Allison Hellegers
Stimola Literary Studio
My Manuscript Wish List®
Opening my submissions for just a few short weeks (Dec.1 – Dec 20th 2025). As both a Foreign Rights Director and Literary Agent, my taste leans toward projects with emotional resonance, strong narrative hooks, and clear film/TV or translation potential. I’m drawn to stories that take readers on a journey—whether that journey is deeply internal, wildly imaginative, or rooted in real-world discovery. I’m a generalist agent representing books across all age categories, and I’m often pulled in first by a high-concept pitch or irresistible idea. But the voice has to have something only you can say.
Nonfiction (Actively Looking)
I’m especially eager to grow my nonfiction list. I love working with authors who have something urgent to say and a fresh way of saying it. I’m constantly reaching out to writers I discover through fascinating articles, standout TikToks or Instagram posts, or unique voices doing something new in the cultural landscape. I also love working with comedians!
I’m particularly drawn to:
-Memoirs with purpose—narratives with heart that also speak to something bigger.
-Experts with platforms—journalists, doctors, psychologists, scholars, and thought leaders who bring clarity and storytelling flair to complex ideas.
-Projects rooted in pop culture, health, history, psychology, philosophy, or social impact.
-If your work deepens public conversation or reframes how we see the world, I want to hear from you.
Fiction (Book Club Fiction, Women’s Fiction, Upmarket, MG & YA)
-While I adore a strong contemporary novel, the pitch and voice need to be truly exceptional.
-I’m especially excited to find more genre fiction in adult, crossover, YA and middle grade—gothic, horror, historical, fantasy, speculative, dystopian, grounded sci-fi, or unexpected blends of any of the above.
-Queer and diverse characters are always a plus. I enjoy romance, especially when it offers a distinct perspective or a storytelling twist that sets it apart in a crowded market.
-Overall, I’m looking for fiction with atmosphere, high stakes, big heart, momentum, and series potential—stories that make me cancel my plans so I can keep reading.
Self-Published Authors
-For the first time, I’m opening my list to successful self-published authors interested in exploring a traditional path—especially those with proven readerships in the spaces above.
Fun facts about me:
Allison (who also goes by that name Alli at the Studio) received her degrees in Journalism and Women’s Studies from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. After spending a semester abroad at the Sorbonne in Paris, she was thrilled when her jobs as Literary Scout and Foreign Rights Manager would take her back to France (among other countries). Alli also volunteered with the non-profit Girls Write Now, and empowering teen girls became one of the biggest drivers in her career. After working with the YA packager, Alloy Entertainment, Alli spent the last 10 years as Foreign Rights Director with Rights People. She also co-agents books for all ages on behalf of foreign publishers and agencies (international, British, and Australian) to represent projects into North America. Alli loves hiking in nature, yoga, listening to music on road trips, and spending time with her friends, partner, son, and her rescue mutt in Brooklyn.
Submission Guidelines
Submissions should be emailed to alli@sls-submissions.com
Allison Hellegers will be open for a short time in December 2025 (Dec 1-Dec 20th), and she’ll close again after that. During that time, she’ll be open to referrals only.
**Please submit your query to ALLI (at) SLS-SUBMISSIONS (dot) COM.
**For fiction for all ages, please send your query letter + 10 pages cut and pasted into the body of the e-mail.
**For non-fiction for all ages, please send your query letter.
Follow here here: https://bsky.app/profile/allidh.bsky.social
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Vital Info
I’d like the next…
Adult:
I’M GLAD MY MOM DIED by Jeanette McCurdy
EDUCATED by Tara Westover
ABORTION: Our Bodies, Their Lies, and The Truths We Use to Win by Jessica Valenti
DEMOCRACY AWAKENING by Heather Cox Richardson
GOOD TALK by Mira Jacob
RANDOM FAMILY by Adriene Nicole Leblanc
THE HOURS by Michael Cunningham
SUCH A FUN AGE by Kiley Reid
THE GREAT ALONE by Kristin Hannah
THE EYES ARE THE BEST PART by Monika Kim
THE MINISTRY OF TIME by Kaliane Bradley
BIG SWISS by Jen Beagin
ELEANOR OLIPHANT IS COMPLETELY FINE by Gail Honeyman
YOU COULD MAKE THIS PLACE BEAUTIFUL by Maggie Smith
RED, WHITE & ROYAL BLUE by Casey McQuiston
Kids:
HUNGER GAMES by Suzanne Collins
THE HATE YOU GIVE by Angie Thomas
HEARTSTOPPER by Alice Osman
THE HUNGER GAMES trilogy by Suzanne Collins
LET THE RIGHT ONE IN by John Ajvide Lindqvist
POET X by Elizabeth Acevedo
IF I WAS YOUR GIRL by Meredith Russo
I’LL GIVE YOU THE SUN by Jandy Nelson
THE SISTERHOOD OF THE TRAVELING PANTS by Ann Brashares
RAMONA QUIMBY by Beverly Cleary
LONG WAY DOWN by Jason Reynolds
WE ARE OKAY by Nina LaCouer
SADIE by Courtney Summers
SISTERS by Raina Telgemeier
WISHTREE by Katherine Applegate
MELISSA by Alex Gino
INSIDE OUT AND BACK AGAIN by Thannha Lai
My favorites include…
Last year I loved films that portrayed women’s experiences in unique and surprising ways, such as Nightbitch, The Substance, Anora, and Babygirl. I would love to rep books that appeal to these audiences, and I’m currently inhaling the holiday films for 2025, with two favorites being Bugonia and Frankenstein.
TV taste: Stranger Things, Poker Face, Black Mirror, Rivals, House of Dragon, Jane the Virgin, Dexter, Physical, SKAM, Glow, Insecure, Veronica Mars, Better Things, Fleabag, Yellowjackets, Russian Doll, Friday Night Lights, Skins, The Queen’s Gambit, The Affair, Hanna, Sabrina the Teenage Witch, the Americans, The Great, Dickinson, Succession, Pen15, Euphoria, Punky Brewster
