The 2026 Toronto Writing Workshop: April 11, 2026

Screen Shot 2016-12-25 at 10.34.26 PM.png After successful 2016, 2017, 2019, 2020, 2024, and 2025 events in Toronto, Writing Day Workshops is excited to announce The 2026 Toronto Writing Workshop — a full-day in-person “How to Get Published” writing event in Toronto, Ontario, Canada on April 11, 2026.

This writing event is a wonderful opportunity to get intense instruction over the course of one day, pitch a literary agent or editor (optional), get your questions answered, and more. Note that there are limited seats at the event (200 total). All questions about the event regarding schedule, details and registration are answered below. Thank you for your interest in the 2026 Toronto Writing Workshop! We are very proud of our many success stories where attendees sign with agents following events — see our growing list of success stories here.

(Please note that this is an in-person event. We at Writing Day Workshops plan both online/virtual as well as in-person events. This next TWW is an in-person event happening in Toronto on April 11, 2026. See you there.)

To register, click the button above, or email Chuck at WritingDayWorkshops@gmail.com and tell him you’re interested in the Toronto event.

WHAT IS IT?

This is a special one-day “How to Get Published” writing workshop on Saturday, April 11, 2026, at Sheraton Centre Toronto Hotel (downtown). In other words, it’s one day full of classes and advice designed to give you the best instruction concerning how to get your writing & books published. We’ll discuss your publishing opportunities today, how to write queries & pitches, how to market yourself and your books, what makes an agent/editor stop reading your manuscript, and more. No matter what you’re writing — fiction or nonfiction — the day’s classes will help point you in the right direction. Writers of all genres are welcome.

This event is designed to squeeze as much into one day of learning as possible. You can ask any questions you like during the classes, and get your specific concerns addressed. We will have literary agents onsite to give feedback and take pitches from writers, as well. This year’s agent and editor faculty so far includes:

literary agent Leonicka Valcius (Transatlantic Agency)
literary agent Marina Green (PS Literary)
literary agent Alexandra D’Amico (The Rights Factory)
editor Melanie Tutino (Doubleday Canada)
literary agent Kate Moody (Transatlantic Agency)
literary agent Kelsey Evans (Rosecliff Literary)
literary agent Paige Broadbent (The Purcell Agency)
literary agent Jes Trudel (The Rights Factory)
literary agent Katrina LeMarie (Corvisiero Literary)
editor Mikaela Roasa (Harper Canada)
literary agent Rose Ferrao (PS Literary)
literary agent Jo Ramsay (Transatlantic Agency)
literary agent Julia Kim (The Rights Factory)
TV/film agent Jennifer Irons (Meta Talent Agency)
and possibly more to come.

By the end of the day, you will have all the tools you need to move forward on your writing journey. This independent event is organized by coordinator Chuck Sambuchino of Writing Day Workshops. E-mail Chuck to register for the event at WritingDayWorkshops@gmail.com. Tell him you want to register for the Toronto event.

Special thanks for our local volunteers assisting on April 11 from the Crime Writers of Canada.

To register, click the button above, or email Chuck at WritingDayWorkshops@gmail.com and tell him you’re interested in the Toronto event.

EVENT LOCATION & DETAILS:

9:30 a.m. – 5 p.m., Saturday, April 11, 2026 — at Sheraton Centre Toronto Hotel, 123 Queen St W, Toronto, ON M5H 2M9, Canada. The hotel has some discounted guest rooms available — find the link here.

THIS YEAR’S SESSIONS & WORKSHOPS (APRIL 11, 2026):

What you see below is a quick layout of the day’s events. The topics below are mostly set, but subject to change. You can see a more detailed layout of the day’s classes on the Schedule Page here.

Please Note: There will be 2-3 classes/workshops going at all times during the day, so you will have your choice of what class you attend at any time. The final schedule of topics is subject to change, but here is the current layout:

8:30 – 9:30: Check-in and registration at the event location.

BLOCK ONE: 9:30 – 10:30

1. How to Write a Query Letter That Gets Agent Attention. If you want an agent to represent your work, it all starts with a compelling query letter.

2. Beyond the Book Deal: How to Navigate Social Media and Build an Effective Brand. This workshop will discuss the importance of an author’s platform. This class will help you understand the very basics of marketing yourself and your book(s) online, whether you’re traditionally published or self-published.

BLOCK TWO: 10:45 – 11:50

1. Conquering the Novel. This workshop helps writers develop a plan for organizing, writing, re-writing, and finishing their novel.

2. Plotting Arcs and Compelling Narratives. A great work of fiction requires excellent pacing to move the reader past those first pages and to propel them to the very end.

(What you see here is a quick layout of the day’s events. See a full layout of the day’s sessions, with detailed descriptions, on the official Schedule Page here.)

LUNCH ON YOUR OWN: 11:50 – 1:15

Lunch is on your own during these 85 minutes.

BLOCK THREE: 1:15 – 2:30

1. “Writers Got Talent”—a Page 1 Critique Fest. This is a chance to get your first page read (anonymously — no bylines given) with attending agents commenting on what was liked or not liked about the submission.

2. Writing, Pitching, and Selling Nonfiction. This session focuses on effective strategies for writing a nonfiction book proposal on any subject. Topics include industry standards, building your expertise, and how to prepare a winning proposal that demonstrates your understanding of the marketplace.

BLOCK FOUR: 2:45 – 3:45

1. Open Agent Q&A Panel. Several attending literary agents will open themselves up to open Q&A from TWW attendees. Bring your questions and get them answered in this popular session.

2. Lost In Revisions—How to Self-Edit Your Manuscript. This session will teach the foundations of self-editing, focusing on high level plot and and continuing down into the nitty gritty of grammar.

(What you see here is a quick layout of the day’s events. See a full layout of the day’s sessions, with detailed descriptions, on the official Schedule Page here.)

