Ciara Smith

I open the first week of every month.

Here’s a deeper look at what I’m especially hoping to find right now—across YA, NA, and Adult, unless otherwise noted:

Science Fiction (All Ages)
• Space opera
• Alien romance
• Space horror
• Far-future worlds
• Any -punk subgenre (cyberpunk, solarpunk, steampunk, biopunk, etc.)
• Space heists

Whether you’re giving me stars, politics, messy emotions on a spaceship, or terrifying encounters with the unknown, I’m open to being surprised. Bring me something fresh and character-driven. I don’t get nearly enough science fiction and would like more.

Ancient Historical with a Twist (Highly Selective):

I’m very selectively looking for ancient historical fiction that captures the gritty, emotionally intense vibe of The Eagle, Centurion, Gladiator, or Clash of the Titans—but not set in Rome or Greece. I want new cultures, underrepresented histories, and non-Western empires with that same mythic weight and cinematic scope.
Bonus if there’s:
• A speculative or myth-infused layer
• A focus on duty, betrayal, survival, or transformation
• Queer, POC, disabled, and/or neurodivergent characters embedded naturally in the world

I’m craving epic feeling and grounded humanity—but don’t want a textbook in disguise. If your story feels like a sword’s edge and a prayer to forgotten gods, I want to see it.

Romance (All Ages):

I’m looking for romance across the spectrum of speculative or contemporary genres. Here are my favorite tropes right now:

• Fake dating or engagement
• Forced proximity
• Holiday romance (underrepresented holidays)
• Ulterior motives but they fall in love anyway
• Workplace or professional rivals-to-lovers
• Alien/human pairings

Hard pass on the miscommunication trope, unless the misstep is intentional and gets consequences. I’m especially excited to see romance featuring:

• LGBTQIA+, POC, disabled, and/or neurodivergent leads
• Cross-cultural relationships
• Joyful representation within darker genres like sci-fi, horror, or thrillers.

YA Fantasy:

I’m open to a wide range of YA fantasy tones and pacing. Right now I’m especially excited to see:

• Cozy fantasy
• Portal fantasy
• Alternate world settings
• Paranormal stories told through underrepresented voices or with a unique twist
• Romantasy
• Speculative journeys—emotional or physical quests that reshape the character
• Heists
• Big adventure
• Friendship-centered plots
• Magical realism, fairy tales, and folk magic, especially rooted in culture and community.

YA speculative fiction is my favorite category to see layered with heart, risk, wonder, and growth. I love genre-blending, new mythologies, and stories that leave me changed.

Adult Fantasy:

-Romantasy/Romantic Fantasy: Now open again to Romantasy or Romantic Fantasy! For me the romance plot and fantasy plot must be equal, I would prefer the fantasy not just be set dressing for the romance.

• If you have fae/fairies that are fresh or have a new perspective not done before, I’m open to it. Just note I’m picky.

• I’d love marginalized perspectives, groups who haven’t been able to take over the space yet.

• I love morally grey in all characters. By this I mean, when you start the book you think you know who is “good” and who is “bad” but as the story progresses, you start to question it. Not morally grey as in the MMC does really bad things, but uses his love for FMC as an excuse (iykyk).

• Above all, I’d really love something new in this space that still has the heat, but is very distinguishable from others on the market right now.

-Cozy Fantasy. While I loved Legends and Lattes, I’m really looking for adding something new to the genre. Give me creepy cute, or even a little bit dark, set it in a small area, and make the stakes personal, and I’d love to see it!

-Paranormal stories—but I want something new. I’m craving:

• Fresh takes on werewolves or other classic creatures
• Underrepresented cultural myths, superstitions, or local legends
• Paranormal that feels rooted in community, fear, ritual, or transformation
• Romance as a subplot is totally fine, but the paranormal needs to be the star of the show
• Ideal if the vibes are eerie, moody, grounded, and steeped in emotional stakes.

Think regional ghost stories, dusty legends, shapeshifter lore, or the kind of tale you’d hear whispered in a small town bar. I want the paranormal to feel lived-in, not decorative.

-Dark Fantasy:

I love dark fantasy, either psychologically dark or physically, I don’t shy away from gore or messed up protagonists. Again, a romance subplot is fine, but I don’t want it to be the star of the show.

Horror (All Ages)

Send me:
• Creeping dread
• Trapped horror
• Body horror
• Stories with the brutal humanity of SAW or The Purge—horrors that force us to look at ourselves
• Allegorical horror from marginalized perspectives.

• Also looking for Horromance.

I love cinematic horror that lingers and has something to say. I’ll pass on anything that treats real-world mental illness as the twist or the monster.

Thriller / Suspense (All Ages)

• Stories about what’s lurking in the dark
• Unreliable narrators—who might be the villain, or might just think they are (as long as mental illness isn’t used as shorthand for “crazy”)
• Tension that builds gradually until it explodes
• High-concept tension with personal stakes

*Please note I am -not- looking for crime thriller, or murder mystery thriller*

Non-Fiction

Please note: This is a tough space to debut in. In your proposal, please include followers and events and projects you’ve been involved in. But in this space I’d love to see:

• Spiritual or energetic work for every day life

• New takes on tarot, herbalism, or astrology

• Works on shadow work, rituals, or meditations, especially for accessibility

*Please do not send me works on closed practices or appropriated from another practice you do not have access to.*

What I Always Love to See:

• LGBTQIA+, POC, disabled, and neurodivergent characters in any genre
• Found family
• Emotional stakes and layered characters
• Genre blends that surprise me

What I’m Not Looking For:

• Picture books through middle grade
• Time travel
• Mysteries
• Stories from the POV of abusers or serial killers
• Any story that includes child abuse or sexual assault.

• I unfortunately can not read or work on military sci-fi, military deployments in any genre, or works that deal with military PTSD.

Submission Guidelines

Submissions should be emailed to https://querytracker.net/query/ciarasmith

We ask you only query ONE agent. If that agent feels your work may be more suitable for another at our firm, we will share it with them. Therefore, a response from one agent should be considered a response from all agents. We do welcome authors to query us again with new work. And please note, we only accept submissions through Query Manager.