core. IÕm not afraid of a little darkness, but for this age group I prefer books that have a spark of joy to temper it.

In YA fantasy, IÕm on the hunt for books that do something different in a very crowded market; interesting settings, intricate worldbuilding and unusual magic systems are all things that excite me. I am also looking for eye-opening science fiction and speculative fiction for teens, horror, and deviously twisty thrillers.

On the adult side, I am drawn to science fiction and fantasy with strong commercial appeal, and particularly books that break away from the very traditional classics of these genres. I would love to find the next RF Kuang or Becky Chambers. I am not the reader for biblical retellings in a fantasy setting or very literary or experimental fiction. I love horror that has a social conscience Ð send me terrifying fiction for the Get Out audience. I have a weakness for murder mysteries and would love to find high concept or genre-bending books in that area, as well as general fiction with a speculative or gothic edge.”