BLOCK FIVE: 4:00 – 5:00

1. Make Your First Five Pages Amazing. You have five pages to impress an agent–make them count.

2. Story Lessons from Hollywood. How lessons from screenwriting, acting, directing, producing, and video editing can help prose writers craft more compelling stories and keep readers turning those pages.

SESSIONS END: 5:00

At 5 p.m., the day is done. Speakers will make themselves available by the workshop’s bookstore for a short while to sign any books for attendees.

Agent & Editor Pitching: All throughout the day.

PITCH AN AGENT OR EDITOR:

Léonicka Valcius is a literary agent with Transatlantic Agency. “Adult and Young Adult fiction wishlist: I like books I can read on a beach vacation: fun commercial fiction, romance that ranges from sweet to steamy, otherworldly fantasy, and sweeping historical fiction. I do not represent mysteries or thrillers. Middle Grade wishlisy: I love humour, adventure, and make believe. I also enjoy stories about children navigating their changing relationships with family and friends. I strongly prefer books with at least one human character. I do not represent picture books.” Learn more about Leonicka here.

Katrina Lemaire is a literary agent with Corvisiero Literary. When it comes to her taste in books, Katrina is often found devouring the pages of decadent fantasies set in worlds with high or low stakes, dark academia with cult/occult aspects, speculative fiction, horror of all kinds, graphic novels, gothic literature, noir fiction, paranormal, romance, urban fantasy, mystery, and anything that leans towards the uncanny. Within these genres, specifically in crossover YA and Adult, Katrina is always looking for more queer and BIPOC representation that feature tenacious and palpable characters. In adult fiction and new adult, she seeks: fantasy, horror, Gothic, magical realism, all sectors of Indigenous/ First Nations works, supernatural, paranormal, and historical fiction. In young adult, she seeks horror and fantasy. She also represents children’s picture books as well as graphic novels of many kinds. Learn more about Katrina here.

Marina Green is an associate literary agent at PS Literary Agency representing fiction and nonfiction. In fiction, she is particularly drawn to speculative, atmospheric, and voice-driven narratives for both adult and young adult audiences. She has a soft spot for hybrid genres, such as horror-romance or speculative thrillers, and books with big hooks. In literary fiction, she is looking for stories that push the boundaries of genre and form. She’d love horror in the vein of an A24 film. When it comes to mysteries and thrillers, she looks for atmospheric stories with unreliable narrators that skew psychological or slowly get under your skin. For romance, she seeks stories with heart and something big to say, or unconventional takes on the genre. In fantasy, she is looking for unique magic systems, strong characters, and stories inspired by myth or folklore, particularly outside the Western canon. While she’s open to romantasy, these submissions need to stand out against the saturated market. On the nonfiction side, she is interested in self-help, spiritual (Marina loves the woo woo!), and the occult. She’s also very keen to find poignant nature memoirs and other nature-based non-fiction. As a child of diaspora herself, across all categories, she is looking for diverse and inclusive stories rooted in the diasporic experience, cultural identity, and belonging. Learn more about Marina here.

Jes Trudel (she/her/mx) is a literary agent with The Rights Factory. At the moment, I’m accepting only children’s literature, including: Board books (BB); Picture books (PB); Chapter books (CB); Middle grade (MG); and Young adult (YA). In addition to traditional styles of storytelling, I also love graphic novels and novels in verse. I’m also open to short story and poetry collections for kids. I accept both illustrated and text-only manuscripts. If you are an illustrator only, I’m sorry, but I can’t represent you at this time (unless you create full-length wordless picture books). Learn more about Jes here.

Kelsey Evans is a literary agent with Rosecliff Literary. In adult fiction, she seeks romance, horror, science fiction, fantasy, suspense, mystery, thriller. In adult nonfiction, she seeks: narrative nonfiction — specifically in sports, nature, and science. In young adult fiction, she seeks: fantasy and magical realism. Generally looking for: immersive settings (fantasy or otherwise), jaw-dropping plot twists, distinctive voice, tight plotting, high concept hooks, emotional character journeys, slow burn romances, top-tier banter. Learn more about Kelsey here.

Kate Moody is a literary agent with Transatlantic Agency. Kate represents authors in both adult fiction and no-fiction. She is seeking authors with strong platforms in nonfiction, including true crime, narrative, journalism, memoir, sports, current affairs and pop culture. In fiction, she is particularly interested in thrillers, psychological thrillers, family sagas, and stories that are dark, twisty, and complex. Kate is also drawn to authors whose exceptional writing can stand above a platform, as well as those who skillfully bend genres and execute multi-POV narratives with precision. Learn more about Kate Moody.

Melanie Tutino (she/her) is a senior editor at Doubleday Canada. She is interested in upmarket and book-club fiction, literary fiction, and nonfiction—be it memoir or investigative reporting—that highlights systemic injustice, environmental issues, the natural world, and psychology. Across genres, she is drawn to voice-driven narratives with strong emotional impact. She is proud to work with international and Canadian authors that include Lena Dunham, Susan Fletcher, Sarah Henstra, Rachel Joyce, Minelle Mahtani, Janice Lynn Mather, Sarah Meehan Sirk, Leah Mol, Kate Pullinger, Craig Taylor, C.J. Tudor, and David Wroblewski. Learn more about Melanie here.

Julia Kim is a literary agent with The Rights Factory. Julia is looking for literary fiction and select genre fiction (mystery, crime, horror, historical). She is also seeking a range of nonfiction topics including history, politics, current affairs, women’s issues, biography and memoir, food and lifestyle, art and culture, film and TV, pop culture. She is keen to support BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, and historically underrepresented writers. As a second-generation Korean Canadian based in Toronto, she has a particular interest in diverse stories from diasporic communities in North America and beyond. Learn more about Julia here.

