Brent Taylor

I’m Brent Taylor, a literary agent at Triada US. For more information about me and my list, visit btaylorbooks.com or triadaus.com.

I am actively looking for new clients in the following genres and categories.

As a reader, I have an appreciation for both commercial and literary fiction, and often find myself falling in love with books that possess the best elements of both: books that have commercial concepts, that will appeal to a wide audience, and are written in prose that is layered with emotion. I am the type of reader who cannot leave the bookstore without getting something from almost every single department—from fantasy to contemporary, non-fiction and fiction, poetry and prose, and illustrated books

Picture Books:

Please note that I am only accepting submissions from author-illustrators with picture book dummies (completed text with sample art). I am not taking on new clients who are solely picture book authors.

Some of my favorite picture books include Julian Is a Mermaid by Jessica Love and My Papi Has a Motorcycle by Isabel Quintero and Zeke Peña. Some of the picture books I’ve worked on include Prince & Knight by Daniel Haack; Seven Bad Cats by Moe Bonneau; Poultrygeist by Eric Geron; Girl Dad and Boy Dad illustrated by my client Jay Davis; and the many picture books of my incredible clients Rajani LaRocca, Aya Khalil, Jonathan Hillman, and a number of other wonderful picture book creators.

Middle Grade:

I love a wide range of middle grade, and the best way to describe what I’m looking for is to tell you about my favorite middle grade novels: Keeper by Kathi Appelt, The Best Man by Richard Peck, The Penderwicks by Jeanne Birdsall, and The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill. Some of my middle grade clients include Newbery Honor author Rajani LaRocca; New York Times-bestselling author Sayantani DasGupta; best-selling author K.R. Alexander; and award-winning author Rex Ogle. Being between the ages of 8 and 12 is so difficult. Kids are on the cusp of what feels like a vast, overwhelming, and unwelcoming world. I want to represent middle grade that enlightens kids to all the love and joy that the world has to offer—books that make them feel excited for the future, not afraid of it.

Young Adult:

I am open to every type of YA you could possibly imagine, from fantasy to contemporary. I love YA that captures the dichotomies of being young—how, as a teen, you yearn for freedom, but at the same time it’s incredibly scary for so many parts of your life to be changing. My favorite YA novels are bittersweet, authentic portrayals of what it’s like to be figuring out who you are, what this world is, and how those two things fit in with one another. Some of my favorite YA novels are The Vast Fields of Ordinary by Nick Burd, Dig by A. S. King, Ordinary Girls by Blair Thornburgh, and Strange the Dreamer by Laini Taylor. Neal Shusterman’s novels (particularly the Arc of a Scythe series) are a great example of the type of smart, commercial, and high-stakes YA that I love. Some YA authors I’m proud to represent include Phil Stamper and Jason June. I’m passionate about young adult fiction that helps teen readers discover and live as their most authentic selves. I’ve represented a lot of contemporary YA in the past, and I’d love to work on more thrillers, fantasy, and speculative YA in the future.

Graphic Novels:

I’m open to both text-only graphic novel scripts and author-illustrated projects. Some of my graphic novel clients include Tori Sharp, Rex Ogle (and his pen name Rey Terciero), Bre Indigo, Eric Gapstur, Mike Amante, and Marker Snyder.

Adult:

During the first decade of my career, I primarily focused on children’s and YA books, but I am now looking to work on more adult fiction in the following genres.

Fantasy: I am incredibly fortunate to represent the #1 New York Times-bestselling Hannah Nicole Maehrer, author of Assistant to the Villain. I would love to represent more cozy fantasy and romantasy. I also love high-stakes fantasy that’s beautifully written. Some of my recent favorites include the Emily Wilde series by Heather Fawcett and Godkiller by Hannah Kaner. I am a sucker for books about the fey.

Thrillers: If your book is similar to the works of authors T.J. Newman, Lucy Foley, or Tana French, then I would love to see it. I am also a sucker for espionage and CIA thrillers—such as the works of David McCloskey or Jason Matthews. A recent favorite includes Bad Summer People by Emma Rosenblum. If your manuscript feels like a season of White Lotus, I want to read it!

Romance: I would love to represent LGBTQ romance books like Red, White, and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston and Boyfriend Material by Alexis Hall. I’d also love to represent military romance similar to the works of Rebecca Yarros. (Fun fact: I’m an army husband!)

Beach Reads: I am an Elin Hilderbrand superfan. No, seriously—I own all the ornaments and I take my “I Read Elin” tote bag on every vacation. I would just die of happiness to represent books like hers—beach reads that are so artistically excellent, smart, and have a mass appeal.

LGBTQ Literary Fiction: I love a wide range of literary fiction, but I’m most passionate about and interested in representing literary fiction with an LGBTQ focus. Recent favorites include In Memoriam by Alice Winn; A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara; and The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller.

Subsidiary Rights Management:

In addition to my role as an agent, I founded Triada US’s audio and foreign rights department. I am open to taking on clients (including self-published authors) specifically for subsidiary rights management, primarily in the areas of fantasy and romance. If you are querying me for potential subsidiary rights management, please include “rights management query” in your email subject line, with a description of the book, your biography, sales figures, and any other pertinent information in the body of the message.

Submission Guidelines

Submissions should be emailed to brent@triadaus.com

Send your query letter and first ten pages pasted in the body of the message to brent [at] triadaus [dot] com. Put “Query” in the subject line.

Guidelines & Details