Marina was previously a Big 5 acquiring editor and a bookseller before she made the switch to agenting. 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 non-fiction 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, particularly those written through an indigenous lens. 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.
Fun facts about me:
I am a certified makeup artist, I love dabbling in all sorts of crafts—I can’t draw for the life of me, but I am currently dabbling in making paint out of natural elements. I love nature, but I’m allergic to mosquitoes, which is a massive hindrance. I’ve never been surfing, but I’m enamoured with the sport and the lifestyle. I am very witchy too! I am currently learning how to speak Armenian (my mother’s language, and it’s extremely slow-going).
Submission Guidelines
Submissions should be emailed to query@psliterary.com
If you would like to send a query to Marina, please review our submission guidelines above. Please use this format in the subject field of your email: “Marina / BOOK TITLE / CREATOR NAME / GENRE”.
Guidelines & Details
Agent, Associate Literary Agent
Fiction:
Action/Adventure, BIPOC Crime Fiction, BIPOC Literature, BIPOC Mystery, BIPOC Thriller, Bookclub, Commercial, Contemporary, Domestic Thriller, Eco-Fiction, Fantasy, Folklore, Gothic, Historical, Horror, LGBTQ, Literary, Magical Realism, Mystery, New Adult, Psychological Thriller, Romance, Speculative, Speculative Literary, Thriller, Upmarket Speculative, Women’s Fiction, Young Adult
Non-Fiction:
Crafts/DIY, History, LGBTQ, Tarot/Astrology, Travel, Witches/Witchcraft
Favorite sub-genres:
#ownvoices, AAPI Fantasy, AAPI Horror, Accessible Literary Fiction, Activism, Adult Horror, Adult Rom Com, Adult SFF, Adventure, African Diaspora, African Fantasy, African Sci-Fi, Asian Diaspora, Asian Fantasy, Asian Horror, Asian Sci-Fi, BIPOC, BIPOC Fantasy, BIPOC Horror, BIPOC Mystery, BIPOC Sci-Fi, Books about books, Classic retellings with BIPOC characters, Commercial adult fiction, Commercial and Literary, Complicated Relationships, Diaspora Narratives, Domestic Suspense/Thriller, Epic Fantasy, Fairytale Retellings, Fantasy, Fantasy Romance, Fantasy YA, Female Friendships, Feminism, Feminist, Feminist Horror, Feminist SF/F, Folklore, Food Writing, Gothic, Gothic Fantasy, Gothic Horror, Grief, High Fantasy, High-Concept Literary Commercial Fiction, Historical Fantasy; Fantasy Grounded In Reality, Historical RomCom, Horror Comedy, Humor YA, Immigrant Voices, Indigenous Sciences, Inspirational/Gift, Issue-Driven, LGBT YA, LGBTQ Contemporary, LGBTQ Romance, LGBTQ+, LGBTQ+ Fantasy, LGBTQ+ Sci-Fi, LGBTQ+ rom coms, LGBTQIA, LGBTQIAP, Latine Diaspora, Latinx Fantasy, Latinx Horror, Latinx Sci-Fi, Latinx stories, Literary Crossover, Literary Fantasy, Literary Fiction, Literary Horror, Magic, Magic Realism, Magical Realism, Magical Realism YA, Marginalized Voices, Multicultural Romance, Multicultural and Diverse Thriller and Mystery, Mythic Horror, Mythology, Nature, Nature Writing, Occult, Occult Horror, Occult Nonfiction, Paranormal Romance, Shakespeare Retellings, Southern Gothic, Suspense, Tarot, Thriller, Time Travel Romance, alternate history, beach reads, character-focused fiction, dark academia, dark fantasy, diverse heroines, feminine narratives, folklore history, friendship stories, gothic romance, high concept fiction, hopepunk, light Sci-Fi, light fantasy, pining, queer, queer horror, queer narratives, slow burn romance, witchcraft
I’d like the next…
I’d like the next Jane Harper or Charlotte McConaghy! The next IN THE VEINS OF THE DROWNING by Kalie Cassidy, OUR WIVES UNDER THE SEA by Julia Armfield, or FABLE by Adrienne Young.
My favorites include…
Books: DARIUS THE GREAT IS NOT OKAY by Adib Khorram, BRAIDING SWEETGRASS by Robin Wall Kimmerer, FOR THE WOLF by Hannah Whitten, THE LOST MAN by Jane Harper, anything by Juliet Marillier, CITY OF BRASS (or anything) by Shannon Chakraborty, STRANGE THE DREAMER by Laini Taylor, anything by Rebecca Ross, FOR SHE IS WRATH by Emily Varga, WILD DARK SHORE by Charlotte McConaghy, THE SONG OF ACHILLES by Madeline Miller, MEXICAN GOTHIC by Silvia Moreno-Garcia.
TV: Legend of the Seeker, BBC’s Merlin, BBC’s Atlantis, The Wheel of Time (on Prime), Heartstopper.
Movies: Tristan and Isolde, Pride and Prejudice (2005), The Count of Monte Cristo (2002), The Princess Bride, Safe Haven, Chasing Mavericks, Ever After.