Mikaela Roasa is an editor with HarperCollins Canada. Mika acquires and edits a range of commercial and upmarket character-driven stories and select narrative no-fiction and memoir. For fiction, Mika is interested in science fiction & fantasy; romance; and voicey, emotionally compelling contemporary fiction. For nonfiction, she is drawn to works that explore themes of identity, race, sexuality and gender with nuance, as well as food and community or pop culture. While Mika is open minded to a range of submissions, she is not the right fit for historical fiction, police procedurals, high-concept literary fiction, poetry, business books, or true crime. Learn more about Mikaela here.

Paige Broadbent is a literary agent with The Purcell Agency. At the Toronto event, Paige is taking pitches on behalf of herself and her agency. She is seeking pitches for the following genres and categories: Middle grade fiction (contemporary, coming of age, dystopian, romantic, #ownvoices, BIPOC, and LGBTQ); Young adult fiction (contemporary, coming of age, dystopian, romantic, #ownvoices, BIPOC, and LGBTQ); New adult fiction (contemporary, coming of age, dystopian, romantic, #ownvoices, BIPOC, and LGBTQ); Adult fiction — contemporary, upmarket, women’s, book club, mainstream, romance, dystopian, #ownvoices, BIPOC, and LGBTQ; Some memoir; Children’s picture books; and any fairy-tale retelling or re-imagining, especially if pulled into a contemporary setting. Learn more about Paige here.

Jennifer Irons is an agent with Meta Talent Agency. Jennifer’s agency is specifically seeking to adapt short stories from BIPOC writers to film and TV. She is also open to having 10-minute consultations with all attendees and writers to answers questions about the process of how print (stories, books) gets adapted to the screen (TV/film). She is happy to just have Q&A sessions with any attendees. META’s mission is to help remedy inequitable access to agent representation for Black, Indigenous, and People of Colour (BIPOC). Learn more about Jennifer here.

Rose Ferrao is a literary agent with P.S. Literary. In fiction, she is looking for commercial romance, adult and crossover fantasy, science fiction, horror, upmarket thrillers, contemporary fiction and select young adult fiction. She is drawn to stories that embrace genre conventions from a fun, fresh angle. In nonfiction, she is looking for cookbooks and food writing, sports, pop culture, music, psychology, lifestyle, and wellness, especially when approached from a specific, unique perspective. She welcomes and encourages submissions from neurodivergent writers. If you would like to send a query to Rose, please review our submission guidelines above. Learn more about Rose here.

Alexandra D’Amico is a literary agent with The Rights Factory. She is seeking: Alex is on the lookout for commercial and genre fiction, including Horror, Fantasy, RomCom/Romance, Historical and Speculative fiction for both an adult and young adult audiences. In nonfiction, Alex is looking for pop culture and lifestyle projects, prescriptive and narrative non-fiction that leans into her personal interests in spirituality and the occult, and expert-led history. She will also love to see poetry in the vein of Lang Leav and SHE WHO DESTROYS THE LIGHT by Shahida Arabi. Alex is actively seeking titles with diverse and queer inclusive representation, especially by authors who are a part of the LGBTQIA+ community. Learn more about Alexandra here.

Jo Ramsay (they/she) is a literary agent with Transatlantic Agency. Jo is seeking: Upmarket fiction (book club conversation starters, fresh take on friendships, relationship, and family); Sci-fi (Black Mirror-esque, commentary on society, genre blending); Speculative fiction; Gothic / Neo-Gothic; Psychological horror / thriller; Light horror (no heavy gore please); Dystopian; Mysteries (with unique POV, character-driven); Graphic Novels; Select literary fiction (less quiet realism, and more unusual or unique storytelling); Select romance (new spin or genre subversion); Select fantasy (fabulism, light world building); and Select historical fiction (unique concept or genre blending). In nonfiction, she seeks: Pop Culture Deep Dives, Politics and Social Sciences, Cultural Critique, Investigative Journalism, Eco-Nonfiction and Naturalist writing, Expedition accounts of professional mountaineers and adjacent sports, Off-Grid Living or Survivalist writing, Travelogues from a unique perspective; Pop Science; and Graphic memoir. Learn more about Jo here.

* * * * *

ADDED ONLINE PITCHING: To ensure that writers have a robust and diverse lineup of agents & editors to pitch, 2026 Toronto Writing Workshop attendees will have the ability to also pitch literary agents at a specific Writing Day Workshops *online* event that follows the 2026 TWW on our calendar.

That event is the 2026 (Online) New England Writing Workshop, July 24-25, 2026, which will have 30-40 agents taking one-on-one Zoom virtual pitches.

This means that 2026 TWW attendees can have access to pitching all those online New England WW agents — pitches still at $29 each — without being a formal registrant for the online July 2026 event. (That said, if you want to formally register for the July 24-25 New England Writing Workshop and have access to all classes and panels, let us know, as there is a discount for confirmed Toronto attendees.)

If you are interested in this added pitching opportunity, the first step is to get formally registered for Toronto. Following the conference on April 11, 2026, we will be in touch with all Toronto attendees and ask them if they want to partake in pitching online agents at the 2026 NEWW (July 24-25). At that time, you can communicate your pitch requests and purchase meeting time.

* * * * *

More 2026 agents to be announced as they are confirmed. You can sign up for pitches at any time, or switch pitches at any time, so long as the agent in question still has appointments open.

These one-on-one meetings are an amazing chance to pitch your book face-to-face with an agent, and get personal, individual feedback on your pitch/concept. If the agent likes your pitch, they’ll request to see part/all of your book — sending you straight past the slush pile. It also gives you an intimate chance to meet with an agent and pick their brain with any questions on your mind.

(Please note that Agent/Editor Pitching is an add-on, separate aspect of the day, for only those who sign up. Spaces are limited for these premium meetings, and pricing/detail is explained below.)

———

PRICING:

$273 CAD / $199 USD — EARLY BIRD base price for registration to the 2026 TWW and access to all workshops, all day. As of fall 2025, registration is now OPEN.

