Ann Rose

I’m a California native who now resides in Texas after a stint in Florida. Each place has its pros and cons, but I can say that I left my heart in San Diego and dream of going back one day (although that will probably never happen). My degree is in Communication from San Diego State University, and my resume holds a gamut of jobs from Life Guard to Business Systems Analyst/Portfolio Manager, but books have always been my passion. I’m excited to finally merge my love of literature with my past professional experiences as a literary agent with The Tobias Literary Agency. It is my honor to help authors build successful, sustainable careers.

WHAT I’M LOOKING FOR:

In the adult arena:

I love swoony romances – any heat level from mild to hot, but not extra spicy. (So, no erotica.) I love slow burns, and while I do enjoy enemies to lovers, I’m really gravitating toward friends to lovers these days. I enjoy a good grumpy-sunshine combo, fake dating, “there’s only one bed,” second changes, small towns, fish out of water. The really important thing for me with romance is that I have to WANT the couple to be together. We all know they will end up together but romances that have more of that “will they, won’t they” pull is something that I really enjoy. I also like unique and different meet-cutes. I’d love a romance that starts with texting the wrong number. (But no catfishing)

I also really enjoy Women’s Fiction with a strong romantic element — meaning romance is not the core of the story, the woman’s journey is, but it still ends in a HEA. (Happily Ever After or Happily For Now.)

LGBTQIA+ romances–everyone deserves their happy ending. Love is love. I’m really wanting more f/f romances and romances that star bi characters, and no they don’t have to be in same sex partnerships for it to be a queer story. If they are bi it’s queer.

Give me stories where I’m dying for the characters to get together–don’t make it too easy. Give me your “soft boys” that don’t have six pack abs or the perfect hair.  

Most importantly I want a strong hook. There are a lot of romances out there, so how will yours stand out?

Light sci-fi or fantasy – Emphasis on the light. If it’s epic, it’s probably not my jam in the adult arena. I’m NOT really looking for Tolkien world building or understanding how to build a flux capacitor. If you are comping to George R.R. Martin it also isn’t a likely good fit for me.

I’d really love some “cozy” fantasy, think The House on the Cerulean Sea, where it’s just a warm hug in the form of a book.

I love stories with witches and/or magic.

Stories where the location itself feels like a character in the story are also always fun. Make me want to vacation in your world.

Retellings are good if they are done in fresh ways. Or they are stories we haven’t really seen retold before.

As always strong feminist themes and stories of taking down the patriarchy I will want to see in my inbox.

Commercial or Upmarket fiction

Heartwarming (or heart wrenching) contemporaries–bonus points if it’s both

Stories that explore family and familial relationships.

Stories from underrepresented voices.

Historicals that tackle things other than WW2. I’m really looking for stories from voices we haven’t heard before or about women in history that have either been overlooked or are just generally badass.

Women fighting back or standing up to the patriarchy are always stories I’m interested in.

Women seeking revenge stories I’m good with too. Seriously I want your messy female characters who do terrible things for the “right” reasons. Morally gray women are my jam.

I also would love stories that explore the rage women feel. So don’t be afraid to send me your angry women.

Stories that deeper explore female friendships. Empowered women, empower women. I don’t particularly enjoy stories were women are fighting/tearing other women down. Friendship breakups happen, but the pettiness does not.

Are you sensing a theme here? Good.

Thrillers/Suspense

I really want these stories to have a strong feminist angle for them to be right for me.

Stories of men kidnapping, stalking, and abusing women are a little tired IMO and just NOT my jam.

I love stories with a good unexpected twist. And here’s the thing: I ask for a synopsis, so I expect you to tell me spoilers. You may think, this ruins it! But no. As an agent I want to know the twist so that while I read I can see how you are setting up all the pieces and red herrings along the way. For me knowing what is to come helps me really understand your work and appreciate it’s brilliance. So don’t be afraid of spoilers in the synopsis. They are NEEDED.

I don’t love blood and gore for the sake of it, so if it’s just bloody and gory, it’s likely not a good fit.

I do not shy away from stories that deal with assault or suicide but believe they should be handled in nuanced ways not just there to propel the plot for (usually) the male character.

