Beth Marshea

Currently Looking For

I am the owner and Lead Agent at Ladderbird Literary Agency. I have a BA in Literature and a Masters in Business Administration and am always looking for new and exciting ways to bring more diversity into publishing at Ladderbird and beyond. I would like to see more works from disabled writers, from LGBTQIA+ writers, from Black, Indigenous, Latinx, Asian, Middle Eastern, and all other groups who do not regularly get to see their stories in print. I would love to see more nonbinary representation across categories as well. Non-Fiction Adult I am actively seeking narrative nonfiction centering around cultural phenomena, hidden or weird histories, issue-driven books, and books that offer new ways to look at spiritualism, witchcraft and paganism. I am not a good fit for books on the Judeo-Christian religions. Fiction Adult Literary Fiction- I am looking for work with exceptional voice and beautiful style, unusual settings, and works that involve clever plots with dynamic characters. I want to see work that brings to light new perspectives on old ideas.  Of particular interest are multi-generational stories that show family dynamics, stories centered around found family or friendship. I am especially interested in seeing works by and about BIPOC communities, especially Latinx and Indigenous writers. I am NOT interested in stories containing sexual or physical abuse. Mainstream/Commercial Fiction– I’d love to see more multicultural Meet-Cutes/RomComs (especially LGBTQ+), Family Drama, stories about friendships of any kind, work that is light and fun, but emotionally poignant at the same time. Mysteries- Cozies with a twist. It might be an unusual setting, or simply written from BIPOC perspective to give this genre a new voice. Thrillers- I love a thriller that really keeps you on the edge of your seat guessing! I’m particularly looking for thrillers set outside of the United States. I do not love thrillers that feature violence towards women as their main plot. Fantasy- Books that are fast-paced with wonderful (ideally non-European) characters. I’d love to see more fantasies based on non-European folklore, especially Latinx (new imaginings of El Cucuy, El Sombrerón, Duendes, etc…)! Science Fiction- I am no longer acquiring Science Fiction. Young Adult Contemporary- I am very actively looking for stories about found family, the difficulties of friendship, LGBTQIA+ Rom/Coms, anything that is really poignant and pulls at your heart strings, especially if it is set outside of the U.S. Mysteries/Thrillers– Stories with high stakes, and complex friendships stretched thin. In YA, Mysteries/Thrillers of almost any kind are appealing as long as they are emotionally focused and bring a new point of view. I am not a fan of unreliable narrators. Fantasy- Very similar to Adult Fantasy, I prefer folkloric tales, but am very glad to have a happy ending! I’m also interested in tales that feature friendships rather than romance as their base, but really dig in to the

Submission Guidelines

bethmarshea@ladderbird.com @busybethm Facebook Website

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