To register, click the button above, or email Chuck at WritingDayWorkshops@gmail.com and tell him you’re interested in the Toronto event.

$40 CAD / $29 USD — to secure a 10-minute one-on-one meeting with any of our literary agents or editors in attendance. Use this special meeting as a chance to pitch your work and get professional feedback on your pitch. (Spaces limited.) If they wish, attendees are free to sign up for multiple 10-minute pitch sessions at $29/session — pitching multiple individuals, or securing 20 minutes to pitch one person rather than the usual 10. Here are four quick testimonials regarding writers who have signed with literary agents after pitching them at prior Writing Day Workshops events. (Our bigger, growing list of success stories an be seen here.)

“I met Mai Nguyen at the Toronto Writing Workshop
and sold her manuscript to Simon & Schuster for six figures.”
– literary agent Carly Watters of P.S. Literary Agency

“I signed Sarah G. Pierce from the Seattle Writing Workshop,
and we recently sold her book to Orbit/Redhook.”
– literary agent Pam Gruber of Highline Literary Collective

“I met Amber Cowie at a Writing Day Workshops conference. We sold
her best-selling crime novel to Lake Union / Amazon.”
– literary agent Gordon Warnock of Fuse Literary

“I met my client, Dana Corbit Nussio, at the Michigan Writing Workshop.
Dana signed a new three-book contract with Harlequin Romantic Suspense.”
– literary agent Rachel Beck of Liza Dawson Associates

“I signed Nedda Lewers from a Writing Day Workshops event. Her debut
novel from Putnam Children’s was an Indie’s Introduce Best Book of 2024.”
– literary agent Kelly Dyksterhouse of Tobias Literary Agency

Add $95 CAD / $69 USD — for an in-depth, personal critique of your one-page query letter from Chuck Sambuchino, one of the day’s former instructors. (This rate is a special event value for Toronto Writing Workshop attendees only.) Registrants are encouraged to take advantage of the specially-priced critique, so they can send out their query letter with confidence following the workshop. Also, if you are meeting with an agent at the event, you’re essentially speaking your query letter aloud to them. Wouldn’t it be wise to give that query letter (i.e., your pitch) one great edit before that meeting?

Add $122 CAD / $89 USD — for an in-depth personal critique of the first 10 pages of your novel. Spaces with faculty for these critiques are very limited, and participating attendees will either 1) get an in-person meeting at the workshop, if the faculty member is attending the live event, or 2) get a 15-minute phone call with the faculty member, and have notes passed along via email, if the critiquer is not attending the live event. Options:

All types of middle grade; all types of young adult; and adult fantasy, sci-fi, and historical fiction (no horror or thriller) (virtual critiques): Faculty member Jillian Boehme, a writing coach and author, will get your work in advance, critique the first 10 double-spaced pages of your book, meet with you online (Zoom, etc.) or by phone for 15 minutes sometime before the workshop to discuss her thoughts, and pass along written critique notes before or after the meeting.
Fantasy, historical fiction, horror, literary fiction, magical realism, mystery, romance, sci-fi, thriller, upmarket, women’s fiction, memoir, and young adult (virtual critiques): Faculty member Victoria Griffin, a writing coach and author, will get your work in advance, critique the first 10 double-spaced pages of your book, meet with you online (Zoom, etc.) or by phone for 15 minutes sometime before the workshop to discuss her thoughts, and pass along written critique notes before or after the meeting.
Children’s picture books (virtual critiques): Faculty member Rosie Pova, a published author, will get your work in advance, critique your book, meet with you online (Zoom, etc.) or by phone for 15 minutes sometime around the workshop to discuss her thoughts, and pass along written critique notes before or after the meeting. If you submit a picture book, it must be 1,000 words or fewer (can have illustrations or not).
Romance, women’s fiction, domestic suspense, and young adult fiction (virtual critiques): Faculty member Swati Hegde, an author and freelance editor, will get your work in advance, critique the first 10 double-spaced pages of your book, meet with you online (Zoom, etc.) or by phone for 15 minutes sometime before the workshop to discuss her thoughts, and pass along written critique notes before or after the meeting.
More options possibly coming soon

How to pay/register:

To register, click the button above. Or reach out to workshop organizer Chuck Sambuchino via email: WritingDayWorkshops@gmail.com. He will pass along registration information to you, and give instructions on how to pay by credit card, PayPal, or check. Once payment is complete, you will have a reserved seat at the event. The TWW will send out periodic e-mail updates to all registered attendees with any & all news about the event. Because Chuck plans different workshops, make sure you note that you’re inquiring about the Toronto workshop specifically.

REGISTRATION:

Because of limited space at the venue (Sheraton Centre Toronto Hotel downtown), the workshop can only allow 200 registrants, unless spacing issues change. For this reason, we encourage you to book sooner rather than later.

Are spaces still available? Yes, we still have spaces available. We will announce RIGHT HERE, at this point on this web page, when all spaces are taken. If you do not see a note right here saying how all spaces are booked, then yes, we still have room, and you are encouraged to register.

How to Register:

Refunds: If you sign up for the event and have to cancel for any reason at any time, you will receive 50% of your total payment back [sent by check or PayPal]. The other 50% is nonrefundable and will not be returned, and helps the workshop ensure that only those truly interested in the limited spacing sign up for the event. (Please note that query editing payments and manuscript editing payments are completely non-refundable if the instructor has already edited your work.)

Thank you for your interest in the 2026 Toronto Writing Workshop.

Get to Know an Editor in Attendance: Melanie Tutino oif Doubleday Canada

Melanie Tutino (she/her) is a senior editor at Doubleday Canada.

She is interested in upmarket and book-club fiction, literary fiction, and nonfiction—be it memoir or investigative reporting—that highlights systemic injustice, environmental issues, the natural world, and psychology.