I’m also open to cozy mysteries.

YA of all genres

But especially stories that have heart and humor. I want you to transport me to new worlds–even if those “worlds” are in the middle of Iowa. But especially if its fantasy, I really want you to take me there and show me something I haven’t seen before.

I’m always looking for strong character who are willing to stand up for their convictions–whether it be with their brains or their brawn. Give me fabulous friendship stories!! No mean girls. I’m looking for girl empowerment and stories where we see girls lifting each other up not tearing each other down. LGBTQIA+ stories!!! I’d still really love a story where two girls are running against each other for class president and then they fall in love. I’d also love to see cheerleading stories–everything from contemporary to the vein of Sugar and Spice (the 2001 movie).

In both YA and MG I don’t shy away from stories that deal with issues kids are dealing with today. I will say, if you are going to discuss topics like suicide make sure you’ve done your homework–proper language matters! (*hint- look up the word “commit” and why you should probably not use this word.)

I’d love to see more YA thriller–not necessarily gore but a story that keeps me on the edge of my seat, guessing until the very end. I’m still looking for my YA version of CLUE (and if it has three different endings, even better.) Which means mystery is a go for me, too.

I’d love some YA that deals with toxic masculinity. A funny how to survive high school book with tips and tricks how to make the most out of your four years would be good. Show me characters who are beautifully flawed doing the wrong things for all the right reasons. Give me body positive MC’s. Unique sports books–CrossFit, ultimate Frisbee, rock climbing, mountain biking, roller derby, and even speed walkers. Oh, and twins – good twins, evil twins, twins that get along, twins that don’t, rom-coms where twins switch places and hijinks happen… anything goes.

Historicals that tackle things other than WW2–bonus points if there are badass women in in history.

Also, if you are going to do a type of “historical fantasy,” I’d love it if your world isn’t based on a patriarchal system. If you are going to the trouble of creating your own world, why do girls have to be inferior? I’m not opposed to “historical fantasy” that is roughly based on “real world” history. Just posing a question.

MG of all genres, especially ones that push the boundaries of middle grade

All of the above from the YA section pretty much goes for MG, too. There’s no topic off limits here either, just make sure it’s handled in the best possible way.

I’d love to see a camping book–and not just where the kids are running around all a muck, but fun camping stories with responsible councilors and s’mores!

Sibling stories. Show me supportive older siblings and intack family units. Families of all shapes and sizes, too. A MG (or YA or adult) My Big Fat Greek Wedding type story would totally be my jam.

Unicorns? Do you have one in your book or gnomes? Then I want to see it.

Kids doing amazing things–like being on competition reality shows and solving climate change. Show me your kid activists, and kids doing things for their communities. Bring me new twists on old troupes.

I don’t shy away from tough topics in middle grade, and am always interested in stories that deal with things middle schoolers are dealing with.

**I’m always looking for unique voices, diverse perspectives, vivid settings, and stories that explore tough topics. Give me your dark and edgy stories with unlikable characters–that underneath are totally likable.

Above all I’m looking for VOICE. It’s the characters themselves that will make me fall in love or not. Plot can be fixed if you have just the right characters to tell the story. 

WHAT I’M NOT LOOKING FOR:

Horror (I don’t love all the blood and guts stuff)

Erotica

Non-fiction

Picture Books

Poetry (books in verse are the exception) 

Novellas

Stories that start with a character waking up (This is not a challenge. I promise I won’t make it past the first line if this is how the book starts.)

Stories with graphic rape

Misogynist stories (Seriously, if your MC is a misogynist even if they “redeem” themselves later I don’t want it.)

Stories that hinge on a woman’s abuse to propel the story for the male MC is something I’m not interested in.

Stories that are homophobic, racist, sexist, etc. aren’t my thing either.

Stories that depict animal cruelty – if the dog dies, I don’t want it

Books set in the 80s-90s – Unless there’s a darn good reason, meaning some kind of historical event (yes, I said historical) has to anchor it there. If you can pick up the plot and move it present day, you probably should. 

Submission Guidelines

Submissions should be emailed to https://QueryManager.com/AgentAnnRose