Anjanette Barr

I am an Agent at Dunham Literary, and I am very grateful to live with my husband and four children in the traditional home of the Tlingit people, Juneau Alaska.

I represent books across most genres and all age categories, and open to queries in November and April each year.

Please glance through my favorites and “I’d like the next…” section on this page to get a feel for my style and current wishes. I read eclectically, and I’m primarily drawn to books that ask readers to contemplate big ideas. In fiction, humor, magic, wonder, romance, and the natural world are excellent vehicles for big ideas, so give me all the beautiful language and epic adventures. For non-fiction, send me your compellingly written popular science, crafting, cooking, outdoor living, economics, lifestyle, and history books. Accessible and fresh prose is a must. I’m less interested in memoir, religion, and purely academic titles at this time, because I already have wonderful authors in those categories.

When asked about my reading/representing preferences, I always say that I love commercial and genre fiction with substance. And that I enjoy literary and non-fiction titles infused with living ideas that leave readers with a new desire to immerse themselves in the subject matter.

Here are my preferences in greater detail:

• In Adult Fiction – captivating settings and relatable characters that highlight virtues like empathy and fortitude, whether the genre is historical (My Antonia, Outlander), literary/upmarket (The Snow Child, Piranesi), romance (The Winter Sea, Book Lovers) or Fantasy/Sci-Fi (Lightbringer series, Song of Albion series, The Sparrow, Project Hail Mary).
• In Adult Non-fiction – well-researched titles that make lay-people enchanted and invested in topics previously over their heads (The Elements by Theodore Grey, Freakonomics, Quiet by Susan Cain), and biography and memoir with the ability to connect diverse readers (Feeding Ghosts by Tessa Hulls, Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand). I’m also interested in books that shed light on poverty and justice in a new way (Everything is Tuberculosis by John Green, Evicted by Matthew Desmond).
• Children’s literature for all age groups – I’m especially fond of books that can be read aloud and shared with the whole family (Children of the Longhouse, Anna Hibiscus, Gregor the Overlander, Echo by Pam Munoz Ryan, Whale of the Wild, Impossible Creatures) which tend to be middle grade, but she loves any MG/YA/NA that empowers young people to consider their character and worth as they prepare to leave the nest (What Happened to Rachel Riley, Sabriel/The Old Kingdom series, Everything Sad is Untrue, With or Without You by Eric Smith). I prefer picture books that are winsome and pleasant to read aloud (Blueberries for Sal, Brigid’s Cloak by Bryce Miligan, Miss Rumphius, Farmhouse, poetry by Joyce Sidman). Humor is great when it helps tell the story (The Book with No Pictures, Good Dog Carl). And I want to see more engaging non-fiction!
• Particular interests of mine are the exploration of culture, history, faith, myth, fine arts, and nature. I have a soft spot for gothic novels and magical realism. I am not a good fit for: grisly Horror, Erotica, True Crime, Sports, or Political non-fiction.

Submission Guidelines

I represent books across most genres and all age categories, and open to queries in November and April each year.

Dunham Literary has moved to Query Manager! For guidelines and submission dates, please visit https://www.dunhamlit.com/how-to-submit

Guidelines & Details