Across genres, she is drawn to voice-driven narratives with strong emotional impact.

She is thrilled to have recently published the #1 instant national bestseller The Heart of a Superfan by Nav Bhatia; the nationally bestselling Three Days in June by Anne Tyler; and the New York Times bestseller The Husbands by Holly Gramazio.

She is proud to work with international and Canadian authors that include Lena Dunham, Susan Fletcher, Sarah Henstra, Rachel Joyce, Minelle Mahtani, Janice Lynn Mather, Sarah Meehan Sirk, Leah Mol, Kate Pullinger, Craig Taylor, C.J. Tudor, and David Wroblewski.

Her forthcoming publications include a novel and a book of essays by bestselling author Jennette McCurdy; the coming-of-age novel Liar’s Dice by Juliet Faithfull; Meredyth Cole’s edgy literary debut, Heatstroke; a historical spy romance by C.C. Humphreys; and a fantasy-romance duology by Norees Gasper.

Melanie’s featured titles:

Get to Know an Agent in Attendance: Kelsey Evans of Rosecliff Literary

Kelsey Evans is a literary agent with Rosecliff Literary.

Kelsey is a publishing professional with a background in communications, marketing, and editing. After a decade helming marketing strategy and content development for agencies with major clients like AAA, Dannon, and Target, she transitioned into publishing. She began as an editor, helping writers shape their work through developmental feedback, query critiques, and revision guidance.

Later, she moved into agenting, interning with Triada US and Creative Media Agency (CMA), where she gained hands-on experience in manuscript evaluation, submissions, and client development. Passionate about championing authors, Kelsey now combines editorial insight with marketing expertise to help writers navigate both craft and career.

She is especially excited to seek out independent voices by tracking breakout self-published successes, surfacing under-the-radar talent, and scouting the indie authors whose sales, platforms, and craft signal they’re ready to leap into traditional publishing.

SHE IS SEEKING:

Adult fiction: romance, horror, science fiction, fantasy, suspense, mystery, thriller.

Adult nonfiction: narrative nonfiction — specifically in sports, nature, and science.

Young adult fiction: fantasy and magical realism.

Generally looking for: immersive settings (fantasy or otherwise), jaw-dropping plot twists, distinctive voice, tight plotting, high concept hooks, emotional character journeys, slow burn romances, top-tier banter.

NONFICTION SPECIFICS:

Anything science-related, specifically physics, is a yes for me! Think Brian Greene and Carlo Rovelli, making complex topics accessible to a wide audience.

Personal women’s rowing or basketball stories like The Red Rose Crew or In These Girls, Hope is a Muscle. I’d also love a larger look at the WNBA and growth of women’s basketball as a whole.

Nature-based nonfiction like The Hidden Life of Trees or quiet, uplifting stories like Raising Hare.

Heartfelt, funny, compelling cooking stories. Everything from Calvin Trillin’s The Tummy Trilogies to Marissa Ross’s Wine, All the Time. Coming from a food background, I’d love personal insights into the world beyond The Bear. Think: The Sharper Your Knife, the Less You Cry; The Making of a Chef; Animal, Vegetable, Miracle; The Omnivore’s Dilemma; A Homemade Life; Tender at the Bone; On Food and Cooking.

A deep dive into the recent “tradwife” phenomenon, specifically as it intersects with social media, capitalism, economic precarity, and right-wing ideology.

ROMANCE SPECIFICS:

Sports (anything but hockey or football). Send me lacrosse stories, basketball rivals, rowing books — especially if they’re queer. They can be witty, snarky, and fun (Cleat Cute) or deeply moving and compelling (A Sharp Endless Need).

Formula 1 or English Premier League stories!

Grounded, laugh out loud grumpy x sunshine stories like Morbidly Yours by Ivy Fairbanks.

If you’re a fanfic writer and have banter chops like DMATMOOBIL or Lionheart please (please please) send stories my way!

Action/adventure romps like Pirates Of the Caribbean or National Treasure with a romance through-line.

YES to dark academia and gothic aesthetics. I’d love to see these trends explored more deeply in the Romance space, especially with emotional complexity and immersive but accessible atmospheres (Spells for Forgetting, for example).

Speculative Romance (think The Dead Romantics from Ashley Poston).

HORROR SPECIFICS:

Cults

Mike Flanagan-esque stories or anything that mixes religion or spirituality with horror, like Hell Followed With Us or Black Sheep or Archive 81.

Slow unfolding horror with an unreliable narrator like Meg Smitherman’s Thrum.

BIPOC-centered stories like The Only Good Indians or Kindred.

X-Files. Twin Peaks. Give me weird and creepy and a slow-burning fire.

SCIENCE FICTION & FANTASY:

Supernatural investigators like Dresden Files or Constantine, or an aged-up heist story like Six of Crows.

I like a good Romantasy but very selectively. It has to be a fresh take on the genre and not a rewrite of SJM or RY.

Cozy fantasy is a yes, especially if it has some romance and a bit of mystery. Think The Spellshop by Sarah Beth Durst or The Honey Witch by Sydney J. Shields. If I could live inside Ghibli’s Howl’s Moving Castle I would be the happiest camper.

I’m really interested in branching out to sci-fi. This can look like the creepy corporate world within Severance, the isolated, character-driven stories of Andy Weir, or something more expansive and adventurous in the spirit of Firefly or Doctor Who — helmed by a complex lead (Malcolm Reynolds and the Tenth Doctor, be still my heart).

SUSPENSE / THRILLER / MYSTERY:

A super dry, superbly paced English or Scottish standalone like Dept. Q, a series like Slow Horses by Mick Herron, or a multi-timeline, interwoven mystery like Case Histories by Kate Atkinson.

Sticky, evocative books like Bright Young Women and The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo.

Compulsive page-turners a la Freida McFadden, The Devil in the Dark Water, We Solve Murders/The Thursday Murder Club, Killers of a Certain Age. If you have a novel where the trio from The First Wives Club solve a mystery, I’m BEGGING you to send it to me.

Tense thrillers in the vein of My Sister, the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite, protagonists like Olivia Pope in Scandal.

Atmospheric suspense stories like The Cloisters by Katy Hays.

REQUESTS FOR ALL GENRES:

Family dynamics of White Oleander or Yellowstone (I’d love a ranch setting)

My Dark Vanessa should be required reading for everyone, ever. If you have an angry, heartbreaking, unputdownable story — please share it.

Make me sob like the last 100 pages of House of Earth and Blood did (I mean it, break my heart)

YOUNG ADULT SPECIFICS:

Fantasy:

A twist on a myth we haven’t seen before, complete with social commentary (Lore, Legendborn)

If Lex Croucher would approve, I want to see it. Gwen and Art are Not in Love and Not for the Faint of Heart are two of my favorite reads in this area.

Give me grounded fantasy with coming-of-age struggles like The Mediator series by Meg Cabot.

Misc. requests for YA specifically:

Books that tackle hard subjects like Gingerbread by Rachel Cohn and Dreamland by Sarah Dessen.

Magical Realism like Weetzie Bat or Every Heart a Doorway.

Stories about the pressures of being an elite student-athlete. Specifically focused on the balance required to excel at both, the day-to-day of what that looks like, the complicated teammate/friend/rival relationships that are formed, and the harsh truths about competing at the level.

I’m not a great fit for the following:

AI anything
Screenplays, poetry, and short stories
Picture books
Teen pregnancy stories
Zombies or dystopian
Pet deaths or animal abuse of any kind

Get to Know an Agent in Attendance: Rose Ferrao of P.S. Literary

Rose Ferrao is a literary agent with P.S. Literary.

Rose is currently acquiring both fiction and nonfiction.

In fiction, she is looking for commercial romance, adult and crossover fantasy, science fiction, horror, upmarket thrillers, contemporary fiction and select young adult fiction. She is drawn to stories that embrace genre conventions from a fun, fresh angle.

In nonfiction, she is looking for cookbooks and food writing, sports, pop culture, music, psychology, lifestyle, and wellness, especially when approached from a specific, unique perspective. She welcomes and encourages submissions from neurodivergent writers. If you would like to send a query to Rose, please review our submission guidelines above.

Rose began her publishing career in London, working in non-fiction at Bloomsbury and science fiction, fantasy and horror at Orbit Books. She has a BA in English Literature and Film from Queen’s University and an MA in Publishing from University College London. Rose has a wide range of reading tastes, but she is particularly drawn to compelling, character-driven stories that embrace the weird and wondrous. Outside of work, she spends her time cooking and watching too many movies.

Get to Know an Editor in Attendance: Mikaela Roasa of HarperCollins Canada

Mikaela Roasa is an editor with HarperCollins Canada.

Since joining HarperCollins Canada in 2020, Mikaela has had the privilege of working on many bestselling books such as Amita Parikh’s bestselling novel The Circus Train; Never Been Better by Leanne Toshiko Simpson (winner of the 2025 Rakuten Kobo Emerging Writer Prize for Romance); Tanya Talaga’s highly acclaimed work of nonfiction The Knowing; and Juno award-winning Inuk artist Susan Aglukark’s memoir Kihiani.

Mika acquires and edits a range of commercial and upmarket character-driven stories and select narrative no-fiction and memoir. She is the editor of the forthcoming epic fantasy Dawn of the Firebird by Sarah Mughal Rana, the romantasy The Lure of Wolves and Whispers by Amanda Connolly, and The God of Lost Causes by Jules Arbeaux. Her authors also include Natalie Sue, Amy Chan, Ashley Winstead, and Rebecca Reid.

For fiction, Mika is interested in science fiction & fantasy; romance; and voicey, emotionally compelling contemporary fiction. For nonfiction, she is drawn to works that explore themes of identity, race, sexuality and gender with nuance, as well as food and community or pop culture.

While Mika is open minded to a range of submissions, she is not the right fit for historical fiction, police procedurals, high-concept literary fiction, poetry, business books, or true crime.

Select favourite books:

How to End a Love Story by Yulin Kuang
I Hope This Finds You Well by Natalie Sue
Jade City by Fonda Lee
Babel by R.F. Kuang
She Who Became the Sun by Shelley Parker-Chan
Beach Read by Emily Henry
Really Good, Actually by Monica Heisey
You Made a Fool of Death with Your Beauty by Akwaeke Emezi
Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner
Chop Suey Nation by Ann Hui
Sucker Punch by Scaachi Koul
Know My Name by Chanel Miller

Get to Know an Agent in Attendance: Paige Broadbent of The Purcell Agency

Paige Broadbent is a literary agent with The Purcell Agency.

At the Toronto event, Paige is taking pitches on behalf of herself and her agency. She is seeking pitches for the following genres and categories:

Middle grade fiction (contemporary, coming of age, dystopian, romantic, #ownvoices, BIPOC, and LGBTQ)
Young adult fiction (contemporary, coming of age, dystopian, romantic, #ownvoices, BIPOC, and LGBTQ)
New adult fiction (contemporary, coming of age, dystopian, romantic, #ownvoices, BIPOC, and LGBTQ)
Adult fiction — contemporary, upmarket, women’s, book club, mainstream, romance, dystopian, #ownvoices, BIPOC, and LGBTQ
Some memoir
Children’s picture books
Any fairy-tale retelling or re-imagining, especially if pulled into a contemporary setting

Paige is a storyteller and artist from southwestern Ontario, Canada, where she spent her childhood climbing trees and playing make-believe. As a nature enthusiast, Paige advocates for sustainable practices and the preservation and conservation of nature. As a creative, she champions the narrative merit of both traditional and unconventional and/or experimental storytelling techniques and is particularly interested in the narrative capabilities of environmental and non-linear storytelling in video games.

Described as a ‘professional student,’ Paige is a curious individual with an insatiable thirst for knowledge. She is currently working towards an Honours BA (and yes, she spells ‘honours’ with a U) in Creative Writing & Publishing from Sheridan College in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada.

Get to Know an Agent in Attendance: Kate Moody of Transatlantic Agency

Kate Moody is a literary agent with Transatlantic Agency.

Kate represents authors in both adult fiction and no-fiction. She is seeking authors with strong platforms in nonfiction, including true crime, narrative, journalism, memoir, sports, current affairs and pop culture.

In fiction, she is particularly interested in thrillers, psychological thrillers, family sagas, and stories that are dark, twisty, and complex. Kate is also drawn to authors whose exceptional writing can stand above a platform, as well as those who skillfully bend genres and execute multi-POV narratives with precision.

Kate believes everyone has a story to tell and is always looking for fresh, compelling voices. If you think you’d be a good fit, she’d love to hear from you!

Fun facts about her:

Driven by her passion for books, literacy, and education, Kate founded the Moody Family Foundation in 2023, which provides charitable grants to support education and literacy programs in Ontario’s York Region.

Get to Know an Agent in Attendance: Jennifer Irons of Meta Talent Agency

Jennifer Irons is an agent with Meta Talent Agency.

Jennifer’s agency is specifically seeking to adapt short stories from BIPOC writers to film and TV.

She is also open to having 10-minute consultations with all attendees and writers to answers questions about the process of how print (stories, books) gets adapted to the screen (TV/film). She is happy to just have Q&A sessions with any attendees.

Manasseh & Ephraim Talent Agency (META) is the first Black-owned film & TV literary talent agency in Canada. Founded by Jennifer Irons in 2021, META’s mission is to help remedy inequitable access to agent representation for Black, Indigenous, and People of Colour (BIPOC). META is devoted to discovering, nurturing, promoting, and advancing BIPOC creator’s careers for long-term success in the film, TV, and digital entertainment industries.

Get to Know an Agent in Attendance: Marina Green of PS Literary Agency

Marina Green is an associate literary agent at PS Literary Agency representing fiction and nonfiction.

After completing a BA and post-grad in publishing and spending half a decade as a bookseller, Marina began her career as an editor at a small indie publisher in Montréal before moving to Harlequin’s Trade division as an acquiring editor. Marina has always had an eclectic taste in books and is always looking for atmospheric, diverse, and inclusive stories rooted in cultural identity and belonging—and magic when she can get it. When Marina isn’t immersing herself in books and words and magical worlds, you can find her with a cup of tea in hand, trying a new yoga asana—never at the same time—or practicing Armenian, the language of her ancestors.

Marina is actively acquiring fiction (adult and YA) and nonfiction (adult).

In fiction, she is particularly drawn to speculative, atmospheric, and voice-driven narratives for both adult and young adult audiences. She has a soft spot for hybrid genres, such as horror-romance or speculative thrillers, and books with big hooks. In literary fiction, she is looking for stories that push the boundaries of genre and form. She’d love horror in the vein of an A24 film. When it comes to mysteries and thrillers, she looks for atmospheric stories with unreliable narrators that skew psychological or slowly get under your skin. For romance, she seeks stories with heart and something big to say, or unconventional takes on the genre. In fantasy, she is looking for unique magic systems, strong characters, and stories inspired by myth or folklore, particularly outside the Western canon. While she’s open to romantasy, these submissions need to stand out against the saturated market.

On the nonfiction side, she is interested in self-help, spiritual (Marina loves the woo woo!), and the occult. She’s also very keen to find poignant nature memoirs and other nature-based non-fiction. As a child of diaspora herself, across all categories, she is looking for diverse and inclusive stories rooted in the diasporic experience, cultural identity, and belonging.

Get to Know an Agent in Attendance: Katrina Lemaire of Corvisiero Literary

Katrina Lemaire is a literary agent with Corvisiero Literary.

Katrina holds a Bachelor’s (Honours) in English and Creative Writing and a Publishing Certificate from Toronto Metropolitan University. With a history of sales, marketing, and an insatiable desire for literature, she inevitably found herself pursuing a path in publishing. As a writer, Katrina has engaged in the social and theoretical aspects of creative writing, and is currently a member of the Canadian Authors Association. Known for her poetry and short fiction, her works have appeared in Plenitude Magazine, Soft Star Magazine, Crow & Crosskeys Magazine, and other places.

When it comes to her taste in books, Katrina is often found devouring the pages of decadent fantasies set in worlds with high or low stakes, dark academia with cult/occult aspects, speculative fiction, horror of all kinds, graphic novels, gothic literature, noir fiction, paranormal, romance, urban fantasy, mystery, and anything that leans towards the uncanny. Within these genres, specifically in crossover YA and Adult, Katrina is always looking for more queer and BIPOC representation that feature tenacious and palpable characters.

MSWL

In Crossover NA/Adult Fiction:

Horror, particularly drawing on body horror, femgore (similar toThe Substance), horror romance, monster horror (think The Wolf Man, Dracula, Creature from the Black Lagoon, Frankenstein; using the literary devices of these stories to tell a fresh narrative), folk horror, environmental/ecological horror, Eldritch horror, deep-sea horror (as seen in Our Wives Under the Sea and the game Subnautica), horror that leans on A4 movie titles, and art horror with LGBTQ+ and BIPOC characters at the forefront.
In the realm of the Gothic, Katrina would like to see genre blends of romance, speculative, supernatural lore/crawly creatures, and richly descriptive historical settings with haunted castles, immersive atmospheres, and animals that are watchful familiars to brooding counts/countesses. In the gothic vein, Katrina is specifically focusing on LGBTQ+ and BIPOC characters that have themes/elements relating to works by T. Kingfisher, the book Carmilla, Mexican Gothic, and Starling House, The Bayou, and The Spirit Bares Its Teeth.
Magical Realism with lyrical prose, experimental narrative construction, and unique speculative twists.
All sectors of Indigenous/ First Nations works that feature magical realism, horror, romance, upmarket literary, urban fantasy, contemporary, supernatural, science, climate, and more.
Cozy fantasies like Legends & Lattes, with creepy/crawly themes of The Butterfly Garden, soft and mystique elements with pinches of lore with Studio Ghibli vibes, slow burn royal/court romances that have elements of potions, magic, fantastical (non-western) monsters, apothecary shops (as seen from The Apothecary Diaries).
Fantasy that intersects with gothic, speculative, dark academia, new sciences, romance, mystery, horror, and non-western folklore. Katrina is particularly picky when it comes to fantasy, and is specifically looking for high stakes, palpable tension, ensemble casts with unique dynamics, big, lush worlds with intricate political and magic systems, main characters who aren’t afraid to burn the world down, alchemy, complex villains who can be more than love interests, fresh takes on dragons and non-western mythology, and immersive world construction.
In Supernatural/Paranormal fiction, Katrina is interested in discovering LGBTQ+ and BIPOC characters in this space that feature elements of witches, vampires, werewolves, ghosts, devils/demons, dark magic, occult, and other dark themes that have propulsive hooks, human nuances, and fresh takes.
With historical fiction, Katrina is very particular, seeking genre blends of gothic romances, speculative surprises, intricate mysteries with unexpected twists, sciences and magic, and love interests that sizzle.

Young Adult:

Horror with elements of the occult, forest horror (similar to The Forest Demands Its Due by Kosoko Jackson and Don’t Let The Forest In by C. G. Drews), dark academia with themes of alchemy, competition and murder mysteries, inventive curses/magic systems, slasher/camp horror as seen in The Honeys by Ryan La Sala and You’re Not Supposed to Die Tonight by Kalynn Bayron, witches, werewolves, vampires, sirens, fae, and other folkloric monsters created or known spun in terrifying new ways.
Fantasy that blends with horror, gothic, dark academia, speculative flare, bloodthirsty protagonists who are witty/clever/and unafraid to do whatever it takes to achieve their goals, historical fantasies are also welcome, and cozy fantasy setting with layered characters and world construction.
Fairytale Retellings with Grimdark aspects.

Picture Books:

High-concept picture books that incorporate themes of climate change and environmental STEAM.
Topics that relate to nature, ecology, bugs, ocean life, and ecosystems.
Spooky/Halloween books with tender undertones and heartwarming characters.
Characters that have big personalities, voices, and passion.
Stories with the potential for lush, beautiful illustrations, or for fun art that interacts with the text of the story in unexpected ways.
Stories that deliver humorous and clever lines.
Stories incorporating the perspective of children from underrepresented or marginalized groups.
Katrina is not looking for rhyming books.
At this time, Katrina is only open to reviewing picture book submissions created by an individual writer/illustrator or collaborative teams. All artwork/dummy art should be attached to the query by using a Dropbox link or a pasted link to an illustration portfolio.

Graphic Novels:

Across all genres, Katrina is open to traditional graphic novels, graphic memoirs, and graphic nonfiction for all age categories. Please note she is currently only open to reviewing graphic novel submissions created by author/illustrators (a sole creator writing and illustrating the book). She is interested to see graphic novels with pages and panels that make use of the visual format to tell an authentic story.
Specific Genres that Katrina is looking for at the moment are: Fantasy, Horror, Speculative, blends of contemporary and cultural YA/Adult LGBTQ+ and #OwnVoices narratives.
Some of Katrina’s favourite graphic works include: the Heartstopper series by Alice Oseman, Squad by Maggie Takuda-Hall, The Sheets series by Brenna Thummler, any and all works by the talented Aminder Dhaliwal, The Monstress series by Marjorie Liu, Nimona by ND Stevenson, Through the Woods by Emily Carroll, The Tea Dragon Society and The Moth Keeper by Kay O’Neill, Garlic and The Vampire by Bree Paulsen, The Girl From The Sea by Molly Knox Ostertag, This Place: 150 Years Retold collection, and more.
For graphic novels submissions, please do NOT send sexual/explicit materials (on the lines of erotica), hardcore violence, gore, or superheroes.
Guidelines on how to Submit Graphic Novel Materials: Please upload the first 20 pages of your completed graphic novel project with art/illustration samples by pasting a direct link in the sample pages section of the query form (Dropbox links are preferred).

Katrina is NOT looking to acquire: Non-fiction, Middle Grade, Memoir, Science Fiction, Military/Espionage, True Crime, Screenplays, Religious Fiction, Erotica, Contemporary Fiction, Rom-Coms, Family Sagas, or Westerns.

Elements Katrina is NOT a fit for include: Dystopia, Post-Apocalyptic, Zombies (unless it is on par with The Last of Us; she might make an exception), Global Disaster, Superheroes, COVID or disease themed/inspired stories or YA stories about terminal illnesses, Fanfiction angles, Historical fiction in the WWI or WWII eras, Historical Regency Romance, War stories in which humanity fights technology, Novels in Verse, stories that heavily focus on Trauma such as Sexual assault, Domestic abuse, Child abuse or Suicide as a primary storyline, and Animal Brutality,

Please note Corvisiero Literary Agency currently does not represent poetry, short story collections, or novella-length fiction at this time.

Katrina’s Favorite Books:

Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo
Never Whistle At Night Anthology
Vicious by V.E. Schwab
So Let Them Burn by Kamilah Cole
The Jasmine Throne by Tasha Turi
You’re Not Supposed to Die Tonight by Kalynn Bayron
The Final Girl Support Group by Grady Hendrix
What Moves The Dead by T. Kingfisher
Camilla by Francis Burney